2022 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: Who will shine during March Madness?

Ivey is likely to be the first guard taken in the draft, an explosive, physical force who averaged 17.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists for Purdue, shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from beyond the arc. Ivey is an absolute terror in the open court and will be able to blow past or overpower a lot of the defenders he’ll face, even at the next level. There are questions about his outside shooting, his defensive intensity and his halfcourt craft but his other tools will give him a base to build from as he continues refining those other things.

The Pelicans seem like an ideal fit for Ivey both because they could use some energy and explosiveness in the backcourt and because they have enough secondary creators that Ivey wouldn’t have to come in and run things from the point of attack. Letting Ivey play off CJ McCollum, Devonte’ Graham, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson will help maximize his value as a rookie and allow him to grow naturally into the other parts of his game.