NBA Mock Draft: Jarace Walker enters Top 5; Wembanyama, Henderson remain 1-2
The NBA trade deadline has passed, the Super Bowl is in the rearview mirror, and we’re truly into NBA Draft season for many teams in the league that are out of the playoff chase (and even some that are still in the picture). Let’s update our 2023 NBA Mock Draft with that in mind.
This draft class is considered a strong one largely because of the top two players. Victor Wembanyama is arguably the highest-upside prospect to enter the NBA Draft since LeBron James. Scoot Henderson is on a shortlist for the best guard prospect I’ve evaluated. They’re both clear Tier 1 prospects. Beyond them, a number of questions remain, starting as soon as even No. 3.
It’s not necessarily due to a lack of talent. There are a number of interesting, high-upside freshmen and first-year-eligible players. While a high number of freshmen in this class intrigue scouts, many of them are incomplete players who are still working through some of their flaws. But because older players haven’t really emerged and come to interest scouts, freshmen are the ones who seem likely to be selected at this point in the process. It’s possible some older players end up impressing while leading their teams on deep postseason runs, but it’s hard to find scouts excited about juniors and seniors in this class. As you will see, only two such players in the first-round projection below are in their third year of college basketball. My guess is that changes as we get closer to the June 22 draft, but I can only go where scouts are leading me right now.
Because there are so many freshmen, many of the players aren’t necessarily seen as sure bets to make an impact next season. All of this has led to a larger number of players who are polarizing for NBA scouts. A number of players have pretty wide ranges right now, and there are many slots in the first round available for players to step into over the end of the college basketball season as well as the pre-draft process.
A couple things worth noting. First, team needs are NOT accounted for here. It’s still too early in the process for that. Second, standings are as of Feb. 10. Third, all ages are as of draft day. Finally, all stats are as of Monday, Feb. 13.
1. Houston Rockets
Victor Wembanyama | 7-4 center | 19 years old | Metropolitans 92
Wembanyama has a real case to be the best prospect since LeBron James given his size, shot-creation skill, tools on defense and production. The 7-foot-4 French center has averaged 21.9 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game, all of which currently lead the French League. He’s also shooting 47.1 percent from the field and about 81 percent from the foul line while getting up over five 3-point attempts per game — many of which are self-created opportunities off the bounce. I’ve dove deep on Wembanyama following his games against the G League Ignite earlier this season, so if you’re looking for a fuller picture, look there.
In terms of potential weaknesses, the occasional scout has pointed to his passing and ability to make reads on the move, as well as the consistency of his shot. He also occasionally gets caught in the mud defensively away from the rim and gets blown by, but his recovery length is immense and typically mitigates the situation. But I’ve yet to talk to one scout who doesn’t see these skills as likely improving as he ages. As long as Wembanyama stays healthy long term — something he’s done so far this season after a bit of a history of picking up injuries here and there — he is a franchise-altering talent whose acquisition would completely change the fortunes of whichever team acquires him.
2. Detroit Pistons
Scoot Henderson | 6-2 lead guard | 19 years old | G League Ignite
Henderson is the no-doubter No. 2 prospect in this class, a player who pretty clearly would have gone first overall in both the 2022 and 2020 NBA drafts. He’s a wildly explosive athlete on the level of guys like Ja Morant and Derrick Rose at the lead guard position, while also possessing immense skill and feel for the game as a passer and playmaker. His competitiveness has drawn raves from NBA scouts, and he’s the exact kind of personality teams want running the show. I talked about him at length recently on a podcast, breaking down in detail why he’s arguably the best guard prospect I’ve evaluated in the near-decade I’ve been doing this.
Production-wise, Henderson is averaging over 19 points while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and dishing out six assists per game with a near-2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio as a teenager (and those numbers are limited by him leaving two games early this season). He is by far the most successful preps-to-G-League story we’ve seen and looks ready to step into the NBA as a starting point guard potentially as soon as next season. The one flaw that evaluators will point to is the shooting from distance, but Henderson has a well-developed midrange pull-up game that he can get at will, and in time, scouts believe he will be able to add to his repertoire from behind the 3-point line to stop teams from going way under his screens.
3. San Antonio Spurs
Brandon Miller | 6-9 wing | 20 years old | Alabama
Miller is considered the safest guy in the rest of the class to be a really good player, largely because he’s been supremely productive and efficient for Alabama. The Crimson Tide are one of the best teams in college basketball, and it’s largely because of Miller. He’s on track to be a first-team All-American this season as a freshman, averaging 19 points, eight rebounds and two assists per game. His elite skill is shooting, and he has hit 42.7 percent from 3 this season on over seven attempts per game. But while some were worried about his ability to finish in the paint early in the season, his play recently has gone a long way toward quelling those concerns in front offices. In 12 games in SEC play, he’s shooting 63.6 percent from 2-point range as well, with many of those being self-created.
He’s not a terrific defender, but he’s reliable on that end with switchability to manage out in space against guards. It’s reasonable to question his upside in comparison to the next guy on the board, but he’s the guy I feel is the best bet outside of the top two to be a top-five pick on draft night for teams actually making the picks at this stage. He has the best mix of production, positional value as a wing and skill value for teams as a terrific shooter, with the fewest holes to pick at right now.
4. Charlotte Hornets
Amen Thompson | 6-7 lead guard | 20 years old | Overtime Elite
I’m still a believer that Thompson has more upside than anyone outside of Wembanyama and Henderson. He’s a twitchy athlete at the lead guard spot who is a walking paint touch, and he’ll enter the NBA not just as a high-level athlete, but as one of the five most explosive players in the league. He’s electric out in the open court in the way few prospects are. He’s also a superb passer and playmaker for his teammates and has high-level upside as a finisher. But scouts who have been down to OTE have come away with some concerns regarding Amen’s and his twin brother Ausar’s rate of improvement. The twins do have real flaws; neither has enough of an in-between scoring game, and neither can shoot from 3 consistently at this stage. Defensively, they’re elite playmakers but have had moments this year of coasting. Amen is shooting 25 percent from 3 this season and just 65 percent from the line. It feels like he has made markedly few midrange shots.
They’re by far the best players within the Overtime Elite program, and my bet is that when the playoffs come around, we start to see them lock in and dominate. But it hasn’t been as clean as scouts expected this season. When putting that in conjunction with front offices still figuring out the context of how to best evaluate the Overtime Elite program, the Thompsons have become a bit more polarizing in front offices than people would think based on their consensus rankings across the internet. Some people love them and love their upside. Others still see them as lottery picks but lower.
5. Orlando Magic
Jarace Walker | 6-8 forward | 19 years old | Houston
Walker has really emerged for scouts over the last month as a player who could challenge for top-five status. Having started the season as a terrific defender still trying to find his way within Houston’s veteran structure offensively, the 6-foot-8 forward with a 7-foot-2 wingspan has been superb over the last month. In his last nine games, he’s averaged 16 points, seven rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 53 percent from the field and 43.8 percent on nearly four 3s per game. Teams aren’t totally sold on the jump shot yet, and there are some mechanical fixes he’ll have to make. But teams are encouraged by his touch, and they’ve long loved his passing ability from the middle of the floor out of short rolls and mid-post chances. Where Walker stands out is on defense, where he’s switchable and extremely active. His motor runs hot, and he has great instincts flying around the court to try and make things happen in help situations.
6. Indiana Pacers
Cam Whitmore | 6-7 wing | 18 years old | Villanova
Teams have their questions about Whitmore, but his shot-creation ability has largely been there for a Villanova team that has mostly been a mess. After missing the first few games of the season with a thumb injury, Whitmore took a minute to get going but has been a strong scorer in Big East play. He’s averaging 13.6 points on 48.6 percent shooting from the field and 41.7 percent from 3 on five attempts per game. The way he uses his athleticism as a shot creator has been impressive, using his stride length and strength mixed with the ability to string together moves off the bounce. His side-step and stepback pull-up games are impressive for a teenager at 6-foot-7. The issue is he isn’t really looking for his teammates at all, and his 6.9 assist rate would be one of the worst marks for a wing lottery pick in a while. His defense has left a lot to be desired too. But his tools look like they’ll translate better to the NBA with greater driving lanes and more space.
7. Washington Wizards
Anthony Black | 6-7 guard | 19 years old | Arkansas
At the end of the day, I just buy Black being an impact player at the next level because of the way he impacts the game. He’s a monster defender both at the point of attack and as a switchable player up and down the lineup. Offensively, he puts pressure on the rim at a high level because of how quickly he can get downhill. But moreover, all of this is paired with terrific processing speed. He reads and reacts to what’s happening at a super high level. You see this most in his passing ability, when he hits the right guy almost every time while on the move. It’s not an accident that Arkansas is 15 points per 100 possessions better when Black is on the court versus when he’s off it per Pivot Analysis, and he’s the only player on Arkansas with whom the team is better both on offense and defense when he’s on the court. He makes his teammates better, and his presence helps his team. Teams are coming around on Black for these reasons, but he’ll need to prove that his shot isn’t entirely broken during the pre-draft process. The mechanics don’t look awesome, but he doesn’t seem to have bad touch. He’ll just need to show he can make improvement there, and he’ll go in the top 10.
8. New Orleans Pelicans (via LAL)
Ausar Thompson | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | Overtime Elite
Much of what I wrote about about Amen applies to Ausar, albeit in an different role. Ausar is a wing as opposed to Amen’s lead initiator role. His craft as a finisher at the rim is more advanced, and mechanically, the shot looks better. But Ausar is similarly shooting below 30 percent from 3 so far this season in Overtime Elite and will need to improve that over time because he’s not quite as lightning quick or explosive as Amen. He has had a few moments of defensive lapses, but he tends to be a bit more solid in team defense than Amen — as his potential as a weakside rim-protection threat at the three has become very interesting to NBA teams. One other thing worth noting: The brothers are highly competitive, and they’re known as very high-level workers and professionals. They’re the kinds of guys you want to buy into, even if the floor could turn out a bit lower. My bet is that Ausar ends up in the lottery still, much like his brother.
9. Toronto Raptors
Keyonte George | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | Baylor
George is polarizing for teams. Some love his aggressiveness and the bag of tricks he has to get open looks. He plays in-between pace and really keeps defenders off-balance. He’s very creative, and when he puts his mind toward passing, he displays good vision. His production, on some level, is undeniable as he’s averaging 17 points, four rebounds and three assists per game for Baylor. Others get frustrated, though, by the lack of efficiency. George has just a 52.7 true shooting percentage in Big 12 play, along with a negative assist-to-turnover ratio. Athletically, he’s not the most explosive player in the world. Still, Baylor has gotten better by centralizing him a bit more within the offense because he’s versatile enough to take on that role. Some see George as a lottery guy, whereas others see him as more of a late-teens guy. The guy whom scouts tend to bring up with George is Eric Gordon, and Gordon is someone who earned his lottery status. My bet is, by the end of the year, George is seen in that realm as well.
10. Oklahoma City Thunder
Gradey **** | 6-8 wing | 19 years old | Kansas
**** has been a lethal shooter at 6-foot-8 this season, a gunner with a high release point who shoots with terrific balance off movement. He’s made 42 percent of his six 3-point attempts per game, consistently cashing in and generating open looks from behind the arc with off-ball movement. Offensively, he just knows how to cut and how to move. He passes well out of his floor-spacer role. He rebounds reasonably well and also has really good reactivity and hands on defense that allow him to not be a liability at the college level. Having said that, teams have real worries about his on-ball defensive game at the next level. It’s easier to hide bigger players who are smart, and **** is pretty good in team concepts. But he might get hunted. Still, most teams see a top-15 grade on him right now.
11. Orlando Magic (via CHI)
Cason Wallace | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | Kentucky
Cason Wallace has dealt with back spasms over the last month, but when he’s been on the court, he’s been his typical self. He’s an elite defensive guard who is strong and physical enough to switch up the lineup and is enormously pesky on the ball against quick guards. On top of it, he’s preternaturally gifted as a team defender. NBA coaches will love him from Day 1 because of his reactivity and motor. Offensively, he’s a terrific shooter off the catch from 3 and does a good job of making the right read to either go out and get his own bucket or make a play for his teammate. Wallace is one of my favorite prospects in this class, but scouts are a bit more mixed on him. There are some concerns about drafting a 6-foot-4 defense-first guard in the lottery, especially given that he’s still working through some kinks with his pull-up game.
12. Portland Trail Blazers
Nick Smith Jr. | 6-4 combo guard | 18 years old | Arkansas
Smith Jr. just hasn’t had his season go according to plan after knee issues forced him into a stop-start season. He missed Arkansas’ first few games, returned for five, then missed the next 13. He returned over the weekend against Mississippi State but struggled in 17 minutes. Smith is still a very talented shot creator and difficult shot maker, but he’s not a wild athlete and can definitely go through bouts of inefficiency. He ended up as the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2022, though, because of how creative he is with ball-in-hand. There is some thought that he’ll look better at the NBA level, with a Jamal Murray-style game that translates well toward playing with a big initiator who allows him to focus more on scoring. Scouts desperately want to see more tape on Smith throughout the year, though, and hope he can rise to the levels he showed in high school. His range is pretty wide. He could end up in the top five or at the bottom of the lottery.
13. Utah Jazz
Rayan Rupert | 6-7 wing | 18 years old | New Zealand Breakers
Rupert is one of the most interesting international projects in this class. At 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Rupert has the kind of tools every scout wants. He’s a good athlete, and he has strong feel for the game. Having grown up as a point guard, Rupert has strong instincts as a passer and consistently makes the right play for his teammates. But he’s nowhere near a finished product on offense. He’s not all that strong on the ball yet. He’s not quite a consistent shooter, but there is nothing all that wrong with his mechanics that make you say there will be issues long term. Where he truly shines is on defense. Rupert is aggressive and uses his lateral quickness and length to the utmost degree, making life miserable for opponents.
That’s where his future is in the NBA: As soon as he gets stronger and more capable of holding up at the point of attack physically, Rupert is going to be a true defensive difference-maker. He’s already that in the NBL, earning a starting role on the No. 2 team in the league because of his ability to shut down opponents and play solid team defense. He hasn’t been handed anything this season, like past Next Stars in the NBL; he’s reached out and grabbed it, earning a critical role in highly competitive playoff atmospheres. On top of that, Rupert’s background checks have come back pristine. He’s noted in Australia as an exceptionally hard worker, he’s all about the team as opposed to his own ambitions, and he has a remarkably professional mindset for a player who doesn’t turn 19 until May. My bet is that a team decides to place a calculated bet on him in the top 20.
14. Los Angeles Lakers (via NOP)
Jalen Hood-Schifino | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | Indiana
Hood-Schifino is a big-time riser for scouts over the last month largely due to his well-rounded game. He defends well across the backcourt and is largely responsible for initiating the offense for Indiana. He dishes out 4.3 assists per game and plays like a veteran despite his age. The raw numbers mute his scoring impact. Over the last 14 games, Hood-Schifino has averaged nearly 15 points, three rebounds and four assists on strong efficiency numbers. It’s a bit of a roller coaster in terms of production game by game, but he brings it on defense and plays a strong, team-oriented game every night. I’m a buyer on him. His versatility of skill set should allow him to work his way into being a super high-level rotation player who helps teams win for as long as the shot holds up. He’s already playing that role at Indiana next to Trayce Jackson-Davis.
15. Atlanta Hawks
Jett Howard | 6-8 wing | 19 years old | Michigan
Howard has been a fascinating prospect to track this season. From a scoring perspective, he has had some of the best scoring games of any prospect. His 34-point outburst against Iowa was a ridiculous display of shot making, and in general, Howard’s shooting has been his elite skill this year. He’s a knockdown movement shooter who gets open looks out of a variety of different actions because of how quickly he can set his feet and fire. He’s hit 38 percent of his six 3-point attempts per game this season. But he’s not really bringing anything else to the table. He can be a secondary ballhandler but only out of certain actions because he’s not all that athletic (the Zoom actions Michigan runs really help get him the ball with his momentum downhill). Moreover, Howard doesn’t rebound and is a very poor defender. Being 6-foot-8 and able to shoot out of varied actions is a big deal. But Howard still has a ways to go to solidify this slot.
16. Utah Jazz (via MIN)
Kris Murray | 6-8 wing | 22 years old | Iowa
Murray has been all sorts of steady this season for Iowa, much like his brother, Keegan, was a season ago. Kris is averaging 20.5 points, eight rebounds and two assists per game while shooting 50 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3 and 75 percent from the line. It’s extremely easy to envision him as a plug-and-play rotation player for a team that needs someone to step in soon. He makes 3s at volume, he’s athletic and strong enough to hold up on defense, and he finishes when he gets a chance inside. He’s a bit more limited as a shot creator and pull-up threat than Keegan was a season ago and also has a bit less in terms of the intersection of his strength and quickness. But Murray should hear his name called somewhere in the top 20 on draft night as one of the most productive upper-class wings in the draft. This may sound a bit silly given that Keegan is a bit better, but teams will consider the fact that Keegan has stepped into the league and immediately been effective.
17. Golden State Warriors
Brice Sensabaugh | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | Ohio State
Sensabaugh is in a fascinating position. He has a case as the best shooter in a draft class filled with terrific shooters, such as ****, Howard, Jordan Hawkins and Miller. He takes an absurd number of difficult, contested shots and sinks them at a ridiculous clip. Among the 468 players to take at least 150 jump shots in college basketball this season, Sensabaugh is 25th in efficiency, making them at a near 1.3 points per possession clip, according to Synergy. That’s the sixth-best mark of any player at the high-major level (first is Penn State wing Seth Lundy). Having said that, Sensabaugh is not the best passer, and he’s struggled a bit recently to adjust to being at the top of scouting reports. It’s hard to keep up that difficult shot diet against elite defensive talent. On top of that, he’s a poor defender, and teams routinely attack him, which has resulted in Ohio State being forced to take him off the court a bit more often than you’d expect for someone of this talent. A bet on Sensabaugh would showcase real trust that he has room for growth athletically on that end as he learns the intricacies of team defense.
18. New York Knicks (via DAL)
Jordan Hawkins | 6-5 wing | 20 years old | Connecticut
It’s hard to overemphasize the heater Hawkins has been on over the last month. He’s averaging 21 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3 and 92 percent from the line despite every team that plays Connecticut working as hard as possible to stop him from getting any clean looks from 3 off movement. He’s still generating seven of them per game but has also made a few strides attacking closeouts too, and he’s becoming more versatile in how he attacks defenses. Hawkins is also considered a high-level competitor, and he’s defended at a solid level this season on the ball. Hawkins still has a ways to go as a decision-maker and passer when he gets crowded, but his ability to shoot and create 3s off high-difficulty actions will endear him to NBA teams immediately.
19. Portland Trail Blazers (via NYK)
Taylor Hendricks | 6-9 forward | 19 years old | UCF
Hendricks has been one of the breakout freshmen of the college basketball season, averaging 15 points, seven rebounds and nearly two blocks as a 6-foot-9 forward with some real athleticism and quickness (although he’s a bit upright and stiff at times). Ranked just the 67th-best freshman in the class by 247Sports’ composite recruiting ranking, Hendricks looks like a real one-and-done option. Teams are still a little split given that he’s fairly raw whenever he has to put the ball on the deck, an issue as he’ll likely be asked to play more on the wing and at the four than at the five, which is where he ends up seeing a lot of his minutes. But there are enough tools here that it’s reasonable to project him as a first round pick at this stage. I’d expect he goes in the top 25.
20. Brooklyn Nets (via PHX)
Max Lewis | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | Pepperdine
Lewis’ own numbers look great. He’s averaging 18 points, six rebounds and three assists per game while shooting 49 percent from the field, 36.6 percent from 3 and 84 percent from the line. He’s also 6-foot-7 with great length and real NBA-level athleticism (although with a very skinny frame that he’ll need to fill out). Why do NBA evaluators have him outside of the lottery? Lewis plays for a Pepperdine team that is currently 2-12 in WCC play, despite four legitimate high-major talents on the roster. And Lewis’ own bad habits play a real factor in why the team is so bad. He’s a really bad defensive player right now across the board, falling asleep a bit too often away from the ball and struggling to contain on-ball players by standing too high in his stance. Additionally, he also turns the ball over way too often for the role he has. The good news is that the intel on Lewis is very positive, and he’s considered to be a great guy who really wants to work at his game and improve these things. He also had a circuitous route to Pepperdine and didn’t necessarily get as much defensive coaching as other high-end prospects. It is extremely likely someone takes him in the first round due to his shooting and tools, but the range in front offices is a little wider on him than what people would think.
21. LA Clippers
Dariq Whitehead | 6-6 wing | 18 years old | Duke
Whitehead has had a roller-coaster, injury-filled freshman season at Duke, so it’s hard to get a read on who he actually is. The good news is that he has shot it well, hitting 38 percent from distance. But everything else has been a bit all over the map. I’ve always thought he was a touch overrated as an athlete in terms of explosiveness, but he’s really struggled this season inside the paint. And generally, he has not impacted the game outside of scoring the basketball. He doesn’t really rebound, doesn’t make strong enough passing reads and hasn’t been impactful enough on defense. The scoring has been fine, but scouts will have a real decision to make: Does the tape Whitehead put together in his high school career outweigh what we saw from him at Duke? Or do we trust the tape that says he’s not a first-round pick right now? He falls substantially here and will need pre-draft workouts to be positive.
22. Miami Heat
Gregory “G.G.” Jackson | 6-9 forward | 18 years old | South Carolina
We’ve certainly gotten every chance to see where Jackson’s game stands this season, as South Carolina and its coaching staff have laid it all bare for scouts to see. The team doesn’t have a ton of high-major-level talent around Jackson, so throughout the first 20 games, the Gameco*cks empowered an 18-year-old to be the primary centerpiece of a high-major offense. That was not an ideal plan, and the results haven’t been pretty, as South Carolina has one of the worst high-major offenses in the country. Jackson’s counting numbers look fine. He’s averaging 15 points and six rebounds. But he has a remarkably low 47.4 true shooting percentage, a 6.4 assist rate and a very high turnover rate. He doesn’t really read the floor all that well yet or generate open shots for his teammates. Defensively, he has looked a bit less impressive than he did at times when playing at lower levels. It seems like Jackson is getting frustrated, having recently complained on an Instagram Live about his late-game usage in the offense. That resulted in him being benched for the next game against Missouri. Over his last two games coming off the bench, he’s combined for seven points in 28 minutes. In the game on Tuesday against Vanderbilt, he again had a childish moment by noticeably standing away from his teammates in the huddle.
This would not be the typical profile of a first-round pick, even with Jackson having been a top-five recruit in the country. Having said that, context is important. What would Jackson look like surrounded by more talent or getting more clean looks? What would it look like if he didn’t have to be the centerpiece of the offense? He’s clearly a very talented player. I just don’t think he was ready for all of this so soon at the college level. He started the season at 17 years old after reclassifying into the 2022 recruiting class. I think this entire situation has been handled poorly by everyone: the South Carolina staff for putting so much on his plate; Jackson and his advisers for reclassifying, de-committing from North Carolina and committing to this rebuilding situation as a one-and-done; and Jackson himself for some of the attitude issues.
How he performs in pre-draft workouts and interviews with teams once he gets out of this South Carolina situation will be critical to his standing. It’s not impossible that he falls out of the first round. It’s also not impossible that he climbs up into the lottery. He needs to play well in front of teams and showcase the kind of maturity necessary to display to NBA decision-makers that he will be able to scale adversity when it comes (and it will come for a player who would enter the NBA at 18 years old for the first few months of his career).
23. Sacramento Kings
Colby Jones | 6-6 wing | 20 years old | Xavier
A longtime favorite in these parts, Jones just continues to impress as a 6-foot-6 point wing who wears a ton of hats for Xavier. He initiates the offense regularly next to terrific scoring guard Souley Boum, averaging five assists versus only 2.5 turnovers. He slashes aggressively to the rim, particularly out in transition, and finishes through contact. He defends at a strong level across a few different positions. And he’s shown tangible improvement as a shooter this season, making 42 percent of his 3.3 attempts per game. Jones is still resigned to being a spot-up guy from behind the arc, but if he can keep improving in that area, it’ll probably be enough even if he struggles with pull-ups. He is a worthy bet in the No. 25 to No. 40 range because of his versatile skill set.
24. Indiana Pacers (via CLE)
Julian Phillips | 6-8 wing | 19 years old | Tennessee
Phillips has carved out a starting role as a freshman on a really good Tennessee team, and he provides value across the spectrum. He’s a solid rebounder and decision-maker. He defends at a really high-level as a combo wing/forward with switchability. He blocks the occasional shot and gets out in transition. The main hole here is the shot. He’s made just 28 percent from 3 so far. I think the mechanics are fixable; he has a left-align shot where he seems to get his center of gravity slightly off from time to time, plus has a very slight hitch in his shooting pocket that should be able to get ironed out. If you think the shooting is fixable, he should be a first-round pick because this is the kind of guy for whom teams search far and wide: a 6-foot-8 defensive player with switchability. They’re harder to find across the league than people think.
25. Memphis Grizzlies
James Nnaji | 6-10 big | 18 years old | Barcelona
Welcome to the mock, James! Nnaji has been seen as an intriguing, low-usage, high-defensive-upside big man in Spain for a while now. Originally from Nigeria, Nnaji has undertaken a unique journey as a high-level prospect, beginning his European career at a Hungarian Academy before he moved to Spain in 2020. Nnaji finishes well around the rim and blocks shots with impunity on the interior as a weakside rim protector. He’s started eight games in Liga ACB this season as Barca brings him along slowly, but there have been some genuine strides that should excite scouts — especially for teams with multiple first-round picks that could use a bit more of a project-like flier on someone who could be a big part of a terrific defense long term.
26. Utah Jazz (via PHI)
Dereck Lively II | 7-1 center| 19 years old| Duke
Welcome back, Lively! Lively has finally started to showcase his immense defensive tools. He is 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan, and he’s starting to figure out how to utilize that length without fouling. Over his last four games, he’s averaging nine rebounds and five blocks in 26 minutes per night. He’s second in the ACC in blocks per game, and if you take the 25 blocks he has in his last six games alone, that would actually place him in the top 10 of the league. After playing just 256 minutes in his first 16 games, Lively is going to finish the season in the top 10 nationally in blocks per game while likely making over 60 percent of his shots at the rim. That’s probably going to be enough to get him drafted in the first round, given how much upside he has as a rim protector.
27. Brooklyn Nets
Kyle Filipowski | 7-0 big | 19 years old | Duke
Duke’s rock this season, Filipowski has been remarkably important in keeping the Blue Devils afloat this year. He’s averaging over 15 points and nine rebounds per game, creating a ton of shots with his inside-out versatility. He’s comfortable handling the ball, either out of spot-ups, dribble handoffs or quick pick-and-pops. That gives him real potential as a backup center early in his career, in a similar vein to guys such as Naz Reid. The question is defense. Filipowski has very good hands, and he’s an underrated mover laterally. But he doesn’t really provide anything in terms of rim protection. He’s a bit polarizing for scouts, which shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise, given that he hasn’t shot 3s at a high level or blocked a ton of shots.
28. Houston Rockets (via MIL)
Kobe Bufkin | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | Michigan
Bufkin is a fast-rising, 6-foot-4 sophom*ore guard out of Michigan whom scouts have come to really appreciate throughout the season. He’s only averaging 12 points, four rebounds and three assists per game while shooting 30 percent from 3. So why are people excited? It’s the production for his age. Bufkin is actually a bit younger than teammate Jett Howard. If you look at him in that context, he’s immediately intriguing due to his blend of athleticism and skill set. He has a bit of a ways to go in terms of strength, and the shooting is going to have to come around. But there are currently no freshmen in college basketball averaging at least 12 points, four rebounds and three assists per game while shooting 45 percent from the field, which is what Bufkin is doing right now. It’s easy to see why scouts have identified him as a potential 2023 draft pick.
29. Indiana Pacers (via BOS)
Leonard Miller | 6-10 wing | 19 years old | G League Ignite
Miller has continued to roll along as a potential one-and-done, averaging 15 points and eight rebounds for the Ignite. Originally seen as something of a point forward, Miller has flourished a bit more often as a dirty work offensive player who thrives out in transition, in the dunker spot and as an offensive rebounder. He’s grabbing 2.5 offensive rebounds per game and has shown some ability as a driver from the elbow and to drive transition play on grab-and-go opportunities. He’s a very fluid athlete, albeit not wildly explosive. At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and some latent ball skills, this improvement in his all-around floor game could give him some time to figure out the rest of his abilities, including his shooting. He has a funky looking, low-release shot that teams have some worries about.
30. Charlotte Hornets (via DEN)
Terquavion Smith | 6-4 guard | 20 years old | NC State
Smith continues to get buckets as a devastating pull-up shot creator, averaging 18.5 points per game while shooting 35 percent from 3 on eight attempts per game. He has improved a bit as a distributor and passer this season, often initiating the Wolfpack offense next to fellow combo guard Jarkel Joiner. Teams have questions about Smith’s size and ability to hold up on defense at the next level. He is exceptionally skinny and struggles to hold up on defense at the college level, and there will be bigger issues once he gets to the NBA. But he has enough shooting and scoring ability that teams think he has a real chance to become a solid scoring guard off the bench.
Second Round
31. Indiana Pacers (via HOU): Sidy Cissoko | 6-7 wing | G League Ignite
32. Detroit Pistons: Marcus Sasser | 6-2 guard | 22 years old | Houston
33. San Antonio Spurs: Jaime Jaquez Jr. | 6-7 guard | UCLA
34. Charlotte Hornets: Terrence Shannon Jr. | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | Illinois
35. Orlando Magic: Kel’el Ware | 7-0 big | Oregon
36. Toronto Raptors: Jalen Wilson | 6-8 wing | Kansas
37. Oklahoma City Thunder (via WAS): Ricky Council IV | 6-7 wing | Arkansas
38. Sacramento Kings (via IND): Noah Clowney | 6-10 big | Alabama
39. Los Angeles Lakers: Trayce Jackson-Davis | 6-9 big | Indiana
40. Washington Wizards (via CHI): Dillon Mitchell | 6-7 wing | Texas
41. Denver Nuggets (via OKC): Zach Edey | 7-4 center | Purdue
42. Boston Celtics (via POR): Judah Mintz | 6-3 guard | Syracuse
43. Atlanta Hawks: Kevin McCullar Jr. | 6-6 wing | Kansas
44. New Orleans Pelicans: Arthur Kaluma | 6-7 wing | Creighton
45. Charlotte Hornets (via UTA): Julian Strawther | 6-7 wing | Gonzaga
46. Memphis Grizzlies (via MIN): Coleman Hawkins | 6-10 big | Illinois
47. Cleveland Cavaliers (via GSW): Ąžuolas Tubelis | 6-11 big | Arizona
48. Denver Nuggets (via DAL): DaRon Holmes II | 6-10 big | Dayton
49. Minnesota Timberwolves (via NYK): Mike Miles | 6-1 guard | TCU
50. Phoenix Suns: Trey Alexander | 6-4 guard | Creighton
51. LA Clippers: Nikola Đurišić | 6-8 wing | KK Mega Basket
52. Boston Celtics (via MIA): Bryce Hopkins | 6-7 wing/forward | Providence
53. Sacramento Kings: Jaylen Clark | 6-5 wing | UCLA
54. Milwaukee Bucks (via CLE): Adam Flagler | 6-3 guard | Baylor
55. Brooklyn Nets: Emoni Bates | 6-9 wing | Eastern Michigan
56. Memphis Grizzlies: Colin Castleton | 6-11 big | Florida
57. Milwaukee Bucks: Reece Beekman | 6-3 guard | Virginia
58. Boston Celtics: Baylor Scheierman | 6-6 wing | Creighton
