We’re less than 48 hours away from the 2022 NBA draft, and there are still a ton of questions surrounding how the first round will break down, even at the very top.
That means a lot of uncertainty for former LSU forward Tari Eason, who hopes to hear his name called relatively early on Thursday night after a tremendous season in Baton Rouge. The former transfer from Cincinnati was one of the best players in the SEC, and he’s largely seen as a first-rounder.
Where exactly in the round he’ll go, though, remains unclear. However, the latest mock from ESPN basketball insider Jonathan Givony has Eason sitting just a few picks outside the lottery as the 17th pick to the Houston Rockets.
The Rockets are early in their rebuilding and will likely be looking to take swings on talent and upside, as they don’t appear to be particularly close to contention. Eason is one of the most explosive and productive players in the draft, putting consistent pressure on opposing defenses with his quick first step, physicality and insatiable intensity — characteristics that allow him to live at the free throw line. These same traits helped make him one of the most versatile defenders in the college game, a magnet for steals, blocks and rebounds who flew all over the floor in LSU’s suffocating press while rotating from guarding point guards to big men.
There may be concerns about Eason’s ability to stay out of trouble and be a full-time starter at the next level, but there’s no denying his talent and upside. He’s a high-ceiling prospect, and for a team like the Rockets that probably won’t be competitive any time soon, a pick like this in the middle of the round could make a lot of sense.
For the Tigers, it would mark the second-straight season in which they’ve had a player go in the first round after Cam Thomas was selected with pick No. 27 by the Brooklyn Nets in 2021.
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