2023 NBA Mock Draft: Scoot Henderson goes ahead of Brandon Miller at No. 2; Lakers land elite sharpshooter

rewrite this content material with complete period and stay HTML tags Victor Wembanyama C France • 7’4″ / 237 lbs Projected Team San Antonio PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st PPG 21.6 RPG 10.4 APG 2.4 3P% 27.5% Call me unconventional, but I think Wembanyama is a dark horse to go No. 1 overall. In all seriousness, 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. Scoot Henderson PG G League Ignite • 6’2″ / 195 lbs Projected Team Charlotte PROSPECT RNK second POSITION RNK 1st PPG 16.5 RPG 5.3 APG 6.8 3P% 27.5% Given the positional redundancy with LaMelo Ball, I perceive why many professionals be expecting Charlotte to head with the better-fitting Brandon Miller right here. I simply suppose Henderson is a a lot better prospect, and the Hornets are in no place to be choosy about have compatibility at this level. Henderson is as dynamic of a guard prospect as we’ve got observed, and one supply informed me that whilst it isn’t most likely, he would not be SHOCKED if Henderson ended up having a greater NBA profession than Wembanyama. High reward, certainly. Alabama • Fr • 6’9″ / 200 lbs Projected Team Portland PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 2nd PPG 18.8 RPG 8.2 APG 2.1 3P% 38.4% 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. Miller has the shot-creation and playmaking upside to become much more, 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. Amen Thompson SF Overtime Elite • 6’6″ / 214 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK third POSITION RNK 1st PPG 16.4 RPG 5.9 APG 5.9 3P% 25% It could be nice for the Rockets to get a extra seasoned prospect to lend a hand get an grownup within the room, however they may be able to’t move up Amen Thompson right here. An completely explosive, elite athlete, Thompson has limitless upside on each ends of the ground, despite the fact that it is going to take a little time for him to meet it. UCF • Fr • 6’8″ / 214 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 2nd PPG 15.1 RPG 7 APG 1.4 3P% 39.4% 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. Villanova • Fr • 6’6″ / 235 lbs Projected Team Orlando PROSPECT RNK fifth POSITION RNK third PPG 12.5 RPG 5.3 APG 0.7 3P% 34.3% Ideally the Magic would cross with some degree guard prospect right here, however they only cannot move on Whitmore, a freak athlete with a 40-inch vertical who displayed nice catch-and-shoot promise at Villanova. An superb cutter and above-the-rim finisher, Whitmore will have compatibility effectively subsequent to the playmaking of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Ausar Thompson SF Overtime Elite • 6’6″ / 218 lbs Projected Team Indiana PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 4th PPG 16.3 RPG 7.1 APG 6.1 3P% 29.8% 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. Arkansas • Fr • 6’6″ / 210 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK ninth POSITION RNK second PPG 12.8 RPG 5.1 APG 3.9 3P% 30.1% The Wizards want a win right here, and Black’s ground is somewhat prime given his basketball IQ, dimension and athleticism as a combo guard. The 3-point shot is a sound fear, however Black is also the most efficient playmaker within the draft out of doors of Scoot Henderson, and has super defensive upside being able to probably guard more than one positions. Baylor • Fr • 6’4″ / 185 lbs Projected Team Utah PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 1st PPG 15.3 RPG 4.2 APG 2.8 3P% 33.8% George is a flat-out bucket-getter, and would be a great fit in Utah as a combo guard capable of playing on or off the ball. He may not bring the defensive toolbox that the Jazz could use at this juncture, but with a top-10 pick it’s worth taking a swing on George’s upside as a potential 20-point scorer at a position of need. Houston • Fr • 6’7″ / 249 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK eighth POSITION RNK 1st PPG 11.2 RPG 6.8 APG 1.8 3P% 34.7% The Mavs tanked onerous for this pick out, and if they do not business it then Walker could be a super have compatibility to lend a hand deliver some defensive id to a crew that seemed misplaced after the Kyrie Irving business. Already possessing an NBA frame at 19, Walker is the perfect defensive giant within the trendy NBA, succesful of guarding more than one positions and cleansing up the glass. He’s additionally proven flashes of being a succesful 3-point shooter and short-roll playmaker, which might most effective upload to his worth. Kansas • Fr • 6’6″ / 204 lbs Projected Team Orlando PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 5th PPG 14.1 RPG 5.1 APG 1.7 3P% 40.3% 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. Bilal Coulibaly SF France • 6’8″ / 194 lbs PPG 5.0 RPG 3.1 APG 0.8 3P% 45.2% OKC is understood for taking giant swings, and taking Coulibaly — a teammate of Victor Wembanyama who is lately burst onto the NBA radar — would without a doubt qualify. Look, all of the gear are there for Coulibaly to be an elite NBA wing at some point, however it’ll take so much of building to get there. The speedy expansion the 18-year-old has proven in one of these brief length of time bodes neatly for his endured development. Kentucky • Fr • 6’3″ / 195 lbs Projected Team Toronto PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 4th PPG 11.7 RPG 3.7 APG 4.3 3P% 34.6% 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. Duke • Fr • 7’1″ / 230 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK second PPG 5.2 RPG 5.4 APG 1.1 3P% 15.4% A prototypical rim-running, shot-blocking middle, Lively’s athleticism and 7-7 wingspan will have to get him mins straight away. If New Orleans shall we Jaxson Hayes stroll in limited loose company, Lively may change into the middle of the long run for the Pelicans with Jonas Valanciunas’ contract set to run out at the top of subsequent season. Lively is an ideal have compatibility within the dunker spot subsequent to all of the scoring and playmaking at the Pelicans’ roster. Indiana • Fr • 6’4″ / 217 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 3rd PPG 13.5 RPG 4.1 APG 3.7 3P% 33.3% 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. Leonard Miller SF G League Ignite • 6’9″ / 213 lbs Projected Team Utah PROSPECT RNK twenty first POSITION RNK sixth PPG 18.0 RPG 11.0 APG 1.6 3P% 32.7% The Jazz are…