2022 NBA Draft: Nate Oats weighs in on Jabari Smith/Chet Holmgren No. 1 pick debate
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide got a good look at 2 of the top players in the 2022 NBA Draft class this past season — Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr. and Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren.
So, who would Oats take if he were in charge of the Orlando Magic, who will pick first on Thursday night in Brooklyn?
Oats was asked about that on Wednesday. And, he said he’d choose Smith over the Gonzaga big man:
Nate Oats said he'd take Auburn's Jabari Smith over Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren with the first pick of the NBA Draft tomorrow.
— Tony Tsoukalas (@Tony_Tsoukalas) June 22, 2022
Smith put up 17 points and 5 rebounds in his first game against Alabama. In the rematch, Smith had 25 points, 7 boards and 4 blocks. Both of those games were won by Auburn.
In Gonzaga’s loss to Alabama, Holmgren had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks.
Who will have the better NBA career? Oats is putting his money on Smith.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
