It’s finally about to happen – on Wednesday, May 25th, at 8:00 PM EST, the 2022 BIG3 draft will take place. This is the order the teams will be picking in, and this is the pool of players they’ll be selecting from.
Earlier, we went through a list of the players who may be selected with the #1 pick. Of course, our mathematically inclined readers likely picked up on the fact that only one player will go #1 in the draft. With that in mind, let’s go through what needs the teams choosing on the 25th had, and who might fill those needs:
Power:
Coach: Nancy Lieberman
Captain: Cuttino Mobley
Co-Captain: Royce White
2021 Record: 4-4
1st Round Pick: #1
2nd Round Pick: #5
Power will be in the catbird seat in this year’s draft. As I see it, they have three major advantages:
- Cuttino Mobley is a professional scorer and provides veteran leadership
- Royce White has the size of a big man and the skill and court vision of a point guard
- Nancy Lieberman, the first female coach to ever win a BIG3 championship, is an absolute basketball genius.
I haven’t spent much time with Coach Lieberman yet, but I was immediately blown away by her love for the game and her curiosity towards it. Most players of Lieberman’s stature tend to be set in their ways and think the way the game was played back in “their day” was the right way to play it, but Lieberman shows consistent interest in the evolution of the game, both on a micro level (moves like the Steve Nash scoop layup off the ‘wrong’ leg), and the macro level (drawing up plays that incorporate the 4-point circles.) A mix of encyclopedic basketball knowledge and the humility to add more knowledge every day is what makes a great coach, and Coach Lieberman possesses it.
Power needs some speed and quickness on the perimeter and an inside presence. However, Royce White’s versatility gives Coach Lieberman a number of options to go with, and I’ll admit I have essentially total faith in the Hall of Famer to make the correct pick for her team.
Aliens:
Coach: Rick Mahorn
Captain: Dusan Bulut
Co-Captain: Karlis Lasmanis
Co-Captain: Tomislav Ivosev
2021 Record: 2-4
1st Round Pick: #2
2nd Round Pick: #4
The Aliens will be the European experiment in the BIG3 this year, with Captain Dusan Bulut set to be joined by BIG3 rookies Karlis Lasmanis and Tomislav Ivosev. None of the Aliens’ trio of European ballers should be described as “soft” but don’t be surprised if Mahorn, who won a ring as a member of the Bad Boy Pistons, uses the draft to beef up his front line with a player like Darnell “D-Block” Jackson or former Piston big man Jason Maxiell.
Ghost Ballers:
Coach: George Gervin
Captain: Ricky Davis
Co-Captain: Chris Johnson
Co-Captain: Mike Taylor
2021 Record: 4-4
1st Round Pick: #3
2nd Round Pick: #11
The Ghost Ballers have the luxury of a professional scorer with the height to play multiple positions in Ricky Davis. Mike Taylor is also capable of making impact plays on both ends of the floor, and his motor never stops running. On top of that, Chris Johnson is a capable big man. Will the well-rounded Ghost Ballers take a lock-down defender like Corey Brewer to supercharge their offense or a human blur like Ty Lawson to upgrade their offense? Only time will tell.
Ball Hogs:
Coach: Rick Barry
Captain: Leandro Barbosa
Co-Captain: Jodie Meeks
Co-Captain: Will McDonald
2021 Record: 3-5
1st Round Pick: #4
2nd Round Pick #1
When I spoke to newly-minted Ball Hogs captain Leandro Barbosa, he was very clear about the vision he and coach Rick Barry have for the team – move the ball quickly and constantly. Barbosa had a fantastic first year in the BIG3, leading the league in assists and coming in second in points per game to Joe Johnson – with some help around him and his teammates buying into his pass-first vision, Barbosa could lead the Ball Hogs to the playoffs for the first time in BIG3 history.
They will need some defenders, though, so don’t be surprised if they go with a player like TK Edogi or Kuran Iverson on Draft Night.
Three’s Company:
Coach: Michael Cooper
Captain: Mario Chalmers
Co-Captain: Michael Beasley
Co-Captain: Brandon Rush
2021 Record: 2-4
1st Round Pick: #5
2nd Round Pick: #2
It’s already been a great offseason for Three’s Company. Michael Beasley will be joining the team, and he’s arguably the most exciting rookie in the league this season. With NBA Champion Mario Chalmers running the show, expect Three’s Company to significantly improve on their disappointing 2021 campaign. There’s no doubt Three’s Company will be able to fill it up as well as any team in the league. With that in mind, don’t be surprised to see a wing capable of defending multiple positions like Alonzo Gee or an interior presence who can clean the glass hear his name called by Coach Cooper on Draft Night.
Triplets:
Coach: Lisa Leslie
Captain: Joe Johnson
Co-Captain: Jannero Pargo
Co-Captain: Jeremy Pargo
2021 Record: 6-2
1st Round Pick: #6
2nd Round Pick: #7
Talk about a powerhouse. Two-time BIG3 MVP Joe Johnson is arguably the best player the league has ever seen. The Pargo Brothers can put the ball in the basket from anywhere hardwood is under their feet. Coach Lisa Leslie won the title with the Triplets in 2019. This is not a team anybody wants to see in the playoffs. Or the regular season, for that matter. All the Triplets are lacking on paper is size, so they could well go with a player like Ryan Hollins or Craig “Rhino” Smith.
Tri-State:
Coach: Julius “Dr. J” Erving
Captain: Jason Richardson
Co-Captain: Justin Dentmon
Co-Captain: Larry Sanders
2021 Record: 6-2
1st Round Draft Pick: #7
2nd Round Draft Pick: #6
Another powerhouse team that doesn’t seem to have a gaping hole. Jason Richardson can hit the dead center of the net whenever he gets something resembling space, and reigning BIG3 Defensive Player of the Year Larry Sanders keeps the paint on lockdown. Oh, and their coach knows a thing or two about the game, considering that he’s one of the best to ever do it. There are a number of directions Tri-State could go in, but a jack-of-all-trades swingman like Jonathan Simmons or Jamario Moon would seem to make sense for them.
Bivouac:
Coach: Gary Payton
Captain: Gerald Green
Co-Captain: Ike Diogu
Co-Captain: Will Bynum
2021 Record: 0-6
1st Round Draft Pick: #8
2nd Round Draft Pick: #9
The bad news: It’s very difficult to have a worse season than Bivouac had in 2021, when they went 0-6. The good news: with a new head coach in Gary Payton and a new captain in BIG3 rookie Gerald Green, Bivouac looks like they’re in prime position to turn things around. Bynum can fill it up from the guard spot, Diogu has plastic-man arms and some of the craftiest post moves you’ll find anywhere in the world, and Green has his beautiful three-point stroke and can still get above the rim when the occasion calls for it. Who will The Glove look at to fill out his roster? The team still could use some extra shooting and defense, so Payton may well have his eye on Garland Green or Robert Hite.
Killer 3s:
Coach: Charles Oakley
Captain: Franklin “Frank Nitty” Session
Co-Captain: Donte Greene
Co-Captain: Josh Powell
2021 Record: 5-3
1st Round Draft Pick: #9
2nd Round Draft Pick: #8
If Coach Charles Oakley wants to add some size to his team, Quincy Miller would be a solid pick. Miller stands at 6’11, stays active at all times, and has a more versatile game than most players his size. Veteran shooting guard Dominique Johnson could also find himself playing for Coach Oak when it’s all said and done.
Enemies:
Coach: Gilbert Arenas
Captain: Nick Young
Co-Captain: Isaiah Austin
Co-Captain: Elijah Stewart
2021 Record: 1-5
1st Round Draft Pick #10
2nd Round Draft Pick: #3
There’s a lot of size and a lot of talent on that team, but they weren’t quite able to make it work last season. To make matters worse, they’re stuck with the last pick in the first round. Look for coach Gilbert Arenas to add some veteran leadership to get more out of his talented bunch of players – Jordan Crawford and Jeff Ayres are two players to keep an eye on at this draft spot.
Trilogy:
Coach: Stephen Jackson
Captain: James “Flight” White
Co-Captain: Earl Clark
Co-Captain: Amir Johnson
2021 Record: 5-3 (Won League Championship)
1st Round Draft Pick: None
2nd Round Draft Pick: #10
Trilogy won the championship last year, but they were still active in the offseason, adding Earl Clark as a co-captain, giving them even more size and athleticism. One thing they could use is someone who can provide an immediate scoring injection, so a player like Damien Wilkins might end up going in this slot.
Three-Headed Monsters:
Coach: Reggie Theus
Captain: Rashard Lewis
Co-Captain: Reggie Evans
Co-Captain: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
2021 Record: 6-2 (Lost Championship Game)
1st Round Draft Pick: None
2nd Round Draft Pick: #12
With the dead-eye shooting and playmaking of Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, the versatility of former BIG3 MVP Rashard Lewis, the best rebounder in the history of the BIG3 in Reggie Evans, and a veteran swingman in Kevin Murphy, the Three-Headed Monsters have all the tools necessary to make it to the promised land. Unfortunately for them, the only chance they’ll have to add to their championship-quality core in the 2022 BIG3 draft will be with the absolute last pick. The team could use a perimeter defender, so jack-of-all-trades guard and 2-time NBA Champion Norris Cole could be a good option with the last pick of the draft.
Well, that’s everybody. Make sure to tune into the 2022 BIG3 Draft on Wednesday, May 26th, from the Microsoft Lounge in Los Angeles. You can watch it live on BIG3.com and the official BIG3 YouTube channel.