Today is the day! The 2023 NBA Draft is filled with potential future superstars like Victor Wembanyama, as well as gems like Dereck Lively. With that said, let’s release our 2023 NBA Mock Draft.
2023 NBA Mock Draft – Dereck Lively Time?
Editor Note: The 2023 NBA Draft will be held at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York on Thursday evening. The two-round event is sure to have it’s fair share of surprises, so we’ll see how Matt’s 2023 NBA Mock Draft does with the superpower of hindsight at our disposal. In the meantime, for players, you can check out our best bets tools to help make some educated decisions.
1. San Antonio Spurs – Victor Wembanyama – C – Levallois Metropolitans 92
This should be an easy pick for the Spurs. Wembanyama is widely considered the best prospect of the last 20 years or so. At 7-4, he provides a skillset that has been compared to Kevin Durant.
2. Charlotte Hornets – Scoot Henderson – PG – G League Ignite
Henderson comes in at 6-3, but he is widely regarded as a top three prospect in this class. The Hornets have been rumored to be exploring trades, but if they stay in this spot, Henderson makes the most sense, even with LaMelo Ball already on the roster.
3. Portland Trail Blazers – Brandon Miller – F – Alabama
Portland grabs the last of the three elite prospects in Alabama’s Miller. At 6-9 with a 7-0 wingspan , Miller should provide the versatility to play multiple positions. Miller already comes in as an elite defender and shot 38.4% from three last year.
4. Houston Rockets – Amen Thompson – G – Overtime Elite Reapers
The Rockets find themselves boxed out of the big three. They have also been linked to James Harden, which may alter their plans. Thompson stands 6-6 with a 7-0 wingspan. He would slide in next to Jalen Green in this scenario and hopefully boost a high scoring backcourt.
5. Detroit Pistons – Cam Whitmore – F – Villanova
Whitmore stands 6-6 with a 6-8 wingspan. Coming out of Villanova, Whitmore didn’t display elite shooting, hitting just 34.3% of his three points. However, Whitmore looks like one of the more athletic wings available. His ability to attack the paint and finish above the rim should be coveted.
6. Orlando Magic – Ausar Thompson – G/F – Overtime Elite Reapers
At 6-6 with a 7-0 wingspan, Thompson looks similar to his brother. Thompson is known for his quickness, athleticism, and strong handles. This ability should help his scoring prowess at the next level.
7. Indiana Pacers – Detroit Pistons – Jarace Walker – F – Houston
Walker comes off the board at 6-6 with a 7-2 wingspan. His link gives him elite defensive capability, but his shooting needs improvement. Walker shot 34.7% from three last year and likely won’t be the same shot creator as other prospects.
8. Washington Wizards – Anthony Black – G – Arkansas
At 6-6 with a 6-7 wingspan, Black comes off the board as an oversized point guard. Black already comes with strong handles and passing ability. He only shot 30.1% from three, but Black averaged 3.9 assists in 34.9 minutes per game for the Razorbacks.
9. Utah Jazz – Taylor Hendricks – G – UCF
Hendricks comes in at 6-8 with a 7-1 wingspan. He is a hyper-athletic big man and versatile defender. He averaged 15.1 points per game, while shooting 39.4% from three. Hendricks also pulled down 7.0 rebounds per game, giving him the ability to impact the game in multiple ways.
10. Dallas Mavericks – Gradey Dick – G – Kansas
At 6-6 with a 6-9 wingspan, Dick enters the NBA as one of the best shooters in the draft. He shot 40.3% from three last year, averaging 14.1 points per game. He may be a defensive liability at the next level, but the scoring alone is worth a top ten pick.
11. Orlando Magic (via Chicago) – Cason Wallace – G – Kentucky
Another player known for defense, Wallace stands 6-2 with a 6-8 wingspan. Wallace only shot 34.6% from three, but he has shown an ability to score in multiple ways. A strong point of attack defender, Wallace should contribute right away.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Dereck Lively – F – Duke
An elite rim protector in this class, Lively stands 7-1 with a 7-8 wingspan. Lively came on slow during his one-and-done college season. He hasn’t shown the ability to score on his own, but Lively possesses explosive athleticism at his size. His defense should allow him to play right away and his athleticism could allow him to develop into a strong interior presence.
13. Toronto Raptors – Jalen Hood-Schifino – G – Indiana
Hood-Schifino brings solid size for a combo-guard and offensive facilitator. Standing 6-4 with a 6-10 wingspan, Hood-Schifino facilitated an elite Indiana offense. While he only shot 33.3% from three, he also played strong defense.
14. New Orleans Pelicans – Jordan Hawkins G – Connecticut
Hawkins stands 6-4 and shot 38.8% from three last year. He should help the Pelicans stretch the floor and provide superior spacing.
15. Atlanta Hawks – Kobe Bufkin – G – Michigan
Bufkin provides the ability to play multiple positions, including running point. He may not have the athleticism as some others in this range, but he can score at multiple levels. Bufkin significantly improved his three-point shooting to 35.5% this past season as well.
16. Utah Jazz (via Minnesota) – Bilal Coulibaly – F – Levallois Metropolitans 92
A teammate of Wembanyama, Coulibaly has received steam late in the NBA Draft process. Coulibaly stands 6-8 with a 7-2 wingspan. Already possessing strong length, Coulibaly has intriguing long term upside with his tools.
17. Los Angeles Lakers – Keyonte George – G – Baylor
George, 6-4, showed the ability to create his own shot at Baylor. He comes in a little undersized and only shot 33.8% from in his lone season at Baylor.
18. Miami Heat – Nick Smith Jr. – G – Arkansas
Smith battled injury for most of his freshman season at Arkansas. He is 6-5, but he has elite scoring potential when healthy. This pick is a bet on athleticism when fully healthy.
19. Golden State Warriors – Kris Murray – F – Iowa
At 6-7 with a 6-11 wingspan, Murray will be undersized at his position for the NBA. He has decent shooting ability, hitting 34.8% of his three’s in college. He will likely slide in as a wing with the ability to be an undersized big in certain personnel groupings.
20. Houston Rockets – Leonard Miller – F – G League Ignite
Miller stands 6-9 with a 7-2 wingspan. He plays strong defense and looks like one of the better rebounders in the class. Miller needs to work on his offensive game, but he plays with a high motor.
21. Brooklyn Nets (via Phoenix) – Jett Howard – F – Michigan
Howard should immediately slide into the NBA as a floor spacer. He shot 36.8% from three last year, which will be valuable given his size. Howard lacks the same defensive effort of some other players, but his combination of size and scoring will be valuable to any franchise.
22. Brooklyn Nets – Rayan Rupert – G – New Zealand Breakers
With an elite 7-2 wingspan, Rupert’s size should allow him to contribute immediately on the defensive end.
23. Portland Trail Blazers (via New York) – GG Jackson – F – South Carolina
Jackson comes in as one of the youngest players in this draft class. He stands out as a shot creator with massive upside, if he hits.
24. Sacramento Kings – Noah Clowney – F – Alabama
At 6-10, Clowney stands out as a skilled forward with floor-spacing potential. He plays strong defense and possesses the capability to defend multiple positions.
25. Memphis Grizzlies – Maxwell Lewis – G – Pepperdine
Lewis shot over 35% from three in his college career. He brings solid size and athleticism at 6-7. He could contribute immediately as a wing.
26. Indiana Pacers (via Cleveland) – James Nnaji – F – Barcelona
Nnaji looks like a pure project at the center position. He stands 6-10 with a 7-7 wingspan. The physical tools should be enough for a team to bet on at the end of round one.
27. Charlotte Hornets (via New York/Oklahoma City) – Brice Sensabaugh – G – Ohio State
Sensabaugh stands 6-6 and comes out of Ohio State with an advanced offensive game. He does have some injury concerns after battling multiple ailments in college. Sensabaugh shot 40.5% from three and showed the ability to score at all levels.
28. Utah Jazz (via Philadelphia/Brooklyn) – Dariq Whitehead – G – Duke
Whitehead has had multiple foot surgeries, which raise concerns, but the talent is undeniable when healthy. Last year, he shot 42.9% from three.
29. Indiana Pacers (via Boston) – Brandin Podziemski – G – Santa Clara
The 6-5 Podziemski will enter the NBA as a strong shooter coming off a season where he made 43.8% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
30. LA Clippers (via Milwaukee/Houston) – Sidy Cissoko – G – G League Ignite
Cissoko should help the Clippers on the wing and provide a scoring boost with his ability to attack the rim.
