JABARI SMITH

The secret about how Orlando was going to take Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft was incredibly well-kept.

VIDEO: Orlando Magic preparing to make first overall pick in 2022 NBA Draft The Orlando Magic will make the first overall pick in the NBA Draft Thursday for the first time since drafting Dwight Howard in 2014. (WFTV)ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic will make the first overall pick in the NBA draft Thursday for the first time since drafting Dwight Howard in 2014. READ: FDA bans Juul e-cigarettes tied to teen vaping surgeMany of the experts expert the Magic to select Jabari Smith out of Auburn University. READ: Settlement would forgive $6B for defrauded college studentsThe Magic might surprise the experts by choosing Paolo Banchero out of Duke University. READ: Instagram tests using AI, other tools for age verificationThe Magic had two other picks to make in the draft Thursday night but traded their 35th selection to the Los Angeles Lakers for a 2028 second-round draft pick and some cash.

Paolo Banchero thinks he should be No. 1.

College basketball season ended almost three months ago, the NBA draft lottery was more than a month ago and the draft itself is later this week.

(AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer, File) (Craig Mitchelldyer)Forwards are expected to dominate Thursday's NBA draft, starting with the trio of Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren, Auburn's Jabari Smith and Duke's Paolo Banchero. 2 overall prospect. 3 draft prospect, the AP third-team All-American was comfortable snatching down a rebound and leading the break. 15 draft prospect averaged 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds for Baylor, and turned 19 only last month. 20 draft prospect.

Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren, Auburn's Jabari Smith and Duke's Paolo Banchero are set to make it a forward-heavy start to the NBA draft.

1 pick in the NBA draft. All three are already loaded with young players, even before the possibility of adding someone like Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero or Jabari Smith. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File) (Butch Dill)ORLANDO, Fla. — (AP) — Jabari Smith didn’t even attempt to minimize the significance of what was happening. He was in an NBA gym, wearing NBA apparel, getting guidance from NBA coaches. Against teams that were ranked in the AP Top 25 when facing Auburn, Smith averaged 20.8 points and 6.4 rebounds.

Jabari Smith didn't attempt to minimize the significance of the first of his two planned pre-NBA draft workouts.

The Orlando Magic won the NBA draft lottery and landed the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since they got Dwight Howard nearly two decades ago.

The Orlando Magic won the NBA draft lottery and landed the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since they got Dwight Howard nearly two decades ago.

Draft Lottery Preview Basketball FILE - Auburn forward Jabari Smith (10) reacts after making a 3-pointer against Alabama during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. Houston, Detroit and Orlando share the best odds to win the draft lottery on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, and the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File) (Butch Dill)Time for the NBA draft lottery, where some team will get a nice reward for a miserable season. 1 pick for the June 23 NBA draft in New York. “And if you can be both, you can achieve something and so we’re grateful we’re a playoff team that’s holding a lottery pick.

The New Orleans Pelicans are the lone playoff team among the clubs who can get a boost from lotto luck when the NBA draft lottery is conducted Tuesday night in Chicago.

NCAA Miami Auburn Basketball Miami guard Charlie Moore drives to the basket past Auburn guard K.D. 10 seed Miami neutralized second-seeded Auburn's Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler in a 79-61 victory to reach its first Sweet 16 in six years. But the Hurricanes opened the second half with a 15-7 burst off four points apiece by Wong and McGusty. By the time Moore hit a 3-pointer, the score was 48-39 and the raucous Auburn crowd at the start was quiet. Auburn: The Tigers looked like a national championship contender much of the season.

Isaiah Wong scored 21 points, Kameron McGusty had 20 and 10th-seeded Miami shut down Auburn's power couple Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler for a 79-61 victory to reach its first Sweet 16 in six years.

But if Duke's comfortable 78-61 first-round win over Cal State-Fullerton is any indication, that won't be anytime soon. The second-seeded Blue Devils came out red-hot and played defense the way Krzyzewski has been begging them to for weeks. And if it looks like the rest of this tournament sets up nicely for Coach K after a rocky close to the regular season, well, you're not alone, either. Texas coach Chris Beard, a rising star in the profession, improved to 5-0 in first-round games as his No. “We knew we were in for a rock fight, and that’s very much what it was,” Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said afterward.

Mike Krzyzewski won his first NCAA Tournament game as Duke’s coach in 1985 and his 98th on Friday night.

Jacksonville St Auburn Basketball Auburn guard K.D. If Smith, the potential high NBA lottery pick, plays like he did Friday, Auburn will be hard to slow down. Only Kansas, with 14 straight opening wins, and Gonzaga, with 13, are ahead of Auburn. Auburn: The Tigers reached the Final Four in their previous NCAA trip three years ago before a drama-filled defeat to Virginia in the semifinals. Don't bet against it with the Smith and Kessler leading the way inside and Williams and Johnson making outside shots.

Freshman Jabari Smith 20 points and 14 rebounds as second-seeded Auburn pulled away from Jacksonville State late in the first half to win its 10th straight NCAA Tournament opener 80-61 in the Midwest Region.

Keegan Murray has given Iowa a first-team Associated press All-American for the third straight year.

Tyrece Radford scored 19 points and Quenton Jackson made five throws in the final minute as Texas A&M beat fourth-ranked Auburn 67-62 in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

Auburn Tennessee Basketball Auburn forward Jabari Smith (10) works for a shot as he is defended by Auburn guard K.D. Johnson had 18 points as Auburn lost on the road for the third straight time. Tennessee led by 10 with 2 minutes left in the game, but Auburn chipped away at the lead. Tennessee had a four-minute scoreless stretch in the first half when Auburn turned a six-point deficit into a seven-point lead. Tennessee: Coach Rick Barnes is still working to get youngsters Jonas Aidoo and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield in the regular rotation at power forward.

Santiago Vescovi scored 14 points and Zakai Zeigler had 11 of his 13 points in the second half to lead No. 17 Tennessee to a 67-62 victory over No. 3 Auburn.

Tyree Appleby scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half, Colin Castleton added 19 and Florida rallied to beat No. 2 Auburn 63-62 to extend its home dominance in the series.

Walker Kessler had a triple-double with 12 blocked shots, 12 points and 11 rebounds and No. 1 Auburn bounced back from a loss with a 75-58 victory over Texas A&M.

Wendell Green Jr. made a tiebreaking layup with four seconds remaining and No. 1 Auburn got past Georgia 74-72, extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 19 games.

APTOPIX Alabama Auburn Basketball Auburn forward Jabari Smith (10) reacts after making a 3-pointer against Alabama during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) (Butch Dill)AUBURN, Ala. — (AP) — Wendell Green Jr. scored a season-high 23 points off the bench as No. 1 Auburn cruised past rival Alabama with a 100-81 home win Tuesday night. Jabari Smith added 17 points as Auburn (21-1, 9-0 Southeastern Conference) extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 18. Jaden Shackelford led Alabama (14-8, 4-5) with 26 points and shot 5-for-10 from 3-point range. Auburn led by as many as 19 in the first half, but Alabama answered back with three straight 3-pointers to gain momentum heading into halftime.

Wendell Green Jr. scored a season-high 23 points off the bench as No. 1 Auburn cruised past rival Alabama with a 100-81 home win.

Oklahoma Auburn Basketball Oklahoma guard Marvin Johnson (5) goes up for a shot as Auburn forward Jabari Smith (10) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) (Butch Dill)AUBURN, Ala. — (AP) — Jabari Smith bounced back from a rough shooting night with 23 points and 12 rebounds and Walker Kessler scored 21 to lead No. 1 Auburn to an 86-68 victory over Oklahoma on Saturday. The Tigers (20-1) built a big lead, lost most of it and then dominated the final minutes for their nation-leading 17th consecutive win. Smith was just 2-of-15 shooting for five points in a 55-54 win over Missouri Tuesday. Auburn pushed a 12-point halftime lead to 14 coming out of the locker room.

Jabari Smith bounced back from a rough shooting night with 23 points and 12 rebounds and Walker Kessler scored 21 to lead No. 1 Auburn to an 86-68 victory over Oklahoma.

Walker Kessler scored 19 points and K.

Walker Kessler had 15 points and six blocked shots to lead a half-dozen scorers in double figures for No. 2 Auburn in an 83-60 rout of Georgia.

Nebraska Auburn Basketball Nebraska guard C.J. (AP Photo/Hakim Wright Sr.) (Hakim Wright Sr.)ATLANTA — (AP) — Playing minus suspended coach Bruce Pearl, No. Auburn was placed on probation for four years for unethical conduct involving former associate head coach Chuck Person. Center Walker Kessler and guard Zep Jasper each had five steals and Auburn scored 30 points off 20 turnovers. Auburn held Nebraska (5-6) without a basket for a stretch of almost seven minutes in the first half.

Playing minus suspended coach Bruce Pearl, No. 18 Auburn made 16 steals and routed Nebraska 99-68.

Baylor coach Scott Drew knew his sixth-ranked Bears might need time to blend a changed roster after losing four starters from a national-championship run.

22 Connecticut went back and forth at each other seemingly oblivious to pressure from a dwindling clock in an ever-lengthening game at the Battle 4 Atlantis. But the two combined for UConn’s first 14 points of the second overtime as UConn finally pushed ahead for good. “I definitely thought numerous times we could've had the game won," said R.J. Cole, who had 24 points for UConn. Auburn: This is the first trip here for the Tigers, who were coming off a 58-52 win at South Florida on Saturday. SMITH'S GROWTHSmith had 19 of his 22 after halftime for Auburn.

Tyler Polley scored a career-high 24 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:58 left in the second overtime to help No. 22 UConn beat No. 19 Auburn 115-109 in Wednesday’s first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.