2023. Just prior to the start of the college hoops season, here's version 1.0 of my mock draft. 2023 NBA Draft (High School Class of 2022) (Photo: 247Sports) This year's NBA Draft has long been targeted as a potentially special one. The twitchy 6-foot-2 guard has been thrust right into a starring role for the G-League Ignite. 2023 NBA Draft Big Board: Ranking the top 60 prospects. 1 to Orlando. Denver's first-rounder is owned by Oklahoma City if Denver's pick falls between 15 and 30 in 2023. Big men emerge early as prospects for obvious reasons, but the bar for being playable in today's NBA has never been higher, which means that showcasing their defensive versatility, playmaking ability and skill level on the perimeter will be important to separate from the crowd. The 2023 NBA Draft Lottery presented by State Farm will be held on May 16, 2023. 93. An impressive athlete at 6'6", he's added more self-creation and shot-making skill for half-court scoring to average 16.8 points in the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference. Top prospects are being found in rural parts of the U.S. or obscure places around the globe, in many cases moving on to top-notch American prep schools where they usually compete against other top prospects year-round in grassroots and high school competition. Hes an electric and efficient three-level scorer at 6-foot-9, possessing a blend of size and shot-making prowess that immediately jumps off the screen. He checks a lot of the important physical boxes and should draw first-round consideration accordingly. Showing he can hit open threes would be huge for his draft stock. That likely caused quite a few players to slip between the cracks and end up at lower levels than they should have. Alabama freshman Brandon Miller, widely considered to be a top-five prospect in the 2023 NBA draft class, allegedly brought the gun that was used in the killing of a woman on the Tuscaloosa strip last month, according to police testimony (link via Carol Robinson of AL.com ). Advanced self-creation, shooting versatility, floater touch and passing could help the 6'4" combo produce big numbers at Arkansas and fuel top-three projections. Oklahoma City has first-round swap rights with the Los Angeles Clippers. The 2023 NBA Draft is headlined by center Victor Wembanyama and guard Scoot . That said, Bates complete lack of explosion at the rim is a concern when projecting his efficiency long-term. 3. Explosiveness, speed and strength immediately pop when watching the 18-year-old point guard who's put up 14.2 points and 4.2 assists per game against G League opponents. Ja Morant is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association. The potential for defensive versatility offered by Arthur Kaluma should keep him firmly on the NBA radar. Other notable 2023 NBA draft prospects. Dillon Mitchell is arguably the best athlete in the draft. He's athletic. A 6-foot-7 wing who can shoot the everliving crap out of the ball, its not hard to see the path to NBA relevance for Gradey Dick. NBA Sophomore Watch By Michael Quinn. He crashes the glass, explodes into passing lanes, and racks up highlight blocks on the regular. 2023 NBA Draft Trades Blazers get Knicks 1st, lottery protected (Josh Hart trade) Knicks get Mavs 1st, top 10 protected (KP trade) Knicks get Pistons 1st, top 18 protected Knicks get Wizards 1st, top 14 protected Hornets get Nuggets 1st, top 14 protected (via Knicks) Jazz get Timberwolves 1st, unprotected (Gobert trade) By Ricky O'Donnell Dec. There's excitement in the air for two major reasons. Raising his three-point percentage (30.6) will be important for scouts to get past his lack of explosion. At 6'8", Minott has stood out with his transition and off-ball scoring and defensive instincts. History says prospects who are projected top 10 don't return to school. Victor Wembanyama joins the ESPN booth during the Lakers-Timberwolves preseason game in Las Vegas. To claim eligibility, it's also necessary to have completed four years of college in the US, or four years passed since their graduation. Terrence Shannons main appeal, still, is rooted in defense: at 6-foot-7, hes equal parts versatile and hard-edged. But after that, it gets interesting. . Subsequently, the first 14 teams to pick are those that didn't qualify for the playoffs in the most recent season. Theres a lot to like here: at 6-foot-10, Coleman Hawkins combines excellent effort and versatility on the defensive end with a budding offensive repertoire. Dallas' first-rounder is owned by New York if Dallas' pick falls between 11 and 30 in 2023. On defense, he has the potential to guard 4-5 positions on any given night. defender as well. Drawing expanded duties as a sophomore, Jordan Hawkins should intrigue NBA teams with his impressive shot-making and boundless energy on the wing. Victor Wembanyama (France/ASVEL, PF/C, 2004). 2023 NBA Draft - Page 17 - RealGM Bucks Emerge As Favorites For Goran Dragic Stephen Curry Targeting Return From Leg Injury Sunday At Lakers LeBron James Out At Least Three Weeks With Tendon Injury In Right Foot Ty Lue Says Clippers Need 'To Be Tougher' Jamaree Bouyea, Wizards Agree To 10-Day Deal More Basketball News And he still has room to improve his shooting. Hes 6-foot-7 with powerful athleticism and a real nose for the ball. With passing skill/IQ, strong defensive tools and touch to work with (76.9 percent FT) for his long-range shooting development (10-of-47), Henderson offers enough three-level scoring, passing and two-way potential to generate No. In addition, we have our first mock draft with projections from KOC, plus a team needs section where Michael Pina analyzes the biggest decisions facing each team before the trade deadline and the draft. The NBA has gone away from traditional 7-footers, which makes Kelel Wares blend of old-school appeal with modern flourishes quite appealing. Cleveland's first-rounder is owned by Indiana if Cleveland's pick falls between 15 and 30 in 2023. He has the potential to be an absolute stud on defense due to his length, quickness, and high level of intensity. Regardless, scouts may still have a tough time resisting the way he earns easy baskets, defends wings or bigs, blocks shots, crashes the glass and impacts games without needing plays run for him. The 2023 draft order is based on ESPN projections prior to draft night, and reflects the current state of picks owed and owned: Victor Wembanyama | ASVEL | PF/C| Age: 18.4, Scoot Henderson | G League Ignite | PG | Age: 18.3, Nick Smith | Arkansas | PG/SG | Age: 18.1, Ausar Thompson | Overtime Elite | SG/SF | Age: 19.3, Amen Thompson | Overtime Elite | PG/SG | Age: 19.3, Cameron Whitmore | Villanova | SF | Age: 17.9, Dillon Mitchell | Texas | SF/PF | Age: 18.7, Dariq Whitehead | Duke | SG/SF | Age: 17.8, 12. His length and touch make up for his lack of strength finishing inside. Below, youll find in-depth scouting reports of the best players in this class. We'd project him in the mid-lottery range for 2023 if he did choose to play next year at Kentucky. A switchable 6-foot-8 forward who has already played important minutes for the loaded Blue Devils, Mark Mitchell is rapidly rising up draft boards. 1. He needs to trim the fat off his shot chart right now, but Hendersons explosive live-dribble playmaking makes it easy to believe in him as a lead initiator and future star point guard. We've watched the class' best prospects grow up in high school, AAU, USA Basketball . A 6'6" guard/wing, Sharpe possesses the type of athletic bounce, self-creation and shot-making suited for NBA scoring. He's added considerable skill to go with his power over the past year. Looking more comfortable the second half of the season, Cleveland still needs to show he can make an open three. Despite wavering efficiency, Jalen Wilson has handled an increased workload with aplomb in his senior season. We can only project so much in January. The 6-foot-10 freshman, however, has been steadily climbing up draft boards on the strength of his multi-faceted defense and competent complementary skill set on offense. Bronny James is only focused on impressing scouts in high school and mulling his college options right now, but NBA teams are already gearing up to make a run at the star prospect in the near future. He can spread the floor, attack the lane, and defend a couple positions. The NBA Academy graduates were top 10 picks in Thursday's NBA Draft. 1 for the better part of three years, and for good reason. He's a . On defense, thanks to his broad shoulders and impressive bulk, he can guard bigger wings or stick with guards at the point of attack. His limited athleticism is a mark against him, and he will have to work hard to shed the streaky label that preceded his arrival at Duke, but the base skill set is quite tantalizing. Wembanyama could very well be on the move this offseason thanks to an opt-out clause in his contract that he's expected to execute at the conclusion of the French playoff finals. 2023 NBA Draft Big Board | Way Too Early! Of course, there are also early entries, players who declare themselves eligible without having completed four years in college first. Full round 2023 NBA mock draft projections, with trades and compensatory picks based on weekly team projections and college and amateur player rankings. Teams will still wait for the combine, individual workouts, and medical examinations before making their final decisions on draft night. 1. When it comes to the 2023 NBA Draft, however, it would be hard to pass on a prospect like Cason Wallace, who could emerge very quickly as the Magic's best ball-handler. Theres plenty of room for bigs like that in todays game. 3. 17 and 30 in 2023. The cherry on top is Millers passing upside. He's not super impressive physically or athletically, but he manages to compensate with crafty paint finishes and confident shot-making. Scouts will be drawn to his ability to grab-and-go, stretch the floor, attack from the arc and dish over the top, though he'll still produce plenty around the basket with his strength to finish through contact and rebound. A smart connective passer who supplies the Kansas defense with frenzied activity, McCullar possesses strong role-player traits on both sides of the ball. Cason Wallace will look to keep the momentum going. He's evolved into a 6'10" power forward with comfortable three-point range and the ability to attack bigs off the dribble. Standing 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, hes one of the best perimeter defenders on the board. NBA teams will need to give Keyontae Johnson the paramount medical all-clear, but years after collapsing mid-game in 2020, the former Florida Gator is back to full strength and then some for his new team. Assuming Mark Williams heads for the draft, Lively will immediately replace his easy baskets and rim protection at Duke. Even if you get a step on Wembanyama, hes capable of channeling Mr. Hes more of a wing than Amen, but Ausar profiles as a better defender and a perfectly impressive slasher with room to expand his abilities as a shot-creator. Henderson's court vision is more advanced than Ivey's at the same stage, but he's 2 inches shorter and his struggles as a perimeter shooter (22% from 3) are something teams will want to study closely next year. Henderson hasn't played since November, after spending three weeks in concussion protocol. Filipowski will have to convince scouts the offensive dynamism can offset the defensive limitations. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky on February 23, 1996, and attended high school in Florida. Yohan Traore (Dream City Christian, PF, LSU commit). With more minutes in 2022-23, there will be breakout expectations for the 6'8" wing whose positional/defensive tools, face-up flashes and passing remain interesting. What Mike Miles lacks in 3-point volume, he makes up for with fearlessness driving the lane and impressive finishing ability for a 6-foot-1 guard. As of 2006, high school players are no longer allowed to go straight to the NBA, as the minimum draft eligibility was raised from . If Portland misses the playoffs as expected, Chicago will instead receive Portland's 2024 first-rounder, again lottery-protected. Cleveland appears very coachable and unselfish, so NBA teams should buy the intangibles too. Hes one of the most dominant players in college basketball and is going to earn some looks at the next level. That said, he has a lot of learning to do on defense. Where it has taken place since 2013: The Barclays Center in New York, home of the Brooklyn Nets. Early January is usually the month in which NBA prospects aim to get the attention of teams before the draft. Amen Thompson (Overtime Elite, SG/SF, 2003). He can handle the ball in tight spaces, create for teammates, and defend multiple positions. Ja Morant became the first player in . Most NBA executives feel that Wembanyama simply staying healthy for the duration of next season, while showing progress with his thin frame and ability to handle physicality, should be enough to lock down the top spot. Jalen Williams (Santa Clara, PG/SG, Junior). He needs to work on his body, but at his size, he possesses unusual shooting and movement fluidity. Get all the latest news around the 2023 NBA Draft with Draftcast on ESPN. The shots arent falling yet at Duke, but Tyrese Proctor should appeal to NBA teams with his sharp playmaking acumen and defensive toughness. Several NBA decision-makers we've spoken with expressed the belief that the NBA draft continues to get stronger and deeper, pointing to the fact that the 2020 and 2021 draft classes have significantly exceeded early expectations. The 2023 draft class is supposed to be one of the most stacked and talented that we've seen in years. Baylor could be losing multiple wings/forwards if freshmen Kendall Brown and Jeremy Sochan join Matthew Mayer in the draft. If he can progress as a shooter, its hard to imagine he wont stick around in the NBA. Adjusting to a new role at Kansas, fourth-year wing Kevin McCullar Jr. has upped his 3-point rate without sacrificing the small things that make him unique. To be eligible to be picked, a player must be at least 19 years-old in the calendar year of the draft. Improved shooting and fewer defensive lapses could help Rollins generate legitimate NBA interest. From an NBA perspective, there is still enough to like about his ball-handling, passing, athleticism and defensive projection for a 6'7" guard or wing.