Let’s just get into it (with aggregate mock draft placement info as well—rounded up from ESPN, The Ringer, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, Sports Illustrated’s FanNation, and CBS Sports).

THE PLAYMAKERS

Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson

Amen and Ausar Thompson are twin brothers both expected to be selected in the Top 10 at the 2023 NBA Draft. The two played together on the Overtime Elite squad last year, both averaging over 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Though Amen and Ausar are both heralded for their playmaking ability, Amen is thought of more of as a traditional point guard, while Ausar is more flexible—the kind of guy you could insert as a sixth man anywhere from point guard to power forward and still contribute. Amen “delivers every type of pass with accuracy,” according to The Ringer‘s Kevin O’Connor, and, “turns into Mario with a super star when he gets the ball.” Meanwhile, Ausar is a guy who can both score and average 2.7 steals on defense. Generally, any team would be thrilled to walk away with either of these two.

Amen’s mock drafts say: No. 4 (Rockets), No. 5 (Pistons), or No. 6 (Magic)

Ausar’s mock drafts say: No. 5 (Pistons), No. 6 (Magic), or No. 8 (Wizards)

Scoot Henderson

Scoot Henderson is a consensus Top 3 pick in the upcoming draft, even though some scouts are wary of the way his decreased play throughout the G League Ignite’s season. He’s a clear finisher, averaging 16 point-per-game and excelling at the rim with dunks. At the same time, he’s only 6’2″ and struggles at the three— (27.5%) last season. Still, “Henderson shows incredible flashes of ability accelerating out of hesitation moves, driving and dishing, and finishing with unique explosiveness and body control,” according to ESPN‘s Jonathan Givony, and a project with natural talent that draft analysts will be Portland’s No. 3 overall if they don’t trade the pick before draft day.

Mock drafts say Scoot is the consensus No. 3 pick (Trail Blazers), with the potential to bump up to No. 2 (Hornets)

Cason Wallace

Cason Wallace has a high floor in this league. The Kentucky freshman is already a decent free-throw shooter and catch-and-shoot threat, with high praise from O’Connor at The Ringer. The basketball analysts noted that he showed “shades of Jrue Holiday” at his highest potential, with the skills of guards such as De’Anthony Melton a more realistic middle-ground. He can also bring the defense, which is great for first-year guards. Just look at Christian Braun in the Finals for the Nuggets. Wallace is an, “Instinctual off-ball defender who can make highlight reel chase-down blocks and interceptions in passing lanes,” O’Connor writes. “He’ll win over fans with his hustle plays.”

Mock drafts say anywhere from: No. 8 (Wizards), No. 10 (Mavericks), No. 12 (Thunder), No. 13 (Raptors), No. 15 (Hawks), or No. 18 (Heat)

Anthony Black

Anthony Black is a dedicated point guard, with scouts constantly bringing up Lonzo Ball when they talk about his play. Hopefully he just won’t have the same set of injuries. Black, “Already looks like an advanced pick-and-roll playmaker,” according to The Ringer. “He snakes from side to side and has the feel to keep defenders on his back.” At 6’6″, his “natural skills are enhanced by his height, opening holes that smaller guards can’t find.” Though Arkansas lost to UConn in the Sweet Sixteen at this year’s NCAA tournament, he put up 20 points and an impressive 5 steals.

Mock drafts say: No. 8 (Wizards) or No. 9 (Jazz)

PLUG-AND-PLAY GUARDS

Nick Smith Jr.

Nick Smith Jr. played alongside Anthony Black on Arizona, excelling at ball-handling and quick layups inside. He’s got “strong creativity” around the rim according to ESPN, and would work best as on off-ball cutter. The best rookie year Smith Jr. could have would look something like Jalen William’s first year with the Oklahoma Thunder. He was a decent defender and amazing cutter at the rim, concluding with some votes for Rookie of the Year. Paired with the right team, Smith could find some good playing time.

Mock drafts say: No. 13 (Raptors), No. 14 (Pelicans), No. 16 (Jazz), or No. 17 (Lakers)

Jalen Hood-Schifino

Jalen Hood-Schifino’s “positional size and length [6’4″, 217 lbs], prolific pull-up game, and flashy passing have led to scouts picturing enticing upside for a prospect,” according to Bleacher Report—especially for teams looking to add promising guards in the first round this year that aren’t lanky, 6’2″ freshman that may take some time to age into their role. Almost everyone has a team like the Toronto Raptors picking him with their No. 13 pick, where he’ll be able to slot into a lineup behind players like Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and Gary Trent Jr.

Mock drafts say: No. 13 (Raptors), No. 14 (Pelicans), No. 15 (Hawks), No. 16 (Jazz)

Keyonte George

Keyonte George is a promising freshman project for any team with a strong guard base looking to build toward the future. He’s already got a knack for the pick and roll—which dominates this year’s league—and is 80% from the free throw line. He was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year playing for Baylor, with The Ringer projecting the guard to have a similar season to Jaden Hardy’s freshman year on the Dallas Mavericks this past season.

Mock drafts say: No. 11 (Magic), No. 14 (Pelicans), No. 15 (Hawks), or No. 17 (Lakers)

Kobe Bufkin

Kobe Bufkin’s draft stock has been rising since impressing at the Combine, with The Ringer calling the Michigan sophomore “Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley fused together” at his highest potential. He’s one of those ambidextrous guys who can finish at the rim with a layup pass to his left hand. He’s also a two-way defender, with his only downside being turnovers and a need-for-improvement when it comes to ball-handling. Still, he was an 84.9% free throw shooter and averaged 1.3 steals a game.

Mock drafts say: No. 16 (Jazz) or No. 19 (Warriors)

THREE-POINT SHOOTING

Gradey Dick

Gradey Dick is this year’s white guy who can shoot threes, boasting 40.3% three-point shooting. He’s a pull-up threat and catch-and-shoot specialist, as well as the No. 1 option for teams looking to add efficient shooting to their roster their year. Though the Kansas Jayhawks were eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament this year, he showcased his talents in the first round by putting down a double-double for 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 three-pointers.

Mock drafts say: No. 9 (Jazz), No. 10 (Mavericks), or No. 11 (Magic)

Jordan Hawkins

Jordan Hawkins helped lead UConn to an NCAA Championship this year, boasting incredible performances such as 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 three-pointers in an Elite Eight thriller. He’s a near-flawless shooter at 38.8% from behind the arc, with The Ringer praising his “lightning-quick” release. Hawkins is more than just a shooter, though, with ESPN reporting on his “significant versatility on the move” and strength getting to the free throw line.

Mock drafts say: No. 11 (Magic), No. 12 (Thunder), No. 14 (Pelicans), No. 17 (Lakers), or even No. 20 (Rockets)

Isaiah Wong

I’ve been singing this Miami guard’s praises for a while now, and I think I even included him on my list of prospects last year. Well, Isaiah Wong was even better this year, with incredible games in the NCAA tournament such as Round 2’s 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 three-pointers. Wong is also a 22-year-old, which may entice teams looking for a little more experience in someone they’re going to plug in for threes—especially when that three-point percentage is 38.4%. Wong was also the ACC Player of the Year, with The Ringer comparing him to Miami Heat’s Gabe Vincent.

Still, mock drafts only say: No. 54 (Kings) or No. 57 (Wizards) if he goes drafted in the second round at all.

Colby Jones

Colby Jones, 22, is another three-point shooter ready to contribute right away, boasting a 37.8% three-point percentage as a junior for Xavier—where team-based ball excelled. By the time he’s drafted, likely somewhere in the late 20’s, teams will be happy to add anyone with wing depth and high perimeter shooting. He was also the 2022 NIT Tournament champion and MVP in his sophomore year.

Mock drafts say: No. 19 (Warriors), No. 27 (Hornets), No. 28 (Jazz), No. 30 (Clippers), or No. 32 (Pacers)

WINGS

Taylor Hendricks

Wings are going to make up most of the second half of the first round, if not the majority of the draft as a whole. The idea of a SG/SF who can play multiple positions, provide efficient shooting, and get back on defense, is the kind of reliable player you need while your stars create plays. Taylor Hendricks, a Top 10 pick this year, is that guy. The 6’8″ shooter can play small forward or even a small-ball center, according to The Ringer, with the hustle to fight for a loose ball and “crash the boards hard when needed.”

Mock drafts say: No. 7 (Pacers) or No. 10 (Mavericks)

Leonard Miller

Leonard Miller is 6’9″ with a 7’2″ wingspan, and a forward who could also double as a center with midrange shooting. He’s coming off an incredibly productive G League Ignite season in which he averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds as a 19-year-old, according to ESPN, which is a rare find in teenage rookies. He’s “more of an idea than a surefire NBA pro,” Bleacher Report says, but he’s still expected to be picked near the top 20 this year.

Mock drafts say: No. 18 (Heat), No. 21-22 (Nets), or No. 24 (Kings)

Dariq Whitehead

An injury-riddled season cut Whitehead down from a Top 10 pick to a late first-rounder, but the Duke prospect still put down 12 pts and 3 three-pointers in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. In the short time he did play this season, Dariq Whitehead hit 42.4% from the three-point line. He was 2022’s Mr. Basketball USA and even has a connection to the Brooklyn Nets already since his surgery was performed by one of the Brooklyn squad’s leading doctors. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him picked with one of the Nets’ back-to-back picks at No. 21 or 22.

Mock drafts say: No. 21-22 (Nets), No. 25 (Grizzlies), No. 26 (Pacers), or No. 35 (Celtics)

Jaime Jaquez Jr.

A star at UCLA for four years, Jaime Jaquez Jr. would bring a sizable California crowd with him wherever he went. A team like the Clippers, who plays the free agency market more than it drafts young prospects, would be an easy fit for the 22-year-old down by the No. 30 pick. He was UCLA’s lead scorer at 17.7 points-per-game this past season, adding 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals. In a Sweet Sixteen game at the NCAA tournament this year, he impressed with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 steals.

Mock drafts say: No. 30 (Clippers) or No. 35 (Celtics)

Kris Murray

Yup, Kris is Keegan Murray’s twin brother, and a talented basketball player in his own right. There’s a chance the Sacramento Kings take him at No. 24 as well, which would just be a delight to see. Think of the fans, NBA! He’s a guy who “understands his role” as a 3-and-D player, according to The Ringer, though he also averaged 20.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks as Iowa’s main playmaker this past season.

Mock drafts say: No. 23 (Trail Blazers) or No. 24 (Kings)

Bilal Coulibaly

Playing with Victor Wembanyama will get you attention, especially when you’re 6’7″ with a 7’3″ wingspan. At just 18 years old, Bilal Coulibaly would be a hopeful late bloomer for a team willing to take the chance on him. He’s “got the strength to compete at the pro level as a defender who switches across positions,” The Ringer reports, and is an “explosive at-rim finisher who takes long strides to the basket.”

Mock drafts say: No. 11 (Magic), No. 15 (Hawks), No. 20 (Rockets), No. 21-22 (Nets), or No. 27 (Hornets)

POWER FORWARDS

Brandon Miller

Brandon Miller is best forward in this draft class and a consensus Top 3 pick. He’d bring big help and playmaking for either Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball or Portland’s Damian Lillard, especially with 18.8 points-per-game, 8.2 rebounds, and 38.4% three-point shooting. At Alabama, one of the best college teams in the country this past year, Miller was both SEC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. He says he loves to steal moves from Chris Paul and is ready to start on any team lucky enough to add him.

Mock drafts say Miller is the consensus No. 2 pick (Hornets), with the potential to be picked at No. 3 (Trail Blazers)

Jarace Walker

Big forwards are going to be a hot commodity this year, and this AAC Freshman of the Year could see a placement in the Top 5 if Detroit takes him with their No. 5 pick. Jarace Walker is an excellent passer and he’s a big guy at 6’7″, 249 lbs. He’s a great interior scorer in the paint and even a solid box-out defender. For a team with a leaner center who’s more height than strength, Walker would fit in very nicely. In the NCAA tournament this year, he totaled 10 blocks before Houston’s Sweet Sixteen exit.

Mock drafts say: No. 4 (Rockets), No. 5 (Pistons), No. 6 (Magic), or No. 7 (Pacers)

Cam Whitmore

Cam Whitmore, “explodes off the dribble like a semi-truck with a Ferrari’s accelerator,” according to The Ringer, who place the 18-year-old power forward as high as No. 4 in their mock draft with “flashed sings of stardom”. Praised for his versatility, his ability to play any position definitely gives the Villanova Big East Freshman of the Year the upper hand in Top 10 draft placement.

Mock drafts say: No. 4 (Rockets), No. 5 (Pistons), No. 7 (Pacers), or No. 8 (Wizards)

BIG MEN

Victor Wembanyama

Here he is, dear reader, the consensus No. 1 pick, and the future of basketball according to just about everyone. French teenager Victor Wembanyama has been hailed as the best prospect since LeBron James, coming at 7’4″ with a 8’0″ wingspan. He could be the next Kareem, the next Durant, or maybe even more. He averaged 21.2 points-per-game, 10.5 rebounds, and 3 blocks for the French squad, boasting insane highlight tapes full of moves like shooting, getting his own rebound, and putting in the dunk.

Mock drafts say the Spurs have zero brains if they don’t pick Wembanyama as the No. 1 overall pick.

Dereck Lively II

Derek Lively II is an interesting prospect to be as high as he is in some drafts, because the center didn’t really perform well last year. Still, he’s a highly-sought-after recruit—probably because he’s 7’1″ and went to Duke. While he isn’t a scoring magnet, he “can fire lasers to spot-up shooters, and he does a good job of locating cutters,” according to The Ringer, and “loves to run the floor in transition to get ahead of the defense.” These skillsets could be very useful if refined, like having a 7’1″ PJ Tucker on your bench just ready to go.

Mock drafts say: No. 12 (Thunder), No. 15 (Hawks), No. 18 (Heat), No. 19 (Warriors), or No. 25 (Grizzlies)

Oscar Tshiebwe

Oscar Tshiebwe is a rebound machine. He averaged 16.5 points-per-game, 13.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in his senior year at Kentucky, boasting titles such as the 2022 National College Player of the Year and 2-time NCAA rebounds leader. In the first round of this year’s NCAA tournament, he put down 25 rebounds in a single game—breaking the record for the most rebounds in an NCAA tournament game since 1977. He may be just 6’7″—fine in college but not the best for a pro center—but his efficiency as a rebounder should be enough to want to figure out how to effectively work a guy like that into your lineup.

Mock drafts say: late second-rounder, possibly No. 56 (Grizzlies) if Tshiebwe is drafted at all.

Trayce Jackson-Davis

I’m surprised that Trayce Jackson-Davis isn’t higher on draft boards, given that he averaged 20.9 points-per-game, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks for Indiana his senior year. He totaled 10 blocks in his first two NCAA tournament games this past March, and he seems like a versatile fit even at power forward. Many analysts set him back since he’s a lefty who rarely ever dribbles with his right hand, but he looks to be an asset both defensively and in the post.

Mock drafts say: No. 26 or 29 (Pacers), No. 34 (Hornets), or No. 38 (Kings)

Adama Sanogo

UConn’s Adama Sanogo was one of the most impressive players this past NCAA tournament—if not the most impressive. He put down 17 points and 10 rebounds in the championship game to win it all—alongside Jordan Hawkins—and won the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player Award. AT 6’7″, he’s not the tallest center, but a backup option ready to go in small ball lineups seems like an easy pickup. Many scouts say his floor is as high as someone like Kevon Looney—and that guy’s won three NBA championships.

Mock drafts say: late second-rounder, potentially No. 54 (Kings) if Sonogo is drafted at all.

Noah Clowney

Last on this list—but certainly not without talent—while Noah Clowney would be a bit of a project as one of the youngest 18-year-old freshmen in the draft, the 6’10” Alabama big man with a 7’2″ wingspan could add some good height to a smaller team. He’s also shown signs of being able to hit some threes, such as the three he hit in the first round of the NCAA tournament this past March. With that alone, many mock drafts have him selected late in the first round to teams like the Clippers or the Jazz.

Mock drafts say: No. 16 (Jazz), No. 21-22 (Nets), No. 25 (Grizzlies), No. 26 (Pacers), No. 27 (Hornets), or No. 30 (Clippers)