Will Duke's Paolo Banchero be the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft?

The college basketball season gets underway with the Champions Classic, which tips-off at 7 p.m. ET on Nov. 9, Tuesday. 

It's still early days in the NBA's 2021-22 season but the scouting departments of NBA franchises have their eyes set on the upcoming talent. 

So, once the Draft is wrapped up, it's never too early for a Mock Draft for the ensuing year. 

2022 NBA MOCK DRAFT: Top players to watch as college season tips-off

Who leads the early race for 2022 NBA Draft No. 1 pick? 

As per the Mock Draft by Sporting News' Draft Expert Kyle Irving, Duke's Paolo Banchero leads the early race for the No. 1 pick of the 2022 NBA Draft. 

Here's an excerpt from Irving's Mock Draft on Banchero's skills: 

He's powerful inside with elite athleticism, but can also step out to the perimeter on both sides of the ball, displaying switchability on defense and a soft shooting touch on offense.

A five-star prospect who was ranked No. 4 in the 2021 class, Banchero received scholarship offers from multiple NCAA Division I programs like Duke and Kentucky. Most recruiting analysts predicted him committing to Washington, however, he joined Duke's 2021 recruiting class. 

Here's a look at the other top candidates from the Sporting News' 2022 Mock Draft: 

Who is Paolo Banchero? 

Banchero is an Italian-American 6-foot-10 forward, who was born Seattle, Washington on Nov. 12, 2002. 

Early on, he played both basketball and football as he ranked among the top 50 eighth-graders nationally in both sports while also participating in Track. He went to high school at  O'Dea High School in Seattle where he played basketball and football (as the back-up quarterback). 

MORE: How to watch all of Banchero's games this season

He went on to be named to the McDonald's All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic rosters. Banchero picked up basketball, drawing inspiration from his mother Rhonda, who played professionally and was a third-round selection in the 2000 WNBA Draft. 

When is the 2022 NBA Draft? 

After three years, the NBA Draft is back where it belongs on the NBA schedule — in the last week of June, just days after a possible Game 7 of the NBA Finals. 

MORE: Key Dates for NBA's 2021-22 season

The 2022 NBA Draft is scheduled for Jun. 23, 2022. 

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Full list of former No. 1 picks of the NBA Draft

There's plenty of time to go but if Banchero does get picked No. 1 overall, here's the list of players he would join: