The NBA has been in the headlines all week long with blockbuster trade after blockbuster trade. We know there will also be more “Draft Day” movement. Multiple teams have been rumored to want to move up in hopes of landing their next franchise players. While other teams in a more win-now position will likely part with draft picks to hopefully gain the missing piece to a championship team.
The draft class as a whole is one of the deeper classes in years. Many factors played into this class depth: the additional Covid eligibility year, NIL bringing back players for another year, and increased talent from the international game. These factors have led to more teams trying to gain more and more picks to bolster the depth of their roster rebuild. We know who the San Antonio Spurs will ultimately go with at #1 overall, but let’s dive into the rest of the draft to see who your favorite team will select in Thursday’s NBA Draft!
Go here for more NBA Draft content!
2023 NBA Mock Draft – Ryan “Moneyline Mac” McIntyre 2.0
Round 1
# | Team | Pick | Pos | College |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Spurs | Victor Wembanyama | C | France |
Wembanyama has been the consensus 1st overall pick all year. He is one of the most unique prospects in the history of this league because of his combination of skill and size. His nearly 8'0 wing span with guard like skills makes him one of the more can't miss players we've seen in the years of this draft. | ||||
2 | Hornets | Brandon Miller | SF | Alabama |
Miller was in the headlines often for the wrong reasons in his only year in Tuscaloosa, but his production on the floor did not disappoint. Brandon showed his ability to make shots on the perimeter as well as improving his ball skills as a playmaker in space. | ||||
3 | Trail Blazers | Scoot Henderson | PG | G-League Ignite |
Henderson is an impressive guard prospect because of his combination of athleticism and strength. He has improved his ball skills over the last year including his ability to score and create coming off ball screens. | ||||
4 | Rockets | Amen Thompson | PG | Overtime Elite |
The first of the Thompson brothers is considered arguably the best athlete in the draft. Amen is the better overall playmaker of the two and has the higher upside due to his athleticism and playmaking ability. | ||||
5 | Pistons | Cam Whitmore | SG | Villanova |
Whitmore has all the makings of a guy that will be a really good scorer at the next level for a lot of years. Cam is very good at getting the ball downhill towards the rim as well as making open perimeter shots. | ||||
6 | Magic | Ausar Thompson | SG | Overtime Elite |
The other Thompson brother is the more ready now prospect of the brothers. Ausar has displayed the defensive versatility that will translate to the next level in large part due to his great athleticism. | ||||
7 | Pacers | Jarace Walker | PF | Houston |
Walker is the best looking college prospect from a size and strength standpoint that helped him be an immediate defensive presence this past year at Houston. Jarace will have to improve his ball skills if he wants to take his game to another level on the offensive end. | ||||
8 | Wizards | Anthony Black | SG | Arkansas |
Black has very good size at the point guard position that helps him on the offensive and defensive end with his versatility. Anthony will have to improve his ability to make shots consistently from the perimeter at the next level. | ||||
9 | Jazz | Taylor Hendricks | PF | UCF |
Hendricks is a very good fit in the modern day NBA with his skill sets and size at his position. Taylor shot 40% from 3 at Central Florida while showing he could be a very good defender with his versatility. | ||||
10 | Mavericks | Dereck Lively | C | Duke |
Lively's game should translate better to the next level than in college because of his elite ability to protect the rim. Dereck battled injuries in his only year at Duke, but when healthy showed flashes of being an elite rim protector. | ||||
11 | Magicvia CHI | Gradey Dick | SG | Kansas |
Dick filled right in for Kansas this past season with his ability to make shots from the perimeter at a high clip. | ||||
12 | Thunder | Bilal Coulibaly | SF | France |
Coulibaly has risen up draft boards because of his size and athleticism on the wing. The elite level athlete haas as high an upside as anyone in this lottery. | ||||
13 | Raptors | Kobe Bufkin | PG | Michigan |
Bufkin has great size for a combo guard that can score the ball at all three levels. | ||||
14 | Pelicans | Jalen Hood-Schifino | PG | Indiana |
Hood-Schifino is a throwback player with great size at the point guard position that will help him be a good defender from day #1. | ||||
15 | Hawks | Cason Wallace | PG | Kentucky |
Wallace is a combo guard that can play on and off the ball while being able to guard multiple positions with his versatility. | ||||
16 | Jazzvia MIN | Jordan Hawkins | SG | UConn |
A March Madness name to remember, Hawkins helped the Huskies win their 5th title because of his elite level to make shots on the perimeter. | ||||
17 | Lakers | Nick Smith Jr. | PG | Arkansas |
Smith's ball skills and playmaking ability will translate to him being an immediate scorer at the next level from day #1. | ||||
18 | Heats | Keyonte George | SG | Baylor |
George showed flashes in his only year at Baylor of being a guy that could score the ball at all three levels with really ball skills. | ||||
19 | Warriors | Jett Howard | SG | Michigan |
Howard (son of Juwan Howard) showed flashes of a player that could be a very good shooter at the next level due to the combination of his size and shot making. | ||||
20 | Rocketsvia LAC | Kris Murray | PF | Iowa |
Murray, like his brother is a talented offensive player that can score the ball at all three levels. | ||||
21 | Netsvia PHX | Noah Clowney | C | Alabama |
Clowney has good feel around the rim and has a nose for the ball on the offensive glass as well. | ||||
22 | Nets | Jaime Jacquez | SF | UCLA |
Jacquez was a 4-year staple for UCLA, where he consistently displayed his high basketball IQ and winning traits that will help a team from Day #1. | ||||
23 | Trail Blazersvia NY | Olivier Maxence Prosper | PF | Marquette |
Prosper made a huge jump this past season and his point forward like ball should translate well at the next level. | ||||
24 | Kings | Leonard Miller | SF | G-League Ignite |
Miller has great size, a really good motor, and solid ball skills for a front court player. | ||||
25 | Grizzlies | Brandin Podziemski | SG | Santa Clara |
Podziemski enters this draft class as one of the best shooters, where he shot 44% from 3 this last year at Santa Clara. | ||||
26 | Pacersvia CLE | Dariq Whitehead | SG | Duke |
Whitehead showcased the ability to be a really good strong downhill scorer. | ||||
27 | Hornetsvia DEN | Brice Sensabaugh | SF | Ohio St |
Sensabaugh has the ability to be an elite perimeter shooter, where he shot over 40% from 3. | ||||
28 | Jazzvia PHI | Rayan Rupert | SF | France |
Rupert is a young international prospect has a high ceiling due to his 7'3 wing span combined with great athleticism. | ||||
29 | Pacers via BOS | Ben Sheppard | SG | Belmont |
Sheppard has a very high basketball IQ that presents tough matchups for defenses with his size and ball skills. | ||||
30 | Clippersvia MIL | James Nnaji | C | Nigeria |
Nnaji has really good size and will be a high upside project for whichever team selects him in this draft. |
Round 2
# | Team | Pick | Pos | College |
---|---|---|---|---|
31 | Pistons | Colby Jones | SF | Xavier |
Jones has great size for a wing that can make shots and defend multiple positions with his versatility. | ||||
32 | Pacers | Marcus Sasser | PG | Houston |
Sasser displayed his ability to score the ball at all three levels at the highest level at Houston. | ||||
33 | Spurs | Maxwell Lewis | SG | Pepperdine |
Lewis has a great length and size at the wing position that helps him be able to create his own shot when needed. | ||||
34 | Hornets | Trayce Jackson-Davis | PF | Indiana |
Jackson-Davis a throwback big who is arguably the best 1 on 1 guy on the block in this year's draft. | ||||
35 | Celtics | Jalen Wilson | SF | Kansas |
Wilson can score the ball at all three levels and does a really good job of getting the ball downhill at the rim in transition. | ||||
36 | Magic | Julian Phillips | SF | Tennessee |
Phillips size and athleticism was shown in flashes in his only year at Tennessee that should translate at the next level. | ||||
37 | Nuggets | Andre Jackson | SF | UConn |
Jackson was the glue to the National Championship run by UConn this past season, he is one of the most unique prospects in this class. | ||||
38 | Kings | Sidy Cissoko | SF | G-League Ignite |
Cissoko is a unique prospect because of his point forward like skills with his size and high basketball IQ. | ||||
39 | Hornets | Julian Strawther | SG | Gonzaga |
Strawther does a great job of getting the ball downhill and has shown the ability to score at all three levels. | ||||
40 | Nuggets | GG Jackson | SF | South Carolina |
Jackson has such a high ceiling because of his ball skills for a player at his size. | ||||
41 | Hornets | Amari Bailey | SG | UCLA |
Bailey showed flashes in his only year at UCLA of a prospect that has really good athleticism and size. | ||||
42 | Wizards | Terquavion Smith | SG | NC State |
Smith is a natural scorer that scores the ball at all three levels with really good ball skills. | ||||
43 | Trail Blazersvia NY | Seth Lundy | SF | Penn St |
Lundy has really good size for a wing and proved his ability to make perimeter shots at Penn St, where he shot 40% from 3. | ||||
44 | Spurs | Jordan Walsh | SF | Arkansas |
Walsh only played one year at Arkansas, but proved with his size and athleticism that he is one of the best perimeter defenders in the Draft. | ||||
45 | Grizzlies | Tristan Vukcevic | PF | Serbia |
Vukcevic is the typical project prospect that you take in the 2nd round because of his size and skill. | ||||
46 | Hawks | Kobe Brown | SF | Missouri |
Brown has an old school power game at the wing position and also has a very high basketball IQ. | ||||
47 | Lakers | Keyontae Johnson | SF | Kansas St |
Johnson resurrected his career in Manhattan last year with one of the best feel good stories, he is a talented scorer at the wing position. | ||||
48 | Clippers | Jalen Pickett | PG | Penn St |
Pickett is a throwback PG because of his ability to post smaller defenders and make plays for himself and others. | ||||
49 | Cavaliers | Emoni Bates | SG | Eastern Michigan |
Bates entered college as one of the most talented prospects, but has struggled to stay out of trouble. | ||||
50 | Thunder | Ricky Council IV | SG | Arkansas |
Council has really good athleticism at the wing position and has improved his perimeter shot making. | ||||
51 | Nets | Adam Sanogo | C | UConn |
The horse for the National Champions, is a throwback big who is able to score in the post and rebound out of his area. | ||||
52 | Suns | Chris Livingston | SF | Kentucky |
Livingston's combination of size and athleticism at Kentucky has made him an intriguing prospect. | ||||
53 | Timberwolves | Isaiah Wong | SG | Miami |
Wong proved in back to back March Madness runs that he is able to score the ball from all three levels. | ||||
54 | Kingsvia NY via CHI/i> | Jordan Miller | SF | Miami |
Miller is a highly skilled and IQ lefty that is able to create for his teammates. | ||||
55 | Pacers | Mouhamed Gueye | C | Washington St |
Gueye showed flashes in Pullman of a guy that could really score in the post with great size. | ||||
56 | Grizzlies | Adam Flagler | PG | Baylor |
Flagler was the next really good veteran guard at Baylor that could score from all three levels. | ||||
57 | Wizards | Azuolas Tubelis | PF | Arizona |
Tubelis is a highly skilled big that should have his skill sets should translate at the next level. | ||||
58 | Bucks | Jaylen Clark | SG | UCLA |
UCLA really missed Clark in the postseason because he was their tough glue guy on the defensive end. |