San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembenyama, idek, France
Comparison: N/A
Yeah, um…this was one of the easiest decisions in the history of decisions. Whatever you’d want someone to do on the basketball court, Wemby can probably do it at a mind-bogglingly high level. He’s 7’4”, has an eight-inch wingspan and can cover ground like no other on both ends of the court. There’s a reason that Peter J. Holt, San Antonio’s representative at the Draft Lottery last month, fist pumped extravagantly and said he almost fainted. Forget the sky; I’m not sure the universe can put a limit on the basketball player that Victor Wembenyama can become.
Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller, F, Alabama
Comparison: The greatest basketball player of all-time (according to Brandon Miller, at least)
Alright, this is where the fun truly began. After weeks of uncertain back-and-forth by draft projectionists and betting lines, Miller is the newest Hornet as Michael Jordan’s final gift to the franchise as the departing majority owner. At 6”9’ with a seven-inch wingspan, Miller was one of the most lethal scorers in college basketball last season with a wicked quick jumper and an ability to hit shots in all kinds of ways (catch-and-shoot, off-the-dribble, off of screens, etc.). Miller will find an immediately important role on a Hornets squad devoid of exceptional talent and, more specifically, elite three-point shooting (31st in three-point percentage last season).
I do worry a little, however, about the optics surrounding this pick. Miller’s off-court questions are well-documented, as the details of his role in the tragic death of Jamea Harris have still yet to be confirmed. Regarding the actual pick, Jordan was given the final say in who Charlotte drafted – the same person who a) has no stake in the success or failure of Miller as outgoing majority owner, and b) has a history of drafting poorly in the top ten (Kwame Brown, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Cody Zeller, Noah Vonleh and Frank Kaminsky just to name a few). Miller projects to be far better than all of those players, except that Miller was taken ahead of Scoot Henderson, who many (including seemingly every Hornets fan AND EVEN THE MASCOT) thought Henderson was the superior prospect. Finally, when asked what made Charlotte comfortable drafting Miller, GM Mitch Kupchak gave a, uh, less-than-ideal response. I guess only time will tell how this pick turns out.
Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, G, G League Ignite
Comparison: Super Saiyan Collin Sexton
It’s easy to wonder what’s going to happen with Damian Lillard, but I have one message for Blazers fans: Fuhgetaboutit, because regardless of where Dame ends up, Scoot Henderson is on your basketball team. He balled out in a quasi-professional league, which included a pair of exceptional performances against Wembenyama’s Mets 92 squad where Henderson seemed shockingly unafraid of attacking the French phenom. He’s an ultra-strong ball of dynamite that’s waiting to detonate at any time, as he attacks the rim with ferocity on offense and does the dirty work at a high level on defense. Although the shooting numbers weren’t necessarily ideal, they’ve been a tad overblown. His shot mechanics along with his confidence shooting from outside and already-elite mid-range shooting makes me think his jumper will be alright. Whether next season will be the start of a new era in Portland or a continuation of the old one, Scoot will be ready to ignite the Blazers on both ends of the floor *shoots finger guns victoriously.*
Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson, G, Overtime Elite
Comparison: Tall Ja Morant
Amen is arguably the most athletic prospect I have ever laid my eyes upon. He blurs the line between jumping and floating. His in-air creativity is flabbergasting; in transition (which he was in a lot), he looks like he’s gliding, similarly to a figure skater. When he attacks the basket, defenses freak out, which creates a ton of open opportunities for others. Not only that, Amen’s proven with one ridiculous pass after another that he can hit those open players and create scoring opportunities for others himself, just like how a great football QB throws players open. The jumpshot is, um, not quite where it needs to be, and opposing teams in the OTE league guarded him (or didn’t guard him) accordingly. While the heaven-tier athleticism will always give Thompson the ability to become an impactful defender, he looked clocked out on a lot of possessions, as he would give up backdoor cuts and leave his man open far too many times. But I simply can’t get enough of the physical traits. Alongside an elite scorer in Jalen Green, an elite floor-spacer in Jabari Smith Jr. and several other exciting young guys like Alperen Sengun, Kevin Porter Jr. and Tari Eason, the Rockets might not be good again next season, but they’re for darn sure going to be fun to watch.
Detroit Pistons: Ausar Thompson, F, Overtime Elite
Comparison: More menacing Andrew Wiggins
From a brotherly standpoint, I’m very happy for Ausar, as he was taken just one pick behind his twin. Could you imagine if Ausar fell to, like, 15th after Amen went fourth? The only two other instances of twins being selected in the same draft in the lottery era were Brook and Robin Lopez (10th and 15th in the 2008 draft) as well as Markeiff and Marcus Morris (13th and 14th in the 2011 draft). Neither pair of twins experienced serious gaps in between selections, and thankfully, the same went for the Thompson twins.
From a basketball standpoint, Ausar is definitely the more refined of the twins. He’s a freaky defender who not only possesses upper-echelon athletic traits but takes pride in making his opponent’s life hell when guarding them one-on-one. He’s got a more developed jumper than Amen, and although it’s still a work in progress, he’s drastically improved in both mechanics and confidence over the past few years. Along with above-average vision and oft-timely cutting, Ausar is a phenomenal piece to put next to a premier facilitator in Cade Cunningham.
Orlando Magic: Anthony Black, G, Arkansas
Comparison: Lonzo Ball
Orlando’s draft process feels like riding a roller-coaster; it seems as if players have to be a certain height with a certain skill package in order to get in. Luckily for Black, he fits what the Magic have seemed to desire in recent drafts: jumbo playmakers who can defend at a high level. While he sports a slighter frame than preferable for some, Black genuinely enjoys playing defense and proved to be one of the best at it in the country last season. Offensively, he passes teammates open, and he looks like he hits a Super Mario mushroom when he attacks downhill. His ceiling might ultimately be determined by how much he can improve his three-point shooting (30.1% on 90 attempts last season); his shot mechanics are clunky, and he doesn’t look too confident shooting threes at the moment.
Washington Wizards (via IND): Bilal Coulibaly, F, France
Comparison: Jeremy Sochan
Ooooooooook. Our first curveball of the night! A double curveball, actually. Coulibaly is headed to the Nation’s Capital after a trade-up with the Pacers. While I had a handful of players ranked ahead of Coulibaly, the Wiz were in a spot to take bigger swings than most other teams after Michael Winger & Co. decided to embark on a rebuild that was long overdue. In the shadows of Wemby was Coulibaly, a long, rangy defender who’s performance in the LNB Pro A postseason caused his stock to skyrocket leading up to the draft. He’s a lethal off-ball threat, both in transition as well as in the halfcourt. He’s a bit of a mystery on the offensive end, but it’s not like the Wizards will have grand expectations for the near future where rapid strides from Coulibaly will be necessary.
Indiana Pacers (via WAS): Jarace Walker, F, Houston
Comparison: Spicy Kevon Looney
Other than Wemby to the Spurs, Walker to the Pacers seemed to be the only other pairing close to a certainty before the draft, and not only did Indiana get their guy, they got two second-round picks as well. While Walker’s still just 19, he plays like he’s 29. He has a baseball catcher’s brain in a football linebacker’s body, a combination that produces thunderous weak side rejections, slick passes and very comfortable-looking jumpers. He’s a little timid on offense, as he sometimes attacks the paint as if he forgets that he’s built like Michael Strahan, but that’s a nitpick. I’m elated to see him in pick-and-rolls/pops with Tyrese Haliburton, as the size and creation ability between the two is…UGH. I love this pick so much.
Utah Jazz: Taylor Hendricks, F, UCF
Comparison: Jaden McDaniels
From 3-star recruit to a top ten pick, Taylor Hendricks joins a Utah frontcourt that’s big, strong and extremely versatile. Hendricks is a tremendous weak side rim protector whose blocks remind me of shark attacks: the offensive player will appear as if they have an open lane to the basket, then BANG! Hendricks comes from seemingly out of nowhere and high points the shot like the university. On offense, his handle isn’t quite there, but his three-point shooting prowess dramatically raises his ceiling – he shot 39.4% on almost five attempts per game last season, including 41% on catch and shoot threes. At 6’8” with a seven-foot, one-inch wingspan and a lot of verticality, his jumper is extremely tough to contest. Even if he never develops any sort of off-the-dribble game, the two things he does extremely well – defend and make threes – will allow him to thrive in the league for a long time.
Oklahoma City Thunder (via DAL): Cason Wallace, G, Kentucky
Comparison: Jrue Holiday lite
Over the past few seasons, the Thunder have seemed to place a heavy emphasis on getting guards who look comfortable playing basketball, and that’s a strategy I can totally get behind! Wallace’s defensive abilities are masterclass-esque. His spatial awareness took me aback. He always seemed to get a hand in passing lanes for deflections and steals. There were multiple instances of him last season literally ripping the ball out of an opponent’s grasp. While he stands at just 6’2”, his wingspan allows 6’8″him to deter taller opponents. While I think Wallace has room to grow offensively (especially off-the-dribble), OKC has done a pretty incredible job at developing the offensive arsenals of their young guards, so I’m fairly confident that Wallace can improve on that end of the floor.
Orlando Magic (via CHI): Jett Howard, G, Michigan
Comp: Kevin Huerter
While I had a couple of other long-range savants ranked ahead of Howard, that shouldn’t take away from the fact that he’s an exceptional shooter who’s going to play for a team that direly needed an outside shooting threat. He had a few games where he got scorching hot from downtown last season, including a 7-three eruption against Iowa. Especially with a Magic squad that sports a handful of players that put a ton of pressure on the rim and create for others at a high-level, having an elite three-point shooter will certainly open up a lot.
Dallas Mavericks (via OKC): Dereck Lively II, F/C, Duke
Comp: Physically Willie Cauley-Stein, spiritually rookie Mitchell Robinson
Yes, Lively’s surface-level statistics aren’t ideal for a lottery pick, and yes, the ethics surrounding Dallas’ acquisition of this pick are suboptimal. But the selection was pretty good! AND they were able to shed Davis Bertans’ still-baffling contract! The Mavericks were in dire need of rim protection, as their best defensive paint presence last season was…Christian Wood, I guess? Not ideal! Lively’s enormous frame (7’1” with a pterodactyl-esque 7’8” wingspan) combined with advanced shot-blocking instincts made him a worthy lottery pick. I’m not super in on the flashes of perimeter shooting Lively displayed at both the high school and college levels, as anytime he stepped outside of the paint felt like a nervous sailor voyaging into uncharted waters. At the very least, he’s a lob threat you have to care about, as his ludicrous catch radius makes any ball thrown up close to the rim a certain two points. Even if his offensive game never develops, his above-average paint-patrolling skills on defense should help the Mavericks immediately.
Toronto Raptors: Gradey Dick, G, Toronto Raptors
Comparison: Bojan Bogdanovic
The Raptors have recently sported a handful of above-average three-point shooting guards – Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry, Norman Powell, Gary Trent Jr and Danny Green just to name a few. The only thing about them, however, was that none of them were taller than 6’6”. Dick stands at 6’9”, which is a lot more like the mold Toronto has desired in recent years. Not only is Dick a lethal sharpshooter who’s always ready to fire, but he also smartly uses his gravity to make timely backdoor cuts off the ball. Not only that, but his finishing around the rim is also impressively creative. While his thin frame might get exposed a bit on the defensive end, Dick’s fundamentals are above average, and he made handfuls of hustle plays that made me worry a little less about his lack of strength. I’m not a proponent of the Raptors running things back, but should they choose to do so, Dick fills an immediate need on the court as well as a want off the court in a burgeoning TikTok presence.
New Orleans Pelicans: Jordan Hawkins, G, Connecticut
Comparison: Quentin Grimes with lesser defensive abilities
Yes. Yes. YES. I couldn’t think of a much better fit for Hawkins than the Pelicans. His jumper is gorgeous; while no one’s shot mechanics are perfect, Hawkins’ are pretty darn close. He can drill threes in a variety of ways, but he’s at his best when he’s frolicking off-the-ball in the halfcourt, which a beautifully designed UConn offense allowed him to do frequently. Contests don’t seem to deter him much, as his ability to hit with a hand in his face is ridiculously impressive. As someone who had a rooting interest in Miami (FL) when they played UConn in last year’s Final Four, every three he took felt like an imminent knife in the chest. While he’s a tad limited on offense when he isn’t firing a three, his shooting gravity is enough to justify a lottery selection.
Atlanta Hawks: Kobe Bufkin, G, Michigan
Comparison: College Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
A lot of prospects have noticeable flaws in their game; Bufkin isn’t one of them. Although he didn’t generate a ton of buzz until later in the draft cycle, it was easy to see why. Bufkin is extremely comfortable with the ball in his hands, and his silky-smooth finishing around the basket was pretty nuts considering his lack of exceptional physical traits. His shooting seems average (35.5% last season), but it’s even better than the numbers indicate; just as he is handling the ball, Bufkin is a-ok with letting it fly from downtown. Defensively, Bufkin could benefit from some bulking up, but his length and stellar feet-sliding make him a prospectively positive defender. His path to immediate significant playing time is a little murky at the moment, but it won’t be a shock if he carves out a large ancillary role in Atlanta by the end of next season.
Utah Jazz (via MIN): Keyonte George, G, Baylor
Comparison: College Eric Gordon
Outside of 31-year old Jordan Clarkson, Utah doesn’t possess a confident perimeter shot creator…until now. While his decision-making could use some work, his shot-making is undeniable. George put together a handful of “wow” moments on offense last season, whether it was showing off silly deep range or working his way to the rim for a tough lay-in. Defensively, he’s proven he can be a solid point-of-attack defender, but there were a few too many possessions where he turned into a turnstile. Nevertheless, George provides something valuable that Utah doesn’t currently have a lot of.
Los Angeles Lakers: Jalen Hood-Schifino, G, Indiana
Comparison: Fred VanVleet
JHS is, as the kids are saying nowadays, a smooth operator. He understands the song and dance of a pick-and-roll, as he combined a tight handle with stellar passing to form a dynamic duo with Trayce Jackson-Davis. His outside shooting isn’t quite there, although his mid-range game is already strong. He’s pesky defensively, as a 6’10” wingspan flanked strong defensive fundamentals. I’m unsure how much he’ll be impactful in year one, but the door is certainly open for plentiful opportunities with Austin Reaves’ impending free agency looming.
Miami Heat: Jaime Jaquez Jr., F, UCLA
Comparison: Jimmy Butler lite
This was fate. A known winner (Jaquez was the obvious alpha for excellent UCLA teams over the past two seasons) and fundamentally sound hooper that ran through the pre-draft process like the ‘01 Lakers ran through the playoffs, Jaquez has all the traits that Pat Riley seems to salivate over. What Jaquez lacks in top-end athleticism, he makes up for with impeccable footwork and a feel for the game that makes him seem like a seasoned professional. Despite all of these awesome traits, the aforementioned lack of above-average athleticism (especially foot speed) does worry me a little bit, and we just saw the Heat struggle mightily to self-create offense throughout the entire playoffs. Then again, the Heat made the NBA Finals, and these worries could look totally foolish a year from now.
Golden State Warriors: Brandin Podziemski, G, Santa Clara
Comparison: D’Angelo Russell
If there’s one player I’m going to wish I had higher on my big board, Podziemski seems like a top candidate. Although his shot mechanics are a little clunky, his moonballs from downtown go in a lot (44% on catch and shoot threes). He’s also a playmaking savant, similarly to fellow Santa Clara draftees Jalen Williams and…well, maybe not Steve Nash, but definitely J-Dub. He utilizes scoop layups frequently; heck, he even sports a scoop alley-oop pass that’s a sight to behold. Although a tad undersized and lacking in above-average athleticism, Podziemski battles valiantly on the defensive end as well as on the glass.
Houston Rockets (via LAC): Cam Whitmore, G, Villanova
Comparison: Anthony Edwards
It seems like every draft has at least one highly graded player fall out of the top half of the first round for some off-the-court reason, and this time around, it was Whitmore, who some thought the Rockets would take with the fourth overall pick. The causes of Whitmore’s plummet were allegedly a combination of medical red flags, poor workouts and poor interviews; whatever the reasons, the Rockets snared a top-five talent at 20. Whitmore’s a bowling ball when he gets down hill, and his overall self-creation ability made me feel ok with comparing him to Anthony Edwards. If he’s able to expand on his off-ball cutting abilities, especially considering that the Rockets now have two brilliant passers in Amen Thompson to go along with Alperen Sengun…Houston, we will have (good) problems on the perimeter.
Brooklyn Nets (via PHX): Noah Clowney, F, Alabama
Comparison: Naz Reid
Clowney is a perfect example of why professional drafts are more about projection than production. While none of Clowney’s numbers jump off the stat sheet, he’s a versatile big who projects well as a roamer in the paint. While he showed flashes of solid on-ball defense, it’s still a work in progress, with the biggest examples being in games against Missouri where he got toasted by quicker guards and bulldozed by fellow draftee Kobe Brown. If the flashes of three-point shooting become more consistent, the Nets will have a rock solid backup big on their hands.
Brooklyn Nets: Dariq Whitehead, G, Duke
Comparison: Warriors Harrison Barnes
Another prospect who’s medicals hindered his draft stock (his foot might not work), the Nets are banking on the version of Whitehead that was a high school megastar at Montverde Academy who showed flashes of similar brilliance at Duke. Despite nursing serious foot issues last season, there were moments of elite burst and ultra-confident three-point shooting that made Whitehead a top-three recruit in the class of 2022. His off-the-dribble arsenal isn’t very diverse, but if he can continue to nail threes at a high clip (45.2% on spot-up threes last season) defend at a decent level (which he did) and keep his foot in one piece (a smidge questionable), there’s a clear path to Whitehead becoming a rock solid 3-and-D player for Brooklyn.
Portland Trail Blazers (via NYK): Kris Murray, F, Iowa
Comparison: Keegan Murray if he was left-handed
Ok, sorry for the cop-out comparison, but when the carbon copy of yourself is currently in the NBA, it’s hard to not see the similarities. While I do think Keegan is a better player than Kris, they both possess the same intriguing physical traits. I don’t love the fact that any three-pointer other than a wide open one seems to give Kris trouble, but his rock solid defense and his ability to create in the post gives him a relatively high floor.
Dallas Mavericks (via SAC): Olivier-Maxence Prosper, F, Marquette
Comparison: PJ Tucker if he had longer limbs
After offloading Bertans’ contract and acquiring defense with their first pick, Dallas uses the trade exception that was created with the departure of Bertans to acquire more defense: Kings big man Richaun Holmes and the 24th overall pick, Olivier-Maxence Prosper. At 6’7” with a 7’1” wingspan, Prosper’s scorching hot defensive motor as well as his exceptional ability to rotate effectively made it easy to see why he was a late ascender up draft boards. Prosper also showed off a unique ability to effectively guard different kinds of players; he had great games defending Cam Whitmore (scorer), Jordan Hawkins (shooter) and Colby Jones (facilitator). His jumper isn’t quite there, but it’s improved every year. The loss of Dorain Finney-Smith proved to be a major blow for the Mavs last season; they might’ve just gotten a younger version of him who I can easily see prospering as an impactful backup wing shoots finger guns victoriously once more.
Detroit Pistons (via BOS): Marcus Sasser, G, Houston
Comparison: Davion Mitchell if you traded some defense for some three-point shooting
Nice! Detroit adds depth behind Cade Cunnigham with a player who’s the definition of rock solid. Sasser was one of the alphas for a Houston squad that was a consistent top-five team in a college basketball season where top teams kept falling left and right. Offensively, Sasser is an ultra-confident shooter who had eight games with at least six made threes on at least 50% shooting from downtown. Defensively, he’s similar to Cason Wallace in that he’s a smaller guard with a long wingspan that raises his floor as a defender. He likely won’t put a lot of pressure on the rim, but his shooting prowess as well as above-average point-of-attack defense should help him carve out an immediate backup role in the Motor City.
Indiana Pacers (via CLE): Ben Sheppard, G, Belmont
Comparison: Alec Burks
Hooray mid-majors! Sheppard was another late riser up draft boards, and it culminated with him becoming just the second Belmont Bruin to ever be drafted into the NBA. A smooth shooter and a rocking relocator, Sheppard displays a handful of off-ball nuances on offense that make me excited for him to play with elite playmakers in Tyrese Haliburton and Jarace Walker. While he wasn’t a super impactful on-ball defender, Sheppard made first team All-Defense in the Missouri Valley Conference last season in large part because of his superb anticipation in passing lanes.
Charlotte Hornets (via DEN): Nick Smith Jr., G, Arkansas
Comparison: Bones Hyland
A former top recruit, Smith Jr. battled through an injury-riddled freshman season at Arkansas, yet still played well enough to become a first-round pick. Although I wrote in my notes “SLOW DOWN” and “CALM DOWN” several times with Smith, his craftiness in the paint combined with elite shooting touch is hard to not like. His decision-making isn’t the best, and his thin frame isn’t promising for his defensive prospects, but I can’t blame Charlotte for taking a chance on a player with Smith’s ceiling.
Utah Jazz (via PHI): Brice Sensabaugh, G, Ohio State
Comparison: TJ Warren
Similarly to Whitehead and Whitmore, troubling medicals were the likely cause of Sensabaugh’s slip all the way to 28, as his knee seemed to be a major concern for many teams. Nevertheless, the Jazz are getting one of the toughest shot-makers in this class. Sensabaugh is remarkably comfortable creating for himself off-the-dribble with advanced jabs, bumps and spins. His defense leaves a lot to be desired, especially because there are a handful of reps where he simply gets lost. But Sensabaugh’s ability to make tough shots is invaluable; along with George, Utah just collected a pair of potentially elite perimeter bucket-getters.
Denver Nuggets (via IND): Julian Strawther, G, Gonzaga
Comparison: LaMelo Ball if he was only allowed to shoot spot-up threes
The Nuggets likely won’t be able to keep all of their role players that helped propel them to an NBA title this past season, so grabbing one who can immediately make an impact was paramount. They got exactly that with Strawther, who was one of the deadliest catch-and-shoot three-point shooters in college basketball over the past two seasons. His makes from downtown are diverse and efficient, as Strawther shot over 43% on catch-and-shoots, spot-ups and off of screens. His defensive abilities are definitely concerning, as his upright defensive stance combined with frequently being a step behind his man made his play on that end frustrating to evaluate. At the very least, Stawther has the length to not be totally exploitable at that end, and as long as his shooting remains elite, he’ll have a role in the league.
Los Angeles Clippers (via MIL): Kobe Brown, F, Missouri
Comparison: Less refined Julius Randle
I’m going to try my best to keep my biased feelings out of this, but I am truly elated for Brown. He’s a wonderful human being who comes from a wonderful family, and a guy that I’m certain will be completely fine playing any role the Clippers ask him to play. Offensively, I’m buying Brown’s three-pointer that ascended to new stratospheres in efficiency as well as confidence. He’s a bruiser on the interior whose vision (especially out of the post) improved every year at Missouri. Defensively, Brown is strong enough to hold up against most NBA forwards. I’m not exactly sure how the Clippers plan to use Brown; all I know is that they have a lot of great stuff to work with.