2023 NBA Mock Draft With Analysis – 11/15/22

Draft order based on 1. record. 2. point differential. Since this is an extended mock draft, I decided to run a lottery generator to get the draft order because it’s my website and I can do what I want!

I base my mocks off of my ever changing NBA 2K23 2023 Draft Class. Meaning it is not just a list of freshmen. There are always limited number of freshmen that declare every year, so you will actually see some upperclassmen in this mock.

Pick	Team	Player	Stats	Commentary
1		C Victor Wembanyama, France – 7’4, 240 lbs	21.2 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.8 bpg	No need to type up a team/player fit for Victor Wembanyama. He is 100% guaranteed to be the top pick. The most hyped prospect in years has lived up to the billing, with jaw dropping performances on national television. He is a legit 7’4 with the ball handling skills of a guard, a great shooting stroke and all defensive NBA potential. Just pray to the basketball gods that he can stay healthy. History has not been kind to players as tall as him. Other than LaMelo Ball, the Hornets have been draft losers for years. Wembanyama would completely turn this franchise around.
2		PG Scoot Henderson, USA/G-League – 6’3, 180 lbs	22.6 ppg, 9.3 apg, 4.7 rpg	From LAL The Anthony Davis trade could be the gift that keeps on giving for New Orleans. Scoot Henderson is more than just a consolation prize for whoever loses out on the top pick. He is an elite talent, and is a perfect fit as a 2023 NBA point guard. He is big, strong, an aggressive scorer and talented distributor and defender. He has 20/5/5 potential right out of the gate.
3		SG Nick Smith, Fr, Arkansas – 6’5, 185 lbs	N/A	Things really open up a bit after the top two guys above, with several players fighting for number three status at the moment. Nick Smith sat out Arkansas season opener with a precautionary injury, but it should not affect him going forward. He is an aggressive, flashy scorer and should have no problem averaging 20 points per game pretty quickly. Will the Warriors actually miss the playoffs? The West sure is tough, so maybe.
4		SF Amen Thompson, USA/OT Elite – 6’7, 202 lbs	N/A	Amen Thompson needs to work on his jumpshot, but he might be the best on the ball defender in this class, and is a solid ball handler and scorer as well. He may be more of a De’Andre Hunter type than a true alpha, but he does a lot of things that helps produce winning basketball. Detroit has a few guys who can create their own offense, but no one that does the other things that Thompson can provide.
5		SF Brandon Miller, Fr, Alabama – 6’9, 200 lbs	17.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 1.0 bpg	The Rockets are the youngest team in the NBA, and need to go after the best player available without worrying about position. It has only been two games of course, but Brandon Miller has shown tremendous scoring ability, flying all around the court, and rebounding and playing defense as well.
6		SG Keyonte George, Fr, Baylor – 6’4, 185 lbs	16.0 ppg, 6.7 apg, 6.0 rpg	Paolo Banchero has been great, but the Magic need more fire power. Keyonte George is a fantastic combo guard who can play point guard in the NBA. He has more upside than any of the Magic guards, especially when it comes to scoring. It is hard to be successful in today’s NBA if you do not have a few guys that can get their own offense.
7		PF GG Jackson II, Fr, South Carolina – 6’9, 215 lbs	15.0 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.5 spg	The Spurs are starting over from scratch, and needs talent at any position. GG Jackson II was the top 2023 recruit who reclassified to 2022 and joined his hometown Gamecocks. Jackson II is a springy, athletic big man, not unlike current Spur Jeremy Sochan. Jackson II has quite a bit more offensive upside however, and could make a huge impact as a run and gun power forward.
8		SF Dariq Whitehead, Fr, Duke – 6’6, 220 lbs	N/A	From MIN The Rudy Gobert trade is already paying huge dividends for the Jazz, as they get a top 8 pick from Minnesota here. Dariq Whitehead is out indefinitely for Duke with a broken foot, but should still be a lottery pick. He has good size, is quite strong for a wing and can really get after it defensively.
9		SF Ausar Thompson, USA/OT Elite – 6’7, 207 lbs	N/A	From CHI It will be interesting to see how the Overtime Elite program develops NBA players. Ausar is not quite the athlete and scorer that his brother is, but could wind up as a point forward type who can shut things down defensively. He is the type of “do a little bit of everything” type guy the Magic really need.
10		PF Jarace Walker, Fr, Houston – 6’8, 240 lbs	11.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.0 apg	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might be too good to keep the Thunder from truly tanking, though I am sure they will shut him down for the season if things get out of hand. Jarace Walker was the highest recruit Houston has had in a while, and so far so good. He is strong, tough, can handle the ball and has a developing perimiter shot.
11		SF Cam Whitmore, Fr, Villanova – 6’7, 220 lbs	N/A	Cam Whitmore is injured, and freshmen have historically had a tough time making an impact at Villanova, but I will keep him in the lottery for now. Whitmore, like a lot of high schoolers developing at the college level, struggles with his jumpshot, but has great size and is lethal in transition and cutting to the basket. The Nets are a complete mess right now, so who knows if they will try to trade this pick for immediate help.
12		SG Terquavion Smith, So, NC State – 6’4, 165 lbs	22.5 ppg, 5.5 apg, 2.5 spg	Terquavion Smith could have been a first round pick as a freshman, but returning to school was unquestionably the right move. He is off to a monster start, scoring from everywhere and terrorizing ball handlers defensively. I think he is the best non-freshman prospect in basketball. He would be a great combo guard off the bench for the Knicks with the opportunity to take over as the starting shooting guard in short order.
13		SF Gradey Dick, Fr, Kansas – 6’8, 205 lbs	17.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.0 apg	It is looking like freshman Gradey Dick is going to get big minutes for Kansas, and is squarely on the 2023 draft radar. It is all about shooting here. Dick is tall, lanky with a hard to guard jump shot. He is a good athlete who can chip in a bit defensively. Every team in the NBA needs shooting, Sacramento included.
14		SG Cason Wallace, Fr, Kentucky – 6’4, 193 lbs	11.5 ppg, 6.5 apg, 5.5 rpg	The Pacers have been quite competitive, and have a boatload of picks coming up. Things are looking up. Here they go with the best player available in Cason Wallace. He would give the Pacers another ball handling combo guard to go along with franchise cornerstone Tyrese Haliburton.
15		PF Kris Murray, Jr, Iowa – 6’8, 225 lbs	18.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.0 apg	It is early, but Kris Murray is looking like a spitting image of his twin brother Keegan. He could average 20 ppg for Iowa this year, showing the same type of offensive game that landed his brother in the lottery. Murray would be a great fit for a Heat team that really struggles to generate offense at times, especially from the front court.
16		SF Dillon Mitchell, Fr, Texas – 6’8, 205 lbs	7.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 0.5 bpg	From PHI The Longhorns are bringing Dillon Mitchell along slowly, but he has already started to show off his amazing athleticism. He dropped a double double during his second game of the season in just 18 minutes and has not missed a shot in two games. He is a project to be sure, but the type of prospect the surprising Jazz are looking to add.
17		PG Anthony Black, Fr, Arkansas – 6’7, 198 lbs	6.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.5 apg	Anthony Black is a jump shot away from being a top 7 pick. His offensive game is tough to watch, but he has great size, is a legitimate point guard, and has very good defensive instincts. He could be a top reserve for the Raptors with the ability to play three positions.
18		SG Julian Strawther, Jr, Gonzaga – 6’7, 205 lbs	14.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.5 spg	I am a big Julian Strawther fan, and think he could be an NBA contributor right away. He paid his dues at Gonzaga, and has developed into a crafty scorer who can chip in some steals as well. The Lakers have limited options to add talent to this roster, so drafting an upperclassmen could be a wise move.
19		C Kel’el Ware, Fr, Oregon – 7’0, 210 lbs	6.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.5 bpg	Big men usually start slow in college, and I expect Kel’el Ware’s usage to expand as the season goes on. He is a very athletic and engaging big man, especially on defense. On offense, he has the ability to keep defenses honest with his jump shot. A project to be sure, but the Clippers could use a backup big man. Los Angeles has been, by far, the worst drafting team of the past ten years.
20		SF Jett Howard, Fr, Michigan – 6’8, 215 lbs	15.0 ppg, 4.5 apg,, 2.5 rpg	From WAS Jett Howard carried over his impressive summer work to the regular season. The “only one game” disclaimer applies, but the coaches son should get plenty of run on a good Michigan team, thanks to his length and shooting stroke. New York could have three first round picks in 2023, so this is a great opportunity to supplement bench talent, or trade for an established player.
21		SG Rayan Rupert, France – 6’6, 185 lbs	8.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.6 spg	From DAL With one of three first round picks, the Knicks opt for potential here. Rayan Rupert, like a lot of French prospects, is versatile and can do a lot of things on the floor. Play defense, slash to the basket, handle the ball. He would be a good developmental prospect for New York.
22		C Kyle Filipowski, Fr, Duke – 7’0, 230 lbs	12.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 2.0 apg	Kyle Filipowski is not overly athletic or strong, but he is already showing the ability to grab rebounds and knock down jump shots. He could have a nice career as a backup stretch-type big man. The Suns have not seemed to have much of an interest in developing rookies in recent seasons.
23		C Dereck Lively II, Fr, Duke – 7’1, 230 lbs	4.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.0 bpg	From CLE Minutes in the Duke front course are fierce right now, and Dereck Lively II could get lost in the shuffle a bit. Still, he is too talented to not be a first round draft pick. He may max out as a Tyson Chandler type, that plays strong defense but relies on put backs to get his point. Still, that should be good enough to be a long time starting center.
24		SF Mark Mitchell, Fr, Duke – 6’8, 220 lbs	15.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.5 apg	Mark Mitchell was thought to be the Duke freshman that struggled a bit out of the gate, but he has been fantastic to start the season. He is a very athletic combo forward who can shoot and slash on offense. Minutes in Memphis could be hard to come by, but I would like him more than David Roddy and Jake LaRavia as a prospect to develop.
25		PG Caleb Love, Jr, North Carolina – 6’4, 200 lbs	21.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.0 apg	It has taken a while, but former top recruit Caleb Love has developed into one of the top players in college basketball. His jump shot remains a work in progress, but he has good size and scoring instincts. He would be a very good backup guard in Atlanta, and could handle the two or three minutes that Trae Young and Dejounte Murray sit on the bench.
26		PF Leonard Miller, Canada/G-League – 6’10, 208 lbs	12.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.3 spg	Another Ignite prospect, Leonard Miller hails from Canada. He is extremely raw, even for a G-Leaguer, but has good size and strong defensive instincts. He may never be a strong scorer, but brings energy and would be a good pick for a Jazz team with three selections here.
27		PF DaRon Holmes II, So, Dayton – 6’10, 225 lbs	16.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.5 bpg	From POR I do not like to mock for needs this late in the first round, but Chicago desperately needs size anywhere they can get it. DaRon Holmes II was a top 50 recruit that surprisingly chose Dayton, and has quickly developed into a solid NBA prospect. He has good length, can really get after things defensively, and can stretch the floor out to 18 feet or so.
28		SG Amari Bailey, Fr, UCLA – 6’5, 185 lbs	11.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.0 apg	From DEN Playing for a deep, veteran UCLA team, Amari Bailey is nothing more than a scorer at this stage of his development, but could develop some ball handling skills as things go forward, making him a potential first guard off the bench for the Hornets.
29		PG Marcus Sasser, Sr, Houston – 6’2, 195 lbs	15.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.0 apg	From MIL Marcus Sasser will be 23 when the draft rolls around, and does not have huge upside, but should quickly develop into a very solid backup point guard with the chance to start when needed. Hilariously enough, he could instantly be a veteran presence for a very young Houston roster.
30		SF Arthur Kaluma, So, Creighton – 6’7, 225 lbs	17.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg,	From BOS Arthur Kaluma  is big, strong and a creative scorer. His lack of a jump shot is the reason he falls to the 20’s, but if he can knock down enough jump shots to keep defenses honest, could be a valuable commodity. He gives the Pacers yet another scoring option.