NBA Draft 2022: Best Prospects Projected for NBA Draft Round 2

The 2022 NBA Draft is taking place on Thursday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET; the best prospects projected for the NBA Draft Round 2 can be viewed here. This year’s draft will be televised on ABC and ESPN. The 2022 NBA Draft is the 76th edition. Top second round prospects are below.

Furthermore, this event is airing live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Shown below, our NBA Draft 2022 experts at Basketball Insiders have researched the top 10 best center prospects. Standout Round 2 prospects consist of Walker Kessler, Max Christie and Patrick Baldwin Jr.

NBA betting picks, sports betting content and rumors are on the main page.

2022 NBA Draft | Top Second Round Prospects

Make no mistake, a few of the best prospects listed above are potential late first-round picks. Wendell Moore Jr. is one of them. In three seasons played at Duke, Moore Jr. averaged 10.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in a total of 88 games played. Of course, Duke went on to lose 81-77 against North Carolina in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. Moore Jr. finished with 10 points and 8.0 rebounds.

Additionally, in the ACC, Moore Jr. ranked sixth in total steals (66) and fourth in assists per game (4.4). Another underrated star is Jordan Hall. In two seasons played at St. Joseph’s, Hall averaged 12.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game in 50 career games. He is 6’8″ and weighs 210 lbs. The guard has the size and ball-handling abilities to succeed in the NBA.

RELATED: NBA Draft 2022: Top 10 Best Guard Prospects

Top 3 Best Prospects for NBA Draft Round 2

Moreover, our top 3 best prospects in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft include Walker Kessler, Max Christie and Patrick Baldwin Jr. According to BetOnline odds, Kessler possesses -120 odds getting drafted past the No. 24 mark.

1.) Walker Kessler | Auburn

First, Walker Kessler is 7’1″ and weighs 245 lbs. According to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index (RSCI) top 100 list of 2020, he ranked 18th overall. In his freshman 2020-21 season at UNC, Kessler averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and almost 1.0 block per game in 29 games played. Then, for his 2021-22 sophomore season at Auburn, he averaged 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game.

Needless to say, Kessler led the NCAA in block percentage (17.2). Not to mention, for the exact total, he closed out the 2021-22 season with 155 blocks, leading all other players in the SEC and NCAA. In 2022, he won Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, NABC Defensive Player of the Year and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Plus, he was selected first-team All-SEC and named to the SEC All-Defensive Team.

RELATED: NBA Draft 2022: Top 10 Best Forward Prospects

2.) Max Christie | Michigan State

Next, Max Christie is 6’6″ and weighs 190 lbs. He has earned the No. 2 spot on our second-round best prospects list. Our experts were deciding on whether or not Christie was worth a late first-round or early second-round selection. The guard averaged 9.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game in his freshman season at Michigan State. Also, he shot 38.2% from the field and 31.7% from 3-point range.

In 2022, the Illinois native was selected to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. And he scored a season-high 21 points in Michigan State’s 79-67 win over Nebraska on Jan. 5. This shooting guard would add backcourt depth for either the Pacers, Spurs or Cavaliers. Before last season’s trade deadline, Indiana traded for Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton. The Pacers could draft Christie at pick No. 31.

3.) Patrick Baldwin Jr. | Milwaukee

Lastly, Patrick Baldwin Jr. is 6’9″ and weighs 220 lbs. He is one of the best forwards in this year’s draft. According to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index (RSCI) top 100 list in 2021, Baldwin Jr. ranked fifth overall. The forward’s nickname is PBJ. In his freshman debut, he ended his performance with 21 points and 10 rebounds in Milwaukee’s 75-60 win over North Dakota.

As a consensus five-star recruit in high school, he averaged 24.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Nonetheless, during his senior year, he suffered a season-ending left ankle injury. Likewise, he missed time in college due to a leg injury he sustained in November 2021.

In 11 games played with Milwaukee, the forward averaged 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. So, he is a wild card in the 2022 NBA Draft. That’s a statement nearly all NBA scouts can agree on. If Baldwin Jr. can stay healthy at the professional level, he adds value offensively.