Baylor’s Sochan goes No. 9 overall in 2022 NBA draft

Since 2000, only 15 schools have had top-10 NBA picks in consecutive years. The list is full of names like Duke, Kentucky, Kansas — and now, Baylor.

Baylor freshman Jeremy Sochan was selected at No. 9 overall in Thursday night’s NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs. He becomes the eighth first-round pick in program history, and the fourth Bear ever selected in the NBA’s top 10 — joining Davion Mitchell (2021, No. 9), Ekpe Udoh (2010, No. 6), and Vinnie Johnson (1979, No. 7).

Sochan’s selection came after just one year at Baylor, during which time he was named the Big 12 Sixth-Man of the Year and earned All-Big 12 Freshman Team and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selections. One of the best defenders in this year’s draft class, Sochan was widely recognized as an excellent fit for today’s NBA.

Sochan wasn’t the only Bear drafted; fellow freshman Kendall Brown was selected in the second round (No. 48 overall) by the Minnesota Timberwolves and immediately acquired by the Indiana Pacers. With the two picks, Baylor has now had 10 NBA Draft picks in the last 10 drafts — the most of any team in the state of Texas, and the second-most in the Big 12 Conference since 2012. In fact, the Bears have accounted for 10 of the 30 total draft picks from Texas universities since 2012.

Sic ’em, Bears in the NBA!