Way-Too-Early 2023 NBA Mock Draft

With the 2022 NBA draft wrapped up and games like the Jordan Brand Classic and the McDonald’s All-American returning to shed some light on the rising stars making their way into the next level of basketball this fall, I thought, what better time to make some way too early picks for next year’s NBA draft? While the NBA and college basketball are both in the offseason currently, it will be tricky to predict how every team will play and finish next year. However here are my picks for this 2023 NBA Draft and the teams I think will fall in a hypothetical lottery.

Welcome to the 2023 NBA Draft!

1st Pick: San Antonio Spurs

Victor Wembenyama PF-France- HT: 7’2- WT: 229lbs

VICTOR WEMBANYAMA | EuroLeague | Euroleague Basketball — (Creator: Romain Biard | Credit: Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images)

2nd Pick: Houston Rockets

Scoot Henderson SG- G-League Ignite- HT: 6’2- WT: 195lbs

3rd Pick: Charlotte Hornets

Dereck Lively II C- Duke- HT: 7’1- WT: 215lbs

4th Pick: Orlando Magic

Nick Smith Jr. SG- Arkansas- HT: 6’5-WT: 185lbs

5th Pick: Utah Jazz

Kel’el Ware C- Oregon- HT: 7′- WT: 210lbs

6th Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder

Dariq Whitehead PG- Duke- 6’6- WT: 190lbs (drops from injury)

NEWS: Dariq Whitehead Undergoes Surgery for Foot Fracture

Link: https://t.co/9OVyR08WlX pic.twitter.com/jh66Po5hUs
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) August 30, 2022

7th Pick: Detroit Pistons

Dillon Mitchell SF- Texas- HT: 6’7- WT: 195lbs

On3 image — Dillon Mitchell / Via Twitter

8th Pick: Sacramento Kings

Cam Whitmore SF- Villanova- HT: 6’6- WT: 200lbs

(Via Scott Taetsch/ The Washington Post)

9th Pick: Indiana Pacers

Keyonte George SG- Baylor- HT: 6’3- WT: 185lbs

10th Pick: New York Knicks

Ausar Thompson SF- OverTime Elite- HT: 6’6- WT: 190lbs

11th Pick: Washington Wizards

Cason Wallace PG- Kentucky- HT: 6’4- WT: 185lbs

12th Pick: Portland Trailblazers

Amen Thompson SF- OverTime Elite- HT: 6’6- WT: 190lbs

13th Pick Chicago Bulls

Chris Livingston SF- Kentucky- HT: 6’6- WT: 220lbs

14th Pick: Toronto Raptors

Amari Bailey SG- UCLA- HT: 6’4- WT: 185lbs

Sierra Canyon’s Amari Bailey (10) takes the ball to the basket past Glenbard West’s Bobby Durkin (33). — (Via Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times)

15th Pick: Atlanta Hawks

Brandon Miller SF- Alabama- HT: 6’8- WT: 190lbs

brandon-miller-2022-five-star-commits-alabama — (Brandon Miller/ Via Twitter)

(HM: G.G. Jackson, A. Black, B. Miller)

Those were my picks for the 2023 NBA draft. It will be exciting the see where teams like Charlotte, Utah, and San Antonio finish in the lottery. This class is so loaded with talent it will be hard to go wrong with any player drafted but keep an eye out for these guys going into their season this fall to see how these predictions pan out…

If you would like to read more on the NBA check out this article by Anthony Jones about the NBA’s future expansions!