The NBA Draft is quickly approaching, and it is now time for many young prospects to see their hard work pay off. For Iowa State fans, there may not be many familiar faces they can expect to see on draft night, but one man stands out from the rest. 

Izaiah Brockington.

After transferring from Penn State before the 2021-22 season, Brockington made a name for himself among the Iowa State roster. His contributions on both end of the court helped push the Cyclones to a historic turnaround season and make the Sweet 16.

With the season behind him, Brockington declared for the NBA Draft. Now, as draft day looms ahead, the Iowa State Daily sports desk gives its thoughts on Brockington’s chances of making it to the league.

Christian

It’s hard to look at Brockington and not see an NBA-level talent. At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, he has elite size for a guard – paired with his explosiveness and athleticism – What more could you ask for in a player?

This is the puzzling question that seems to be surrounding Brockington’s pre-draft process. His success in one year at Iowa State was enough to make him a household name, most likely, for years to come.

Brockington’s 16.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game helped improve the Cyclones from a two-win season to an appearance in the Sweet 16. Not only that, Brockington showed up on the biggest stages, putting together impressive outings against top-ranked teams, including his 19-point game against LSU and 11 points and seven rebounds against Miami.

Brockington has shown he is a capable scorer, especially from mid-range. He also excelled on the defensive side of the ball at Iowa State and during his time at Penn State.

The issues that would cause Brockington to slip off the draft board are his 3-point shooting and age. For starters, Brockington shot 36.2 percent from three while at Iowa State. Not bad, but before the 2021-22 season, it was rare to see him shoot over 30 percent.

Of course, that improvement is great to see, but the lack of film may fill his draft profile with many question marks. Brockington had just one year of elite tape at Iowa State, where he was a centerpiece on the offense, but that is all NBA teams have to judge from.

Not only will Brockington’s consistency from beyond the arc play a role in whether he is selected or not, but his age also raises bigger concerns. At 22 going on 23, he isn’t getting any younger, and the NBA has historically preferred younger prospects, such as consensus No. 1 prospect Jabari Smith, who recently turned 19.

However, I think teams will grow fond of Brockington’s work ethic and drive as he continues to show off at his summer workouts. He has already gotten looks from NBA teams who want to scout his talent firsthand.

I predict that Brockington will get picked late in the draft. He has been a fringe pick on a few big boards, ranking as high as the mid-50s in some prospect rankings. I think someone will take a chance on him late in the second round.

Tony

There’s buzz that Brockington is generating some interest despite not being on many mock drafts and big boards. 

The former Cyclone wasn’t invited to the NBA Combine or the G-League Elite Camp, but it’s been hard for the league to ignore what he brings to the table. 

His size, athleticism and Philadelphia mentality are what made him the Big 12’s Newcomer of the Year. But to hear his name called on draft night, unfortunately, Brockington will need a little bit more. 

The modern NBA is looking for three-level scores. Cyclone fans know about his ability to get to his sweet spot in the mid-range, but the sample size for Brockington’s finishing around the rim and 3-point shooting percentages aren’t quite good enough to make him one of the top-60 prospects in the world. 

However, Brockington’s growth in just one year at Iowa State shows he’s a prime candidate to quickly become an undrafted free agent, battle his way through summer league and training camp and make the league take notice. 

While I don’t think he will become a member of the 2022 NBA draft class, I won’t be surprised to see him on an NBA roster come October.

Andrea

The belief is that he might get drafted because he has an amazing motor mentality, which is very appealing to league coaches. The way his game plays out as a strong mid-range would be a really good fit for the NBA. However, there are some challenges with the consistency in his 3-point shooting, and his age might be a hurdle since league coaches are looking for younger players. 

According to another teammate, the belief of Brockington getting drafted is mutual. They mentioned that within the basics of basketball, Brockington is an overall amazing player; he has good ball-handling and scores with decent consistency. He also has great athleticism and is a reliable guard on the court.

The most important quality of Brockington is his mental game. Brockington has a solid work ethic and is willing to learn and improve every time he steps on the court. He is willing to go above and beyond to benefit the team, making him a strong and reliable teammate. 

Brockington also portrays an exemplary character off the court by staying involved within the community and being kind to others everywhere he goes. His strong character qualities should serve him well when NBA teams look his way.

The only challenge mentioned by sources was Brockington’s age because the commonality of draft picks is that younger players are preferred. However, the beliefs persist that he will get drafted, even if it is later in the draft. 

Payne

The ability to put points on the board, especially in critical moments, is what separated Brockington from the rest of the playing field. His relentless mid-range jumper kept the Cyclones competitive, and his defensive prowess locked down some of the league’s best scores.

While Brockington excelled in the mid-range, his 3-point shot didn’t come around until later in the season. Combined with the fact that he has only one year of film as the main focal point of an offense, I think it’s a long shot that Brockington gets drafted. 

Not that he doesn’t have the skill, but I believe he lacks the film necessary to convince a team to take a chance on him. If Brockington were to be drafted, I think his summer workouts would be the primary reason. 

His defense, hustle and drive are the intangibles that are attractive to teams. In a workout with other NBA hopefuls, Brockington’s character has the potential to separate himself from the others.

The NBA Draft is set to take place June 23 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.