With work comes discovery. We’re just a few days away from the 2023 NBA Draft and in working on my now complete NBA Draft Guide, I found the talent in this draft to be deeper than I had originally thought.
Similar to last season, there is a presumed “Big 3” at the top of this year’s draft with Alabama’s Brandon Miller, the G-League’s Scoot Henderson, and of course, the French once in a lifetime prospect Victor Wembanyama. However, despite this draft likely being known as “the Wemby draft” for the rest of history, the class has some real solid depth especially on the wings.
Here, you’ll get a condensed version of the guide breaking down my top 30 prospects in the draft, starting with my top 10.
For the full guide, click here.
1. Victor Wembanyama (C, France): 7’4”/229 lbs.
Stats: 21.6 PPG/10.4 RPG/2.4 APG/47.0% FG/27.5% 3P/0.7 SPG/3.0 BPG/82.8% FT
Played with Metropolitans 92 in Betclic Elite League last season.
BEST PLAYER I’VE EVER EVALUATED. The most fun player I’ve ever evaluated. He’s the Patrick Mahomes of basketball. Does almost everything extremely well. Could be the best prospect of all time.
His combination of size and mobility is once in a generation. His ability to adapt and move his body with and without the basketball in impressive for a player his age.
Imagine if Kevin Durant and Rudy Gobert were combined. His upside is that high on both ends of the floor. A stellar defender, especially at the rim. He can produce in every way offensively. Could be a seven-foot-plus primary ball-handler.
He’s outrageously thin and gets bullied by bigger players at this stage. That will improve as time goes and he fills out. You’d like his assist numbers to be higher if he’s going to handle the ball a lot. Needs to become more efficient from three.
Player Comparison: Kevin Durant/Rudy Gobert
2. Brandon Miller (SF, Alabama): 6’9”/200 lbs.
Stats: 18.8 PPG/8.2 RPG/2.1 APG/43.0% FG/38.4% 3P/0.9 SPG/0.9 BPG/85.9% FT
Consensus All-American, 2x SEC POY, All-SEC Tourney, SEC All-Freshman, SEC ROY, SEC Tourney MVP.
At first glance, he just looks like a basketball player. Great size and length and he moves well with and without the basketball. Not a true weakness to his game. Does a little bit of everything.
He’s an outstanding shooter in every facet. Great and creating his own shot off the dribble. Uses picks really well. Great in the catch-and-shoot game. Loves shots from wing to wing. He’ll score in bunches if he can finish more consistently.
Really solid athlete on both ends of the floor. He’s a solid versatile defender that can guard multiple positions. Has a good handle and can break down defenders. Very laterally quick for his size.
He’s a thin player that needs to not only bulk up, but simply get stronger. He was getting pushed around at times in college and may struggle early because of that. He’ll likely play a lot of PF in the NBA also, so he needs to be able to consistently play inside. Really bad occurrence off the court could give teams pause.
Player Comparison: Paul George
3. Scoot Henderson (PG, G-League Ignite): 6’2”/195 lbs.
Stats: 16.5 PPG/5.4 RPG/6.5 APG/42.9% FG/27.5% 3P/1.1 SPG/0.5 BPG/76.4% FT
Played with the G-League Ignite last season.
Plays with a sensational amount of effort on both ends. He’s a dog. Has supreme athleticism with great speed and body control. Plays downhill and constantly works above the rim. Very active defender.
Phenomenal shot creator from all over the floor. He should score at a high rate right away. Outstanding finisher at the rim with a great handle. Can be very crafty, but can also finish with explosion.
Has a solid eye for passing which bodes well for his size and position. He plays like a combo guard that can pass rather than a pass-first point guard. He won’t lead the league in assists, but he has an eye for drawing attention and getting rid of it.
He’s a good shooter, but needs to improve his shot selection. He’s a high-volume scorer with often poor decision-making. He shot under 30% from three last season which needs to improve if he wants to draw more attention from the perimeter.
Player Comparison: Derrick Rose
4. Amen Thompson (PG, Overtime Elite): 6’7”/202 lbs.
Stats: 16.3 PPG/6.4 RPG/6.2 APG/56.8% FG/23.3% 3P/2.4 SPG/0.8 BPG/64.6% FT
Played with Overtime Elite last season.
A true matchup nightmare at the guard position given his size and superior athleticism. Triple-double threat. Runs the floor like a deer and moves swiftly and smoothly. Plays with a ton of verticality and forces defenses to make quick decisions in transition due to his speed.
An outstanding passer who sees plays before they happen. Has a knack for delivering passes on time and on target. Not afraid to be flashy and deceptive. Sensational rebounder for his position and truly uses his size.
Outstanding ball-handler and playmaker. Really solid finisher at the rim and gets really crafty when he gathers in momentum. A plus defender with great length and anticipation for passing lanes. One of the best perimeter defenders in the draft.
He really struggles as a shooter and it may never get there. He shows a willingness to fix his mechanics and improve, but the results have not been there. He may struggle a bit as an efficient scorer if that doesn’t change.
Player Comparison: Ben Simmons
5. Ausar Thompson (SG, Overtime Elite): 6’7”/207 lbs.
Stats: 16.3 PPG/6.9 RPG/6.1 APG/48.3% FG/30.0% 3P/2.7 SPG/1.3 BPG/67.1% FT
Played with Overtime Elite last season.
Scary how similar twins can be because Ausar plays a lot like Amen. Ausar has a great feel for the game just like his brother and has highlight reel athleticism. I like Ausar a little more at SG than PG, but can easily play both spots.
He’s an elite perimeter defender and could be the best defender in the draft. A force on that end of the floor who plays with passion and great anticipation.
Great playmaker and passer with great court vision. Not as committed to passing as his brother, but he is a bit of a better shooter. Ausar’s form is not pristine, but he has upside as a shooter. Good finisher at the rim.
He plays similar to his brother which means similar flaws. He needs to improve as a spot-up shooter and overall perimeter offensive player.
Player Comparison: Dejounte Murray
6. Emoni Bates (SF, Eastern Michigan): 6’9”/190 lbs.
Stats: 19.2 PPG/5.8 RPG/1.4 APG/40.5% FG/33.0% 3P/0.7 SPG/0.5 BPG/78.2% FT
All-MAC. Former #1 high school recruit. Transfer from Memphis.
Preface. I’m extremely bullish on Bates. His reputation is shot, but his talent is still there in my eyes. He’s a special shot creator and shooter. I think he has some of the highest upside in the draft. An easy first round pick.
His shot making ability is some of the best in the draft. Efficiency numbers don’t reflect his shooting stroke. Extremely quick release that’s impossible to defend. Limitless range. He will score at the NBA level if given the opportunity. Somebody has to give him a shot.
A really well-rounded game. Solid rebounder and passer for his size and position. Plays a good brand of defense despite his thin frame and lack of real length. Good shot blocker and lateral mover. Slightly above average athleticism. Not much of a hole anywhere.
His plummet after high school will scare teams off and it should. He really underwhelmed at Memphis and was injured. Heard he’s not as easy to work with personally. That and his lack of elite length destroyed his stock and it’s understandable.
Player Comparison: Paul Pierce
7. Jarace Walker (PF, Houston): 6’8”/240 lbs.
Stats: 11.2 PPG/6.8 RPG/1.8 APG/46.5% FG/34.7% 3P/1.0 SPG/1.3 BPG/66.3% FT
All-AAC, AAC All-Freshman, AAC ROY.
One of the more pro-ready players in the draft. Has a wide array of skills that will translate immediately to the NBA game. His frame is NBA ready and he won’t get pushed around like some rookies will. Gets after it on the glass on both ends.
Sets a mean pick and rolls smoothly to the basket. Has great hands on both the interior and perimeter. Really improved his jumpshot from high school, though it still needs some work. Has tons of upside as a 3-level scorer. Absorbs contact like a pro.
Very good versatile defender that can guard all five positions. This is his best quality. Blocks shots well and can contest with the best in the draft. Has great lateral quickness and plays with a ton of passion.
He’s a loose ball-handler that could be prone to turnovers. Also not a great passer. At Houston, the ball often got stuck in his hands. If his jumpshot doesn’t get more consistent, it could limit his offensive upside. Not a great free throw shooter.
Player Comparison: John Collins
8. Taylor Hendricks (PF, UCF): 6’9”/210 lbs.
Stats: 15.1 PPG/7.0 RPG/1.4 APG/47.8% FG/39.4% 3P/0.9 SPG/1.7 BPG/78.2% FT
All-AAC, AAC All-Freshman.
A springy athlete that plays with verticality, especially when standing underneath the basket. A really good shot blocker who uses his length and leaping ability to protect the rim despite having a thin frame.
Great defender both on the perimeter and the interior and excels in the screen game on both ends. Works well with switches and stays in front of his man. Excellent as a deceptive screen and pop player.
A consistently improving shooter and overall scorer. Not a true weakness to his offensive game with tons of upside to improve. Shows ability in the post and as a face-up pull-up player. Some of the best two-way ability in the draft.
He does have a thin frame which could limit his ability to play long stretches on the inside. Not much of a shot creator yet and it may take him a couple of years to get there. Not much creativity when cutting to the basket.
Player Comparison: Pascal Siakam
9. Cam Whitmore (SF, Villanova): 6’7”/232 lbs.
Stats: 12.5 PPG/5.3 RPG/0.7 APG/47.8% FG/34.3% 3P/1.4 SPG/0.3 BPG/70.3% FT
Big East All-Freshman, Big East ROY.
Crazy athlete with a ton of explosiveness, especially off the dribble. Has a wicked first step off the catch and bursts out of the triple threat. Plays with as much verticality as anybody in the draft.
Very good finisher at the rim with a nose for finding space around the rim. Knows when to attack and when to finish with touch. Finishes in traffic with the best in the draft. Highlight reel dunker. Can also hit jumpers at a decent rate.
A solid perimeter defender with outstanding upside on that side of the floor. Good rebounder for his size on both ends. Plays aggressively on the defensive side diving for loose balls and winning through screens.
He can shoot a little, but can definitely improve in that area. He also isn’t much of a playmaker or a shot creator. Much of his offense will need to be made for him. Can become a bit of a ball stopper in an offense.
Player Comparison: Miles Bridges
10. Cason Wallace (PG, Kentucky): 6’4”/193 lbs.
Stats: 11.7 PPG/3.7 RPG/4.3 APG/44.6% FG/34.6% 3P/2.0 SPG/0.5 BPG/75.7% FT
SEC All-Freshman
An incredibly high basketball IQ and a rare understanding of the game. A young kid that doesn’t make many mistakes and plays with great patience. Always seems to be in the right place at the right time. A coach’s dream.
A special perimeter defender who has a knack for picking the ball away. A big time chase down artist who plays with a ton of energy and a passion for defense. Not a superior athlete, but it doesn’t seem to matter.
Has high upside as a scorer despite not creating his own shot very often. Has soft touch around the rim and kills bigs with the floater. Has a quick release from beyond the arc and can cause damage as a shooter from all over the floor.
His upside is a bit limited since he doesn’t often create his own shot. Also not a great athlete so he may struggle bursting through lanes and finishing through contact consistently. A good floor general, but you’d like his assist numbers to be higher.
Player Comparison: Jrue Holiday
