Final NBA Mock Draft projections ahead of this week's 2023 NBA Draft in Chicago.
We have finally arrived at the doorstep of the 2023 NBA Draft. The San Antonio Spurs are officially on the clock and will select we-all-know-who with the No. 1 overall pick when the festivities kick off at 8 PM E.T. on Thursday, June 22.
From there, the floodgates of possibility open. There has been frenzied trade chatter starting with the Hornets and the Blazers at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, and then spiraling out through the rest of the lottery.
Regardless of whether or not those trade talks ultimately amount to anything, expect plenty of surprises. This is an unusually deep class, at least at the top, and the perceived weakness of the 2024 class could make teams desperate to strike while the proverbial iron is hot.
Let's dive into all 58 picks.
2023 NBA Mock Draft: NBA Draft Lottery, Nos. 1-14
No surprises here. Victor Wembanyama is a truly generational, once in a lifetime prospect. The Spurs already flew Gregg Popovich out to France after the lottery. Wemby sported the highest usage rate ever for a European prospect. He's 7-foot-5, comfortable spraying 3s, attacking defenders in isolation, or playing simple pick-and-roll. He's an elite finisher at the rim and he's the best defensive prospect in the draft for good measure. Guards seldom dare challenge him at the rim.
There has been a lot of buzz around Scoot Henderson potentially surpassing Brandon Miller in Charlotte's eyes. Both held second workouts in front of outgoing team owner Michael Jordan. That said, it feels a lot like trade posturing. Miller is the cleaner positional fit next to LaMelo Ball and a better shooter. He spent virtually the entire summer in this spot and that won't change now.
The Blazers should be thankful if Scoot Henderson does ultimately fall to No. 3. The trade possibilities are vast, starting with New Orleans and Zion Williamson. Henderson is the best non-Wemby prospect in my book and, while the fit next to Lillard is not entirely clean, the Blazers' backcourt should be able to co-exist, even thrive.
The Rockets' decision here could be determined by their confidence in signing James Harden, which appears to be waning significantly. Amen Thompson is a genius-level playmaker and nuclear athlete who pairs excellently with Jalen Green due to his defensive versatility and ability to pressure the rim. If Harden's not in the mix, handing the keys to the offense to Thompson is the right move.
The Pistons reportedly have fans of Ausar Thompson in the front office. This is the very front of Ausar's range from the looks of it, but he makes a lot of sense running the floor with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey in the backcourt. He's 6-foot-7 and already a tremendous defender, plus his jumper is further along than his aforementioned twin.
If the Magic can't get either Thompson twin, that could signal Anthony Black's swift rise into the top-6. Black is arguably the best perimeter defender in the draft at 6-foot-7, possessing instincts well beyond his age and a fiery competitive spirit. His poor jumper is a mild concern when projecting his fit with Orlando, but he's one of the most selfless, reactive teenage playmakers you'll find. He would provide sturdy connective tissue for an offense built around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
The Pacers appear to be Jarace Walker's floor after a strong pre-draft workout cycle. The Houston product is the best defender coming out of the college ranks and he would make a fearsome pairing alongside Myles Turner in the Indiana frontcourt. On the offensive end, Walker flashes tantalizing upside as a face-up threat with a unique blend of brute force scoring ability and playmaking touch.
Bilal Coulibaly is a strong candidate to join teammate Victor Wembanyama in the lottery. He took on expanded duties in the French playoffs and thrived, showcasing previously unseen ability to explode downhill and feast on straight-line drives. He's one of the best 18-year-old defenders in recent memory and he shot a respectable percentage from 3 for Metropolitans 92. The Wizards can afford the upside swing at the front end of their rebuild.
Jalen Hood-Schifino has been receiving rave reviews on the workout circuit and the Jazz are considered big fans. He makes a lot of sense for Utah's offense — a big playmaking guard with projectable touch inside the arc and tremendous dribbling craft. The Jazz need guards and can afford the upside swing on Hood-Schifino with three first-round picks to burn.
Cam Whitmore appears to be a candidate to tumble on draft night. The Mavs would have to be ecstatic about this outcome, pairing Whitmore's explosive downhill scoring with the versatile playmaking talents of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. This would provide Whitmore the perfect opportunity to streamline his offensive responsibilities early on while focusing on defensive fundamentals and receiving plenty of open lanes to the hoop on offense.
The Magic have been tied to Dereck Lively after struggling with rim protection in a big way last season. Two non-shooters in Black and Lively is a slight risk given the generally compressed spacing the team dealt with last season, but Lively is a uniquely intelligent defender for his age and athletic profile. He can start his career behind Wendell Carter Jr. while also sharing the frontcourt with the (other) Duke product in bigger lineups.
OKC should be thrilled with Taylor Hendricks' availability here. He's the perfect fit — another defensive monster to round out the frontcourt alongside Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, and Jalen Williams. Hendricks can switch 1-4 and he's an elite weak side rim protector. He doesn't have the offensive ceiling of other lottery candidates, but he shot almost 40 percent from deep at UCF and he's a bouncy finisher in the paint. OKC has a gaggle of playmakers already; Hendricks can comfortably play to his strengths.
Kobe Bufkin is another guard receiving major pre-draft hype. The Raptors have been billed as his floor, which speaks to how swiftly and substantially he has vaulted up draft boards. Toronto needs guard help more than any NBA team. Bufkin fits their general M.O. of versatility and competitiveness on defense while offering upside as a slasher and secondary playmaker long term.
The Pelicans have their star power (for now). And frankly, depth is not an issue. Health has been the main factor holding New Orleans back, so this pick could go any number of directions. Cason Wallace makes sense as a dynamite perimeter defender and rock-solid connective playmaker who is ready to contribute from day one. He lacks the volume scoring upside of other guards in this range, but he scores his points efficiently and limits mistakes on both ends. The combined defensive efforts of Wallace, Herb Jones, and Dyson Daniels could make New Orleans extremely difficult to score on.
2023 NBA Mock Draft: NBA Draft First Round, Nos. 15-30
The Hawks get their Kevin Huerter replacement in Gradey Dick. This is probably about as far as Dick would tumble on draft night. He's arguably the best shooter on the board and he possesses excellent team awareness on the defensive end. His skinny frame and limited burst make him prone to mismatches, but he's 6-foot-8 and won't get picked on. His passing chops are legitimate and he loves to run out in transition, an attribute Trae Young would frequently reward him for.
The Jazz use their second top-16 pick on a more surefire contributor in Jordan Hawkins, who is right alongside Dick in the conversation for "Best Shooter Available." His movement shooting ability is very real and it's not hard to translate that into any offense, much less Utah's movement-heavy, sugar-sharing system. There are questions about the rest of Hawkins' skill set, but he will light up the nets and compete hard defensively with some positional size at 6-foot-5.
The Lakers grab NBA-ready offense in the form of Jett Howard, the son of LeBron's former teammate Juwan Howard. The younger Howard is an elite shooter with positional size at 6-foot-8. He has a long way to go defensively, but Howard's electric shot-making ability and burgeoning ancillary skill set make him a safe bet post-lottery.
Nick Smith Jr. struggled to win over skeptics in his lone season at Arkansas. Injuries limited his availability and he was never quite 100 percent. There are red flags tied to any skinny score-first guard, but Smith's touch inside the arc is truly special and he already has a great feel for cutting and moving without the rock. On the ball, his shifty, stop-start handles make him a handful to contain. He's also a wildly underrated defender. The Heat seem to get the most out of everybody, so it's tough to imagine a better landing spot for FanSided's No. 8 prospect.
The Warriors appear to be transitioning away from their "two timelines" focus on high-upside prospects and into win-at-all-costs mode. Kris Murray is on the experienced end of the collegiate spectrum and he provides the Warriors with immediate winning habits on the wing. His 3-point shooting, passing, and positional defense are worthy of investment here.
Brandin Podziemski can satiate Houston's desire to start prioritizing the present over the future. He's only a sophomore and has upside in his own way, but Podziemski isn't the most explosive athlete or the most prolific advantage-creator. What he does do is spray 3s, read the floor like a good book, and always put himself in the right position defensively. He's the perfect connective tissue guard for a backcourt featuring dynamic creators like Amen Thompson, Jalen Green, and Kevin Porter Jr.
Keyonte George is slipping down draft boards in the final week and it's not hard to understand why: 6-foot-4 combo guards who shoot 37.6 percent from the field do not fit the mold teams are looking for in the modern NBA. That said, George is laser-sharp from 3-point range and he is comfortable creating for teammates out of pick-and-rolls. His pull-up shooting is bankable and he has the capacity to draw a lot of fouls on drives to the cup. His limited burst is a hang-up, but the Nets need another playmaking boost in the backcourt. George is the best guard available.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper has been the champion of the pre-draft process. His performance at the combine vaulted him into the first-round conversation and he has continued to thrive on the workout circuit from the looks of it. Explosive 6-foot-8 wings who can defend across the positional spectrum and shoot 3s tend to have fans in the NBA. O-Max could rise even further than this on Thursday night.
The Blazers have an identity crisis. The youth movement with Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, and now Scoot Henderson is strong, but Damian Lillard wants to win. If Portland keeps the No. 3 pick, that increases the odds of either Lillard getting traded or, as a less drastic measure, this pick getting traded. If the pick is kept, however, there's definite appeal in the idea of Noah Clowney. The versatile defensive big can plug an immediate hole in the frontcourt while possessing untapped offensive upside.
Ben Sheppard helped his standing with a strong combine performance. Wings with positional size, shooting ability, and ancillary skill tend to garner attention from NBA front offices. Sheppard can splash movement 3s and he's equally comfortable attacking closeouts and locating the open shooter off drives to the rim. He feels like the kind of plug-and-play, 3-and-D wing Sacramento should be prioritizing.
James Nnaji is built with monstrous size, strength, and explosiveness. His 7-foot-7 wingspan begets tremendous rim protection upside. He's an elite finisher at the rim, for obvious reasons. The Grizzlies were unable to survive multiple frontcourt injuries last season. Nnaji offers insurance as an 18-year-old playing rotation minutes for one of Europe's top clubs, Barcelona.
There has been plenty of buzz connecting Leonard Miller to Indiana. The Pacers seem to be prioritizing size and versatility on the wing. Miller is a bit raw, but few 6-foot-10 players can move with such shiftiness on the offensive end. He flashes playmaking upside tied to his roots as a point guard and he should be able to defend 2-5 as his frame fills out and his fundamentals improve.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. has unsurprisingly wowed teams on the workout circuit with his basketball I.Q. and competitive spirit. He doesn't shoot a ton of 3s and there are valid concerns about his frame defensively, but Jaquez is endlessly clever in the bucket-getting department. He would give the Hornets an experienced, potential day-one contributor to share the backcourt with Ball and Miller.
Dariq Whitehead looked like a shell of himself at Duke and then proceeded to have his second foot surgery of the year after the season, which has prevented him from working out for NBA teams. That will probably impact where he ends up, but the high school tape, youth, and 3-point shooting make him an absolute must-have player in this range. He is the No. 9 prospect on the FanSided board; Utah could be getting the steal of the draft here. A Danny Ainge special.
Brice Sensabaugh has also been unable to workout due to a lingering injury, which is unfortunate when one considers the sheer dominance of his freshman campaign at Ohio State. There weren't many better shot-makers in college basketball last season. Sensabaugh will have to prove his chops on the defensive end, but he's an elite shooter who could be well-positioned to attack rotating defenses off of passes from Tyrese Haliburton and Jarace Walker.
Colby Jones is the quintessential Clipper: a rangy defensive wing who has a lot of tools in the toolbox offensively. Jones doesn't necessarily have one elite standout skill, but he can shoot, cut, pass and finish. He's an underrated athlete with some real shiftiness attacking downhill.
2023 NBA Mock Draft: NBA Draft Second Round, Nos. 31-60
The Pistons have invested a lot in the frontcourt with Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, James Wiseman, and Marvin Bagley. The backcourt is set. This draft offers them the ability to double-dip on wing talent. Maxwell Lewis is a suitable upside swing to start the second round given his 3-and-D attributes and potential as a slasher, although his lack of winning at Pepperdine is a mild concern.
Andre Jackson Jr. has a lot of winning habits. He won't score much and defenses will ignore him on the 3-point line, but Jackson finds ways to impact the game with his athleticism in transition or as a screener and passer in the halfcourt. Plus, he's a tremendous wing defender, something the Pacers need more of.
Parles-tu français? The Spurs go international again to grab French wing Rayan Rupert, who played in the Australian NBL last season. Not many 18-year-olds can reliably contribute in pro leagues, so Rupert deserves recognition for his defensive intensity and scoring flashes at 6-foot-7.
GG Jackson was an absolute mess at South Carolina but he was also a high-usage, go-to scorer at 17 years old. What did you expect? Jackson was originally a top prospect in the class of 2024 before reclassifying to join the Gamecocks a year early. The results were heavily mixed, but he's built like a tank and he can create his own shot, so the risk is worthwhile for the Hornets. Charlotte has several second-round picks to take wild swings with.
The Celtics could be in the market for frontcourt depth depending on how the rest of the summer shakes out. Trayce Jackson-Davis is undersized at 6-foot-8, but he plays comfortably above the rim on offense and he's a better passer than your typical center.
Jordan Walsh is a former five-star recruit who bought into his 3-and-D role for the talent-laden Razorbacks as a freshman. There are concerns about his consistency on the offensive end, but he's a bursty athlete with elite length and absolutely bonkers point of attack defensive ability.
The Nuggets dip into the well of experienced college prospects to select Gonzaga's Julian Strawther, who holds obvious appeal as a 3-and-D wing with positional size and a penchant for playing in transition.
Amari Bailey helped his stock with a strong combine performance. The freshman is still 19 years old and he presents upside as a 6-foot-5 guard defender and secondary playmaker to flesh out the Kings' backcourt.
Tristan Vukcevic was another combine standout. There are questions about his defensive ceiling (and floor, frankly) but 7-footers who can bomb 3s and score facing up like Vukcevic tend to draw eyeballs.
The Nuggets grab a feisty point of attack defender and bombs-away pull-up shooter in Marcus Sasser, who played a central role for one of the best teams in college basketball last season. He's limited in upside because of his 6-foot-1 frame, but the Nuggets have invested in small guards before and Sasser has enough juice to potentially overcome the restraints of his size.
The Hornets started to play real defense toward the end of last season. That is Steve Clifford's calling card, after all. Julian Phillips should have plenty of fans in the second round due to his size and athleticism on the wing. He's already a stonewall defender; the question is, how far can he progress offensively?
The Wizards grab Swiss Army knife Sidy Cissoko, who consistently wowed with his intensity and versatility in the G-League. He doesn't create many advantages offensively and it's fair to question the upside tied to his playmaking chops given his limitations as a scorer, but he will supply intensity on both ends and seek to contribute in small ways across the board.
Chris Livingston shut down workouts a while back, leading to speculation about a promise somewhere in the second round. The Blazers love to take upside swings; Livingston was a flashy prospect entering his freshman year at Kentucky but he never established rhythm offensively. The size, athleticism, and shot-making potential warrant second round interest.
The Spurs complement the youth of Wembanyama and Rupert with one of the older college prospects on the board. Kobe Brown has to find his position defensively, but 6-foot-8 forwards who can shoot, face up, handle, and pass like Brown have inherent upside in the modern game.
What Jalen Slawson lacks in scoring ability he makes up for with defensive savvy and playmaking from the wing. He's a unique utility passer who could plug the Kyle Anderson void in Memphis if all goes well.
Seth Lundy has been picking up steam with his perimeter shooting ability. The Hawks could use another 3-and-D piece to complement Young, but Lundy is definitely stronger in the '3' department than he is in the 'D' department.
Mouhamed Gueye is a mobile, bouncy 6-foot-11 big with some untapped shooting potential. The Lakers could use another versatile big to help shoulder some of the more physical matchups in the paint, but Gueye probably isn't a year-one contributor.
Terquavion Smith feels like a candidate to fall on draft night because of his featherweight frame. That said, the Clippers could strike gold with his dynamic pull-up shooting and mistake-averse offensive style.
The Cavs need wing depth like a pirate needs vitamin C, so Arkansas' Ricky Council is a sensible pick. Council has a first-round grade on the FanSided board, so his universal projection as a late second-round pick is a bit perplexing. He will have to iron out the kinks in his 3-point shot, but Council is an explosive downhill driver and one of the best at-rim finishers in the draft as a wing. Cleveland could find real treasure here.
Tosan Evbuomwan boosted his stock with strong performances at the G-League Elite camp and the combine. At 6-foot-8, Evbuomwan was always the biggest player on the floor for the very small Princeton Tigers. Even so, he operated frequently with the ball in his hands and profiles as a fascinating playmaking hub in the frontcourt. OKC often prioritizes size and creation skill across the board.
Jaylen Clark was one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball last season. He can bolster the Nets' thin guard rotation while potentially scrapping his way to early minutes with fundamentally-sound defense.
Hunter Tyson is already 24 years old but the Suns need as many potential contributors as possible to flesh out their paper-thin rotation around Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. Tyson brings size and shooting on the wing, as well as strong instincts for moving without the ball. He's the kind of play-finisher who could pay dividends alongside Phoenix's powerful offensive engines.
Jalen Wilson was ultra-productive for Kansas in his junior year, taking on expanded scoring duties and flashing great poise and pace as a scorer. If the 3-point shot evens out and he can prove his mettle defensively, the Wolves might have a contributor in the second round.
The Kings desperately need size and athleticism on the wing and reinforcements on the defensive end. Keyontae Johnson played a central role in Kansas State's deep tournament run and he's the exact kind of bouncy athlete, versatile defender, and competent play finisher who could pan out for the Kings.
He will struggle to defend in space against NBA athletes, but Oscar Tshiebwe was an extremely productive college player — especially in the rebounding department, where his singular work ethic and ingenuity really shines through. He's worth a second-round flier for the Pacers, who could use specialists to fill out the roster with all these picks.
Colin Castleton gives Memphis another dose of frontcourt depth with size (6-foot-11), face-up scoring ability, and rim protection. If he can extend his range out to the 3-point line, his odds of sticking as a backup center increase drastically.
Jalen Pickett was highly efficient as the hub of Penn State's offense. His ability to create out of pick-and-rolls makes him an instant fit in the modern NBA, but there are significant questions about his ability to hold up on defense.
The Bucks could be in the market for center depth, especially if Brook Lopez is lured away by a big spender in free agency. Adama Sanogo is fresh off the NCAA championship with UConn. He's slightly undersized at 6-foot-9, but he's an absolute bruiser who can occasionally shoot the 3-ball.
