HOU$TON
formerly convertibleburt
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This defense is what the rockets been missing. Alperen Sengun is the biggest winner here.
2025 NBA Draft Thread
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by addict4sneakers,
- Start date
This defense is what the rockets been missing. Alperen Sengun is the biggest winner here.
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dacomeup
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Yea, Chet’s dad is in his 50s and is 7 ft 190
. His frame is probably too narrow to really pack on weight
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i mean he dominated the u19 tournament, that was pretty convincing.
it's very unlikely that any prospect will be as good as Luka.
but if you're that tall and mobile and you love to compete and hoop
hard to imagine you end up a bust.
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Starting to become a big fan of Tari Eason. Worked out for the Knicks and they liked him too.
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That was definitely the Rockets who put out the stories that Tari Eason was "interviewing poorly"
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TBH Tari displays some poor bball IQ at times, but is getting away with it because he's so athletic and has a motor. Could definitely see it translating to poor interviews.
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Mama Eason 
elpablo21
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2023 NBA Mock Draft: Victor Wembanyama at No. 1; Thompson twins in the top 10
Welcome to the official tipoff of The Athletic’s 2023 NBA Draft coverage. As usual, that begins with a mock draft.
It’s important to take these things essentially as a watch list as opposed to an official prediction. The players we’re projecting here haven’t finished working on their games over the summer, potentially adding skills to the weaknesses that held them back from being a 2022 draft pick or that could plague them as they enter the collegiate or professional pathways. This is unequivocally not a completed process, and evaluators are dealing with incomplete information. On top of that, I just haven’t been able to get eyes on all of the guys I want to at this early stage. For instance, I’ve seen a bit of new G League Ignite recruit Sidy Cissoko’s tape in Spain and have been impressed, but due to COVID-19, I had to miss the Nike Hoop Summit he played in, where I was expecting to get a better look. Sometimes, scouting is a logistical nightmare, and you end up missing your scheduled chances to see guys. I have Cissoko in the early second round here, but you could reasonably convince me he should be much higher or should be considered a two-year project based on what I’ve seen.
Having said that, I do like the 2023 draft class. It’s not quite the monster class that 2021 was, but I think it’s a bit stronger than 2022, particularly at the top. Victor Wembanyama is one of the highest-upside prospects we’ve seen in a while, and Scoot Henderson is an explosive guard who can get into the teeth of the defense and drive transition play at the snap of his fingers. Still, there’s so much uncertainty to the point where it’s basically a fool’s errand.
But you all absolutely want to know who to watch for this upcoming season, so here we are.
Every year, the people who do these “way too early” mock drafts — myself included — always fill the order with rising freshmen and choose to ignore returning college basketball upperclassmen or returning international players who didn’t declare. This year, 15 non-first-year-eligible players went in the first round. In 2021, it was 11. In 2020, it was 13. In 2019, it was 15. I’ve always tried to do a better job of including rising upperclassmen (last year, in my first mock draft, I had 12 in my top 30), but I still probably default a bit too hard toward the idea that the new shiny thing is always the best.
I’ve tried to include some of my favorite rising college players. Last year, we had no idea at this point that guys like Jalen Williams and Johnny Davis would emerge into lottery picks. But I think we can still do a better job of taking educated, evaluated guesses on which guys will emerge. You’ll note that I ended up right in the middle of that range with 13.
Another thing to watch is late entrants into the process. Last year at this point, Shaedon Sharpe was playing at Peach Jam and was seen as likely headed to college. He ended up going No. 7 overall. It seems like every year, a guy gets eligible and becomes a lottery pick. One such example, hypothetically, would be G.G. Jackson, a consensus top-three prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. He is currently not slated to reclassify and graduate this year, but he has a December 2004 birthday and could easily decide this summer to not only graduate but also do something different than his current North Carolina commitment. If he were to do so, he would be eligible for the 2023 NBA Draft in the same way Sharpe was this past season.
As always, teams will need to start doing some work now on high school players with birthdates that fall in 2004. I haven’t included Jackson here — or anyone like him — because the most current public update on his plans is that he will head to North Carolina in 2023. But keep an eye on the rising seniors this summer who have 2004 birthdates.
Reminder: The order is currently based on sportsbook betting odds to win the NBA title in 2023. It’s not me. Is this a perfect way to go about it? No. For instance, I’d have the Lakers’ projection lower given their current roster, and I’d have Brooklyn lower given what we know about its current situation with Kevin Durant. But is there a better way to do it? I don’t think there is at this stage. Models and projections are not out, and this is a bit more scientific than me just putting the teams in whatever order I want to.
Also of note: The 2023 draft is slated to have just 59 picks, as the Chicago Bulls have forfeited their second-round pick because of a tampering investigation resulting from the team signing Lonzo Ball in 2021. All ages are listed as of the projected late June 2023 NBA Draft date.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Victor Wembanyama | 7-2 center | 19 years old | Metropolitans 92
On the Friday after the 2022 NBA Draft, I teamed up with Mike Vorkunov to do a quick scouting profile on Wembanyama, one of the most interesting long-term prospects to be seen within the basketball community in a long time. He’s about 7-foot-2 (he might have grown even a bit more) and has a plus-seven wingspan. He has the potential to step out and shoot, and he has enough balance to play on the perimeter. He can handle the ball and even reasonably create stepback jumpers at the Euro league level. He’s a remarkable defensive prospect who could average more than 20 points per game. For the full breakdown, I’ll direct you to the 1,000 or so words published a couple of weeks ago.
2. San Antonio Spurs
Scoot Henderson | 6-2 guard | 19 years old | G League Ignite
I’m not quite of the opinion that the race for No. 1 overall is a done deal, largely because Henderson exists and is terrific in his own right. Playing for the G League Ignite this past season as a 17-year-old, Henderson averaged 14 points, five rebounds and four assists per game versus only two turnovers, while almost racking up two steals per contest. That kind of production at that age in that league is ridiculous. He is remarkably explosive as an athlete and yet plays with tremendous pace and craft and with real creativity. I think he would have likely been the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft if he would have been eligible. The only thing left for him is improving as a shooter. Henderson made 21.6 percent from 3 this past season but hit a high enough percentage of his free throws that you should feel relatively confident he has real touch.
3. Orlando Magic
Cam Whitmore | 6-6 wing | 18 years old | Villanova
This is where things start getting a bit trickier. I’m not quite as high on this draft class outside of the top two, although those two are so terrific that it makes it a good class. Whitmore is more of a lottery-pick-level guy as opposed to a traditional top-three player in a class at this stage. But I’m an enormous fan because it’s just so easy to see how he slots into the NBA game. He’s big and physical and uses his length, strength and athleticism well at 6-foot-6 with a 220-pound build, particularly on the defensive end. He plays hard and tries to shut down the opposition. Kyle Neptune is going to love him on that end. On top of it, he’s a good shooter and seems to know how to move. He makes the right passing reads and right plays, plus he can create his own shot. There are some explosiveness concerns athletically, but I really like how Whitmore’s game flashes toward the next level.
4. Houston Rockets
Nick Smith | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | Arkansas
I really like Smith, particularly with where the NBA is going. It’s all about guys who can dribble, pass and shoot, and Smith certainly can do that. He can get buckets from all three levels, but when you try to help off him, he’s terrific at making high-level passing reads. He’s very creative and shifty with the ball and can play at his own pace or get downhill. He also can play both on and off the ball, something that I think will profile really well for playing next to Anthony Black in the backcourt at Arkansas. He has enough size to do so at 6-foot-5, with something in the ballpark of a 6-foot-10 wingspan. How the minutes and roles shake out at Arkansas is one of the most intriguing things to watch this season given the team’s loaded depth, but I feel confident Smith will be the straw stirring the drink.
5. Detroit Pistons
Dariq Whitehead | 6-6 wing | 18 years old | Duke
Part of a loaded recruiting class, Whitehead is the Duke prospect I’m most intrigued about for the NBA level at this point. At 6-foot-6, Whitehead plays an aggressive brand of basketball that largely is attack-oriented. He has a case as being the most athletic wing entering the collegiate group this season, as he is a terrific blend of power and athleticism with his explosiveness, quick twitch and fairly fluid playmaking. The jumper places him slightly ahead of Ausar and Amen Thompson, the next two guys to be listed. Whitehead has a bit more touch and fewer mechanical flaws than the Thompson twins at this point, even if the Thompsons are superior athletes. I would bet Whitehead leads a loaded Duke team in scoring while using his athleticism to at least make an impact on the glass and on defense.
6. Indiana Pacers
Ausar Thompson | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | Overtime Elite
Ausar Thompson is the more natural wing of the duo. He’s bouncier and springier and will be one of the best wing athletes to enter the NBA in a long while. At 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, he possesses prototypical measurements for the wing position across the court. He’s lethally quick twitch and can guard across the positional spectrum. Defensively, he’s lightning quick. He and his brother, Amen, are so good athletically that it’s hard to really place them outside of the top 10, even if I have pretty substantial questions about the jumper moving forward. Ausar’s a bit mechanical and off-balanced based on tape from last season, which is a bit concerning as we move forward into the pre-draft year. That’s the No. 1 place scouts will be looking for improvement.
7. Sacramento Kings
Amen Thompson | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | Overtime Elite
Amen Thompson is more of the passer/playmaker of the duo, and he possesses real skill as a ballhandler. I don’t know that I’d quite call him a primary lead guard right now, but he’s certainly going to be able to handle at least secondary ballhandling responsibilities in the NBA. He has a terrific first step, and much like Ausar, he can play with his head at the basket as a finisher when he needs to. It’s just hard to overemphasize how explosive Ausar and Amen are athletically, while also maintaining that level of getting off the ground easily. He has a craftier handle and can break down defenders with a bit more ease. Much like with Ausar, the jumper is a huge concern with Amen. And at this point, it’s honestly a bigger one. He kind of brings the ball across his face a bit at the moment, and the consistency isn’t there. Both twins sub-25 percent from 3 this past season and have some work to do. I think the range of potential outcomes for the Thompson twins is a bit wider than some believe because of the shooting issue. If they shoot 25 percent from 3 again — especially given that Amen actually made under 60 percent of his free throws too — things could get a bit dicey for them. Still, their athleticism gives them absolutely sky-high upside if the jumper breaks right.
8. Washington Wizards
Keyonte George | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | Baylor
This is another great fit in terms of player and school. George is a polished scoring guard heading to a Baylor offense that will empower him, L.J. Cryer, Adam Flagler and Dale Bonner to get buckets as backcourt players who can all run ball screens and make plays out of isolation due to their shooting ability. George will be the best of that group, as his dynamic handle and three-level shooting prowess in the open spaces that the Baylor offense allows will make him an exceptionally hard cover. We’ve already seen it a bit, as Baylor is currently on an international tour playing under-23 national teams. George dropped a ridiculous 37 points against a Canadian team that featured Leonard Miller, Ryan Nembhard, Quincy Guerrier, Stef Smith, Emmanuel Miller and other collegiate starters. He’s going to get buckets at a high level.
9. Utah Jazz
Cason Wallace | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | Kentucky
If I were purely naming “favorite” players in the class, Wallace would be up there for me. He wants to rip the opposition’s heart out every time he steps on the court. He’s a monster defender who locks up dudes at the point of attack, never gives up on plays, is a threat for steals and blocks in recovery and is always shooting passing lanes for transition chances. Offensively, he’s a bit less complete than he is on defense, but I do like his ability as a pull-up scorer from all three levels. He is always on balance and ready to fire. He’s not quite the distributor you’d like him to be, but I think he’s probably a bit better of a fit for a team led by Sahvir Wheeler and Oscar Tshiebwe at the one and five, respectively, than TyTy Washington Jr. was last year. I’m a believer that Wallace has a huge year and helps this Kentucky team win a lot of games.
10. Charlotte Hornets
Dereck Lively | 7-1 center | 19 years old | Duke
Lively is the No. 1 recruit in the class but comes in at No. 10 here. Why? He’s a pure big, and we know the NBA has devalued the pure big in the draft in recent years. He’s a monster rim runner who will be a very high-level lob threat in the NBA. He has a burgeoning pick-and-pop game that looks like it’ll be ready to go by the time he’s in his mid-20s. He’s also an elite shot blocker. He rebounds and keeps his motor running constantly. At the end of the day, though, Lively is relatively limited offensively in terms of creation, and it’s not a certainty at this stage that he’s going to guard at a strong enough level away from the basket to where he can give scheme versatility beyond being a drop defender in ball screens. Those guys tend to go more around No. 10 overall than around No. 1 overall in today’s NBA. Lively would need to really do something special this season to change that. He’s capable of it defensively, given his motor and tools. But a safer bet, as Jalen Duren learned this year, is to expect even the highest-rated bigs to drop more into this range.
11. New York Knicks
Terquavion Smith | 6-3 guard | 20 years old | NC State
This year’s truly surprising returnee to school, Smith is as dynamic a pull-up scorer as you’ll find in the country. As a freshman last year in ACC play, he averaged 18.3 points and shot over 40 percent from 3 on nine attempts per game, many of which were of the pull-up variety. He’s a lethal shot creator from behind the arc and would have been a first-round pick this season if he had stayed in the draft class. He needs to improve as a finisher at the rim, as he was one of the worst in the country statistically last year. He also could stand to improve a bit defensively. But he has real tools as a lightning athlete with real explosiveness in and out of his moves and is a weirdly impressive off-hand dunker who showcases some real finishing upside long term.
12. Cleveland Cavaliers
Anthony Black | 6-7 guard | 19 years old | Arkansas
Another one of my favorites in the class, Black is an enormous lead guard, a 6-foot-7 ballhandler who just makes the right decision time and again every time he has the ball. It’s all about ball-screen acumen with Black. He’s great at making high-level reads out of screens and finding teammates from a variety of angles. He’s always watching the backside help defenders and trying to diagnose where and when he can place the ball. His feel for the game is ridiculously high, and it translates on defense too. He’s switchable due to his size and plays consistently hard on that end of the court. The question here is how he consistently scores. He’s not a monster athlete who can separate from his man at will. The shot isn’t broken, but he doesn’t look for it all the time. As long as the shot keeps developing, Black is going to be a really impactful player on an NBA court due to the variety of ways he impacts the game.
13. Portland Trail Blazers
Gradey **** | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Kansas
**** is the last guy in the lottery I’m probably a bit higher on than most. He’s an elite shooting wing with legitimate size at 6-foot-7 but also has genuine athletic tools. He’s not a stiff dude out there who can’t move. He’s also extremely confident and seems to feel like he’s the best player out on the court all the time. He moves really well off the ball and can get set to shoot off movement, and he has an innate feel for how to get open. These are the kind of wings who excel in Bill Self schemes, and I’d anticipate we see **** have an enormous freshman season for the Jayhawks as they look to repeat.
14. New Orleans Pelicans
Dillon Mitchell | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Texas
Mitchell played at Monteverde with Dariq Whitehead and a few other four- and five-star prospects, and I thought his upside was pretty high when I saw him simply due to his athleticism. He’s an elite athlete with all sorts of twitch and fluidity. He’s explosive and bouncy off the ground. I thought he utilized that best defensively in the tape I saw. He consistently plays really hard. But when I saw him, I thought he was a bit more of a project than indicated by his recruiting rank largely due to skill and shooting. He’s a terrific driver because of his first step and does have some passing ability. But the jumper is going to take some time. It’s a lefty jumper that just looks a bit two-motioned, and he doesn’t always seem to have as much confidence with that as he does in other parts of his game. If the jumper comes, there is a chance he skyrockets up the board quickly this coming season.
15. Atlanta Hawks
Arthur Kaluma | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | Creighton
I’m a big fan of Kaluma, and he’s one of a few Creighton players listed here. He averaged 10 points and five rebounds last season in a significant role for Creighton. He’s 6-foot-7 with enormous length and real potential to play across both the three and the four. He defends well and rebounds hard and is a good enough finisher. The big key, as with many guys like this, is shooting. Kaluma hit under 30 percent from 3 this past season and needs to start canning jumpers at a better clip. But his frame is terrific, he has athleticism, and his motor and energy levels are constant. He has every chance to emerge as a very high-level prospect.
16. Orlando Magic (via CHI)
Kel’el Ware | 7-0 big | 19 years old | Oregon
Orlando gets this pick from the Nikola Vucević trade. Ware has all the tools to be a terrific player, and it’s easy to see why there are some scouts who see him as a potential top-10 guy. He’s very athletic for a 7-footer but moreover is also very coordinated for his size. He has a burgeoning perimeter game that could see him turn into a shooter at some point. He blocks shots and has the kind of length you look for from a starting center. But the production just hasn’t always quite matched the tools in a way that is worth paying attention to. A big season, and Ware will end up in the mix as a lottery guy.
17. Utah Jazz (via MIN)
Amari Bailey | 6-3 guard | 19 years old | UCLA
This comes to Utah from the Rudy Gobert trade. Bailey is one of the best open-court playmakers in the draft class, a flashy on-ball attacker as a combo guard who loves to get up and down in transition both as a passer and as a driver toward the rim, where he’s very likely to throw down some fun dunks this season. Beyond that, he’s also turned himself into a smooth-looking shooter with a nice lefty stroke who should be able to get buckets off the catch this season, where he’ll likely see more time off the ball playing next to Tyger Campbell.
18. Toronto Raptors
Leonard Miller | 6-10 wing | 20 years old | G League Ignite
Miller is one of the most fascinating prospects in basketball right now. He’s a 6-foot-10 wing who can handle the ball almost as a lead guard and make really high-level passing reads consistently. He has great touch around the rim but really poor shot mechanics and shot prep that don’t translate to him getting the most out of his skill set. Defensively, he has not been asked to play on that end enough to get an accurate read on where he is. But the upside here is through the roof due to his balance and feel for the game. He’ll be going to the G League this season and playing for the Ignite.
19. Brooklyn Nets
Kris Murray | 6-8 wing | 22 years old | Iowa
Keegan’s brother, Kris should step into more of a primary role next season after being more of a big floor spacer in 2021-22 He averaged 10 points per game but shot 39 percent from 3 last season and played solid defensively at his size. He has the look of a very valuable role-playing wing. He’s not quite the shot creator Keegan is, so don’t expect nearly 25 points per game. But I do think Kris will emerge into a genuine prospect and set himself up nicely for a long career in the NBA.
20. Memphis Grizzlies
Kyle Filipowski | 7-0 big | 19 years old | Duke
Filipowski is a terrific big and a top-five recruit in the class for a reason. He’s very polished and skilled offensively. He can put the ball on the deck fluidly and comfortably, with the ability to, at times at the high school level, create his own shot as a 7-footer. He can knock down shots from distance and has good footwork inside, and I like him as a passer. I worry about his defense. Can he prove that he can defend in space this year? Can he protect the rim at a high enough level to stick at the five in the NBA? I’m a bit skeptical, but the offensive skill set is almost undeniable. He’s incredibly gifted and has a good shot to be a one-and-done even in an era when teams prefer defensive-minded bigs who are versatile.
21. New York Knicks (via DAL)
Colby Jones | 6-6 wing | 21 years old | Xavier
This comes to New York from the Kristaps Porzingis deal and is top-10 protected. Jones was one of my favorite sleeper prospects entering last season, and it took him just a bit too long to get going. But by the end of the season, it was clear he is a legitimate prospect. He won the NIT Most Outstanding Player award while Xavier took home the trophy, leading the team to five straight wins. He’s tough on defense at 6-foot-6 with legit strength and switchability. He’s a good passer for his size and can legit make plays. Really, he’s another guy for whom things come down to the jump shot. Jones hit 30 percent from 3 in his first two years at Xavier. If he takes a leap there, he will be right in the mix for a first-round pick.
22. Charlotte Hornets (via DEN)
Andre Jackson | 6-6 wing | 21 years old | Connecticut
This comes to Charlotte from a variety of draft-day trades. It is lottery protected. Jackson is one of my favorite upside swings in this year’s class, a monster athlete who started to come into his own by midseason last year, particularly as a ballhandler. He used to struggle to put the ball on the deck and make passing reads confidently, but by the end of the season, he was very comfortable as Connecticut’s secondary ballhandler behind R.J. Cole. He’s not the most comfortable shooter at volume, but he hit 36 percent from 3 last season on limited attempts. He can run forever, and he’s a great defender who never seems to tire. I’m a big believer in him being a good developmental project long-term because of the roles he’s had to play early in his career at Connecticut. Now, he should be more ready to step into a primary role for what I think is a top-20 team next season in terms of talent.
23. Utah Jazz (via PHI)
Julian Strawther | 6-7 wing | 21 years old | Gonzaga
This comes to Utah from a weird pick swap situation involving Brooklyn and the 76ers. Strawther considered going into the 2022 draft and probably could have been a second-round pick but decided not to turn pro and will head back to Gonzaga again to hopefully be the next in a long line of positive developmental stories from the Spokane school. He’s a terrific shooter out of spot-ups and has great positional size at 6-foot-7. His next step is taking the leap as a shot creator off closeouts, attacking them confidently to either finish at the rim or pass out of those plays to open teammates for 3. If he can do that and defend as a solid clip, he’ll play in the NBA for a while.
24. Miami Heat
Harrison Ingram | 6-8 wing | 20 years old | Stanford
Ingram went back to Stanford following a disaster close to a season that saw him shoot 27 percent from the field in his final seven games. But the good news for Ingram is that he’s still a terrific big playmaker with the ball in his hands who has showcased real passing ability and feel for the game as a playmaker. The key here is shooting. Ingram needs to be a real 3-point shooter to stick in the NBA. If that doesn’t happen, he probably doesn’t make it because he’s not quite athletic enough to make up for it with his physical tools. But if he can shoot, he’s a legit dribble-pass-shoot playmaker at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds and a 7-foot wingspan with positional versatility and schematic adaptability.
25. New Orleans Pelicans (via LAL)
Matthew Cleveland | 6-6 wing | 20 years old | Florida State
I always saw Cleveland as more of a two-year guy at Florida State largely due to the shot. He’s an effective driver with good size and length as a wing scorer. He just wasn’t ready as a shooter, hitting just 17 percent of his 34 3-point attempts last season. But if we’re making informed bets on potential breakout guys, Cleveland stands out due to the fact that he’s basically only a consistent jumper away from being a pro player. He’s a tough, aggressive slasher with good footwork and balance. Leonard Hamilton will force him to defend, and he won the ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year award last year as a freshman. He’s ready for a breakout this season. He just needs to shoot it.
26. Phoenix Suns
Terrance Arceneaux | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Houston
I get the impression I’m a bit higher on Arceneaux than consensus, but he seems like one of those guys who is tailor-made to be an NBA wing. Every year, there is a guy ranked somewhere in the 30s or 40s in their recruiting class who surprisingly goes one-and-done. This is my pick for that this season. Arceneaux is 6-foot-7 with what has to be at least a 7-foot wingspan. He hits shots off the catch from distance and is an extremely disruptive defender both on the wing with his ability to get into passing lanes and on the weak side as a shot blocker. He’s not really a primary scorer, but he does everything else well in how it translates toward being a potential NBA prospect. I think he has a really strong year as a freshman for Houston as a role player, and he’s actually the guy I see as their best long-term prospect ahead of guys like Jarace Walker and Marcus Sasser, both of whom are also rated highly here.
27. LA Clippers
Marcus Sasser | 6-2 guard | 22 years old | Houston
Sasser could have stayed in the 2022 draft and been a second-round pick after performing well throughout the pre-draft process, but he’ll try his luck in the 2023 draft. He missed a large majority of his sophomore season with a foot injury after a monster start to the year where he averaged 18 points and shot 43 percent from 3. He’s also a tough-minded defender. Houston has as good of a chance to cut down the nets in April as any team in the country given the Cougars’ talent level and the coaching acumen of Kelvin Sampson. Sasser and Jamal Shead will give them a proven backcourt combination that should lead to another deep run, and if that happens, Sasser’s stock will be off to the races.
28. Golden State Warriors
Jaime Jaquez | 6-7 guard | 22 years old | UCLA
Another guy I just can’t quit and have a belief that he’ll carve out a role in the NBA. Jaquez is a do-it-all wing who embodies all of the toughness that teams look for out of role players at the next level. He defends at a high level, having made the Pac-12’s All-Defense team twice due to his reactive hands and versatility in who he can guard. He makes really good decisions and plays with terrific processing ability. The only strange thing here is the shot, which fell off a cliff in 2022 largely due to multiple sprained ankles throughout the season. My bet is that with a run of clean health, Jaquez is more the guy who shot 39 percent from 3 in 2020-21 as opposed to the guy who shot 27 percent from 3 last season.
29. Houston Rockets (via MIL)
Caleb Love | 6-3 guard | 21 years old | North Carolina
This goes to Houston from the P.J. Tucker trade back in 2021. Love hasn’t been particularly efficient thus far in his career as a scorer, but he seemed to turn a corner later in his sophomore season on his way toward leading North Carolina to a Final Four. He has a real flair for the moment, and I uy his ability to create shots from behind the arc and from the midrange. He just needs to keep ironing out his shot, and there is every indication he’s going to be able to do that given the level he’s already at. He hit 36 percent from 3 and 86 percent from the line last season. I also have a bit of a soft spot for these post-hype guys who turn it around after not immediately reaching expectations. Love has real talent and a skill set the NBA is looking for as a shot creator. And now, he’s gone through all of the adversity and come out on the other side of it intact. Typically, that’s where growth tends to come from in players.
30. Indiana Pacers (via BOS)
Tyrese Hunter | 6-0 guard | 20 years old | Texas
I’ll be honest: If this were a more natural fit, I’d probably have Hunter even higher than this. But instead of playing as the true point guard for Texas, he’ll be forced into sharing the ball with Marcus Carr, and those who have tried to share with Carr previously know it’s not exactly always an ideal plan of action. Having said that, Hunter is an elite defensive guard who despite being 6-foot tall is stout and strong, with the ability to physically hold up against wings who try to back him down. He’s also a terrific passer and improved throughout the course of last season as a shooter to the point that he knocked down seven 3s in an NCAA Tournament game for Iowa State. Texas probably wouldn’t have been my ideal landing spot for him, but he’s undeniably a terrific talent.
Second round
31. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chris Livingston | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | Kentucky
32. San Antonio Spurs: Nikola Đurišić | 6-8 forward | 19 years old | Mega
33. Orlando Magic: Jarace Walker | 6-8 forward | 19 years old | Houston
34. Indiana Pacers (via HOU): Trayce Jackson-Davis | 6-8 big | 22 years old | Indiana
35. Detroit Pistons: Coleman Hawkins | 6-10 big | 21 years old | Illinois
36. Sacramento Kings (via IND): Jordan Hawkins | 6-5 wing | 20 years old | Connecticut
37. Sacramento Kings: Oscar Tshiebwe | 6-9 center | 21 years old | Kentucky
38. Denver Nuggets (via WAS): Sidy Cissoko | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | G League Ignite
39. Charlotte Hornets (via UTA): Emoni Bates | 6-9 guard | 19 years old | Eastern Michigan
40. Atlanta Hawks (via CHA): Rayan Rupert | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | New Zealand Breakers
41. Minnesota Timberwolves (via NYK): Ariel Hukporti | 7-0 big | 21 years old | Melbourne United
42. Cleveland Cavaliers: Armando Bacot | 6-10 big | 22 years old | North Carolina
43. Boston Celtics (via POR): Ricky Council IV | 6-6 wing | 21 years old | Arkansas
44. Atlanta Hawks (via NOP): Ryan Kalkbrenner | 7-1 big | 21 years old | Creighton
45. Brooklyn Nets (via ATL): Drew Timme | 6-10 big | 22 years old | Gonzaga
46. Los Angeles Lakers (via CHI): Will Richard | 6-5 wing | 20 years old | Florida
47. Memphis Grizzlies (via MIN): Baylor Scheierman | 6-6 wing | 21 years old | Creighton
48. Toronto Raptors: Jazian Gortman | 6-1 guard | 19 years old | Overtime Elite
49. Philadelphia 76ers (via BKN): James Nnaji | 6-10 big | 18 years old | Barcelona
50. Memphis Grizzlies: Hunter Dickinson | 7-1 center | 22 years old | Michigan
51. Denver Nuggets (via DAL): Terrence Shannon | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | Illinois
52. Philadelphia 76ers: Mouhamed Gueye | 6-11 big | 20 years old | Washington State
53. Boston Celtics (via MIA): Kevin McCullar | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | Kansas
54. Los Angeles Lakers: Matthew Murrell | 6-4 wing | 20 years old | Mississippi
55. Phoenix Suns: Roko Prkacin | 6-9 forward | 20 years old | Cibona
56. LA Clippers: Moussa Cisse | 6-10 big | 21 years old | Oklahoma State
57. Milwaukee Bucks (via GSW): Taran Armstrong | 6-5 guard | 20 years old | Cal Baptist
58: Milwaukee Bucks: Malachi Smith | 6-4 guard | 22 years old | Gonzaga
59. Boston Celtics: Mike Miles | 6-1 guard | 21 years old | TCU
Welcome to the official tipoff of The Athletic’s 2023 NBA Draft coverage. As usual, that begins with a mock draft.
It’s important to take these things essentially as a watch list as opposed to an official prediction. The players we’re projecting here haven’t finished working on their games over the summer, potentially adding skills to the weaknesses that held them back from being a 2022 draft pick or that could plague them as they enter the collegiate or professional pathways. This is unequivocally not a completed process, and evaluators are dealing with incomplete information. On top of that, I just haven’t been able to get eyes on all of the guys I want to at this early stage. For instance, I’ve seen a bit of new G League Ignite recruit Sidy Cissoko’s tape in Spain and have been impressed, but due to COVID-19, I had to miss the Nike Hoop Summit he played in, where I was expecting to get a better look. Sometimes, scouting is a logistical nightmare, and you end up missing your scheduled chances to see guys. I have Cissoko in the early second round here, but you could reasonably convince me he should be much higher or should be considered a two-year project based on what I’ve seen.
Having said that, I do like the 2023 draft class. It’s not quite the monster class that 2021 was, but I think it’s a bit stronger than 2022, particularly at the top. Victor Wembanyama is one of the highest-upside prospects we’ve seen in a while, and Scoot Henderson is an explosive guard who can get into the teeth of the defense and drive transition play at the snap of his fingers. Still, there’s so much uncertainty to the point where it’s basically a fool’s errand.
But you all absolutely want to know who to watch for this upcoming season, so here we are.
Every year, the people who do these “way too early” mock drafts — myself included — always fill the order with rising freshmen and choose to ignore returning college basketball upperclassmen or returning international players who didn’t declare. This year, 15 non-first-year-eligible players went in the first round. In 2021, it was 11. In 2020, it was 13. In 2019, it was 15. I’ve always tried to do a better job of including rising upperclassmen (last year, in my first mock draft, I had 12 in my top 30), but I still probably default a bit too hard toward the idea that the new shiny thing is always the best.
I’ve tried to include some of my favorite rising college players. Last year, we had no idea at this point that guys like Jalen Williams and Johnny Davis would emerge into lottery picks. But I think we can still do a better job of taking educated, evaluated guesses on which guys will emerge. You’ll note that I ended up right in the middle of that range with 13.
Another thing to watch is late entrants into the process. Last year at this point, Shaedon Sharpe was playing at Peach Jam and was seen as likely headed to college. He ended up going No. 7 overall. It seems like every year, a guy gets eligible and becomes a lottery pick. One such example, hypothetically, would be G.G. Jackson, a consensus top-three prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. He is currently not slated to reclassify and graduate this year, but he has a December 2004 birthday and could easily decide this summer to not only graduate but also do something different than his current North Carolina commitment. If he were to do so, he would be eligible for the 2023 NBA Draft in the same way Sharpe was this past season.
As always, teams will need to start doing some work now on high school players with birthdates that fall in 2004. I haven’t included Jackson here — or anyone like him — because the most current public update on his plans is that he will head to North Carolina in 2023. But keep an eye on the rising seniors this summer who have 2004 birthdates.
Reminder: The order is currently based on sportsbook betting odds to win the NBA title in 2023. It’s not me. Is this a perfect way to go about it? No. For instance, I’d have the Lakers’ projection lower given their current roster, and I’d have Brooklyn lower given what we know about its current situation with Kevin Durant. But is there a better way to do it? I don’t think there is at this stage. Models and projections are not out, and this is a bit more scientific than me just putting the teams in whatever order I want to.
Also of note: The 2023 draft is slated to have just 59 picks, as the Chicago Bulls have forfeited their second-round pick because of a tampering investigation resulting from the team signing Lonzo Ball in 2021. All ages are listed as of the projected late June 2023 NBA Draft date.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Victor Wembanyama | 7-2 center | 19 years old | Metropolitans 92
On the Friday after the 2022 NBA Draft, I teamed up with Mike Vorkunov to do a quick scouting profile on Wembanyama, one of the most interesting long-term prospects to be seen within the basketball community in a long time. He’s about 7-foot-2 (he might have grown even a bit more) and has a plus-seven wingspan. He has the potential to step out and shoot, and he has enough balance to play on the perimeter. He can handle the ball and even reasonably create stepback jumpers at the Euro league level. He’s a remarkable defensive prospect who could average more than 20 points per game. For the full breakdown, I’ll direct you to the 1,000 or so words published a couple of weeks ago.
2. San Antonio Spurs
Scoot Henderson | 6-2 guard | 19 years old | G League Ignite
I’m not quite of the opinion that the race for No. 1 overall is a done deal, largely because Henderson exists and is terrific in his own right. Playing for the G League Ignite this past season as a 17-year-old, Henderson averaged 14 points, five rebounds and four assists per game versus only two turnovers, while almost racking up two steals per contest. That kind of production at that age in that league is ridiculous. He is remarkably explosive as an athlete and yet plays with tremendous pace and craft and with real creativity. I think he would have likely been the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft if he would have been eligible. The only thing left for him is improving as a shooter. Henderson made 21.6 percent from 3 this past season but hit a high enough percentage of his free throws that you should feel relatively confident he has real touch.
3. Orlando Magic
Cam Whitmore | 6-6 wing | 18 years old | Villanova
This is where things start getting a bit trickier. I’m not quite as high on this draft class outside of the top two, although those two are so terrific that it makes it a good class. Whitmore is more of a lottery-pick-level guy as opposed to a traditional top-three player in a class at this stage. But I’m an enormous fan because it’s just so easy to see how he slots into the NBA game. He’s big and physical and uses his length, strength and athleticism well at 6-foot-6 with a 220-pound build, particularly on the defensive end. He plays hard and tries to shut down the opposition. Kyle Neptune is going to love him on that end. On top of it, he’s a good shooter and seems to know how to move. He makes the right passing reads and right plays, plus he can create his own shot. There are some explosiveness concerns athletically, but I really like how Whitmore’s game flashes toward the next level.
4. Houston Rockets
Nick Smith | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | Arkansas
I really like Smith, particularly with where the NBA is going. It’s all about guys who can dribble, pass and shoot, and Smith certainly can do that. He can get buckets from all three levels, but when you try to help off him, he’s terrific at making high-level passing reads. He’s very creative and shifty with the ball and can play at his own pace or get downhill. He also can play both on and off the ball, something that I think will profile really well for playing next to Anthony Black in the backcourt at Arkansas. He has enough size to do so at 6-foot-5, with something in the ballpark of a 6-foot-10 wingspan. How the minutes and roles shake out at Arkansas is one of the most intriguing things to watch this season given the team’s loaded depth, but I feel confident Smith will be the straw stirring the drink.
5. Detroit Pistons
Dariq Whitehead | 6-6 wing | 18 years old | Duke
Part of a loaded recruiting class, Whitehead is the Duke prospect I’m most intrigued about for the NBA level at this point. At 6-foot-6, Whitehead plays an aggressive brand of basketball that largely is attack-oriented. He has a case as being the most athletic wing entering the collegiate group this season, as he is a terrific blend of power and athleticism with his explosiveness, quick twitch and fairly fluid playmaking. The jumper places him slightly ahead of Ausar and Amen Thompson, the next two guys to be listed. Whitehead has a bit more touch and fewer mechanical flaws than the Thompson twins at this point, even if the Thompsons are superior athletes. I would bet Whitehead leads a loaded Duke team in scoring while using his athleticism to at least make an impact on the glass and on defense.
6. Indiana Pacers
Ausar Thompson | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | Overtime Elite
Ausar Thompson is the more natural wing of the duo. He’s bouncier and springier and will be one of the best wing athletes to enter the NBA in a long while. At 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, he possesses prototypical measurements for the wing position across the court. He’s lethally quick twitch and can guard across the positional spectrum. Defensively, he’s lightning quick. He and his brother, Amen, are so good athletically that it’s hard to really place them outside of the top 10, even if I have pretty substantial questions about the jumper moving forward. Ausar’s a bit mechanical and off-balanced based on tape from last season, which is a bit concerning as we move forward into the pre-draft year. That’s the No. 1 place scouts will be looking for improvement.
7. Sacramento Kings
Amen Thompson | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | Overtime Elite
Amen Thompson is more of the passer/playmaker of the duo, and he possesses real skill as a ballhandler. I don’t know that I’d quite call him a primary lead guard right now, but he’s certainly going to be able to handle at least secondary ballhandling responsibilities in the NBA. He has a terrific first step, and much like Ausar, he can play with his head at the basket as a finisher when he needs to. It’s just hard to overemphasize how explosive Ausar and Amen are athletically, while also maintaining that level of getting off the ground easily. He has a craftier handle and can break down defenders with a bit more ease. Much like with Ausar, the jumper is a huge concern with Amen. And at this point, it’s honestly a bigger one. He kind of brings the ball across his face a bit at the moment, and the consistency isn’t there. Both twins sub-25 percent from 3 this past season and have some work to do. I think the range of potential outcomes for the Thompson twins is a bit wider than some believe because of the shooting issue. If they shoot 25 percent from 3 again — especially given that Amen actually made under 60 percent of his free throws too — things could get a bit dicey for them. Still, their athleticism gives them absolutely sky-high upside if the jumper breaks right.
8. Washington Wizards
Keyonte George | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | Baylor
This is another great fit in terms of player and school. George is a polished scoring guard heading to a Baylor offense that will empower him, L.J. Cryer, Adam Flagler and Dale Bonner to get buckets as backcourt players who can all run ball screens and make plays out of isolation due to their shooting ability. George will be the best of that group, as his dynamic handle and three-level shooting prowess in the open spaces that the Baylor offense allows will make him an exceptionally hard cover. We’ve already seen it a bit, as Baylor is currently on an international tour playing under-23 national teams. George dropped a ridiculous 37 points against a Canadian team that featured Leonard Miller, Ryan Nembhard, Quincy Guerrier, Stef Smith, Emmanuel Miller and other collegiate starters. He’s going to get buckets at a high level.
9. Utah Jazz
Cason Wallace | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | Kentucky
If I were purely naming “favorite” players in the class, Wallace would be up there for me. He wants to rip the opposition’s heart out every time he steps on the court. He’s a monster defender who locks up dudes at the point of attack, never gives up on plays, is a threat for steals and blocks in recovery and is always shooting passing lanes for transition chances. Offensively, he’s a bit less complete than he is on defense, but I do like his ability as a pull-up scorer from all three levels. He is always on balance and ready to fire. He’s not quite the distributor you’d like him to be, but I think he’s probably a bit better of a fit for a team led by Sahvir Wheeler and Oscar Tshiebwe at the one and five, respectively, than TyTy Washington Jr. was last year. I’m a believer that Wallace has a huge year and helps this Kentucky team win a lot of games.
10. Charlotte Hornets
Dereck Lively | 7-1 center | 19 years old | Duke
Lively is the No. 1 recruit in the class but comes in at No. 10 here. Why? He’s a pure big, and we know the NBA has devalued the pure big in the draft in recent years. He’s a monster rim runner who will be a very high-level lob threat in the NBA. He has a burgeoning pick-and-pop game that looks like it’ll be ready to go by the time he’s in his mid-20s. He’s also an elite shot blocker. He rebounds and keeps his motor running constantly. At the end of the day, though, Lively is relatively limited offensively in terms of creation, and it’s not a certainty at this stage that he’s going to guard at a strong enough level away from the basket to where he can give scheme versatility beyond being a drop defender in ball screens. Those guys tend to go more around No. 10 overall than around No. 1 overall in today’s NBA. Lively would need to really do something special this season to change that. He’s capable of it defensively, given his motor and tools. But a safer bet, as Jalen Duren learned this year, is to expect even the highest-rated bigs to drop more into this range.
11. New York Knicks
Terquavion Smith | 6-3 guard | 20 years old | NC State
This year’s truly surprising returnee to school, Smith is as dynamic a pull-up scorer as you’ll find in the country. As a freshman last year in ACC play, he averaged 18.3 points and shot over 40 percent from 3 on nine attempts per game, many of which were of the pull-up variety. He’s a lethal shot creator from behind the arc and would have been a first-round pick this season if he had stayed in the draft class. He needs to improve as a finisher at the rim, as he was one of the worst in the country statistically last year. He also could stand to improve a bit defensively. But he has real tools as a lightning athlete with real explosiveness in and out of his moves and is a weirdly impressive off-hand dunker who showcases some real finishing upside long term.
12. Cleveland Cavaliers
Anthony Black | 6-7 guard | 19 years old | Arkansas
Another one of my favorites in the class, Black is an enormous lead guard, a 6-foot-7 ballhandler who just makes the right decision time and again every time he has the ball. It’s all about ball-screen acumen with Black. He’s great at making high-level reads out of screens and finding teammates from a variety of angles. He’s always watching the backside help defenders and trying to diagnose where and when he can place the ball. His feel for the game is ridiculously high, and it translates on defense too. He’s switchable due to his size and plays consistently hard on that end of the court. The question here is how he consistently scores. He’s not a monster athlete who can separate from his man at will. The shot isn’t broken, but he doesn’t look for it all the time. As long as the shot keeps developing, Black is going to be a really impactful player on an NBA court due to the variety of ways he impacts the game.
13. Portland Trail Blazers
Gradey **** | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Kansas
**** is the last guy in the lottery I’m probably a bit higher on than most. He’s an elite shooting wing with legitimate size at 6-foot-7 but also has genuine athletic tools. He’s not a stiff dude out there who can’t move. He’s also extremely confident and seems to feel like he’s the best player out on the court all the time. He moves really well off the ball and can get set to shoot off movement, and he has an innate feel for how to get open. These are the kind of wings who excel in Bill Self schemes, and I’d anticipate we see **** have an enormous freshman season for the Jayhawks as they look to repeat.
14. New Orleans Pelicans
Dillon Mitchell | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Texas
Mitchell played at Monteverde with Dariq Whitehead and a few other four- and five-star prospects, and I thought his upside was pretty high when I saw him simply due to his athleticism. He’s an elite athlete with all sorts of twitch and fluidity. He’s explosive and bouncy off the ground. I thought he utilized that best defensively in the tape I saw. He consistently plays really hard. But when I saw him, I thought he was a bit more of a project than indicated by his recruiting rank largely due to skill and shooting. He’s a terrific driver because of his first step and does have some passing ability. But the jumper is going to take some time. It’s a lefty jumper that just looks a bit two-motioned, and he doesn’t always seem to have as much confidence with that as he does in other parts of his game. If the jumper comes, there is a chance he skyrockets up the board quickly this coming season.
15. Atlanta Hawks
Arthur Kaluma | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | Creighton
I’m a big fan of Kaluma, and he’s one of a few Creighton players listed here. He averaged 10 points and five rebounds last season in a significant role for Creighton. He’s 6-foot-7 with enormous length and real potential to play across both the three and the four. He defends well and rebounds hard and is a good enough finisher. The big key, as with many guys like this, is shooting. Kaluma hit under 30 percent from 3 this past season and needs to start canning jumpers at a better clip. But his frame is terrific, he has athleticism, and his motor and energy levels are constant. He has every chance to emerge as a very high-level prospect.
16. Orlando Magic (via CHI)
Kel’el Ware | 7-0 big | 19 years old | Oregon
Orlando gets this pick from the Nikola Vucević trade. Ware has all the tools to be a terrific player, and it’s easy to see why there are some scouts who see him as a potential top-10 guy. He’s very athletic for a 7-footer but moreover is also very coordinated for his size. He has a burgeoning perimeter game that could see him turn into a shooter at some point. He blocks shots and has the kind of length you look for from a starting center. But the production just hasn’t always quite matched the tools in a way that is worth paying attention to. A big season, and Ware will end up in the mix as a lottery guy.
17. Utah Jazz (via MIN)
Amari Bailey | 6-3 guard | 19 years old | UCLA
This comes to Utah from the Rudy Gobert trade. Bailey is one of the best open-court playmakers in the draft class, a flashy on-ball attacker as a combo guard who loves to get up and down in transition both as a passer and as a driver toward the rim, where he’s very likely to throw down some fun dunks this season. Beyond that, he’s also turned himself into a smooth-looking shooter with a nice lefty stroke who should be able to get buckets off the catch this season, where he’ll likely see more time off the ball playing next to Tyger Campbell.
18. Toronto Raptors
Leonard Miller | 6-10 wing | 20 years old | G League Ignite
Miller is one of the most fascinating prospects in basketball right now. He’s a 6-foot-10 wing who can handle the ball almost as a lead guard and make really high-level passing reads consistently. He has great touch around the rim but really poor shot mechanics and shot prep that don’t translate to him getting the most out of his skill set. Defensively, he has not been asked to play on that end enough to get an accurate read on where he is. But the upside here is through the roof due to his balance and feel for the game. He’ll be going to the G League this season and playing for the Ignite.
19. Brooklyn Nets
Kris Murray | 6-8 wing | 22 years old | Iowa
Keegan’s brother, Kris should step into more of a primary role next season after being more of a big floor spacer in 2021-22 He averaged 10 points per game but shot 39 percent from 3 last season and played solid defensively at his size. He has the look of a very valuable role-playing wing. He’s not quite the shot creator Keegan is, so don’t expect nearly 25 points per game. But I do think Kris will emerge into a genuine prospect and set himself up nicely for a long career in the NBA.
20. Memphis Grizzlies
Kyle Filipowski | 7-0 big | 19 years old | Duke
Filipowski is a terrific big and a top-five recruit in the class for a reason. He’s very polished and skilled offensively. He can put the ball on the deck fluidly and comfortably, with the ability to, at times at the high school level, create his own shot as a 7-footer. He can knock down shots from distance and has good footwork inside, and I like him as a passer. I worry about his defense. Can he prove that he can defend in space this year? Can he protect the rim at a high enough level to stick at the five in the NBA? I’m a bit skeptical, but the offensive skill set is almost undeniable. He’s incredibly gifted and has a good shot to be a one-and-done even in an era when teams prefer defensive-minded bigs who are versatile.
21. New York Knicks (via DAL)
Colby Jones | 6-6 wing | 21 years old | Xavier
This comes to New York from the Kristaps Porzingis deal and is top-10 protected. Jones was one of my favorite sleeper prospects entering last season, and it took him just a bit too long to get going. But by the end of the season, it was clear he is a legitimate prospect. He won the NIT Most Outstanding Player award while Xavier took home the trophy, leading the team to five straight wins. He’s tough on defense at 6-foot-6 with legit strength and switchability. He’s a good passer for his size and can legit make plays. Really, he’s another guy for whom things come down to the jump shot. Jones hit 30 percent from 3 in his first two years at Xavier. If he takes a leap there, he will be right in the mix for a first-round pick.
22. Charlotte Hornets (via DEN)
Andre Jackson | 6-6 wing | 21 years old | Connecticut
This comes to Charlotte from a variety of draft-day trades. It is lottery protected. Jackson is one of my favorite upside swings in this year’s class, a monster athlete who started to come into his own by midseason last year, particularly as a ballhandler. He used to struggle to put the ball on the deck and make passing reads confidently, but by the end of the season, he was very comfortable as Connecticut’s secondary ballhandler behind R.J. Cole. He’s not the most comfortable shooter at volume, but he hit 36 percent from 3 last season on limited attempts. He can run forever, and he’s a great defender who never seems to tire. I’m a big believer in him being a good developmental project long-term because of the roles he’s had to play early in his career at Connecticut. Now, he should be more ready to step into a primary role for what I think is a top-20 team next season in terms of talent.
23. Utah Jazz (via PHI)
Julian Strawther | 6-7 wing | 21 years old | Gonzaga
This comes to Utah from a weird pick swap situation involving Brooklyn and the 76ers. Strawther considered going into the 2022 draft and probably could have been a second-round pick but decided not to turn pro and will head back to Gonzaga again to hopefully be the next in a long line of positive developmental stories from the Spokane school. He’s a terrific shooter out of spot-ups and has great positional size at 6-foot-7. His next step is taking the leap as a shot creator off closeouts, attacking them confidently to either finish at the rim or pass out of those plays to open teammates for 3. If he can do that and defend as a solid clip, he’ll play in the NBA for a while.
24. Miami Heat
Harrison Ingram | 6-8 wing | 20 years old | Stanford
Ingram went back to Stanford following a disaster close to a season that saw him shoot 27 percent from the field in his final seven games. But the good news for Ingram is that he’s still a terrific big playmaker with the ball in his hands who has showcased real passing ability and feel for the game as a playmaker. The key here is shooting. Ingram needs to be a real 3-point shooter to stick in the NBA. If that doesn’t happen, he probably doesn’t make it because he’s not quite athletic enough to make up for it with his physical tools. But if he can shoot, he’s a legit dribble-pass-shoot playmaker at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds and a 7-foot wingspan with positional versatility and schematic adaptability.
25. New Orleans Pelicans (via LAL)
Matthew Cleveland | 6-6 wing | 20 years old | Florida State
I always saw Cleveland as more of a two-year guy at Florida State largely due to the shot. He’s an effective driver with good size and length as a wing scorer. He just wasn’t ready as a shooter, hitting just 17 percent of his 34 3-point attempts last season. But if we’re making informed bets on potential breakout guys, Cleveland stands out due to the fact that he’s basically only a consistent jumper away from being a pro player. He’s a tough, aggressive slasher with good footwork and balance. Leonard Hamilton will force him to defend, and he won the ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year award last year as a freshman. He’s ready for a breakout this season. He just needs to shoot it.
26. Phoenix Suns
Terrance Arceneaux | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Houston
I get the impression I’m a bit higher on Arceneaux than consensus, but he seems like one of those guys who is tailor-made to be an NBA wing. Every year, there is a guy ranked somewhere in the 30s or 40s in their recruiting class who surprisingly goes one-and-done. This is my pick for that this season. Arceneaux is 6-foot-7 with what has to be at least a 7-foot wingspan. He hits shots off the catch from distance and is an extremely disruptive defender both on the wing with his ability to get into passing lanes and on the weak side as a shot blocker. He’s not really a primary scorer, but he does everything else well in how it translates toward being a potential NBA prospect. I think he has a really strong year as a freshman for Houston as a role player, and he’s actually the guy I see as their best long-term prospect ahead of guys like Jarace Walker and Marcus Sasser, both of whom are also rated highly here.
27. LA Clippers
Marcus Sasser | 6-2 guard | 22 years old | Houston
Sasser could have stayed in the 2022 draft and been a second-round pick after performing well throughout the pre-draft process, but he’ll try his luck in the 2023 draft. He missed a large majority of his sophomore season with a foot injury after a monster start to the year where he averaged 18 points and shot 43 percent from 3. He’s also a tough-minded defender. Houston has as good of a chance to cut down the nets in April as any team in the country given the Cougars’ talent level and the coaching acumen of Kelvin Sampson. Sasser and Jamal Shead will give them a proven backcourt combination that should lead to another deep run, and if that happens, Sasser’s stock will be off to the races.
28. Golden State Warriors
Jaime Jaquez | 6-7 guard | 22 years old | UCLA
Another guy I just can’t quit and have a belief that he’ll carve out a role in the NBA. Jaquez is a do-it-all wing who embodies all of the toughness that teams look for out of role players at the next level. He defends at a high level, having made the Pac-12’s All-Defense team twice due to his reactive hands and versatility in who he can guard. He makes really good decisions and plays with terrific processing ability. The only strange thing here is the shot, which fell off a cliff in 2022 largely due to multiple sprained ankles throughout the season. My bet is that with a run of clean health, Jaquez is more the guy who shot 39 percent from 3 in 2020-21 as opposed to the guy who shot 27 percent from 3 last season.
29. Houston Rockets (via MIL)
Caleb Love | 6-3 guard | 21 years old | North Carolina
This goes to Houston from the P.J. Tucker trade back in 2021. Love hasn’t been particularly efficient thus far in his career as a scorer, but he seemed to turn a corner later in his sophomore season on his way toward leading North Carolina to a Final Four. He has a real flair for the moment, and I uy his ability to create shots from behind the arc and from the midrange. He just needs to keep ironing out his shot, and there is every indication he’s going to be able to do that given the level he’s already at. He hit 36 percent from 3 and 86 percent from the line last season. I also have a bit of a soft spot for these post-hype guys who turn it around after not immediately reaching expectations. Love has real talent and a skill set the NBA is looking for as a shot creator. And now, he’s gone through all of the adversity and come out on the other side of it intact. Typically, that’s where growth tends to come from in players.
30. Indiana Pacers (via BOS)
Tyrese Hunter | 6-0 guard | 20 years old | Texas
I’ll be honest: If this were a more natural fit, I’d probably have Hunter even higher than this. But instead of playing as the true point guard for Texas, he’ll be forced into sharing the ball with Marcus Carr, and those who have tried to share with Carr previously know it’s not exactly always an ideal plan of action. Having said that, Hunter is an elite defensive guard who despite being 6-foot tall is stout and strong, with the ability to physically hold up against wings who try to back him down. He’s also a terrific passer and improved throughout the course of last season as a shooter to the point that he knocked down seven 3s in an NCAA Tournament game for Iowa State. Texas probably wouldn’t have been my ideal landing spot for him, but he’s undeniably a terrific talent.
Second round
31. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chris Livingston | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | Kentucky
32. San Antonio Spurs: Nikola Đurišić | 6-8 forward | 19 years old | Mega
33. Orlando Magic: Jarace Walker | 6-8 forward | 19 years old | Houston
34. Indiana Pacers (via HOU): Trayce Jackson-Davis | 6-8 big | 22 years old | Indiana
35. Detroit Pistons: Coleman Hawkins | 6-10 big | 21 years old | Illinois
36. Sacramento Kings (via IND): Jordan Hawkins | 6-5 wing | 20 years old | Connecticut
37. Sacramento Kings: Oscar Tshiebwe | 6-9 center | 21 years old | Kentucky
38. Denver Nuggets (via WAS): Sidy Cissoko | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | G League Ignite
39. Charlotte Hornets (via UTA): Emoni Bates | 6-9 guard | 19 years old | Eastern Michigan
40. Atlanta Hawks (via CHA): Rayan Rupert | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | New Zealand Breakers
41. Minnesota Timberwolves (via NYK): Ariel Hukporti | 7-0 big | 21 years old | Melbourne United
42. Cleveland Cavaliers: Armando Bacot | 6-10 big | 22 years old | North Carolina
43. Boston Celtics (via POR): Ricky Council IV | 6-6 wing | 21 years old | Arkansas
44. Atlanta Hawks (via NOP): Ryan Kalkbrenner | 7-1 big | 21 years old | Creighton
45. Brooklyn Nets (via ATL): Drew Timme | 6-10 big | 22 years old | Gonzaga
46. Los Angeles Lakers (via CHI): Will Richard | 6-5 wing | 20 years old | Florida
47. Memphis Grizzlies (via MIN): Baylor Scheierman | 6-6 wing | 21 years old | Creighton
48. Toronto Raptors: Jazian Gortman | 6-1 guard | 19 years old | Overtime Elite
49. Philadelphia 76ers (via BKN): James Nnaji | 6-10 big | 18 years old | Barcelona
50. Memphis Grizzlies: Hunter Dickinson | 7-1 center | 22 years old | Michigan
51. Denver Nuggets (via DAL): Terrence Shannon | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | Illinois
52. Philadelphia 76ers: Mouhamed Gueye | 6-11 big | 20 years old | Washington State
53. Boston Celtics (via MIA): Kevin McCullar | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | Kansas
54. Los Angeles Lakers: Matthew Murrell | 6-4 wing | 20 years old | Mississippi
55. Phoenix Suns: Roko Prkacin | 6-9 forward | 20 years old | Cibona
56. LA Clippers: Moussa Cisse | 6-10 big | 21 years old | Oklahoma State
57. Milwaukee Bucks (via GSW): Taran Armstrong | 6-5 guard | 20 years old | Cal Baptist
58: Milwaukee Bucks: Malachi Smith | 6-4 guard | 22 years old | Gonzaga
59. Boston Celtics: Mike Miles | 6-1 guard | 21 years old | TCU
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@ Cam Whitmore @ 3.Kid has been on a serious rise.
- 80,694
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- Nov 5, 2012
He says he’s not high on this class outside the top 2
Welp, Damb lol I think it’s gonna be a game changer
Welp, Damb lol I think it’s gonna be a game changer
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- Dec 9, 2009
How often does a projected #1 a year ahead of the draft actually get drafted #1? The last one was probably Zion, but its rare
- 89,385
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- Sep 5, 2010
Cade, Ant just did it. Banchero going #1 shouldn't have been a surprise either.
- 89,385
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- Sep 5, 2010
Rough past couple of weeks. Falls in the draft, tears his ACL. Hope he recovers.
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HOU$TON
formerly convertibleburt
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- Apr 14, 2016
- 22,188
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**** I completely forgot all about Sharife Cooper
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- Mar 31, 2011
Fun passer but is tiny, horrendous defensively, and can’t shoot at all. Nothing too surprising here.
moe200069
Supporter
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broadcast team gonna have to stop confusing Caleb Martin with his brother.. **** is flagrant
