Jaden Ivey reached the rim in an instant.
The Purdue guard, who’s in the top five for NBA odds to be drafted first overall, caught a pass near midcourt during a game last season against Rutgers. He hesitated. It was only for a moment.
Ivey barreled toward the hoop, leaving a defender in his wake. Another moved over to help, but it was futile. Ivey slammed down a one-handed dunk and flushed it down despite a foul.
Ivey has the type of skill set that could help him thrive at the next level.
JADEN IVEY. ICE IN HIS VEINS. ❄️@BoilerBall | @IveyJaden pic.twitter.com/WEi7MeSzC2
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 20, 2021
Jaden Ivey Draft Odds
Ivey is tied for the fourth-best NBA Draft odds to be selected first overall at +10000. Jabari Smith of Auburn is first at -250, while Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren is second at +170 and Duke’s Paolo Banchero is third at +1600.
The Orlando Magic have the first overall pick after going 22-60 a year ago. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets pick second and third, respectively.
| Name | Position | Team | 1st Pick Odds (6/22) |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | F | Auburn | -300 |
| Paolo Banchero | F | Duke | +275 |
| Chet Holmgren | C | Gonzaga | +400 |
| Shaedon Sharpe | G | Kentucky | +10000 |
| Jaden Ivey | G | Purdue | +20000 |
| Keegan Murray | F | Iowa | +25000 |
| AJ Griffin | F | Duke | +25000 |
| Johnny Davis | G | Wisconsin | +25000 |
| Jalen Duren | C | Memphis | +25000 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | G | Arizona | +25000 |
| Ochai Agbaji | G | Kansas | +25000 |
| TyTy Washington | G | Kentucky | +50000 |
| Dyson Daniels | G | NBA G League Ignite | +50000 |
| MarJon Beauchamp | G | NBA G League Ignite | +50000 |
| Tari Eason | F | LSU | +50000 |
| Jaden Hardy | G | NBA G League Ignite | +50000 |
| Nikola Jovic | F | Mega Mozzart (Serbia) | +50000 |
| Blake Wesley | G | Notre Dame | +50000 |
Jaden Ivey Draft Pick Projection
Ivey landing with the Sacramento Kings at No. 4 overall seems to be a likely scenario.
Smith, Banchero and Holmgren are widely regarded as the top three prospects. But Ivey may be the fourth.
Last season, the Kings were 22nd in effective field goal percentage, 24th in offensive rating, 25th in player impact estimate, 27th in defensive rating and 25th in net rating.
However, the Kings were ninth in pace and have talented players who could help Ivey develop. De’Aaron Fox averaged 23.2 points per game last season, and Sacramento added two-time All-Star power forward Domantas Sabonis via a trade.
The Kings would be a team that could allow Ivey to develop, but one that wouldn’t put the burden of being a go-to scorer on him right away.
Jaden Ivey Stats
Ivey became a consensus All-American during his sophomore season in 2021-22, signifying the improvements he made after his freshman campaign. He was also a first-team All-Big Ten pick.
He averaged 17.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists over 36 games. In 33 of those contests, he recorded double-digit points. He added 33 steals and 20 blocks.
He was arguably better against ranked teams. He averaged 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists in those matchups.
Ivey and Banchero were the only underclassmen in the country to clear 17 points, 4.5 rebounds and three assists per game, as well as 30 steals and 20 blocks for the season.
As a freshman, Ivey shot 25.8% from 3-point range. This last season, he was 10% better at a 35.8% clip, shooting 46% from the field as a sophomore.
Ivey played for Team USA in the FIBA U19 World Cup during the summer of 2021. He helped the US earn gold as he was second on the team with 12.3 points per outing en route to all-star recognition.
In 2020-21, he made the conference’s all-freshman team, averaging 11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists. He tallied 14 points in his last six games, including 26 in an NCAA Tournament loss to North Texas, the second-most by a Big Ten freshman in a March Madness debut.
Jaden Ivey Draft Profile
Ivey’s speed is clear immediately when watching him play.
His Ja Morant-esque explosiveness allows him to slice through defenses in a moment’s notice. Even with a little momentum, Ivey can dunk on opponents with ease.
He’s also creative in using leverage to find lanes to the hoop. Additionally, he can shoot in traffic and on the move, either from deep or in the paint.
Ivey is a precise passer. With solid awareness, he can find teammates for open looks as he’s driving or take advantage of distracted defenders with backdoor cuts when he’s off the ball.
JADEN IVEY. ALL OUT EFFORT. 💪 @BoilerBall
(via @CBBonFOX)pic.twitter.com/uewoFZQbEB— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 12, 2022
Defensively, he’s inconsistent but crafty. He finds ways to force turnovers or disrupt offenses, even when his assignment is away from the play.
While he’s shown impressive ball handling at times, equipped with a crossover and juke step that can fool defenders, he’s also unpredictable. With his style of play, he can get ahead of himself sometimes, leading to turnovers.
Ultimately, Ivey has proven he possesses enormous upside and is worthy of a top-five selection.
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