3 first round picks Dallas Mavericks rookie Jaden Hardy is already outperforming

The Dallas Mavericks traded back into the 2022 NBA Draft to select Jaden Hardy 38th overall. The 6’4 guard was the number two player in his high school class, but he struggled in his lone season with the G League Ignite. There were questions about his decision-making and defense that saw him slip into the second round, and the Mavs knew they had to pounce.

Dallas had the 26th overall pick before trading it to acquire Christian Wood from the Rockets. Hardy was their target with that selection, and the Mavericks had a clear first-round grade on the talented 20-year-old. As he fell into the second round, Dallas started working the phones to be the team that selected him. They found a deal with the Kings where Sacramento landed two future second-round picks.

Hardy's talent was evident from the moment he arrived in Dallas, and he has worked his way into the Mavericks rotation as a rookie after dominating the G League with the Texas Legends. He was selected 38th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, but he is already outperforming several first-round picks, including these three selected in the top 20.

First-round pick Dallas Mavericks rookie Jaden Hardy is outperforming: 3. Dalen Terry

Hardy was limited to garbage time minutes with the Mavs until January. The rookie finally got a chance to play 15 minutes against the Celtics, and he responded with 15 points. Hardy has been in the rotation ever since, and he is averaging 8.8 points in 17.0 minutes per game over the last five.

In his 11 games with the Legends, Hardy averaged 28.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 33.3 minutes per game, while shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 49.0 percent on his threes.

Bulls first-round pick Dalen Terry has played in just 14 games, and he has strictly been limited to garbage time minutes. The 20-year-old wing is literally averaging 3.7 minutes per game this season. Terry has played seven games in the G League where he averages 12.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in 31.0 minutes per game.

They are two different players, but Hardy has gotten more playing time and earned a larger opportunity faster than Terry, despite the Bulls picking the 6’7 wing 20 spots higher.

First-round pick Dallas Mavericks rookie Jaden Hardy is outperforming: 2. Ochai Agbaji

The Cavaliers used the final lottery selection of the 2022 NBA Draft to draft Agbaji, and he has struggled out of the gate. The 22-year-old has not found consistent minutes, but he has played in Cleveland’s last five contests where he has averaged 6.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 17.0 minutes each night.

Agbaji has a negative-4.3 box score plus-minus after his first 21 NBA games, and he sits at negative-0.1 in value over replacement player (VORP). Hardy is actually slightly worse in those advanced metrics, but that does not take into his account his G League contributions. Agbaji played nine games in the G League where he averaged 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.9 blocks in 31.9 minutes per game.

Fans should not label any 2022 draft pick as a bust just yet. It takes some players longer than others to figure things out at the NBA level. It has been a rough start to Agbaji’s career, but there is still plenty of time to turn things around. He must improve his defense and outside shooting, while just learning how to impact the game.

Jaden Hardy has outplayed Ochai Agbaji halfway through their rookie seasons, but it will be years before fans can debate who was better. Jaden Hardy will only get better from here. The organization loves his aggressiveness and scoring ability, but he must improve his shot selection and decision-making. Agbaji has plenty of talent, but can he transform into a 3-and-D wing on a playoff team? It is too early to tell, but Hardy has a slight edge in production thus far.

First-round pick Dallas Mavericks rookie Jaden Hardy is outperforming: 1. Johnny Davis

The Wizards selected Davis tenth overall out of the University of Wisconsin. His father briefly played in the NBA, and the 20-year-old was Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus All-American in college. Multiple teams were excited about his defense and potential in the draft.

Davis has played in just ten games with the Wizards this season and a total of 50 minutes. He is now sidelined with a hip strain, but he was strictly limited to mop-up duties before that. The 6’5 wing did play 14 games in the G League where he averaged 11.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steal in 25.2 minutes per game.

It has been a struggle for Davis as a rookie, despite being a top-ten draft pick. The Wizards are still excited about his potential, but he has not received many opportunities to shine so far.

It is still early for every rookie. Most of them are still adjusting to life in the NBA and the speed of the game. First-year players do not usually start shining until after the All-Star break. Jaden Hardy has dominated the G League and worked his way into the Mavericks rotation, which is uncommon for a second-round pick in their first year in the league.

Will Hardy go down as the steal of the 2022 draft? Can the Mavericks develop him into a key rotation player next to Luka Doncic for years to come? The 20-year-old is already outperforming multiple first-round picks, but can he continue his development? Stay tuned to find out.