2023 NBA Mock Draft (V1)

Image via Getty/Ethan Miller

Position: Forward 

Height: 7’4”

Weight: 196 pounds

Age: 19

This selection has been a no-brainer for over a year. Victor Wembanyama is one of the most hyped prospects in NBA history. Standing at 7-foot-4, Wemby moves like a wing, shoots like a wing, and protects the rim at a high level. He’s the ultimate unicorn and no matter what team lands the No. 1 spot, they will be selecting Wemby. Wemby would inject life into a Spurs that has been nearly unwatchable the past few years. 

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 196 pounds

Age: 19

This pick might come as a surprise to readers, considering that the Blazers already have Damian Lillard at point guard, but there could be a tough decision to make this summer. If the Blazers keep this pick, drafting Henderson and moving forward with him, Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons is probably the best direction for the franchise to go in and trading Lillard.

Position: Forward

Height: 6’9”

Weight: 200 pounds

Age: 20

Brandon Miller’s game doesn’t need much explanation. In a league dominated by wings, Miller is a 6-foot-9 do-it-all forward who can handle the ball, shoot at an elite level and has flashed the ability to be a high-level playmaker for others. The combination of size, length and shooting makes him a lay-up top three pick.

Position: Forward

Height: 6’8”

Weight: 240 pounds

Age: 19

Walker already possesses an NBA-ready body at 6-foot-8, 240 pounds. Combine that with his athleticism and the fact he played for Kelvin Sampson at Houston, he will be an impact multi-positional defender from day one in the NBA. His 34.7 3-point percentage also shows untapped potential as a shooter at the next level.

Position: Forward

Height: 6’9”

Weight: 210 pounds

Age: 19

The Magic have made it quite clear that they value length & versatility at every possession. Few prospects pair those things as well as Taylor Hendricks does at his 6-foot-9 frame. An average of 1.8 three pointers made per game  39 percent and 1.7 blocks per game make him one of the most unique players in the draft and with the Magic having two picks in the lottery going for upside with their higher pick makes sense. The length Fultz, Wagner, Banchero, Hendricks, & Carter would present defensively embodies what the NBA has become in 2023.

Position: Point Guard

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 190 pounds

Age: 19

The Wizards have desperately tried to find a point guard to pair with Bradley Beal longterm for years. For the first time since drafting John Wall No. 1 in 2010 we have the Wizards opting to find their point guard of the future in the draft. Cason Wallace’s defense and spot-up shooting are the skills that can translate from Day 1. While there’s reasons to be skeptical of his upside as a creator, he could be anywhere in between Jrue Holiday and Marcus Smart offensively once he reaches his prime.

Position: Forward

Height: 6’7”

Weight: 215 pounds

Age: 18

Outside of Wembanyama and Henderson, Whitmore could possess the most upside of any player in the draft. At 18 years old, he already has a grown man’s body but has elite athleticism combined with legitimate ability to create offense for himself from beyond the arc and at the rim. Do not be surprised if he turns out to be one of the stars of this draft three years down the line.

Position: Forward

Height: 6’8”

Weight: 195 pounds

Age: 19

Gradey Dick fits the modern NBA game perfectly. He’s a 6-foot-8 sharpshooter with respectable athleticism. Off those qualities alone you can find a longtime role for him in the NBA. He shot 40 percent from deep this season despite having his share of erratic shooting performances, his shot will fall on the next level. You’ll have to see if he can grow in the shot creation category but there’s a role for him in this league. OKC has one of the best young cores in the league and Dick will fit in well as another 6-foot-8 player that can shoot the rock. 

Position: Guard

Height: 6’6”

Weight: 190 pounds

Age: 18

Rayan Rupert fits the mold of the type of player the Raptors have drafted in the past. He’s raw, he’s extremely young, and he has elite physical tools (7-foot-3 wingspan). With names like Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, & Chris Boucher, very few teams have developed players as well as the Raptors have in recent years. It’s easy to see Masai Ujiri betting on Rupert’s upside with his staff’s track record of developing and drafting. 

Position: Center

Height: 7’1”

Weight: 230 pounds

Age: 19

Coming out of high school, Dereck Lively II was the No. 1 player in the class according to ESPN. Lively got off to a slow start at Duke, hampered by injuries and adjustment to the college game, which led to people questioning what they saw in him as a prospect. That quickly dissolved in the second half of the season when Lively started to dominate games defensively. He won games without scoring. He’s still very raw offensively but his ability to switch on to perimeter players to go along with his elite rim protection are valuable traits to make an instant impact. He also has potential as a shooter which would skyrocket his value at his size. 

Position: Guard

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 185 pounds

Age: 19

George was up-and-down as a freshman, shooting just 37.6 percet from the field and 33.8 percent from 3-point range. But there is no denying his offensive skill set, and it’s fair to wonder if most of his inefficiency boils down to shot selection and refining his game. He has unlimited range on his jumper and can create his own offense without screen.

Position: Guard/Wing

Height: 6’7”

Weight: 198 pounds

Age: 19

Anthony Black’s lack of shooting is a concern, but he makes up for it in every other area of the game. He’s a quality playmaker for himself and others, can defend multiple positions on the perimeter, and has one of the highest IQ’s of any player in the draft. More aggressiveness on the court could take his game to another level.

Position: Guard

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 185 pounds

Age: 18

Smith Jr. experienced a rollercoaster of a season at Arkansas, battling through injuries and trying to find a role on the team after missing time. He wasn’t particularly efficient as a freshman (37.6 percent shooting), but he was a consensus top-five recruit. That pedigree combined with a team believing he is more capable than what he was able to show at Arkansas is enough for somebody to take flier on him. He can score from all three levels on the floor, is most comfortable in the mid-range, and has intriguing length.

Position: Forward

Height: 6’8”

Weight: 215 pounds

Age: 21

Although they’re identical twins, Kris Murray is not like his brother Keegan on the court. With that being said, Kris can still have a solid NBA career. He’s still provides a team with floor spacing at his size and was a great rebounder at Iowa. He’s a better shooter than his numbers show last year and he was definitely hampered by injuries early in the season. Even as a rookie, he provides some maturity to a Rockets that’s really young. 

Position: Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 210 pounds

Age: 18

Clowney is the prototypical stretch big man prospect. At 6 ‘10 he has the height and length to play both the power forward and center position, while flashing potential as a shooter at the next level. As his body develops, so will his game, making him a viable pro and rotational big man.

Position: Forward

Height: 6’7” 

Weight: 195 pounds

Age: 20

Maxwell Lewis is firmly a lottery talent in my eyes. He has three-level scoring potential, and despite his defense being more about potential than reality at this point of his development, it’s hard to believe with his agility and size that he isn’t eventually a positive on defense. He’s good from two (52.6 percent), above average from three (34.8 percentage), and gets to the line (4.4 free throw attempts per game.) I’m buying all the stock and despite the Nets being stacked with wings they should go for the best player available here.

Position: Guard/Wing

Height: 6’6” 

Weight: 195 pounds

Age: 18

If Dariq Whitehead had a healthy season at Duke, he’d likely go in the top seven and as early at No. 5. We never really saw the real Dariq Whitehead at Duke even when he had big games. Whitehead didn’t come into Duke as a shooter but he shot the lights when he was on the floor, shooting 43% percent from deep. While he may not live up to that number, if the jumper continues to improve and he regains his confidence and athleticism back, this will be an absolute steal at No. 22 for the Nets. 

Position: Forward

Height: 6’9” 

Weight: 215 pounds

Age: 18

After reclassifying in high school, GG Jackson comes in as one of the younger prospects in the draft. He looked young at many points this season playing for a struggling South Carolina team but the upside is there. He has potential to seriously stretch the floor and he’s very-skilled freak athlete. Give him an opportunity to learn and fail and you could get the best out of him. 

Position: Guard/Wing

Height: 6’6” 

Weight: 210 pounds

Age: 21

This might seem like a reach but when you get to this portion of the first round, you start to look for players that have a specific trait to fill a need. National champion Andre Jackson is a superb defender and perfect glue guy for winning teams. The Kings are a winning team that still has its struggles defensively. Adding a guy like Jackson that can defend off the bat and be that glue guy on the floor would be a great fit. 

Position: Guard/Forward

Height: 6’6

Weight: 207 pounds 

Age; 20 Years Old

Colby Jones could be one of the best plug and play pieces in the draft. He’s a great connective player which can best be shown by complimentary skills such as his shooting (37.8 percent from 3), rebounding (5.7 rebounds), and his passing (4.4 assists per game compared to only 2.3 turnovers.) He’s an efficient basketball player that does all the little things well and aside from the Ziaire Williams pick in 2021 the Grizzlies have shown that they like going best player available in the first round.

Position: Forward

Height: 6’6 

Weight: 235 pounds

Age: 19

Brice Sensabaugh is an interesting prospect. He’s got a husky frame but isn’t necessarily a bruiser. In fact, he was one of the better shooters in college basketball as a freshman and overall scorers in this draft. He’s a pure bucket getter. The questions will be with his ability to guard wings or interior guys. 

Position: Guard

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 194 Pounds

Age: 19

Kobe Bufkin is one of the most underrated players in the draft. Offensively, he’s a good finisher, good catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter, good at attacking closeouts, and he can create for himself. Defensively, he should be able to guard both guard spots in the NBA. The huge jump from his freshman Year to his sophomore Year indicate he’s willing to put the work in to improve and despite being a sophomore, he will only be 19 on draft night. You’re betting on his upside.

Position: Forward

Height: 6’10’

Weight: 211 Pounds

Age: 19 

Leonard Miller to the Hornets is a dream fit. His experience playing alongside an elite lead guard & playmaker like Scoot should ensure that his transition playing alongside LaMelo Ball should be seamless. The Hornets need as much versatility at the forward spots as possible with the Miles Bridges situation still affecting them. Drafting Jarace Walker & Leonard Miller in the same draft is a huge step in improving your forward depth in both the short term and the long term.

Position: Center

Height: 6’10” 

Weight: 225 pounds

Age: 18

James Nnaji is the second best international big man in this class after Wemby. He’s a raw a talent who will need some years of development as the game is still fairly new to him but the potential is there. He’s playing in the second best league in the world. His physicality to go along with his defensive potential may be worth the wait. 

Position: Guard

Height: 6’4” 

Weight: 165 pounds

Age: 20

Do not be deterred by Smith’s size, he plays much bigger than his listed 165-pound weight. An explosive scorer, Smith can light teams up from deep but also has a lightning quick first step that allows him to get by defenders and to the rim in the blink of an eye. He will need to rein in his shot selection and become more efficient, while also keeping his head in the game when things begin to go south on the court. But the talent is undeniable, and he is one of the best scorers in this draft.