NBA Mock Draft 2023: The complete first round
By Reid Hanson
The 2023 draft is far from settled. The NBA Playoffs have just begun; therefore the complete order has yet to be established. Using tankathon’s order to create this NBA Mock Draft, we scroll through the order selecting 58 players we believe will be involved in the process.
Players have until 23 April to decide whether to declare or go back to school. There have already been some surprises so more could certainly be on the way.
In this 2023 NBA Mock Draft we see the stars go when expected and some surprises fall along the way…
While lottery teams have gone 100 percent into scouting and strategy, playoff teams are focused on the season at hand. Player workouts will take place over the next month as scouting departments attempt to project. The cream will rise but some potential steals are sure to fall.
. C. Detroit Pistons. Victor Wembanyama. 1. player. 64
The first pick is of absolutely no surprise. The prize pick of the 2023 NBA draft has been known for months and Detroit will stick to the script. The 7-foot-4 big can score from anywhere and should be a gamechanger in the league for a decade.
Houston Rockets. Scoot Henderson. 2. player. 169. . PG
The second pick is getting more clear by the day. Scoot Henderson of the G-league, Ignite, is the top domestic product on the market. At 6-foot-2 guard can score, create, and distribute. He may not be the clear No. 2 in this class but San Antonio needs a PG and Henderson has lived up to his billing so he’s the likely pick here.
player. 29. . SF. San Antonio Spurs. Brandon Miller. 3
If there’s a challenger on the board for No. 2, it’s likely Alabama’s Brandon Miller. The 6-foot-9 forward is long player with a complete game. Amen Thompson will be tempting because he’s a PG, but Miller is the better player will likely win out in the end. Off court issues from his past will have to be considered.
player. 170. . PG. Charlotte Hornets. Amen Thompson. 4
The Hornets get a strong PG when they select the ultra slender 6-foot-7 star of the Overtime Elite. Thompson needs development but comes with a natural set of skills that cannot be taught. The potential is too good to pass up.
34. . PF. Portland Trail Blazers. Jarace Walker. 5. player
Jarace Walker, 6-foot-8, 240 pounds is tough, hard-nosed player who gets rebounds and distributes. He’s not a No. 1 or even a No. 2, but he’s a backbone player on a championship roster in the same vein of Draymond Green. Flashier options exist but Walker is worth his weight in gold for a contending team.