College basketball players have rarely been featured in basketball games, the last one appearing in NCAA Basketball 10, a title introduced back in 2009. Breaking the trend, NBA 2K22's latest update brings the arrival of someone slated to be picked in the first three overall selections in the 2022 NBA Draft, and fans will have a chance to play as him in NBA 2K22.Highly-touted NCAA player Paolo Banchero is joining the ranks in NBA 2K22, ahead of the draft scheduled for June 23. The Duke power-forward/center is having an exceptional 2022 season and is expected to hear his name called early in the draft, and is arguably considered as one of the best NBA rookies in the upcoming season.RELATED: NBA 2K22 February Player Ratings Update Brings Big Risers and FallersBanchero made headlines early in his playing career with O’Dea High School, winning the league championship during his sophomore year while being named the year's most valuable player. In his final year with O'Dea, Banchero received honors as Player of the Year, Junior of the Year, and was named to the Jordan Brand Classic roster, cementing his reputation as the top player in the class of 2021. Banchero will be a commodity as a power-forward in NBA 2K22 and will come with a 95 overall rating to begin with, and is expected to be one of the top-rated playable rookies in the game.

Banchero joins MyTeam Season 5, part of a crop of players available, including two-time NBA Champion Kevin Durant and former first-round pick Rui Joachim, selected by the Washington Wizards in 2019. During the new season, players will have the opportunity to use Banchero and many others to work towards achievements and reach level 40, with the end goal being an obtainable Dark Matter card. With the announcement receiving general praise on social media, the idea of bringing in more college basketball players in the future appears promising.

The 95 overall Banchero will be a great asset to anyone's created team, and while he is featured as a power-forward, he'll also be playable at the center position, making him versatile in multiple roles. His current status is set as an NBA Free Agent, as Banchero is yet to be drafted and has no NBA affiliation, but expect that to change in the upcoming months. The Duke star signed a deal with 2K Sports five months ago, a great step into making college players more accessible in basketball games. As the NBA Draft inches closer, NBA 2K22 could make things interesting with more draft-eligible, future NBA stars.

NBA 2K22 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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