By Gio Gennero | Sports Writer
Now that the 2022-23 NBA season has started, here’s a quick update on former Baylor men’s basketball athletes that are in the league and how things are going for each of them:
Team: Sacramento Kings (2nd season)
2022-23 stats: 4.3 points per game, 1.3 rebounds per game, 3 assists per game
2021-22 stats: 11.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 4.2 apg
Outlook: Mitchell isn’t necessarily on the best team, but because of that he might be in a unique opportunity to show what he can do. In glimpses he’s shown great potential especially on the defensive end — something that was seen a lot during his time in the green and gold. Three games into the new season, his minutes and numbers have dropped dramatically, if he can shake off the slump and find a consistent role in the rotation, he should be fine in the long run.
Team: San Antonio Spurs
2022-23 stats: 5.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.3 apg
2021-22 stats: N/A
Outlook: The ninth overall pick in the 2022 draft is in one of the better situations you could hope to be in as a rookie. Similar to Mitchell, his team isn’t going to perform well. However, the Spurs have built a solid foundation during their rebuild and are in a position to continue building with their many future draft picks and space in the salary cap. Sochan’s ceiling is very high because of this, especially since San Antonio is known for its player development over the years. With his gritty defensive abilities and versatile offensive skill-set, he is going to be someone to watch for down the road.
Team: Brooklyn Nets
2022-23 stats: 8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.3 apg
2021-22 stats: 7.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.5 apg
Outlook: Now in his fifth year in the league, O’Neale is currently playing over 30 minutes per game for a team that can make a strong push in the playoffs if things go right. So, assuming the team doesn’t have a repeat of last year’s spectacle, O’Neale could potentially be in the best situation for success this season compared to the other Bears.
Team: Timberwolves
2022-23 stats: 7.3 ppg, 3 rpg, 1.3 apg
2021-22 stats: 7.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1 apg
Outlook: During his time in the league, Prince has found himself to be a consistent role player. He is now on a very solid Timberwolves team that has one of the more promising cores in the league. Now with a good amount of experience under his belt he could have a chance to be a part of a new Wolves team that will see more success than recent years.
Team: Phoenix Suns
2022-23 stats: N/A
2021-22 stats: 2.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.3 apg
Outlook: Unfortunately, Wainwright has yet to make his season debut and is currently listed as out due to lower back problems. With his role unclear for the upcoming year, it is hard to say what the rest of the season will look like for the second-year Sun. He had moments of promise last year where he caught fire.
Lariat File Photo
Team: Indiana Pacers
2022-23 stats: N/A
2021-22 stats: N/A
Outlook: Brown was taken by the Pacers in the middle of the second round in the 2022 NBA Draft, so it isn’t surprising he has not made his league debut just yet. Since Brown signed a two-way contract, it is likely we will be seeing Brown in and out of the G League this season as he continues to develop his craft.
