The 2023 NBA Draft Lottery has answered the most pressing question for non-playoff teams. Victor Wembanyama’s future looks to be in San Antonio alongside Gregg Popovich, as the Spurs’ flight to the bottom of the table has been rewarded with the No. 1 overall pick.
The lottery also revealed where the other landed. The Charlotte Hornets ended up as runners-up and will get their pick of players after the Spurs, with the Portland Trail Blazers getting the third pick. The question for these teams and the others in the lottery is to figure out which players will be added to their rosters for the 2023-24 season.
The draft boards will be active from now until June, when the 2023 NBA Draft takes place, and here are the 14 picks we think will go in the lottery.
14. New Orleans Pelicans – Jordan Hawkins, UConn Huskies
Jordan Hawkins was a part of the NCAA Division One title-winning UConn Huskies squad this season, playing a pivotal role in their success. He’s one of the best movement shooters in the draft and would be an interesting fit on the Pelicans with his ability to score through tough defenses and his high foul-drawing rate.
He is already 21 years old and is a more polished and mature prospect, perfect for a Pelicans team that hopes to return to playoff battles next season. Hawkins being able to play either as a shooting guard or a small forward means the Pelicans can add another talented wing in the same development school as Herb Jones.
13. Toronto Raptors – Keyontae George, Baylor Bears
The Toronto Raptors may have a very different roster this summer, with a lot of rumors about their current squad possibly blowing up. If that is the case, the Raptors should look toward adding Keyontae George. George is a versatile scorer who’s capable of creating his own shot, whether it’s by driving to the rim or making threes.
With Gary Trent Jr. in trade rumors during this whole season, George would be a perfect long-term solution for the team’s needs at shooting guard. He and Scottie Barnes provide a dynamic play on both ends of the court, so keep an eye out for where the 6’4″ 19-year-old if he ends up going to Toronto.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Dereck Lively II, Duke Blue Devils
The decision to draft for fit over talent is always a challenge. The Oklahoma City Thunder could pick up prospects like Brice Sensabaugh at this spot, but we reckon they take a lottery-pick flier on Duke big man Dereck Lively II. Lively had a tough season with the Blue Devils, but his athletic intangibles still guarantee him a first-round draft spot.
The Thunder lacked a genuine center play with Chet Holmgren out this season, and Lively could provide further ammunition for their back line. He is one of the best paint defenders in the Draft but has to work on his offensive game beyond acting as a lob finisher and occasional pick-and-roll partner.
11. Orlando Magic – Gradey Dick, Kansas Jayhawks
The Orlando Magic have two lottery picks in the 2023 NBA Draft, with this pick coming to them from the Chicago Bulls in the Nikola Vucevic trade. Gradey Dick may be the best shooter in this class and plays as a versatile 6’8″ forward. His lack of athleticism means he may fall out of the top 10, but he will be a must-grab for any team beyond that point.
Dick’s ability to shoot has been heralded all season long, and he fits the Magic perfectly. He can be another tall and lanky player with a smooth offensive skillset to join the likes of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner on the squad. His defense will be a massive question mark, so this pick has upside, but in a lot of ways, it can fail as well.
10. Dallas Mavericks – Anthony Black, Arkansas Razorbacks
Unless they take a massive swing for Dereck Lively far ahead of his projected draft status, the best player the Mavs could get is Anthony Black. Black is a certified two-way prospect and has an extremely varied skillset for a 6’7″ shooting guard. The Mavs need size and were initially hoping some of the talented forward prospects could drop till 10, though that looks unlikely.
Black will likely be a forward on Dallas and provide everything but consistent three-point shooting, a skill the 30.8% shooter is still developing. Outside of that, Black may have everything a team needs from a player on what hopes to be a contending roster with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
9. Utah Jazz – Cason Wallace, Kentucky Wildcats
The Utah Jazz have a very transient roster at the moment, trading a lot of assets over the last season to position themselves for future success. Getting their point guard of the future to pair with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler with Cason Wallace will be perfect for them.
Wallace can form a backcourt with Collin Sexton and show the world why traditional point guards can still make an impact. Wallace is a pass-first point guard that is a perimeter pest and hunts for steals regularly. Will Hardy is going to love having someone with Wallace’s intensity and ability as his floor general for the future.
8. Washington Wizards – Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite City Reapers
The Washington Wizards will hope to bring back their core of Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, and Kristaps Porzingis next season. Hopefully, they can add the dynamic wing play of Ausar Thompson to the mix and add some solidity to their lineup.
Thompson is a prototypical 3-and-D prospect who has had to take the time to develop a consistent jumper. He was a subpar shooter for his entire career until last season, when he started to become a high-volume shooter who can convert at a 38% rate. With his strong defensive fundamentals, the Wizards could add a possible win-now talent to their core this season.
7. Indiana Pacers – Jarace Walker, Houston Cougars
The Indiana Pacers have an extremely fluid roster that can be adjusted according to what the team deems best. Adding a talent like Jarace Walker will likely be the best move for a team with a dynamic point guard that needs its defensive line. Walker would be a fantastic piece for that.
He is one of the most promising defensive prospects in this draft class and is capable of guarding either the ball handler or the screener in a pick-and-roll. Scouts expect his talent to translate to the NBA due to his size, as the power forward can slowly establish himself as one of the premier defensive players in the league.
6. Orlando Magic – Taylor Hendricks, UCF Knights
Taylor Hendricks may have one of the brightest futures out of anybody on this list. The 6’9″ forward has pumped his draft stock in his sole NCAA season really well, showing scouts that he can do basically everything on the floor.
Hendricks can finish at the rim, shoot the three, and defend most big men he was tasked with guarding. It’ll be different in the NBA with far more skilled and powerful bigs around the league, but Hendricks has the tools to deal with them. The Magic frontline will be one of the scariest in the NBA if they can add Walker, finding a more permanent solution for Jonathan Isaac’s spot on their roster.
5. Detroit Pistons – Cameron Whitmore, Villanova Wildcats
Cameron Whitmore might be the small forward of the future for the Detroit Pistons. After the team failed to make something out of Saddiq Bey, they can hope to add the talents of Whitmore next to the likes of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren.
Whitmore is a fantastic athlete that has a strong enough handle to regularly drive to the rim. He wasn’t the best shooter in his sole NCAA season with the famed Wildcats but impressed scouts at the Draft Combine by shooting accurately on NBA-distance three-pointers. His athleticism, defensive upside, and shooting upside can lead to him becoming one of the most complete players in the league and someone that’ll help the Pistons push toward being a winning team immediately.
4. Houston Rockets – Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite City Reapers
Amen Thompson may be the solution that the Rockets have needed at point guard for the last few seasons. The 6’6″ guard is arguably one of the best pure athletes in this draft and a sensational playmaker. His talents may take a little longer to translate to the NBA, as he won’t be able to dominate using his drive-heavy game against NBA talent.
Thompson has holes in his game, including being turnover-prone, but his athletic ability and future upside will likely appease the Rockets, who can address their lack of talent at the point guard position. Hopefully, no more Daishen Nix minutes next season.
3. Portland Trail Blazers – Brandon Miller, Alabama Crimson Tide
Brandon Miller is in contention to go No. 2 in this Draft, but we expect him to be available for the Portland Trail Blazers to snag with the third pick. Miller is the ideal NBA prospect as a dynamic 6’9″ wing that can score, defend, and even be a playmaker when called upon.
There are off-court concerns with Miller that could hurt his draft stock, but the win-now Blazers need a prospect like Miller next to Damian Lillard to not only be ready to one day take the keys of the franchise but also provide meaningful contributions to games as a rookie.
2. Charlotte Hornets – Scoot Henderson, NBA G League Ignite
The Hornets will have a genuine decision on their hands with regards to either drafting the generational PG prospect in Scoot Henderson or the ideal NBA forward in Brandon Miller. We think it’s likely they choose to complete their backcourt and create an incredibly lethal duo of LaMelo Ball alongside Henderson for next season.
Henderson already had NBA-affiliated experience in the G League, where he averaged 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. Unlike LaMelo, Scoot is an incredible athlete and could wreck opposing defenses with his speed and constant pressure. He will fly to the rim and has had a year’s worth of practice in ensuring his skill set can translate to the NBA by playing his last season with the G League amongst other grown men, as compared to the NCAA opposition other prospects faced.
1. San Antonio Spurs – Victor Wembanyama, Metropolitans 92
It’s been years since we first saw Victor Wembanyama emerge as an NBA Draft prospect, and now his likely destination has been found. The San Antonio Spurs will draft another generational big man with the first pick in this draft. The last two times the Spurs got the No. 1 pick, they drafted David Robinson and Tim Duncan, so Wemby has a lot to live up to.
The 7’4″ center has guard-like ball-handling and shooting ability while being a defensive terror with his shot-blocking. He is the definition of a unicorn prospect that we won’t see come through the Draft anytime soon. His physicality will be a massive question, as the skinny Wembanyama can be bullied easily on the NBA court. But those are problems that the Spurs will figure out the right answers to, as nobody would ever pass up on drafting Wembanyama. This might change the franchise forever.
