3 Big Ten prospects Toronto Raptors can select in 2022 NBA Draft
By Mike Luciano
The Toronto Raptors only have one pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, so Masai Ujiri needs to make sure that he comes away from this predraft process with a bona fide quality prospect. The Big Ten has typically been a bottomless reservoir of talent that Toronto could take from.
The Raptors could go in one of several different directions. With a lack of guard depth behind two excellent starters and some iffy centers, Toronto should focus most of their energy on getting a stronger bench by way of beefing up those two areas.
Of course, knowing Masai Ujiri’s fascination with traits and raw athleticism, Toronto could take a raw collection of tools and stash him away in the G League. That approach has proven pretty successful in recent years, given Toronto’s propensity to develop unproven talents into stars.
While the ACC has been a lovely well to plunder over the last few years for the Raptors, they might need to focus on the midwest and draft a Big Ten prospect. The Raptors should have the wherewithal to identify these three players as future stars that would be quality long-term pieces of the team.
3 Big Ten NBA Draft prospects the Toronto Raptors must watch.
3. Trayce Jackson-Davis, C, Indiana
The NBA values athleticism so much that players with years of production despite average explosion like Jackson-Davis are often overlooked. His numbers in college are so impressive that the 6-9 big man should be able to wiggle into an NBA rotation as a backup big man.
A three-year starter at Indiana, Jackson-Davis averaged 18.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season. A quality rebounder and interior scorer with some exciting potential as a defender, Jackson-Davis will have no trouble crashing the glass and finishing in the paint at the professional level.
Trayce Jackson-Davis could fit in with the Toronto Raptors.
Jackson-Davis is a three-year player, which could give him less developmental upside than most second-rounders. A complete non-shooter who didn’t make a 3-pointer all year, TJD is not the most versatile prospect. For a team that preaches versatility everywhere, that’s not insignificant.
Jackson-Davis should be able to challenge Khem Birch for minutes immediately, but the Raptors could send him down to 905 with the goal of making him a better shooter. If he gets that down, TJD will have a long career in this league as a high-energy bench big with some defensive edge to him.