https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/32920450/2022-nba-mock-draft-jalen-duren-stock-continues-soar-g-league-ignite-stars-jaden-hardy-marjon-beauchamp-show-mixed-results ↗

ESPN has Agbaji 22 and Braun 34

TyTy No. 10!
He killed anybody since we stopped recruiting him? :)

@approxinfinity

Cb at 34 so quickly is concerning.

@BeddieKU23 agreed

@BeddieKU23 If he plays at this level the rest of the year he's gone... We saw flashes a year ago. He put it together this year it looks like.

@Kcmatt7 Gotta agree. If he keeps playing like this he will creep into the first round. Will suck to lose him, but if he does keep playing like this then KU will be a final 4 team. I also have to think Self will be recruiting the portal for s replacement.

@Woodrow said in NBA draft 2022:

@Kcmatt7 Gotta agree. If he keeps playing like this he will creep into the first round. Will suck to lose him, but if he does keep playing like this then KU will be a final 4 team. I also have to think Self will be recruiting the portal for s replacement.

ESPN is only outlet I've seen that has Braun in their 2022 mock. I think it's likely Braun goes through the process and returns next season. Even if he doesn't, Self's not likely hitting the transfer market for a replacement for Braun. MJ Rice, if he comes, and Gradey Dick are the replacements for Braun. A line up without Braun next season could very well be Harris, Pettiford, Rice, Wilson, and Clemence. KU is still going to be really good next season as well with or without Christian Braun.

CB still seeming like he would be a late 2nd round pick at best from what I've looked at.

Plenty of time to move up and he's probably gotten the eye of scouts by now though. KU needs to make sure his NIL stuff is good enough he's back for next season.

@Kcmatt7 said in NBA draft 2022:

CB still seeming like he would be a late 2nd round pick at best from what I've looked at.

Plenty of time to move up and he's probably gotten the eye of scouts by now though. KU needs to make sure his NIL stuff is good enough he's back for next season.

If he ends up being a late second round projection, I doubt Braun would leave this year. He'd be the man next year with a good chance to make an Ochai type of jump up the draft boards to a late 1st or early 2nd round pick.

Braun has a nice NBA skillset. He can shoot with range, rebounds his position, can defend wings adequately (not a great defender, but good enough) and can handle the ball fairly well. He has the length and athleticism to do fine at the next level. If he continues to play at this level, there's no reason to think he returns to KU because he will be able to play in the NBA next year.

@justanotherfan I've known all along that he had an NBA skillset, but also think - though he would be drafted - that he'll return for his senior season.

Latest CBS Mock Draft has Ochai #12. Would be a heck of a success story from unheralded recruit to lotto pick

@BeddieKU23 he deserves it all. Shot is so pure...works his tail off and has learned to get his head and shoulders by guys (get low) when he drives and explode at the rim. Oh and he has the pull up game if defense slides as he doesn’t get called for charges....and last but not least he is the best off the pick on the wing from a big knocking down the 12-15 footer we’ve had in years. Literally a staple of nba wing play.

Dudes flat out a stud and is a better human being.

Glad Self pulled the redshirt when he did lol pretty funny we say coaches don’t look at rankings well we got Ochai here by luck and then after a half a season of practice he literally made it impossible for Bill not to pull the shirt!

@kuballin10

12 is high and probably a bit unrealistic but still a lot of basketball left to see where he eventually may end up. I think there's limitations to his game that would keep him in that 10-20 range but perhaps he's going to hit another level coming up as we get into the heart of the season. Definitely has worked hard to get to that point.

Serious question: does marketability factor into NBA draft rank? I think #12 is high for Ochai, but boy is he a well-spoken, intelligent, likeable dude. He could do wonders for the PR of any team he is with and they would be fortunate to have him.

@tis4tim

Marketability is important if you are a star. It doesn't matter as much for role players. They more or less want those guys to stay out of trouble, which I believe Agbaji would (Braun, too). But you don't really market non-stars, so unless a guy is a serious behavior issue, that doesn't factor in as much as skillset.

So many factors go into marketability / draftability. Just in the past year you can see how NIL and the transfer portal have made a huge impact. For example, when a good mid-major player decides to transfer it increases his visibility among scouts and the general fan base, especially when it comes to national media spotlight.

Ochai may be a good dude, and I'm happy to see him that high in the mock draft. Character issues, sadly, don't seem to matter much when it comes to NBA scouting. The better the player, the more a team is willing to overlook any character flaws.

@BeddieKU23 yeah I agree not sure where he should go spot wise (don’t care just get that money) just happy for him.

In the nba he’s your typical athletic 3 and D guy. Needs to work on his quickness still laterally and get better defensively but the tools are there. His stroke is so pure he should be a great off the bench guy who knocks down threes and gets that second contract.

@tis4tim no doubt, high character young man.

Latest mocks out there. Och #12, Christian #29 per ESPN.

Another has Och #11 and CB #39

@BeddieKU23 said in NBA draft 2022:

Latest mocks out there. Och #12, Christian #29 per ESPN.

Another has Och #11 and CB #39

NBC has Braun going #25 and Och #26 (almost funny if it didn't mean CB was still looked at as a top 60 guy).

SB Nation has Braun #25 and Och #30 (again weird if you've watched Ochai this season).

Bleacher Report has CB at #19 and Ochai #27

Hoops hype has Ochai #18 and CB #53

The Athletic has Ochai #14 and no CB

The deeper we get into conference season I would imagine CB slides out. Hard to see him being a first round pick but weirder things have happened.

@Kcmatt7 said in NBA draft 2022:

@BeddieKU23 said in NBA draft 2022:

Latest mocks out there. Och #12, Christian #29 per ESPN.

Another has Och #11 and CB #39

NBC has Braun going #25 and Och #26 (almost funny if it didn't mean CB was still looked at as a top 60 guy).

SB Nation has Braun #25 and Och #30 (again weird if you've watched Ochai this season).

Bleacher Report has CB at #19 and Ochai #27

Hoops hype has Ochai #18 and CB #53

The Athletic has Ochai #14 and no CB

CB ahead of Och? Is that maybe considering him for NEXT year's draft?

On the draft I pulled up yesterday it had Och # 20 & Braun 56th

@BShark My thoughts are that he is really more of a 30-35 guy at best. And that he will need to really impress in individual workouts and get a promise from someone with some guaranteed money to stay in the draft. Otherwise I think he's back and tries to go scorched earth

@benshawks08 said in NBA draft 2022:

CB ahead of Och? Is that maybe considering him for NEXT year’s draft?

Maybe hadn't factored in Monday night's game? Lots of wide open misses for CB. He'll rebound nicely against UK Saturday, I believe. As a team, I think we are going to click on all cylinders and it's going to be fun.

How many of those mocks where Braun is ahead of Ochai haven't been updated recently? Some of those sites only update about once a month or so at this time of year. I know ow the ones that update weekly definitely don't have Braun listed anymore.

FYI, latest ESPN mock draft

Ochai #13

Braun #32

@BeddieKU23 is that good enough for cb to leave?

@Crimsonorblue22 Yes - providing there is a real agreement between him and a team(s) that he will get drafted and given guaranteed money.

There is obviously financial incentive to come back if his people felt he could move up in the draft, but it comes with the risk he could go undrafted at all.

A good NIL deal for him is the best of both worlds. I have to imagine that Bill/KU Athletics is on it. Would be amazing to have CB and Wilson back next season.

@BeddieKU23 said in NBA draft 2022:

FYI, latest ESPN mock draft

Ochai #13

Braun #32

That's a little higher then i thought Christan would be right now

@Kcmatt7 said in NBA draft 2022:

@Crimsonorblue22 Yes - providing there is a real agreement between him and a team(s) that he will get drafted and given guaranteed money.

There is obviously financial incentive to come back if his people felt he could move up in the draft, but it comes with the risk he could go undrafted at all.

A good NIL deal for him is the best of both worlds. I have to imagine that Bill/KU Athletics is on it. Would be amazing to have CB and Wilson back next season.

Cb has a clothing deal that was just released fyi

I think he comes back for all the glory you get as a Sr here. That's unless his stock blows up in March.

Would be so happy if Och went lotto

Also, CB is gonna be back. There is a weird segment of people w/o knowledge on twitter that love to act like he is gone (because of mock drafts I guess?) so I asked around and it would be an enormous shock if he leaves.

@BShark I'm surprised that is the highest I've seen him go. He's like a guaranteed contributor for any NBA team.

🐦 View Tweet?s=20&t=39QDzf3SwLHoPdm_2U7-Tg

Bleacher Report has CB at 19.

Och at 12. Suring up lottery status

Latest ESPN update has Ochai #12, CB #33 (early 2nd)