NBA Draft updates: Kentucky’s Sharpe selected in lottery, TyTy falls to end of first round
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2022 NBA Draft coverage
A pair of Kentucky basketball players -- Shaedon Sharpe and TyTy Washington -- were chosen in the first round of 2022 NBA Draft. Click below for the Lexington Herald-Leader’s coverage from Thursday night.
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(Below is a running recap of the 2022 NBA Draft with breaking news, observations and commentary.)
12:34 a.m.: So that’s that everybody. Thanks for following along tonight with our NBA Draft updates page. I had an absolute blast running the show and reacting to everything in real time on the internet. No chance that comes back to haunt me!
Take care until we do this all again next year!
12:34 a.m.: The final selection of the 2022 NBA Draft is Hugo Besson of France by the Indiana Pacers, although Besson will go to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Tevin Brown of Murray State goes undrafted. He, along with many, many others, will be signing two-way contracts and summer league deals over the next few hours and days, so be on the lookout for those.
12:29 a.m.: Down to a couple picks left in the 2022 NBA Draft now. Still no indication that Brown will be selected as a late second-round pick. We are fully in “international guys I’ve never heard of before” territory.
Bobby Marks is describing highlights from Serbian gymnasiums with about 50 fans in them. The term “draft and stash” is being tossed about. We are deep into it now.
12:13 a.m.: Into the single digits of picks left in the second round now, and basically all of the intrigue from the commonwealth perspective should be on whether or not Murray State’s Tevin Brown hears his name called.
A four-year player at Murray State (who actually spent five seasons in Murray after being out with an injury for the 2017-18 season), Brown is seventh all-time in scoring at Murray State and made at least one three-pointer in each of his final 30 games with the Racers.
12:03 a.m.: With another first-round NBA Draft selection tonight (now technically last night) Kentucky has had 13 straight years with a first-round pick.
This is the longest active streak since 1989, when the second round was created.
Another milestone? Only UK and Baylor had first-round draft selections in the 2022 NBA and WNBA Drafts.
Kentucky had Rhyne Howard go No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft, along with Sharpe and Washington on the NBA side.
Baylor had NaLyssa Smith go No. 2 overall in the WNBA Draft, along with Jeremy Sochan (No. 9) on the NBA side.
11:55 p.m.: As Shaedon Sharpe did earlier, TyTy Washington is moving through post-draft media obligations now.
Some quotes from Washington via the H-L’s Jerry Tipton.
“Every player wants to be a top pick, high pick and stuff like that. As I was falling, I wasn’t really stressing about it. It only takes one team to believe in you, and you can go out there and shock the world. That’s kind of my mindset on it.”
“I always bet on myself, so I’m just going to go out there with a chip on my shoulder and remember all the teams that skipped me.”
11:53 p.m.: As the draft trickles toward its conclusion, draft grades are also emerging from NBA experts.
Take a look at what they’re saying about the Shaedon Sharpe selection at No. 7 overall and the TyTy Washington selection at No. 29.
11:46 p.m.: Duke gets its fifth overall draft selection of the night as Trevor Keels is selected with the No. 42 overall pick by the New York Knicks.
Keels, a freshman one-and-done this past season, had a strong college debut against Kentucky in November: 25 points, 10-18 shooting from the field, three assists and three steals in a game Duke won at Keels’ new NBA arena, Madison Square Garden.
Since the two-round draft started in 1989, Duke has had 62 players selected overall. UK has had 61.
With Duke now at five players drafted, the Blue Devils are one selection behind the most draft picks ever from one school in one draft since the two-round format began in 1989.
The most (six) was from UK in 2012 and 2015.
11:33 p.m.: A couple of SEC guys have gone off the board early in the second round.
Arkansas forward Jaylin Williams (who led the country in charges taken last season) goes No. 34 overall to Oklahoma City, a team just full of dudes.
Williams was a monster during Arkansas’ home win in February over UK: 16 points and 12 rebounds.
With the No. 38 pick, San Antonio takes Tennessee’s Kennedy Chandler, but will trade Chandler to Memphis.
A one-and-done freshman at Tennessee, Chandler was the SEC Tournament MVP and a member of the SEC All-Freshman Team.
He also tormented Kentucky this season in three games against the Wildcats: 17 points in January, 17 points and six assists in February and 19 points in the SEC Tournament in March.
11:28 p.m.: My Mavericks have made a move LET’S GO.
Something needed to power me deep into the second round of this draft with no UK players likely to be taken.
Going to put in writing now on this website that I love the Jaden Hardy pick at No. 37 for the Mavericks (who will ship two future second rounders to Sacramento for it). Seems like another low-risk, high-ceiling swing by Nico Harrison and the front office in Dallas. Mavericks have a pretty pathetic draft history (Dirk and Luka aside) so this shows some good initiative on their part.
11:15 p.m.: With the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft now finalized, we know how much both Shaedon Sharpe and TyTy Washington will be making during their rookie NBA seasons (straight contract money).
Take a look at the figures.
11:13 p.m.: If you want a good late-night laugh, take a look at how the Knicks spent their draft night.
Knicks gonna Knick.
11:07 p.m.: UK’s ability to produce first-round NBA Draft picks remains the best in the country, for now.
According to the H-L’s Jerry Tipton, since the NBA went to a two-round draft in 1989, UK has now had 45 first-round picks. Duke, which had four tonight, increased its total to 44.
All-time, UK has 57 first-round picks, 34 which were drafted under current head coach John Calipari. Also all-time, North Carolina and Duke both have 53.
Overall, since the two-round draft started in 1989, UK has had 61 players selected. Duke has the same number.
We’ve got 29 more picks to go tonight, and no more Wildcats are expected to be taken. Duke’s Trevor Keels likely will be selected.
11:05 p.m.: It’s Mark Tatum time folks (the NBA deputy commissioner who announces the second round draft selections). Let’s get rowdy.
11:03 p.m.: Kentucky head coach John Calipari tweets his congratulations to both Shaedon Sharpe and TyTy Washington on being selected in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Washington is the fifth player in the John Calipari era at UK to be selected 29th in the NBA Draft, per the H-L’s Jerry Tipton.
The others? Daniel Orton (2010), Marquis Teague (2012), Archie Goodwin (2013) and Keldon Johnson (2019).
10:54 p.m.: The wait is over for TyTy Washington.
He goes to the Houston Rockets at No. 29 overall, via a pick made by Memphis.
Washington, an All-SEC Freshman Team selection last season, manages to get selected just before the end of the first round. Per game averages of 12.5 points, 3.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds for the former Wildcat last season in Lexington.
Washington led the SEC with a 2.35 assist-to-turnover ratio and is also the new owner of UK’s single-game assist record (17).
Washington had to endure a bit of a slide tonight. A former projected lottery pick, Washington was a mid first-round projection in most mock drafts.
One of his best calling cards was the ability to score from the midrange: Washington made 52.5 percent of his floaters and 43 percent of his dribble-jumper two-pointers last season. He’ll look to put that shooting on display in Houston soon.
10:36 p.m.: The race between Duke and Kentucky for the most first-round NBA Draft selections in the two-draft era continues to swing the way of the Blue Devils.
With the No. 26 overall pick, Houston (by way of the Christian Wood trade with Dallas) selects Wendell Moore from Duke. Moore will be traded to Minnesota, per Shams Charania.
This is the fourth first-round selection from Duke in the 2022 NBA Draft, one behind the 2010 NBA Draft that saw UK set a record with five first-round selections.
A three-year player in Durham, Moore had a solid outing with 12 points and four rebounds during Duke’s season-opening win over Kentucky in November.
The spots are beginning to dry up for TyTy Washington to be a first-round selection for Kentucky.
10:27 p.m.: Some quotes are now beginning to filter out (supplied by the NBA) from Shaedon Sharpe’s post-draft interview. You can find them here.
10:20 p.m.: You can tack on Auburn to the list of programs with multiple draft selections before Kentucky as well.
Walker Kessler goes off the board at No. 22 to Minnesota, via a pick trade.
During Auburn’s win over UK in January, Kessler was dominant: 19 points, 8-10 shooting from the field, seven rebounds.
10:10 p.m.: A second Kansas player goes off the board with Christian Braun selected No. 21 overall by Denver,
Braun twice played against UK during his college career: Shooting 2-10 from the field in a December 2020 win over the Cats, and scoring 13 points in a blowout home loss to Kentucky in late January.
That’s a couple blue blood programs (Duke and Kansas, toss in Arizona if you’d like) that have had multiple players selected in the first round before Kentucky.
According to the H-L’s Jerry Tipton, Shaedon Sharpe is now the only former UK player to be taken in the top 20 in the last three NBA Drafts.
Isaiah Jackson at No. 22 and Tyrese Maxey at No. 21 were the first UK players taken in the last two drafts.
10:05 p.m.: Draft Night Trade alert.
With the No. 19 overall pick, Minnesota selects Wake Forest’s Jake LaRavia, but will trade LaRavia to Memphis.
Compensation for Minnesota is the No. 22 and No. 29 selections in this draft. Seems like profitable business for the Timberwolves.
A potential landing spot for TyTy Washington has also come and gone, as the Spurs elect to take Ohio State’s Malaki Branham with the No. 20 overall pick.
Washington is now the No. 1 player on ESPN analyst Jay Bilas’ Best Available draft board.
9:48 p.m.: Another SEC player goes off the board with the No. 17 overall pick as Houston selects LSU’s Tari Eason.
A transfer to Baton Rouge from Cincinnati, Eason was the SEC Sixth Man of the Year last season with per game averages of 16.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals.
An aggressive, physical forward on defense, some of Eason’s offensive uncertainty as a prospect was on display in two games against the Cats.
In January in Baton Rouge, he shot 4-9 from the field. In February in Lexington, he shot just 2-7 from the field.
9:41 p.m.: A pair of Duke players go back-to-back at No. 15 overall and No. 16 overall.
Mark Williams to Charlotte at 15, and A.J. Griffin to Atlanta at 16.
Griffin was an absolute bucket in the game I saw Duke play at Louisville earlier this year (22 points, 5-5 on three-pointers), and Williams to Charlotte is going to lead to some fantastic Eric Collins commentary moments. Good stuff.
Griffin was a relative non-factor in Duke’s season-opening win over Kentucky last season, while Williams had five points, six rebounds and three blocks in that early November game.
9:36 p.m.: According to the H-L’s Jerry Tipton, by only having one lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft, this matches the third-least lottery selections for UK in the John Calipari era.
There were zero in 2021 and 2020, one in 2016 (No. 7 Jamal Murray), 2014 (No. 7 Julius Randle), 2013 (No. 6 Nerlens Noel) and 2011 (No. 8 Brandon Knight).
9:31 p.m.: Four-year Kansas man and recent national champion Ochai Agbaji goes to Cleveland with the No. 14 overall pick.
In his four seasons in Lawrence, Agbaji played against UK on three occasions.
As a freshman during the 2018-19 season, he scored seven points in 21 minutes.
During the 2020-21 season, he scored 17 points and gathered five rebounds, along with dishing out three assists.
Last season in UK’s blowout win in Lawrence, he was held to just 13 points on 4-14 shooting from the field
Agbaji was the final lottery pick of this year’s draft.
9:28 p.m.: We’ve got another Draft Night Trade.
Charlotte takes Memphis big man Jalen Duren with the No. 13 overall pick, but will send him to New York, who will then send him and Kemba Walker to Detroit, according to Shams Charania.
This muddles up the possibility for the Pistons to target Deandre Ayton in free agency, but continues to make the Pistons a must-watch NBA League Pass product next season.
It also clears space for the Knicks to pursue Jalen Brunson in free agency by dumping Walker’s salary. Please do not take Jalen Brunson away from me. Please.
The wait goes on to see who Eric Collins gets to produce verbiage about next season in Charlotte.
9:11 p.m.: Ex-Cat Julius Randle appeared to get some international flavor in New York as the Knicks take 6-10 forward Ousmane Dieng from France with the No. 11 overall pick, BUT Dieng will be headed to Oklahoma City.
According to Woj, Oklahoma City is sending multiple first-round picks to New York for Dieng.
This is the first true trade of NBA Draft night.
My Mavs are going to have to deal with some serious length in the NBA’s Southwest Division this upcoming season.
9:05 p.m.: With Shaedon Sharpe off the board, TyTy Washington remains the last expected Kentucky draft selection waiting to be chosen.
Through 10 picks tonight, only 2 SEC players have been chosen (Jabari Smith Jr. and Sharpe).
9:01 p.m.: Some images can be found here of Shaedon Sharpe following his NBA Draft selection by the Portland Trail Blazers.
8:46 p.m.: And the first Wildcat of the night is off the board. Shaedon Sharpe (who if you haven’t heard, never actually played for UK) is selected with the No. 7 overall pick by the Portland Trail Blazers.
A midyear enrollee from Canada, Sharpe sat out the second half of the 2021-22 season before declaring and staying in the draft.
“I just want to show everybody what I can do, for real,” Sharpe said on ABC after his selection.
Sharpe practiced with UK and went through pregame warmups on the Rupp Arena court, but did not appear in any games.
“I did talk to Cal about it, my coach, trainer, even my parents,” Sharpe said last Friday. “But, at the end of the day, it was my decision to not play.”
ESPN’s NBA Draft package on Sharpe after his selection also hinted at the mystery element of Sharpe as a player, with an Austin Powers theme to it.
Sharpe also said that “everything happens for a reason. So I really don’t regret (not) playing. I’m working out for NBA teams now. So I guess I did something right.”
One of the teams that Sharpe worked out for was the Trail Blazers.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic correctly mocked Sharpe going No. 7 overall to Portland.
Sharpe has true secondary star potential to pair with bouncy athleticism, although of course we never saw that at the college level.
Fun fact! Per ESPN, at 19 years, 24 days old, Sharpe is the second-youngest top-10 pick from Canada in NBA history. Only R.J. Barrett was younger.
8:34 p.m.: Keegan Murray (Iowa) going to Sacramento at No. 4 overall clears the way for Jaden Ivey (Purdue) to go to Detroit and Cade Cunningham at No. 5.
The Pistons become another must-watch NBA League Pass team for me next season, despite recently trading Jerami Grant to Portland (home of former UK player Eric Bledsoe). Pistons also have a ton of cap space, possibly to target Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton.
8:22 p.m.: The first SEC player is off the board with the No. 3 overall pick as Jabari Smith Jr. goes to the Houston Rockets.
Smith played just once against UK this season, logging 29 minutes and recording 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in a Jan. 22 home win over Kentucky.
Now the draft gets (even more) fun.
8:16 p.m.: Gonzaga big man Chet Holmgren goes to Oklahoma City with the No. 2 overall pick. Former UK Wildcat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gains a supremely talented big man as a teammate, but Holmgren is still a player with questions about his durability and strength at the NBA level.
Josh Giddey and SGA playing with Holmgren is going to make my NBA League Pass subscription worth it next season (and also probably cause a few additional losses for my Mavs, who seem to inexplicably lose to the Thunder most seasons anyway).
8:11 p.m.: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft is Duke’s Paolo Banchero to the Orlando Magic. A surprising selection given the pre-draft chatter that had Banchero expected to be picked No. 3 overall, as recently as this afternoon.
UK fans (even those not super in tune with the rest of college basketball) will remember Banchero’s college debut: A 22-point, seven-rebound performance at Madison Square Garden in a win over Kentucky.
Kentucky maintains its narrow lead over Duke in terms of overall draft picks and first-round selections in the two-round NBA Draft era.
8:07 p.m.: Both Sharpe and Washington have “officially arrived” to the Draft and Adam Silver has opened the proceedings. The Magic are on the clock. I’m feeling a Draft in here folks!
7:58 p.m.: Well, so much for a calm and predictable start to the draft, we’ve already had a reported deviation from the expected 1-2-3 order of Smith, Holmgren and Banchero.
Woj is now reporting that Paolo Banchero may go No. 1 overall after all to Orlando.
7:40 p.m.: As the Draft nears ever closer, I’ll pass along two of my usual go-to Mock Draft resources: Comprehensive Draft previews from The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor and The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.
Probably far too late to read all of that content, but just know O’Connor has Shaedon Sharpe going No. 9 to San Antonio and TyTy Washington going No. 25, also to San Antonio.
Vecenie has Sharpe at No. 8 to the New Orleans Pelicans and Washington at No. 20 to the Spurs (via Toronto).
7:23 p.m.: Shaedon Sharpe’s NBA Draft suit is here. His suit jacket, evidently, contains a repeat pattern of his personal brand logo. Still a clean fit, and the watch on the left wrist pairs nicely. 8/10 from me.
7:10 p.m.: TyTy Washington’s NBA Draft fit can be found here. Clean and classic. 9/10 from me.
7:06 p.m.: As with most drafts, a clear group has separated itself at the top for the first few picks.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, as of this morning a solid 1-2-3 order in the draft has formed of Jabari Smith to Orlando, Chet Holmgren to Oklahoma City and Paolo Banchero to Houston.
Nothing super shocking there, as that trio (despite some Jaden Ivey buzz) was expected to go off the board in the first three picks.
This would be the first time since 2017 that the first three picks of the NBA Draft were all one-and-done college freshmen.
The UK angle on this is former Wildcat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander likely gaining the massive Holmgren as a teammate in OKC.
7 p.m.: Welcome to the Herald-Leader’s annual recap of the NBA Draft! Running the live blog tonight is me, unabashed Dallas Mavericks fan Cam Drummond, of the H-L’s sports department.
It’ll probably be a quiet night for my Mavs after they dealt their only draft pick in the Christian Wood trade, but it’ll be a night full of intrigue for former Kentucky basketball players expected to be selected in the draft or on the verge of gaining new teammates.
At least two former UK players (a designation that’s been hotly disputed) will be selected in tonight’s draft: Shaedon Sharpe (who. of course. never played for UK) and TyTy Washington (a one-and-done freshman).
Opinions on Sharpe are all over the place, considering he hasn’t played in a traditional, organized basketball game since high school. Mock drafts have Sharpe everywhere from a lottery pick to a mid first-round selection.
Washington, a more traditional prospect with a year of college game tape, is expected to be a mid to late first-round selection.
Kentucky enters tonight’s NBA Draft with 55 all-time first round picks, 32 of which were drafted under current head coach John Calipari.
I’ve just cooked two massive chicken quesadillas for the festivities, and I’ll have you covered all night long as Sharpe and Washington find their first NBA homes, and former UK players in the league gain new teammates that could have a sizable impact on the NBA landscape.
Chief among these players will be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 2 overall pick), De’Aaron Fox and Trey Lyles on the Sacramento Kings (No. 4 overall pick) and Keldon Johnson on the San Antonio Spurs (No. 9 overall pick).
DRAFT PREVIEW COVERAGE
This story was originally published June 23, 2022 at 6:59 PM.
