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NBA 2K23 rookie impact: Every 1st Round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft

By Frank Mueller

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Paolo Banchero pose for photos after Banchero was drafted with the 1st overall pick by the Orlando Magic during the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Paolo Banchero pose for photos after Banchero was drafted with the 1st overall pick by the Orlando Magic during the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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The 2022 NBA Draft has officially come and gone, but not without some excitement. There were some surprises and a whole lot of twists and turns, including one that happened during the first five minutes of the draft. We’ve since had a few days to reflect on everything and digest the events that occurred on Draft night. Below is a quick recap of the 2022 NBA Draft’s first round and what kind of impact it could have for NBA 2K23.

2022 NBA Draft First Round

  1. Magic: Paolo Banchero
  2. Thunder: Chet Holmgren
  3. Rockets: Jabari Smith Jr.
  4. Kings: Keegan Murray
  5. Pistons: Jaden Ivey
  6. Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin
  7. Trail Blazers: Shaedon Sharpe
  8. Pelicans (from Lakers): Dyson Daniels
  9. Spurs: Jeremy Sochan
  10. Wizards: Johnny Davis
  11. Thunder (from Knicks): Ousmane Dieng
  12. Thunder (from Clippers): Jalen Williams
  13. Pistons (from Hornets): Jalen Duren
  14. Cavaliers: Ochai Agbaji
  15. Hornets (from Pelicans): Mark Williams
  16. Hawks: AJ Griffin
  17. Rockets (from Nets): Tari Eason
  18. Bulls: Dalen Terry
  19. Grizzlies (from Timberwolves): Jake LaRavia
  20. Spurs (from Raptors): Malaki Branham
  21. Nuggets: Christian Braun
  22. Timberwolves (from Grizzlies): Walker Kessler
  23. Grizzlies (from 76ers): David Roddy
  24. Bucks: MarJon Beauchamp
  25. Spurs (from Celtics): Blake Wesley
  26. Timberwolves (from Mavericks): Wendell Moore Jr.
  27. Heat: Nikola Jović
  28. Warriors: Patrick Baldwin Jr.
  29. Rockets (from Grizzlies): TyTy Washington Jr.
  30. Nuggets (from Suns): Peyton Watson

Paolo Banchero, the power forward from Duke, had the honor of being drafted by the Orlando Magic with the first pick of the 2022 NBA Draft. However, this was not always going to be the case. For a majority of the time, it appeared that Jabari Smith Jr. from the Auburn Tigers was going to be drafted first; however, he ended up being drafted third after the big shack up from the Magic.

I don’t know if I would have necessarily selected Banchero first overall, but he should fit into the Orlando Magic’s lineup nicely. Playing with Suggs, Fultz, Carter Jr., Wagner, etc., Orlando is going to be a good young team. The Magic haven’t been a particularly good basketball club, but their time is coming, and they have built a young team that has the power to make something happen.

When you look at every NBA team’s rating from NBA 2K22, you will notice that the Orlando Magic was roughly middle of the pack. They have a 79 team overall, but other areas on their team are what made them a middle to a low-tier team in the game. Banchero is not going to be an All-Star right away in NBA 2K23, but he will definitely make more people want to use the Magic and should boost their ratings slightly.

Selected with the second pick in the 2022 NBA Draft was Chet Holmgren. A great Gonzaga athlete is going to get his chance to further his basketball career by playing with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder have many different problems in their organization but have slowly been getting pieces to their team to try and make them a contender.

The Thunder in NBA 2K22 were one of the worst teams in the game. No one wanted to use them. Even with the addition of Chet Holmgren, it will not necessarily make people jump to use them, but they also won’t be the worst team in NBA 2K23 to use either.

The Thunder also happened to have three first-round picks, and all were within the top 12. Some of the players that they have acquired in the NBA Draft may not play for their team right away. But when they get the chance to play, we can see a major change in the OKC Thunder.

If your team’s name was either the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, or the Dallas Mavericks, then you did not get the luxury of drafting in the first round. How they look coming into NBA 2K23 will depend largely on how active they are in free agency and the moves they make over the Summer.

As for the rest of the NBA teams that did draft, expect a little bit of a different feel when it comes to the new video game.

One last thing to take note of is Dalen Terry getting drafted at No. 18 from the Chicago Bulls. The Chicago Bulls were a playoff team this last season but they were missing some key pieces. However, if done right they can muster up a team that can potentially contend for a title sooner rather than later. The Bulls are most likely going to lose some players this offseason in free agency or due to some trades. Dalen Terry can be a spark in their lineup to really get things going for the organization. With his towering size and 7-foot wingspan, he can come off the bench and really make shockwaves for this organization.

Must Read. Stephen Curry should be the highest rated player in NBA 2K23. light

NBA 2K23 is not that far away from being released. With free agency right around the corner, it will be interesting to see the moves that are made and analyze what it could mean for the new season and game. 2K typically announces the new NBA 2K game in July, so it shouldn’t be long now before we get to know more about NBA 2K23.

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