2023 NBA Mock Draft With Analysis – 2/7/23

The trade deadline is right around the corner, so the next version of this mock draft could look a bit different. Enjoy the madness that is about to happen, but first, enjoy this extended mock draft!

Draft lottery courtesy of http://www.tankathon.com

Pick	Team	Player	Stats	Commentary
1	San Antonio Spurs	C Victor Wembanyama, France – 7’4, 240 lbs	21.9 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 3.2 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. San Antonio wins the ultimate prize here. Wembanyama would usher in a new era of Spurs basketball.
2	Indiana Pacers	PG Scoot Henderson, USA/G-League – 6’3, 180 lbs	18.9 ppg, 5.8 apg, 4.5 rpg	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. The Pacers have their point guard of the future and present in Tyrese Haliburton, but would be foolish to pass on Henderson here. Pick him now and figure out the nice problem of having two dynamic lead guards on the roster later.
3	Washington Wizards	SF Brandon Miller, Fr, Alabama – 6’9, 200 lbs	18.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.0 apg	Brandon Miller is the best prospect in college basketball, and it is not particularly close. He has been a very consistent scorer all season, shooting over 44% from the three. Miller is the main reason Alabama is sitting pretty at 20-3 on the season. He is also a willing defender, basically the complete package as small as a modern day small forward is concerned. He would be a fantastic fit for a Wizards team that needs to make some changes.
4	Houston Rockets	SF Amen Thompson, USA/OT Elite – 6’7, 202 lbs	15.9 ppg, 6.0 apg, 6.5 rpg	Amen Thompson needs to work on his jumpshot, and it is a legit concern that he is almost 20 years old playing against a bunch of high school kids, but he is a top notch athlete and may be the best on the ball defender in this class. Throw in his ability to be a true point guard and the total package makes him a very intriguing prospect. The Rockets are full of black holes on offense, so a player who can do other things like Thompson would be a great addition.
5	Detroit Pistons	SF Ausar Thompson, USA/OT Elite – 6’7, 207 lbs	16.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.9 apg	An extremely unimpressive freshman class means four non-college prospects headline this particular mock. Ausar Thompson has been just as impressive as his twin brother Amen. Scouts say he is not quite the athlete Ausar is, but also has the ability to be a defensive minded, athletic point forward that can do a ton of little things to help his team win. The Pistons lack willing wing defenders like Thompson.
6	Charlotte Hornets	SG Keyonte George, Fr, Baylor – 6’4, 185 lbs	17.2 ppg, 3.1 apg, 4.5 rpg	Things really open up prospect wise after the top five guys are off the board. The next tier is full of talented players with serious flaws. Keyonte George has struggled badly with efficiency, but has shown enough explosiveness and scoring ability that he should be a solid lottery pick. The Hornets desperately need talent, no matter the position. He could form a future dynamic back court with LaMelo Ball.
7	Orlando Magic	SG Nick Smith Jr., Fr, Arkansas – 6’5, 185 lbs	12.8 ppg, 1.8 apg, 1.8 rpg	It has been a freshman season to forget for Nick Smith Jr. He missed time to start the year and now may be done for the season with a knee injury. I still find it hard to believe he will fall out of the top ten, however. He is a very gifted scorer, and every team in the NBA is clamoring for guards who can get their own offense. The Magic seem to be set in the front court, making a back court scorer option number one here.
8	Toronto Raptors	PF Jarace Walker, Fr, Houston – 6’8, 240 lbs	11.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.7 apg	It has taken a little while, but Jarace Walker is officially a force. Houston is a legit championship contender and Walker is playing a huge part, scoring between 15 and 25 points the past four games. Throw in the ability to hit three point shots and rack up steals, and he is a fantastic front court prospect who could be knocking on the door of the top five if he keeps this up. The Raptors could look very different in the next day or two.
9	New Orleans Pelicans	SF Gradey Dick, Fr, Kansas – 6’8, 205 lbs	14.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.6 apg	From LAL Other than Brandon Miller, perhaps no freshman has been as consistent and impressive as Gradey Dick. He has ideal size, length and the shooting stroke to be a real asset offensively. He is a better athlete than expected, and is a surprisingly effective defender. Dick is an easy fit for any team. He should get quite a bit of open looks playing for the Pelicans.
10	Oklahoma City Thunder	SF Cam Whitmore, Fr, Villanova – 6’7, 232 lbs	12.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 0.9 spg	From LAL Villanova is struggling like never before, and Cam Whitmore has been hit and miss in the early going, but he has a great deal of potential. He is tough, a strong slashing scorer and solid defender. You will have to do some projection here, but if he develops, you could have a guy who can score, shoot and barrel over weaker defenders. The Thunder are building a culture around defense and versatility, Whitmore would be a nice fit.
11	Portland Trail Blazers	PF Kris Murray, Jr, Iowa – 6’8, 225 lbs	20.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.8 apg	Kris Murray is looking like a spitting image of his twin brother Keegan. He should average 20 ppg for Iowa this year, showing the same type of offensive game that landed his broter in the lottery. The only worry is that he will be 23 by the time the season starts, but Portland has eyes set on the playoffs and would welcome the immediate production.
12	Orlando Magic	PG Anthony Black, Fr, Arkansas – 6’7, 198 lbs	12.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.0 apg	From CHI Anthony Black is a unique prospect. He is big and strong, a solid scorer with a better than anticipated jump shot. He plays solid defense, and can absolutely run the point guard position full time. He still needs to be more consistent offensively, but the potential is there to be a starting point guard in this league. After this theoretical mock, the Magic now have Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz, Anthony Black and Nick Smith Jr. fighting for minutes in the back court.
13	Utah Jazz	PF GG Jackson II, Fr, South Carolina – 6’9, 215 lbs	15.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 0.8 bpg	GG Jackson II, one of the youngest players in college basketball, is holding his own on an over-matched South Carolina team. He is a great athlete who can score off lobs and put backs, and his perimeter shot has been promising. A project to be sure, but the Jazz have a ton of upcoming draft picks, and should go after high ceiling guys like this.
14	Los Angeles Lakers	PG Cason Wallace, Fr, Kentucky – 6’4, 193 lbs	11.7 ppg, 3.5 apg, 3.6 rpg	From LAL Cason Wallace is not super exciting, but he is a solid scorer who can knock down threes. His calling card, however, is defense. He is already an NBA calibur peremiter defender, racking up 2 steals per game. The Lakers may prefer someone more NBA ready, but he could work his way into the starting point guard spot, and provide shooting and defense.
15	Atlanta Hawks	SF Brice Sensabaugh, Fr, Ohio State – 6’6, 235 lbs	17.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.5 spg	Brice Sensabaugh has not been asked to do much more than score, but he has exceled at that role, shooting 50% from the field. He has been a PER superstar thanks to his ability to chip in a few blocks and steals. The Hawks seem to draft the player with the most upside with their mid-first round picks, and do so again here.
16	Utah Jazz	SF Dariq Whitehead, Fr, Duke – 6’7, 220 lbs	8.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.2 apg	From MIN Like the rest of the Blue Devils, Dariq Whitehead has struggled with consistency during his limited playing time. The talent is still there, however. At his best he could be a high volume scorer from the wing positions. Like I mentioned before, this is the type of player the Jazz should target with mid-first round picks.
17	Golden State Warriors	SF Jett Howard, Fr, Michigan – 6’8, 215 lbs	14.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.5 apg	Jett Howard is a solid 3 and D type that every team would love to have coming off it’s bench. He is a very consistent scorer, can handle the rock and get some blocks and steals. The Warriors have not gotten much out of Moses Moody or James Wiseman, so hopefully they have more success here.
18	New York Knicks	SG Colby Jones, Jr, Xavier – 6’6, 205 lbs	15.0 ppg, 4.9 apg, 4.9 rpg	Colby Jones has exploded on the scene as a junior, doing it all for Xavier. Teams in the 20’s are going after these types of upperclassmen more and more, since they are cheap labor so to speak. The Knicks have struggled with consistency on offense, and Jones could offer that, if the head coach ever decides to play him.
19	New York Knicks	SG Maxwell Lewis, So, Pepperdine – 6’7, 195 lbs	20.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.9 apg	From DAL Gonzaga is not the only WCC team that produces NBA products. In 2022 it was Jalen Williams of Santa Clara, and this year Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis looks like a legitimate talent. He is basically the complete package as a wing, able to handle the ball, shoot and play some great defense. Guys like him are in high demand, and he could realistically find his way into the lottery come draft time. With Colby Jones and Lewis, the Knicks upgrade their bench with two guys who can play immediately.
20	Phoenix Suns	C Dereck Lively II, Fr, Duke – 7’1, 230 lbs	4.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.4 bpg	Dereck Lively II has found his role and executed it to near perfection. He had a 14 rebound, 8 block dominating performance during a Duke win against the rival Tar Heels. He may never average more than 10 points per game, but I think he will be a long time Tyson Chandler-like starting center in the NBA. The Suns will probably move on from DeAndre Ayton this off-season, opening up minutes at the five.
21	Miami Heat	SF Taylor Hendricks, Fr, UCF – 6’9, 210 lbs	14.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.8 bpg	While so many top freshman have struggled, a little known Central Florida recruit named Taylor Hendricks has exploded. He fits the new age power forward archetype to a tee. He can run the floor, block shots and score out to three point range. The Heat are criminally undersized, and the South Florida native could be a perfect fit.
22	Los Angeles Clippers	C Kyle Filipowski, Fr, Duke – 7’0, 230 lbs	15.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.5 spg	Kyle Filipowski is not overly athletic or strong, but he is already showing the ability to grab rebounds, knock down jump shots and play passing lanes on defense. He could have a nice career as a backup stretch-type big man. The Clippers are deep, but seriosuly lack front court backups, especially at center behind Ivica Zubac.
23	Sacramento Kings	SG Julian Strawther, Jr, Gonzaga – 6’7, 205 lbs	14.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 0.8 spg	Gonzaga has struggled at times this year, and so has Julian Strawther, but I remain a fan. He has nice size, is a good defender and can really shoot the ball, as evidenced by a 40 point outburst against Portland. As an upperclassman, he could come in right away and give the Kings, suddenly a real playoff contender, solid backup minutes.
24	Memphis Grizzlies	SG Terquavion Smith, So, NC State – 6’4, 165 lbs	18.5 ppg, 4.6 apg, 3.4 rpg	Terquavion Smith has not improved much from a solid freshman year, still struggling to shoot over 40%. He is the majority of the offense for a surpsing NC State team, however, and does a lot of things even when his shot is not falling. He may max out as a Lou Williams type, but he could battle for Sixth Man of the Year awards during his prime. Any team would love his instant offense off of the bench.
25	Brooklyn Nets	PF DaRon Holmes II, So, Dayton – 6’10, 225 lbs	17.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.0 bpg	DaRon Holmes II was perhaps the highest rated Dayton recruit ever, and he has been as good as advertised. Holmes is coming off of three straight double doubles and has the look of a young Bobby Portis. He is not a pure three point shooter, but can score, rebound and block shots. The Nets could look vastly different next year, and may rely on youngsters as they rebuild.
26	Indiana Pacers	SF Emoni Bates, So, Eastern Michigan – 6’10, 170 lbs	21.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.3 apg	From CLE Hey look, it is Emoni Bates. Remember this guy? The former “Next LeBron James” is putting up very strong, efficient numbers for a terrible Eastern Michigan team. It is not always easy for a talent to put up efficient numbers when the team is overmatched, ask Patrick Baldwin Jr., but Bates has been great. The Pacers have three first round picks, and this could be the ultimate lottery ticket this late in the first round.
27	Utah Jazz	SG Rayan Rupert, France – 6’6, 192 lbs	8.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.8 spg	From PHI Rayan Rupert is a long way from being a productive NBA player, but he is young and versatile, and could be a nice 3 and D player if he develops. The Jazz have three first round picks and would have no issue throwing him to the G-League wolves to slowly develop.
28	Charlotte Hornets	PF Noah Clowney, Fr, Alabama – 6’10, 210 lbs	10.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.1 bpg	From DEN Brandon Miller has not quite been a one man show for Alabama. Fellow lanky freshman Noah Clowney has been great as well. A project ofensively, he offers nice potential as a rebounder and shot blocker, and can knock down jump shots as well. Like I mentioned earlier, Charlotte needs young talent.
29	Houston Rockets	PG Marcus Sasser, Sr, Houston – 6’2, 195 lbs	16.0 ppg, 3.3 apg, 2.7 rpg	From MIL Marcus Sasser is not the most efficient or a natural “true” point guard, but he is athletic, can play some great defense and should bring quite a bit of veteran leadership to Houston, for whatever that is worth.
30	Indiana Pacers	PF Azuolas Tubelis, Jr, Arizona – 6’11, 245 lbs	20.8 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.1 apg	From BOS Azuolas Tubelis is definitely on the list for best player in college basketball. He is not a supreme athlete, but has good size, can rebound and knock down jump shots at a high level. He may have to be hid on defense, but you could do worse with the last pick in the first round.