2023 NBA Draft

The current NBA season is in its final stages, which means a majority of front offices have begun looking toward their team’s future. Before the offseason gets into full swing with acquisitions and league-altering moves, we get insight into each team’s emphasis on youth at the 2023 NBA Draft. This year the draft takes place on June 22nd, then we hopefully see the draftees in action during the 2023 Summer League, taking place from July 7th-July 17th. Let’s take a look at the top guys in the 2023 draft class and the players that lottery teams will be relying on for their franchise’s future.

1. Victor Wembanyama, Metropolitans 92

The projected top player in this class has been and should remain the 19-year-old Frenchman Victor Wembanyama. He is a talented big man who should be able to develop more smoothness as he learns the NBA game, mainly in areas of his offense and the threat of passing at his size. He should be the number one overall pick to the San Antonio Spurs on draft night and should give them a bump in talent no other team can receive in this draft.

Wembanyama has the size and strength to get to the rim but is also able to develop his shooting from mid and outside as well. With this player, the word to describe him isn’t quite raw, but more so a talent unrealized to its full potential.

Wembanyama doesn’t have incredible efficiency from the three-point range and needs to even become more efficient from everywhere on the court. Having said that, the Spurs are a fantastic team with a coach that should at the very least allow him to transition well to the league. The moment Wemanyama is drafted and with the subsequent time put into his game and the talent around him, the trajectory of the Spurs could be pointing way up.

2. Brandon Miller, Alabama

aFinding quality forward play is absolutely essential in both NBA action and for fantasy basketball owners, so Brandon Miller will be valuable when he gets drafted early. He’s a switchable forward, playable at the three or four in smaller lineups. He’s a player that can spot-up shoot and should have the length and quickness to defend the wing in the NBA. He has a good three-point stroke, shooting 38% on 7.5 attempts a game this past season at Alabama.

After a player like Wembanyama, teams will be looking for versatile high-end talents like Brandon Miller. He fits the modern game, even if he needs to gain more physicality to make plays around the rim at the top level. He burst on the scene at Alabama and has seemingly cemented himself as a top-five talent in the draft. For right now, he should be at the top of the team’s minds due to his size and his long-term ability to be a top-two offensive option for a team.

3. Scoot Henderson, G League Ignite

A fast player that should spark a team’s offense and defense, Scoot Henderson is a top talent going into the NBA draft. He’s got quick hands and speed that’s difficult to match in the transition game. Henderson makes difficult shots and shoots the ball with confidence. His G league numbers don’t display dominance, but he should be able to offer enough to an NBA team right away to garner a role.

Henderson should become a starting ball-handling guard, which will give him plenty of opportunity to make his mark on a team’s future, one way or the other. Henderson plays in high gear quite often, but if he can slow it down and play with some finesse as well, he should be able to find even more ways to score at the bucket and free-throw line. His playmaking should provide a threat from multiple places on the court if he can develop more vision passing the ball around the paint. Henderson should be an instant offense in the NBA, and be a top-two scoring option for a team long term.

4. Cam Whitmore, Villanova

Cam Whitmore is one of the last prospects in this subsequent area that can achieve a top-level ceiling in the pros. He can score from all three levels and is very strong slashing to the rim especially. Whitmore should come in and be able to provide shooting touch and also physicality on the boards. He’s got a bit of dribbling creativity that allows him to create space to attack the rim, and he’s very often playing above that rim.

Whitmore is a very polished player for his age and still has plenty of room to grow his game. This past season at Villanova, he would only average 0.7 assists per game, but his driving and scoring threat gives him an opportunity to find teammates and be a facilitator at forward. This player has the size, skills, and overall mindset that you look for in starting NBA forwards now. He’s got plenty of speed and some wiggle to his game that should fit him well as the three in a team’s lineup. Whitmore can be a top-three scoring option for sure, and if he reaches his ceiling, a high-end offensive player.

5. Taylor Hendricks, University of Central Florida

This may be the last possible star player before a tier drop into the formidable NBA starters for this draft. UCF’s Taylor Hendricks is a defensively imposing player who is ready-made at that end. He’s a shot blocker and he’s gonna do that, whether that’s from the four or five spot at this level. He has great athleticism and no play in the paint seems too far for him to reach. He’s a very mobile player at his large size and some teams will hopefully maximize his two-way ability.

Shooting at the four and five is absolutely a threat in today’s NBA, if not necessary to a point. You’ve seen players like Al Horford and Brook Lopez reinvigorate their careers by continuing to grow their offensive games, even in a new era. Hendricks is a huge defensive threat literally, and his offensive skills remind me of Pascal Siakam. Hendricks has plenty of physicality getting down low while also possessing a quick stroke from outside on jump shots. This player needs to be molded, but his traits are all transitional and can thrive if nurtured correctly.

6. Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite

The first of Thompsons listed here, Amen Thompson is an athletic defender out of the G League, maybe the best non-Wembanyama defender at this time. He does well with the ball in his hands and is a big guard/forward type combo that excels in getting to the hoop. His defending and speed should allow him the opportunity to get on the court right away, he’s a menace in transition and gone in a second on those plays. He should bring a lot of energy to the offensive side but needs to develop more strength and an outside shooting threat to maximize his potential.

Overall, this is an NBA guard. Amen, Thompson should be starting and growing from the moment he is picked, simply due to his age and the potential in unlocking his offensive game. The creativity is there, there’s even some nice vision in passing the basketball. For me, the questions come down to where he can slot in as an offensive weapon and option. If he is the third or fourth scoring option, that may actually be better for his growth initially. He can work on how to get his athleticism into space and hopefully develop that outside game while producing in other areas.

7. Jarace Walker, Houston

Jarace Walker has more girth and probably slots in best at the four in an NBA starting lineup. He will have some initiation skills at his size, passing from the inside and having vision finding teammates. He’s one of the players who I don’t worry at all about his physical game for the NBA. He should be a strong inside defender right away but offers a little less athleticism than the forwards previously listed here.

The reasoning for his ranking here is that he should come in and be a very solid and productive player right away, able to hit shots and also be a threat on the boards. It reminds me of Keegan Murray from last year, he does a lot right and will slot naturally into an NBA team’s lineup. His game looks ready, if not slightly limited for a high-end ceiling. You can’t expect that from every draft pick, but this will be a solid starter in the league. He’s a four at this level and should be able to provide enough scoring to be an option on offense.

8. Cason Wallace, Kentucky 

The Kentucky guard strikes again and it’s in the form of a springy defender and strong shooter that can pull up from all three levels. Cason Wallace has some contortion skills getting to the rim, he’s often garnering fouls and still scoring. He’s able to do that with slick moves dribbling and also keeping the ball from defenders. There is also evidence of a good feel for shooting when his leverage is in the right spot.

Wallace’s defensive skills come from his energy, with blocks and steals being something he can offer sparingly in team defense. At this point in the lottery, gaining a playmaker is a fantastic idea. So many players after this range have more specific skills or limitations.

Wallace has the youth and also the confidence in his game that he could end up being a top-five player in this class. He seems like a name we should be talking about more towards the top, not dissimilar to Jalen Williams’s rise late in the process last season. Wallace has the pedigree and ability, and most importantly, he plays a style that is able to directly affect the play every time down the court. Great value towards the end of the lottery.

9. Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite

Both of the Thompsons would be higher with better offensive efficiency in the G League. However, at that age, to put up the numbers they did in a tough league is impressive. Ausar Thompson may have the better stroke of the two and also brings similar physicality to the table when driving to the hoop. His athleticism allows him to work hard and clean up on the boards, and he should be a productive offensive player.

He is slightly stiffer than his brother, but at this point in the draft, a player like Ausar Thompson is all you can hope for. He’s a two or three in this league. If he can bring the rebounding to the next level, he should slot in as a three and allow his coach to put a lot of different players around him.

Both of the Thompson brothers play well in the systems they have been a part of. The skills are all there, they only need to physically mature and mentally process how to best use their skills. As brothers and similarly skilled, seeing where each goes and how their teams involve them in the structure will be an interesting story to follow their entire careers.

10. Anthony Black, Arkansas

Arkansas Razorback teammates Anthony Black and Nick Smith came in as well touted prospects in 2022, with now both involved in the 2023 NBA Draft class. Black is forward size but can also handle the basketball and bring it up the court. Teams will like his versatility in those respects and also his activity on the defensive end. One of Black’s greatest traits is his strong approach at the rim, he seemingly never gives up until he gets to the paint or finds a teammate.

Despite all that great news, he didn’t show as much touch and consistency shooting from outside as is desired. Nevertheless, teams will consider him for his traits and youth being seen as something to build into a star. This is a possible top defender at the next level who may always be limited in the offensive game.

Yes, Black can distribute and drive to the rim, but at this level, he won’t always end up at the rim. He needs to create a shot and knock down his shots more, but everything about this player screams plus rotational player. He should fit a lot of teams in the lottery and if one team gets it right, look out for this player who may find a great deal of usage.

The NBA Draft is about two weeks out and that’s still plenty of time for a top-ten surprise to be sprung. It’s an exciting night for NBA fans and sports fans alike, due to the international nature of this event. The best player in this class is a player that the casual fan hasn’t seen much of or likely knows much about his game. Victor Wembanyama’s teammate Bilal Coulibaly has even received lottery buzz within the weeks leading up to the draft.

Kansas Jayhawk sharpshooter Gradey Dick is also lurking right around this list and could see a rise late. So much will become clear on June 22nd, regarding the team’s future and where they view themselves. It won’t only be for the teams, but also the league will receive a star facelift. It all begins with Wembanyama becoming the first name drafted and hopefully a face of the league for the San Antonio Spurs.