The 2022 NBA draft order is officially set thanks to the always anticipated draft lottery that took place last night. A lot of mock drafts have Wisconsin’s own Johnny Davis headed somewhere between picks 7-12. As many Badger fans know, Johnny is a good athlete who proved to be a big time 3-level scorer and the promise to become a great defender. In today’s league, teams are continuing to look for bigger guards that can play both ways. Which is the reason for Johnny being a potential top-10 pick. Now that we know the draft order, we have a better understanding of where our beloved Badger will continue his career.
Most #NBADraft mocks have Johnny Davis being picked in this range. Which would be the best landing spot for the #Badgers star? pic.twitter.com/KlH9yGRglI
— Bucky’s 5th Quarter (@B5Q) May 18, 2022
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards hold the 10th pick in this year’s draft and I have seen plenty of mock drafts with Davis ending up in the Nation’s capital. Washington is in a strange time of their franchise. Holding on to the all-star Bradley Beal while also having multiple lottery picks. They sent away John Wall for Russell Westbrook which obviously didn’t work well. Washington actually did a good job in moving on from Westbrook and getting valuable assets in return. The Wizards are in desperate need of some guard depth. Outside of Bradley Beal the backcourt talent is underwhelming. With how good of a scorer Beal is, he can easily handle the majority of the ball handling and in doing so be able to pair up with an off-guard like Johnny Davis. Not to mention, Bradley Beal has a player option this Summer. If he decides to move on, the Wizards will need a new starting shooting guard.
New Orleans Pelicans
This might be my personal favorite destination for Johnny. The Pelicans hold the 8th pick in the draft thanks to their Anthony Davis trade to Los Angeles. New Orleans is an exciting team that pushed the Phoenix Suns to their limits in the first round. Doing so without former first pick ZIon Williamson. Trading for CJ McCollum proved to be the right move and Brandon Ingram is a proven all-star talent. In last year’s draft they focused heavily on defense by taking Trey Murphy III and Hebrert Jones. Also adding undrafted guard Jose Alvarado. Why not double down on another two-way player in this draft. Much like Beal, McCollum is more than comfortable handling the ball and Johnny could pair nicely in a backcourt with him. Add Zion to that mix, and we could see Johnny playing in the playoffs his rookie season.
Portland Trail Blazers
Speaking of CJ McCollum, the Portland Trail Blazers landed the 7th pick in the draft and might take a look at Johnny Davis. We all know how great Damian Lillard is, and the emergence of Anfernee Simmons has their backcourt set. However, after trading Norman Powell, they lack the defensive ability in the backcourt. Johny could certainly help in that area, and it would be pretty cool seeing him play with one of the best Point Guards in the NBA.
New York Knicks
This is an interesting one, considering most of the “draft experts” haven’t projected Davis to be selected number 11 to New York. However, the crazy loyal and loud Knicks fans have been pretty excited about the possibility on Twitter tonight. When searing Johnny Davis on Twitter to see fans’ reactions to the lottery. The majority of fans that I saw gushing about the possibility of acquiring Davis were Knicks fans. From a fit standpoint, the Knicks have a log jam when it comes to backcourt rotations. Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, RJ Barret, Cam Reddish, Immanuel Quickley, and even Quentin Grimes who had a nice rookie season. I don’t necessarily see the need to draft another guard/wing at this pick. Coach Tom Thibodeau loves defense, so I could see him being interested in Johnny. Nonetheless, it would be sweet to see Johnny play at the “Mecca” of basketball Madison Square Garden for every home game
San Antonio Spurs
Last, but certainly not least is the legendary San Antonio Spurs. One reason I would love this for Davis is the fact that he would be coached by arguably the greatest coach of all-time, Greg Popovich. With the 9th pick in the draft, if Johnny is still available I could see the Spurs seriously considering him. San Antonio has a rich history when it comes to the draft and development of players. That’s what is so exciting about the potential fit with Davis. We know Johnny will do whatever it takes to win, Pairing that with being mentored by such an amazing coach and staff. The sky’s the limit if he ends up in San Antonio.
Top 4 players id want to see the Spurs draft with the 9th pick:
1. Johnny Davis
2. Jeremy Sochan
3. Jalen Duren
4. Bennedict Mathurin— Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) May 18, 2022
Final Thoughts
Regardless of where and when Johnny Davis gets picked. I am excited to see the next stage of his career in the NBA. I think Johnny has the potential to be a great player in this league and he also has the chance to make an impact for some good teams in his rookie season.
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