Courtesy of YardBarker
On May 16, the NBA draft lottery took place, determining which teams would get the first pick in the 2023 NBA draft. The results gave the San Antonio Spurs the first pick, followed by the Charlotte Hornets, and the Portland Trail Blazers. The NBA draft took place on June 22, and it was no surprise who the top three drafted players were.
Victor Wembanyama (19), who some consider to be one of the best prospects in NBA history, was drafted number one overall. He was expected to be the first drafted by many NBA analysts since he has strong defensive and offensive skills. Wembanyama played in the French LNB Pro A league on the Metropolitans 92, and won defensive player of the year and became the youngest player to win MVP in the league. By drafting Wembanyama, the Spurs may be getting a star player, something they missed this past season. At 7’ 3.5”, Wembanyama will be able to defend the basket by blocking shots and grabbing rebounds. His ability to make long shots will help the Spurs on the offensive side as well.
Courtesy of Sports Illustrated
Analysts were looking for Brandon Miller (20) and Scoot Henderson (19) to be drafted in the top three, with some putting Henderson ahead of Miller. In the end, Brandon Miller (20) was selected second overall by the Charlotte Hornets. Miller played only one season in college with the University of Alabama, but accomplished a lot during his time there. He was Southeastern Conference player of the year and freshman of the year. Miller is a wing, and the Hornets will use him to play alongside LaMelo Ball. He isn’t a big ball handler, but is someone who cuts to the basket or an open space which would complement LaMelo’s style of play. Some speculate he could be a replacement for Gordon Hayward who is on his last year of his contract since he is injury prone. Or, others believe he could be a replacement for Miles Bridges who is a free agent that the team hasn’t decided if they are going to resign.
Courtesy of NBA
Third overall to be selected was Scoot Henderson (19) by the Portland Trail Blazers. For the past two basketball seasons, Henderson has been point guard with the G league team Ignite. Based on this experience, he is likely to adjust quickly to making a contribution at the NBA level. With the uncertainty of Damian Lillard’s status with the Trail Blazers, it is unknown the exact role Henderson will play for the team. No matter what the roster will look like in the fall, he’s in a good position to make a difference.
Wembanyama, Miller, and Henderson will all be able to showcase their skills during the summer league games in July. On the seventh, the Spurs and Wembanyama will face Miller and the Hornets and on the 11th, the Hornets and Miller will go against Henderson and the Trail Blazers. All three of these players have big expectations to fill this upcoming season.
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