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ESPN- NBA draft analyst and writer
Joined ESPN.com in July 2017
Founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams
Sometimes, the best draft day stories come from players we didn't expect to be there in the first place.
Players like Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Desmond Bane all needed some extra time in college to fully refine their games. While they were overlooked in the lottery, the teams that eventually drafted them realized they not only had players who could immediately contribute but had the potential to be foundational contributors.
As scouts and evaluators begin ramping up for the 2022 NBA draft, which players have emerged from off the radar to atop our big board?
Keegan Murray | 6-8 | PF/C | Iowa | No. 6
Murray's ascension from a no-name high school recruit with just one Division I offer (from Western Illinois) to an All-American might be the best story of any prospect in this draft class.
A bit player as a freshman, Murray is now college basketball's leading scorer, shooting 69% from inside the arc while filling up the rest of the box score impressively with rebounds, blocks and steals in just 29 minutes per game.
