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The WME And BDA Sports 2022 NBA Draft Class

WME Sports and BDA Sports announced its 2022 NBA Draft Class, composed of multiple standout prospects. The two agencies formed a partnership in late 2020 when Endeavor and BDA Sports formed a collaboration in which Endeavor (WME Sports’ parent company) took an equity stake in BDA Sports. The collaborating agencies’ 2022 Draft Class is the second combined class following the 2021 Draft Class, which included the No. 4 overall pick and the ’21-’22 NBA Rookie of the Year, Scottie Barnes.

Headlining this year’s class is Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, the top-ranked player by ESPN, who earned honors as a Wooden All-American, AP All-American, was selected First Team All-WCC, and was named WCC Freshman of the Week nine times.

More highly-touted prospects contained in the list are Big 12 All-Freshman Team honoree and ESPN’s No. 26-ranked player Kendall Brown from Baylor, in addition to ESPN’s No.21-ranked player, Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell, who this season was named First Team All-Big 10.

Rounding out the class are Hyunjung Lee (Davidson), Jermaine Samuels (Villanova), Cole Swider (Syracuse), and Collin Welp (UC Irvine). Lee achieved First Team All-Atlantic 10 recognition as a prominent sharpshooter and could become the second Korean NBA player in the sport’s history. Samuels concluded his Villanova career as one of only eleven players in program history with over 1200 points and 750 rebounds. Meanwhile, Welp accumulated First Team All-Big West honors three times at Irvine.

Chet Holmgren

  • Position: Forward
  • College: Gonzaga (2021-22)
  • DOB/Hometown: May 1, 2002 – Minneapolis, MN
  • Agent: Bill Duffy
  • Additional Notes: ESPN Mock Draft No. 1; First Team All-WCC; NABC All-American; AP All-American; Wooden All-American; Previously repped by WME for NIL

Bennedict Mathurin

  • Position: Guard
  • College: Arizona (2020-22)
  • DOB/Hometown: June 19, 2002 – Montreal, Canada
  • Agent: Nima Namakian (Innovate Sports)
  • Additional Notes: ESPN Mock Draft No. 12; First Team All-Pac 12; Pac 12 Player of the Year; Wooden All-American

Kendall Brown

  • Position: Guard/Forward
  • College: Baylor (2021-22)
  • DOB/Hometown: May 11, 2003 – Cottage Grove, MN
  • Agents: Bill Duffy and Justin Haynes
  • Additional Notes: Big 12 All-Freshman Team

E.J. Liddell

  • Position: Forward
  • College: Ohio State (2019-22)
  • DOB/Hometown: December 18, 2000 – Belleville, IL
  • Agents: Bill Duffy and Justin Haynes
  • Additional Notes: First Team All-Big 10; Big 10 All-Defensive Team

Hyunjung Lee

  • Position: Forward
  • College: Davidson (2019-22)
  • DOB/Hometown: October 23, 2000 – Yongin City, South Korea
  • Agent: Bill Duffy
  • Additional Notes: First Team All-Atlantic 10; Seeking to become second ever Korean NBA Player

Jermaine Samuels

  • Position: Forward
  • College: Villanova (2017-22)
  • DOB/Hometown: November 13, 1998 – Franklin, MA
  • Agents: Bill Duffy and Justin Haynes
  • Additional Notes: One of only 11 players in Villanova program history with 1,200+ points and 750+ rebounds

Cole Swider

  • Position: Forward
  • College: Syracuse (2021-22), Villanova (2018-21)
  • DOB/Hometown: May 8, 1999 – Portsmouth, RI
  • Agents: Bill Duffy and Nikola Filipovich
  • Additional Notes: Scored 36 pts on 14-for-21 and 7-for-11 from 3 against eventual NCAA Tournament Finalist North Carolina

Collin Welp

  • Position: Forward
  • College: UC Irvine (2018-22)
  • DOB/Hometown: December 15, 1998 – Seattle, WA
  • Agents: Bill Duffy, Rade Filipovich, Nikola Filipovich
  • Additional Notes: First Team All-Big West (three-time honoree, 2018-22)