2023 NBA Draft Preview: Top Prospects to Watch
If you opened up this article and wondered whether it was way too soon to think about the 2023 draft, well, you’re not wrong. But on the heels of what just happened, in lieu of an overly speculative mock draft, let’s cast a quick eye toward next year, with a promising draft class on the horizon and several top prospects we’ve covered already here at SI.
Here’s a closer look at some of the top names to know in 2023:
The 2023 Draft’s Top Prize: France’s Victor Wembanyama
The pending arrival of 7'3" French teenager Wembanyama has gathered as much steam in the NBA community as any prospect since LeBron James. Here’s what I wrote about him last month:
“Barring injury or any unexpected plot twists, Wembanyama will begin his draft cycle billed as a true consensus No. 1 prospect and will presumably hold that spot until draft night. Gifted with incredible size, length, mobility and skill, Wembanyama has already attained the type of lofty prospect status we haven’t seen in quite some time.
“It’s hard to make direct comparisons with Wembanyama’s game because there’s never been a prospect quite like him, but he has the defensive chops to be a Rudy Gobert-like rim protector, and there are moments on offense where he moves like Kevin Durant. He’s huge and nimble, he can handle and shoot, and his frame is still maturing. At 7'3" and 240 pounds with a 7'9" wingspan, he averaged 16 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per 36 minutes this year as an 18-year-old in France. And he’s played a real role for French club ASVEL, which also plays in the Euroleague and is owned by Spurs legend Tony Parker.
“Were he eligible, Wembanyama would be the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft, and it’s not a stretch to posit that he would likely have rated as the top prospect in any draft in the past decade, dating back to the Anthony Davis draft in ’12.”
Wembanyama Is why the NBA Is Already Eyeing the 2023 Draft
The G League Star on the Rise: Scoot Henderson
Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports
Henderson has been drawing rave reviews and gives the class a second blue-chip prospect. Here’s what I wrote about him in February:
“Henderson is off the charts physically, with long arms, a muscular body type and high-level strength and speed with the ball that have made him one of the best athletes in the G League as a teenager. It’s a plus that he’s opted to challenge himself at this level, where he can’t get away with simply bullying defenders, which you’d hope will accelerate his pre-NBA development. With a full head of steam, it’s really hard to stop him from getting to his right hand, and he’s comfortable stopping and popping for midrange jumpers.
“Having said all that, Henderson is still very much figuring some things out—nobody expects him to be a finished product yet, but there are rough edges here. He’s working to consistently extend his shooting range beyond the arc. He isn’t a highly creative passer, can be a bit ball-dominant and is learning the finer points of being a lead guard. He has good hands on the defensive end but needs polish on that end.
“What matters is who he is a year from now, not right now, but I’m particularly curious to track his evolution as a passer, and see whether he’ll learn to hit ahead in transition and start to trust teammates to finish plays a bit more often. There’s an important question to ponder here: whether Henderson can be a true point guard who sprays the ball around, or whether he’ll wind up relying more on his strength and speed to break defenses. The good news is, he’s so athletic that the latter outcome can still be overwhelmingly positive.”
Also, check out Howard Beck’s Daily Cover story on Henderson’s unique path.
The Overtime Elite Twins: Amen and Ausar Thompson
Courtesy of Overtime Elite
Amen and Ausar Thompson have gone from little-known prospects to industry trailblazers to lottery-level talents the past two years. I profiled them back in March during Overtime Elite’s season:
“Amen has leaned into his role as an on-ball playmaker, emerging as the best passer in the program while learning to harness his size and speed in the half court. He averaged 13.4 points and 3.7 assists over 24 games, and totaled 54 steals and 30 blocks on the other end. Ausar plays as more of a traditional wing scorer, with more change-of-pace to his handle, and sets himself apart on defense, where growing up he’d typically take the toughest assignment. Ausar averaged 15.1 points and racked up an absurd 44 steals and 54 blocks in 24 games.
“Suffice it to say no teenage player is a finished product, and, at the moment, there’s a critical hole in the scouting report for each twin: Neither is a consistent jump shooter yet. Ausar’s splits are slightly better—27.3% from three on 55 attempts and 67.6% from the foul line to Amen’s 19.5% on 41 shots from deep and 47.1% from the stripe—but both acknowledge they have work to do.”
Said one Western Conference scout: “The Thompsons are the crown jewel of the OTE program right now. In a gym of kids who are all high level in their own right, they stand out almost instantly. Those two are the ones right now who pop as having the highest potential in terms of really being lottery picks and impact NBA guys. They’re quick-twitchy, have great bodies and are developing their all-around skill sets. The sky’s the limit.”
Overtime Elite’s Thompson Twins Are NBA Material
Other Top Prospects to Watch
Nick Smith and Anthony Black, Arkansas
Smith and Black will form the backcourt of what could be a really good Razorbacks team, and they are joined by a third blue-chip prospect in high-flying forward Jordan Walsh. A projected lottery pick, Smith is one of the most talented guards in the class, with an advanced off-the-dribble game and high-energy style that teammates gravitate toward. Black is a bigger guard with first-round potential whose best skill is passing, with the size to throw the ball over defenses and some deceptiveness to his game. Arkansas should be appointment viewing from a scouting perspective.
Cason Wallace, Kentucky
Wallace is one of my early favorite players in the class: He’s going to draw comparisons to defensive-minded guards like Jrue Holiday and Marcus Smart, and from what I’ve seen at this stage of his career, I don't think they're preposterous at all. He might have been Kentucky’s best player had he been on the team last season, and he’s someone I expect NBA teams will fall in love with due to his toughness and feel for winning basketball. There’s a chance Wallace winds up slightly overstretched as a scorer next season, but he doesn’t have any serious holes in his game and has a pretty good shot to land in the lottery.
Dillon Mitchell, Texas
A high-flying, versatile 6'7" forward, Mitchell has taken a huge leap forward in the last 18 months, creating a runway for him to hear his name called early in the 2023 draft. There’s a long way to go, of course, but he was a standout on the All-American game circuit and has the type of explosiveness, motor and burgeoning skill scouts tend to fall in love with. Keep an eye on him at Texas, where he’ll team with two intriguing guard prospects in Iowa State transfer Tyrese Hunter and freshman Arterio Morris.
Dereck Lively and Dariq Whitehead, Duke
Prepare for Duke to field a monstrous, defensive-minded unit built around Lively, a 7'2" shot-blocker, and Whitehead, a well-rounded, rangy 6'6" wing. Both players project as lottery picks at this stage in the process, with Lively offering unique mobility and rim-protecting upside, and Whitehead a versatile scorer who can play a variety of roles on offense. It’ll be interesting to see how the roles shake out under new coach Jon Scheyer, who wants to play a faster-paced, ball-movement focused style, but there should be room for everyone to shine. Two other potential one-and-done freshmen, Kyle Filipowski and Tyrese Proctor, are also coming on board.
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