It took about 72 hours of Summer League action for the overreactions on the 2022 draft class to begin pouring in.
Chet Holmgren swatted shots and drained threes in a standout performance against the Jazz in his debut, marking the first flag planted in the debate among the top-three picks. Paolo Banchero turned in a 17-point, six-assist effort two nights later in a win over the Rockets, then dazzled with a 23/6/6 stat line against the Kings in his final Las Vegas performance. As the NBA world descended upon the desert, top two picks quickly met the hype.
The start of Summer League was a bit more muted for Jabari Smith Jr. The No. 3 pick scored just 10 points on 10 shots in his debut, making little impact on the offensive end for significant stretches against Orlando. Smith went just 9-for-29 from the field in his first two games, and while he did post a solid 19-point, nine-rebound effort Monday night against San Antonio, his performance didn’t set social media ablaze quite like those of Banchero and Holmgren.
