There were some big risers and fallers in the final prediction before Thursday's draft
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Smokescreen season is at an all-time high as we are just hours away from the 2023 NBA Draft. As we get ready for Thursday's events at Barclays Center you can't open Twitter without seeing a report about a certain prospect moving up on boards, a certain team looking to trade a pick, or a player who could potentially have a draft promise already in hand. As a fan it's incredibly exhilarating, but we've learned from years of experience that often those rumors don't amount to much.
Latest NBA Mock Drafts: Boone | Parrish | Cobb | Norlander
With that in mind, I haven't made many changes to my final 2023 NBA Mock Draft. Beyond the Victor Wembanyama lock at No. 1, I still have Scoot Henderson going above Brandon Miller, followed by Amen Thompson and then my draft darling Taylor Hendricks (I explained here why I think Hendricks could be the steal of the draft).
The biggest change was dropping Baylor guard Keonte George from No. 9 down to No. 19. As I explain in his entry, I still love George as a prospect, but I'm just not getting the buzz surrounding him that I expected entering the draft. I also moved up Duke's Dereck Lively II to Dallas at No. 10, largely based on need, while Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin's stock has risen to the point that I've sent him to the Pelicans with the final pick in the lottery. Finally, standout UCLA forward Jaime Jaquez entered the first-round at No. 29, while French G League Ignite prospect Sidy Cissoko falls out.
With that, we close the spreadsheets, shut down the YouTube videos and wait for the real thing to finally take place on Thursday night. Here's my final NBA Mock Draft of 2023.
MOCK DRAFT
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1   Victor Wembanyama C FRANCE • 7'4" / 237 LBS
No mystery here. This guy has the upside of being a 7-foot-4 Kevin Durant on offense and a mixture of Anthony Davis and Rudy Gobert defensively. There's a reason he's considered the best draft prospect since LeBron James, and nothing short of a meteor crashing into the Earth will prevent San Antonio from making him its next franchise cornerstone. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 2   Scoot Henderson PG G LEAGUE IGNITE • 6'2" / 195 LBS
Given the positional redundancy with LaMelo Ball, I understand why some expect Charlotte to go with the better-fitting Brandon Miller here. I just think Henderson, based on what I've seen and evaluators I've spoken with, is a significantly better prospect. The Hornets are in no position to be picky about fit at this point. Henderson is as dynamic of a guard prospect as we've seen, and one source told me that while it's not likely, he "would not be utterly surprised" if Henderson ended up having a better NBA career than Wembanyama. High praise, indeed. | |||||||
Round 1- Pick 3
Miller is a prototypical 3-and-D wing who can fit next to Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons, should Portland elect to keep its pick. He'll also be an excellent trade chip if the Blazers want to go in that direction. Miller has the shot-creation and playmaking upside to become elite, which is why the Blazers shouldn't hesitate to draft him at No. 3 as someone who can bridge the gap between the present and the future. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 4   Amen Thompson SF OVERTIME ELITE • 6'6" / 214 LBS
It would be great for the Rockets to get a more seasoned prospect to help get an adult in the room, but they can't pass up Amen Thompson here. An absolutely explosive, elite athlete, Thompson has unlimited upside on both ends of the floor, though it may take a while for him to fulfill it. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 5
A lot of people like Cam Whitmore here, but I rate Hendricks more highly than some draft analysts and I absolutely love the fit in Detroit as a stretch-four capable of both defensive switching and rim protection. His main weak spots are ball-handling and shot-creation, but he won't need to worry about that one bit next to Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. What the Pistons need is athleticism and shooting around those dynamic guards, and Hendricks fits the bill perfectly. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 6
Ideally the Magic would go with a point guard prospect here, but they simply can't pass on Whitmore, a freak athlete with a 40-inch vertical who displayed great catch-and-shoot promise at Villanova. An excellent cutter and above-the-rim finisher, Whitmore will fit nicely next to the playmaking of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 7   Ausar Thompson SF OVERTIME ELITE • 6'6" / 218 LBS
The Pacers need athletes who can run, run, run next to Tyrese Haliburton, so Ausar Thompson is a great choice. Thompson profiles as an elite transition finisher and off-ball cutter, while showcasing some intriguing upside as a defender and secondary playmaker. If the 3-point shot develops, we're talking about a potential multi-time All-Star here. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 8
The Bradley Beal trade signaled a rebuilding intention, and Black is a great place for Washington to start. His floor is relatively high given his basketball IQ, size and athleticism as a combo guard. The 3-point shot is a legitimate concern, but Black may be the best playmaker in the draft outside of Scoot Henderson, and has tremendous defensive upside with the ability to potentially guard multiple positions. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 9
Walker would help bring some defensive identity to a Jazz team that, despite overachieving, finished 23rd in the league in defensive efficiency last season. Already possessing an NBA body at 19, Walker is the ideal defensive big in the modern NBA, capable of guarding multiple positions and cleaning up the glass. He's also shown flashes of being a capable 3-point shooter and short-roll playmaker, which would only add to his value. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 10
A prototypical rim-running, shot-blocking center, Lively's athleticism and 7-7 wingspan should make him a perfect fit next to Luka Doncic and (maybe) Kyrie Irving. Lively could become the center of the future for the Mavs, providing vertical spacing in the dunker spot next to all the scoring and playmaking from the Dallas backcourt. | |||||||
From Chicago Bulls Round 1 - Pick 11
The Magic have a ton of playmaking and athleticism, so why not mix in some shooting? Dick is arguably the best shooter in the draft and he has legitimate size, in the mold of a more athletic Kyle Korver. With a tailor-made role the second he steps on an NBA floor, Dick is a perfect addition to a young team on the rise. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 12   Bilal Coulibaly SF FRANCE • 6'8" / 194 LBS
OKC is known for taking big swings, and taking Coulibaly -- a teammate of Victor Wembanyama who's rapidly rising up NBA Draft boards -- would certainly qualify. All the tools are there for Coulibaly to become an elite NBA wing someday, but it's going to take a lot of development to get there. The rapid growth the 18-year-old showed in such a short period of time in the top French league bodes well for his continued improvement. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 13
Whether Fred VanVleet returns or not, the Raptors desperately need another guard who can run the show, and Wallace can do it on both ends of the floor. He profiles as an elite perimeter defender with a 6-8 wingspan and a stout frame, while his playmaking and crafty finishing should keep him serviceable offensively while he works on his 3-point shot. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 14
New Orleans could use come backcourt help, and Bufkin has opened a lot of eyes from the conclusion of his final season at Michigan through the pre-draft process. He can operate the pick-and-roll as both a scorer and passer and, while he's not an elite athlete, his 6-8 wingspan allows him to get a lot of deflections which will help him more than hold his own on a stout Pelicans defense. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 15
I love Hood-Schifino as a prospect, and he would slot in nicely in Atlanta as a backup combo guard who can play next to both Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. The guy just doesn't do a whole lot wrong on the basketball court, and his 6-10 wingspan allows him to play much bigger than his size defensively. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 16   Leonard Miller SF G LEAGUE IGNITE • 6'10" / 210 LBS
The Jazz are in the asset collection business, and Miller would only add to their stock as a dynamic athlete with a 7-2 wingspan. The double-double machine is a tremendous finisher both in the half-court and transition, and has showcased some tantalizing ball-handling and playmaking ability that would significantly raise his ceiling. The shooting needs work, but Utah can afford to put in the development time. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 17
If the playoffs showed us anything, it's that the Lakers need shooting, and they would be absolutely ecstatic if Hawkins is still available when they make their pick. A JJ Redick-esque shooter who can knock them down on the move or spotting up, Hawkins can fit seamlessly next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He also has some playmaking and defensive upside that could eventually turn him into an elite shooting guard. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 18
Murray has the experience, basketball IQ and defensive capability to get playing time right away for the Heat, who lacked a true power forward all season despite making it to the Finals. The main area of concern for Murray is whether he can become a consistent knock-down 3-point shooter, particularly from the corners. If he can do that, he'll be a solid rotation player for years to come -- with upside for much more. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 19
I had George in the top 10 in my first mock, but I'm getting the sense that I value him more highly than most teams at this point. I still think he has elite three-level scoring potential with the ability to facilitate out of the pick-and-roll, something that the Warriors lack outside of Steph Curry and Jordan Poole. There's a sentiment that Golden State could draft someone a little more NBA-ready with this pick, but I think they have to take the best prospect, and that's George if he's still on the board. | |||||||
From Los Angeles Clippers Round 1 - Pick 20
Houston could use some shooting around all that athleticism, and Sensabaugh is elite in catch-and-shoot scenarios. His NBA body will allow him to get on the court immediately, even if he does have some defensive shortcomings, and he's adept in the mid-range when he gets run off the 3-point line. | |||||||
From Phoenix Suns Round 1 - Pick 21
Who knows what Brooklyn's plans are moving forward, so they might as well take the best player available at 21, and that's Smith. A self-creator extraordinaire, Smith has a silky smooth pull-up jumper and runner in the lane, and has stretches where he gets absolutely unconscious from 3-point range. He's not a playmaker as of yet, but he's a bona fide bucket-getter, which will at least get him some opportunities early. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 22
Knock-down shooters aren't easy to come by, and Howard is an exciting one at 6-8. He's a quick decision-maker who can spot up in transition or hit 3-pointers off the dribble, and has also flashed some playmaking ability off of closeouts. He's going to get targeted defensively, but his shooting ability makes it worth taking him at No. 22. | |||||||
From New York Knicks Round 1 - Pick 23
The Blazers need defensive help, and Clowney profiles as a mobile rim-protector who can play both the four and the five. He's a great finisher and can live in the dunker spot for some vertical spacing next to Damian Lillard, and he's also shown flashes of pick-and-pop and spot-up shooting -- though that's probably going to take some time to develop. | |||||||
Round 1 - Pick 24
I absolutely love Jones as a fit for Sacramento, who can make full use of his shooting, passing and quick decision-making. He has the chops to be a secondary playmaker, and constantly remains under control on both ends of the floor. He can guard multiple positions given his size and length, which should play nicely with the upstart Kings. | |||||||
From Memphis Grizzlies Round 1 - Pick 25
Whitehead is one of the more intriguing prospects in the class, and another recent foot surgery only adds to the mystery. If healthy, though, he could be the steal of the draft with his size and scoring ability. He'll fit in well with the Celtics, who launch 3-pointers at an incredible rate and will likely use this pick to start looking toward the future. | |||||||
From Cleveland Cavaliers Round 1 - Pick 26  James Nnaji C NIGERIA • 6'11" / 226 LBS
Nnaji is a bit of a project, but at 18 years old he's already shown tremendous defensive upside in terms of shot-blocking, rim protection and potential switchability. He has a relentless motor and is a beast on the glass, and while his offensive game lacks polish right now, he's still a capable lob threat and finisher at the rim. He'd be a nice piece to add to the Pacers' frontcourt, provided they have the patience to help him develop. | |||||||
From Denver Nuggets Round 1 - Pick 27  Rayan Rupert SF FRANCE • 6'6" / 193 LBS
The Hornets could use defensive help, and that's the main skillset that Rupert brings to the table with his massive 7-2 wingspan from the forward position. He should easily guard 1-3 at the NBA level, and his quick hands lead to a lot of deflections and steals. Offensively he has a long way to go, but he's fast enough to get out in transition and finish at the rim while he develops his shot. | |||||||
From Philadelphia 76ers Round 1 - Pick 28
Lewis is a fun, intriguing prospect who has showcased basically every skill you're looking for in an NBA wing -- catch-and-shoot prowess, one-on-one scoring, finishing at the rim, defensive versatility. His 7-foot wingspan allows him to collect steals and throw down some impressive dunks in traffic. He ran into trouble at Pepperdine trying to do a little too much, so he would flourish in a simplified role with the Jazz. | |||||||
From Indiana Pacers Round 1 - Pick 29
Jaquez dominated as a post-up and mid-range scorer at UCLA, two areas where he's likely not going to get many opportunities in the NBA. But when you watch the film, he looks like one of those guys who's always in the right place at the right time, constantly making the smart play. With the Nuggets trading into the first round, Jaquez is likely the type of win-now player they're looking to add to their championship roster. | |||||||
From Los Angeles Clippers Round 1 - Pick 30
Prosper, or "O-Max" as he's affectionately known, opened eyes during the pre-draft process as a potential All-Defense level player down the road. With a 7-1 wingspan and a 40-inch vertical, he can fit into any defensive scheme, and the Wizards would immediately be able to plug him into what looks to be a rebuilding roster. If his shooting continues to improve, Prosper could be looked back upon as one of the steals of this draft. |
