Baylor wing Kendall Brown announced Wednesday that he is declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft after earning Big 12 All-Freshman honors during a standout season for the Bears. Brown averaged 9.7 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting 58.4% from the floor in 34 starts for the defending national champions.
“I feel so fortunate for all that I’ve experienced this season at Baylor University!” Brown wrote in a social media post announcing his decision. “We accomplished so much as a team and grew together. So many of the relationships I made here will last a lifetime. My year at Baylor University was some of the best times in my life!”
Brown is ranked the No. 14 prospect on Kyle Boone’s NBA Draft Big Board which puts him in the conversation to be a potential lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, which is set for June 23. The early-entry withdrawal date is June 13 this season, but it would be a surprise if Brown withdrew. As a former five-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class, Brown was on the NBA‘s radar prior to his arrival at Baylor.
As a versatile 6-foot-8 player, Brown can play multiple positions at the next level. His athleticism stands out and his defensive tenacity and offensive efficiency could make him a solid NBA role player early in his professional career. Brown is not particularly skilled off the dribble, but his comfort playing without the basketball should only ease his transition to the next level.
If he is selected in the first round, it would mark two seasons in a row that the Bears have produced a first-round pick after Davion Mitchell was selected No. 9 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.
