The NBA draft class of 2023 will be one of the most closely watched sports events in recent history as teams assess the new talent rising to the pros. Some coaches are already making Juicy Stakes bets on the blue-chip talents stacked through the lottery though others are waiting to assess the depth as they consider how they will proceed through the first round and into the second.
One thing that everyone is agreeing on is that there are enough up-and-coming superstars for 2023 to ensure that even the league’s worst-run franchises will have a hard time messing it up. This, even as the 2022 draft class which features Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Auburn’s Jabari Smith and Duke’s Paolo Banchero gets ready to strut their stuff on the court. All eyes are on that top three who are expected to push the game forward.
Victor Wembanyama
Yet, talented as this year’s youngsters are, the following class may have even more star power. The crew is headed by Victor Wembanyama, a 17-year-old center from France with a shooting range out to the three-point line, a Gobert-like wingspan, and the potential to be one of the defining players of the coming generation ESPN called Wembanyama “the world’s most intriguing NBA prospect”. At 7’3 with a 7’9 wingspan, Wembanyama is the most impressive player physically but his skill on-court as a shot-blocker may crown him as a generational defender though his shooting range and ability to make tough shots makes him an offensive threat as well.
In the FIBA U-19 World Cup that was played this summer, Wembanyama averaged 14 points, 5.7 blocks per game and 7.4 rebounds per game. Even though he’s quite thin, observers believe that he will be able to carry weight in the coming years. Despite a stress fracture in his fibula last year he has come back strong to play for ASVEL in the French A League.
Scoot Henderson
Another youngster to watch is Scoot Henderson who graduated high school early and has been using his time to dominate the G League. After the 2021 draft, when Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Green legitimized the league’s new development initiative by becoming top picks, Henderson joined the Ignite program where he will spend two years before, hopefully, moving on to the NBA.
At 6”3 Henderson displays elite athleticism as he handles the ball in the footsteps of John Wall and Derrick Rose. He excels in a standstill burst that forces rotations and dusts defenders off the dribble. It’s clear that he’s adept at manipulating the opposing defense in the half-court.
Despite returning after a rib injury, he has proven himself this year, putting up 2 points and eight assists against the Stockton Kings and 31 points and five assists against the Santa Cruz Warriors. Scouts point to his three-point shot which has emerged as his swing skill.
If anyone can compete with Wembanyama for #1 draft choice spot, it’s Henderson.
Amen and Ausar Thompson
The Thompson twins from Florida are considered potential 2023 top-10 or even top-5 picks despite ranking in the mid-40s of their high school class this past spring. Both players are guards who stand at 6’7. Their skills center on getting into the passing lanes to force turnovers, rising above the rim to block shots and pressing the ball on the perimeter.
The appeal of the Thompson twins starts with their size and nuclear athleticism. They plan guard position and are transition scorers and elite defenders. Both stand around 6’7 and observers see their offensive skill sets in the half court beginning to come into sharper focus.
Ausar uses his tremendous burst to attack the basket as a slasher while Amen has shown more playmaking ability. Between the two of them Ausar is the better outside shooter but both are players to watch in the coming months.
Shaedon Sharpe
Shaedon Sharpe left his native Ontario to attend prep schools in the US. Over the last 3 years he has risen to become a top-50 recruit and he is now playing his final season on the Nike EYBL circuit where he blossomed into the No. 1 ranked class player as a shooting guard. At 6’4 with a 7-foot wingspan Sharpe has developed impressive upper body strength that allows him to play through contact, create separation and finish with scoring points.
This year he’s improved tremendously in his handling of the ball and his shooting. He’s become a pull-up shooter who can sink ‘em beyond the three-point line. In the EYBL circuit he’s played 12 games, during which he’s averaged 22.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists per game plus a 36.1 percent three-point shooting on 6.9 attempts per game and 56.9 percent true shooting.
Currently Sharpe has committed to Kentucky. He hasn’t hit the court yet but he’s been practicing against the Wildcats including the formidable TyTy Washington.
Emoni Bates
Emoni Bates was once viewed as the “next Kevin Durant” but an environment that fostered bad habits over the last few years dimmed his prospects. Now Bates, who graduated early and enrolled in Memphis, has put his true talents on display and the next two seasons of college ball should help determine whether he can make the leap onward.
Observers have been wondering whether Bates can still turn into the deadly outside shooter that he showed potential to be just a few short years ago. Right now in Memphis he’s hitting 35 percent of his threes – an impressive shows considering that he’s one of the youngest in his class. He still needs to work on his tendency to take too many difficult shots outside the flow of the offense but that may resolve with time.
