2023 NBA Mock Draft: Victor Wembanyama a…

It was always Wembanyama. It was just a matter of his destination. Foregone conclusion that he’ll now be headed to San Antonio, even if Spurs brass after winning the pick seemed to play coy.

Hard to imagine Charlotte taking Scoot Henderson with LaMelo Ball in place. Miller fits perfectly in the Hornets’ system as a big, scoring wing.

Maybe not the most seamless fit next to Damian Lillard, but Henderson’s the clear top prospect available here for the Trail Blazers.

Thompson is an elite playmaker who possesses the ability to make advanced reads as a potential lead guard. He profiles as someone who could be the initiator for an NBA offense, potentially setting up Houston to maximize its investments in Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr.

Detroit has very few glaring holes on its roster but wing is absolutely one of them. Whitmore is one of the most explosive vertical athletes in this class who can hit 3-pointers and attack closeouts. Good fit next to Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey.

Black had a great freshman season with Arkansas and profiles as a connective tissue in the NBA because of his size, skill, scoring and playmaking. With Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner in place he could be a key piece in the backcourt to help expand Orlando’s offensive system.

Walker could go as high as No. 5 to Detroit in this draft so this would be a nice value for the Pacers. He’s a physically ready prospect who plays with relentless energy on both ends and projects cleanly as a do-it-all power forward who can stretch the floor.

There’s some steam behind Thompson that he might be one of the five best prospects in this class. Would be huge for the Wizards if he hits as a do-it-all combo guard.

The meteoric rise last season of Santa Clara star Jalen Williams — and his subsequent stellar season as a rookie with OKC — has taught us not to overlook mid-major stars. Hendricks is perhaps the latest example of that, as he starred for UCF last season as a sharpshooting forward who can protect the rim and be a havoc-wreaker on defense.

Tall wings who have the ability to shoot it — and do so successfully in the multitude of ways Dick can shoot it — don’t come around every draft. His game is tailor-made for an NBA role player with room to grow into more alongside a superstar in Luka Doncic.

Perhaps Orlando looks elsewhere here after going guard with its first pick in this mock, but Wallace’s skill set is so different and complementary to Black that the two could coexist successfully. One of the best playmaking defenders in this class.

OKC was in the bottom half of the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage last season and Hawkins would be a clear fit in its system next to two playmaking guards in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey.

Toronto’s built a versatile roster full of players who can thrive being used in multiple ways. George projects mostly as a chucker who can create his own offense, but there’s some playmaking to his game that reminds of Bradley Beal.

Murray had a breakout season for Iowa averaging north of 20 points per game while showing off range as a 3-point shooter. He’s a combo forward who brings versatility, polish and size, all assets for a team looking to surround Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram with weapons.

NBA teams are always on the hunt for combo guard/creators like Hood-Schifino, and he flashed enough on both ends at Indiana to push for a potential lottery spot in this year’s draft. Great frame, really good defensively, and knows how to attack and make plays off the bounce. His shot needs to become more developmentally consistent but the tools here are undeniable.

A second-year player for Michigan, Bufkin blossomed into a bona fide first-round talent this past season. He has a nice combination of scoring and creation that might make him an appealing two-way guard in the league.

Rupert is a toolsy prospect with a great frame and a defensive baseline that presents promise, but he remains very raw in terms of what he can bring to the table on the offensive end. If his shot comes around, there’s a lot to like, but there’s not much right now that suggests he can be an NBA player anytime soon. Definitely a developmental prospect.

The stats listed above don’t do justice to how impactful Lively was at the end of the season for Duke and how impactful he can be as an NBA player. He’s an above-the-rim threat on both ends of the floor who can be a game-changer defensively protecting the basket.

I’m not ranking Jackson this high on the Big Board — he’s closer to 30 than 20 for me — but I won’t be surprised if he goes higher than expected and jumps into this range by the draft. The former No. 1 overall recruit in his class reclassified and is one of the youngest players in the class. NBA teams love youth with room to grow, and Jackson presents an intriguing developmental case.

A nagging knee injury cost Smith Jr. real exposure to showcase himself on a big stage this season after carrying momentum into the season as a potential top-three pick. But the No. 1 recruit from the 2022 class, an immensely talented scorer and slasher, is still someone I think teams will be glad to bring in and develop, and in this range he’d be a no-brainer.

As a four-star prospect ranked 85th in his class, Sensabaugh wasn’t even on the one-and-done radar entering the season. But his production with Ohio State is tough to ignore. Uses his big frame well and smashed in his role as a rotation piece hitting 40.5% of his 3-pointers on the year.

Miller tested the NBA Draft waters and had some first-round buzz before ultimately withdrawing and committing to the G League Ignite. Now he’s built upon that momentum as a scorer and rebounder who, while still a tad raw, has the physical tools and size to warrant mid-to-late lottery consideration.

Whitehead had a topsy-turvy season at Duke and didn’t quite live up to expectations as a five-star, consensus top-five recruit, in part because of injuries and inconsistencies that resulted from that. ESPN reported that his preseason right foot injury did not heal properly and requires a follow-up procedure, so teams will want to make sure his medicals check out.

Big men who don’t shoot 3-pointers don’t pop off the page as definite first-rounders, and yet Jackson-Davis by most measures appears to be an anomaly. He’s a dominant interior scorer and rebounder who shows great touch and makes great plays as a passer.

This is a bit of a plunge from where I last had Howard — which was late lottery — but I’m still very much in on him as a top-30 player in this class. Really good shooter with an excellent frame who has touch on floaters, in the mid-range and from beyond the 3-point line.

One of my favorite prospects in this class. Jones is one of those players who can fade in and out of games, then you look up and he has 10 points, seven assists and eight rebounds. Impacts winning in a variety of ways.

A four-year player who may be overlooked by teams looking for youth, Jaquez doesn’t wow with athleticism, but he’s a smooth operator who has the smarts and skill to stick as a role player.

Coulibaly is a late riser in the 2023 class who has showed flashes of excitement for Mets 92 as a teammate of Victor Wembanyama’s. He’s a raw prospect who has the physical ability, athleticism and length that teams like in wings.

Smith is a twitchy athlete who I thought was a first-round talent a year ago before withdrawing and returning to NC State. He basically held steady production-wise but his improvement as a passer and decision-maker has unlocked even more upside for him.

After Peyton Watson was snagged in the first round last year after an underwhelming one-and-done season at UCLA, I find it highly unlikely Bailey and his five-star pedigree slip further in this draft. He was admittedly streaky, but he flashed some scoring punch down the stretch for the Bruins and has nice flash as an athlete that could make him a slasher/scorer type in the league.