Folks, it’s that time of year again. Finally starting, March Madness has many potential 2023 NBA Draft prospects competing on the biggest stage of their young careers. The upcoming month will significantly contribute to solidifying narratives and shedding light on which prospects can withstand the rigors of competition for NBA teams.
The 2023 draft class is unusual in that a number of top-five picks are not already participating in college basketball. Still, challengers with names like Brandon Miller, Keyonte George, and Jarace Walker in the forefront. Miller might move closer to the No. 2 pick if Alabama has a strong tournament performance. The collegiate stars have plenty of time and opportunity over the next month to make an impression.
Victor Wembanyama, generously listed at 7-foot-5 and 220 pounds over at ESPN, will be the No.1 overall pick in 2023. He’s the most hyped prospect since LeBron James and probably the most unique prospect in modern NBA history. He’s everything the league currently values — length, dynamic shooting, defensive versatility, scalable offense — plugged into the most absurd physical frame one could think of. There aren’t too many holes in Wembanyama’s game. He’s an excellent movement
Scoot Henderson is the current favorite to follow Wembanyama on draft night. The twitchy 6-foot-2 guard has been thrust right into a starring role for the G-League Ignite.
At 6-foot-7, Amen Thompson is the most impressive athlete in the draft. The main knock against him will be the lack of high-level competition at Overtime Elite, opposed to his peers who are facing collegiate or professional competition.
While the spotlight slightly favors his twin brother at Overtime Elite, there’s still plenty of spectacle around Ausar Thompson.
An explosive 6-foot-7, 230-pound power athlete on the wing, Cam Whitmore should have NBA scouts salivating over him all season. He can defend up and down the positional spectrum and he possesses impressive open-court athleticism.
The NBA values versatility above all else, and Jarace Walker provides a lot of it. On defense, he has the potential to guard 4-5 positions on any given night.
Brandon Miller is an electric and efficient three-level scorer at 6-foot-9, possessing a blend of size and shot-making prowess that immediately jumps off the screen.
While Nick Smith Jr. lacks the eye-popping athleticism of his top-five counterparts, he more than makes up for it with skill and craft. The 6-foot-5 guard from Arkansas.
A big guard who can function as a wing in some lineups, Anthony Black is the kind of malleable, connective-tissue offensive player so many good teams covet.
