2023 NBA Mock Draft: Third Edition

Here is the third edition of my 2023 NBA Mock Draft.

1. San Antonio Spurs- Victor Wembanyama, Center, France: This is a slam dunk selection for the Spurs as they luck out yet again with a franchise altering big man in Wembanyama. Wemby is the best prospect to enter the league since LeBron James and he is a super intimidating presence on the court with his ability to shoot from anywhere and at the rim blocking shots.

2. Charlotte Hornets- Scoot Henderson, Point Guard, G-League Ignite: Despite a lot of Brandon Miller buzz here, Henderson should be the selection here for the Hornets. He has great athleticism and has All-NBA type of talent and LaMelo Ball's presence should not stop the Hornets from taking Scoot.

3. Portland Trail Blazers- Brandon Miller, Small Forward, Alabama: What the Hornets do at 2 could very well affect what direction the Blazers go in in terms of whether they trade Damian Lillard or not. Despite off court troubles, Miller has the upside to be an elite scorer and a solid defender on a good team.

4. Houston Rockets- Amen Thompson, Point Guard, Overtime Elite: This pick is absolutely in play to be traded with the Rockets desire to bring back James Harden and to win now. Thompson has a ton of length and can guard any position realistically, but he needs to become a better shooter.

5. Detroit Pistons- Ausar Thompson, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Overtime Elite: The Pistons land a great talent here with Thompson and the fit here would be interesting with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. Ausar arguably has higher upside than his brother Amen due to his three-point shooting ability and that is something that this Pistons team can use.

6. Orlando Magic- Cam Whitmore, Small Forward/Power Forward, Villanova: This would be a really good pick for the Magic and the fit with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero would be interesting. Whitmore showed good catch-and-shoot promise while in school and is a solid defender too.

7. Indiana Pacers- Jarace Walker, Power Forward, Houston: The Pacers have some options here with this pick as they can potentially trade up if they want to. Walker is a versatile player on both ends of the court and would give the Pacers offense a different look.

8. Washington Wizards- Anthony Black, Point Guard, Arkansas: This would be a nice pick for the Wizards considering the need for a long term point guard. Black is a big guard that does just about everything and is a smart player that knows how to utilize advantages.

9. Utah Jazz- Gradey Dick, Shooting Guard, Kansas: The Jazz were surprisingly decent this season and they don't seem that far off from being a threat. Dick makes a ton of sense here for the Jazz with his ability to shoot the three and defend and has the ability to develop more as a player.

10. Dallas Mavericks- Taylor Hendricks, Power Forward, UCF: The Mavericks keep their draft pick courtesy of tanking out of the playoffs to prevent themselves for losing their pick. Hendricks here makes sense because the Mavs may lose Christian Wood and Dwight Powell in free agency has a lot of upside and would fit well with Luka Doncic.

11. Orlando Magic (from Chicago Bulls)- Jordan Hawkins, Shooting Guard, Connecticut: Hawkins announced that he's staying in the draft and he is making a good decision since he can be a lottery pick. The Magic are a team that needs the elite shooting on the perimeter and Hawkins will provide that.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder- Bilal Couliably, Small Forward, France: The Jazz can afford to take big swings on picks and here I have doing that with Couliably, who was a teammate of Victor Wembanyama. He has a ton of talent and has the length to be a solid defender.

13. Toronto Raptors- Cason Wallace, Point Guard, Kentucky: The Raptors have a lot of questions this offseason including what they should do with Fred Van Vleet. Wallace here makes sense incase they lose Van Vleet and he is a good defender that can develop more offensively.

14. New Orleans Pelicans- Derrick Lively Jr, Center, Duke: This pick makes sense since the Pelicans need a long term answer at the center position.  Lively has two-way upside as a player, but didn't really show that consistency in college and has the ability to play on the perimeter too.

15. Atlanta Hawks- Keyonte George, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Baylor: The Hawks are very wing heavy so the way this pick would make sense is if they traded a few of their wings. George is super explosive and tends to get to the basket well, but his shooting has to improve on what he's shown.

16. Utah Jazz (from Minnesota Timberwolves)- Jalen Hood-Schifino, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Indiana: This pick would make a lot of sense for the Jazz since they may lose Jordan Clarkson in free agency. Hood-Schifino is a wild card in the draft that could go anywhere from the lottery to the end of the round as he's very skilled, but needs improvement with his shooting.

17. Los Angeles Lakers- Jett Howard, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Michigan: It's more likely than not that the Lakers trade this pick for more help around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Howard is a really good scorer and could do so in many ways.

18. Miami Heat- Kris Murray, Small Forward/Power Forward, Iowa: The Heat are a team that wants to keep and add to its identity that got them to the finals. Murray I feel will be an impact player for anyone as he can come in and play good defense and has a good IQ.

19. Golden State Warriors- Kobi Bufkin, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Michigan: This would be a pick that makes sense considering the future of Klay Thompson is in the air as well as Jordan Poole's. Bufkin is super quick and athletic on the perimeter and is a safe bet in this draft to be impactful.

20. Houston Rockets (from Los Angeles Clippers)- Noah Clowney, Power Forward, Alabama: With their second first rounder, the Rockets go with someone who's played on good teams in college in Clowney. He is a flawed offensive player, but is a really good defensive player that impacts games.

21. Brooklyn Nets (from Phoenix Suns)- Nick Smith, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Arkansas: The Nets get a steal here with Smith, but there are reasons why he may drop. Smith struggled in college a season ago with injuries and inconsistencies, but it could be worth the risk if he lives up to the hype he got in college.

22. Brooklyn Nets- Leonard Miller, Small Forward/Power Forward, G-League Ignite: With their second first rounder, the Nets take the teammate of Scoot Henderson in Miller. He is someone who's stock has flew up several weeks ago as he's shown the ability to shoot the three well and has a chance to develop defensively too.

23. Portland Trail Blazers (from New York Knicks)- James Nnaji, Center, France: This is a good long term match as Jusuf Nurkic is not the long term answer at center for the Blazers. Nnaji has solid physical tools as he's strong and lengthy and has a ton of potential defensively.

24. Sacramento Kings- Colby Jones, Shooting Guard, Xavier: The Kings would be a good match for Jones since they need perimeter shooting. Jones is a solid all around player and is a competitor that could help teams win.

25. Memphis Grizzlies- Dariq Whitehead, Small Forward, Duke: The Grizzlies are under some pressure with this pick considering the Ja Morant situation. Whitehead would have been a lottery pick had he not fractured his foot his Freshman year and he would fit nicely as a secondary scoring option off the bench.

26. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland Cavaliers)- Brice Sensabaugh, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Oho State: With their second first rounder, the Pacers take the talented wing in Sensabaugh. He is your classic three point bucket getter that can help swing a game.

27. Charlotte Hornets (from Denver Nuggets)- Rayan Rupert, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, France: This could be an interesting draft and stash player for the Hornets as they should take that swing here. Rupert has the ability to defend at a high level and has a great wing span.

28. Utah Jazz (from Philadelphia 76ers)- Maxwell Lewis, Small Forward, Pepperdine: With their third first rounder, I have the Jazz going with Lewis. He has the length and creates good shots for himself, which can cause him to move up draft boards.

29. Indiana Pacers (from Boston Celtics)- Jaime Jaquez, Point Guard, UCLA: With their third first rounder, I have the Pacers going with a former NCAA Tournament standout in Jaquez. He is an excellent play maker and has a really good midrange game.

30. Los Angeles Clippers (from Milwaukee Bucks)- Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Small Forward/Power Forward, Marquette: The Clippers can use young depth everywhere with a lot of long term questions with the roster. Propser is an aggressive player as he excels defensively, but he needs to develop more offensively.