Another big day has come and gone in the National Basketball Association. It has come to an end, and now the league turns to the Summer League. Here is a look at an NBA 2023 Draft Recap from the big event last night:
1st Pick:
Victor Wembanyama, Metropolitans 92 – San Antonio Spurs –
The biggest prospect the league has seen since LeBron James is now officially a member of the San Antonio Spurs. Wembanyama will get thrown right into the fire playing with the Spurs in the NBA Summer League. The 19-year-old is 7’5 and has an 8-foot wingspan. In 34 games, he scored nearly 22 points and ripped down 10.4 rebounds per game for his NBA player stats.
He is known as an elite rim protector with a high motor and has the ability to catch and shoot the basketball. His one knack is his lean frame, and how will it translate to the bigger, more physical NBA game? It will be interesting to see when the NBA schedule comes out and how that translates to tickets sold to see this stud.
2nd Pick:
Brandon Miller, Alabama – Charlotte Hornets –
Miller has an absolute stud for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was named the SEC Player of the Year. Miller scored just shy of 19 points per game, playing in nearly 33 minutes per game. At 6’9, Miller has the ability to create his own shot and also hit the 3-point shot. Miller averaged 3+ three-point shots made a game and lead the team with 8.2 rebounds per game. This is another guy that will need to add some muscle and figure a few things out defensively. He will be a great player, but the NBA Odds of making the playoffs do not increase much for a Charlotte team that needs lots of help.
3rd Pick:
Scoot Henderson, G League Ignite – Portland Trail Blazers –
Henderson elected not to play College Basketball and instead took a deal with the G League – Ignite. Henderson played in 25 games last season and scored 17.6 points per game and also dished out 6.6 assists per game. The 6’2 guard has a great first step and is an explosive leaper. He shows great body control and can pull up and his shots when needed. Henderson will need to work on his outside game a little bit, and many are starting the comparisons to Russell Westbrook. It will be fun to see which NBA Draft Picks come through, and Henderson is definitely one to watch.
4th Pick:
Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite – Houston Rockets –
The first of twin brother picks – Amen Thompson got a chance to play in a first-year league and saw an alternative to College Basketball. The 6’6 guard played in 16 games and scored 16.4 points per game, and averaged just shy of 6 assists and 6 rebounds per game. He has great athleticism and a very quick first step. He is a good passer and will take care of the basketball for his team. His shooting is something he could improve on, and many are questioning the talent he competed against. We will find out as the NBA Teams jump into the Summer League soon. He draws a comparison to Ben Simmons in the early going.
5th Pick:
Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite – Detroit Pistons –
Much like his brother, another 6’6 guard, who scored 16.3 points per game and dished out 6.1 assists, ripping down 7.1 rebounds per game. He is an impactful scorer and does his best work driving the basketball or cutting to the basket. He loves to get out in transition and score. Ausan is a pretty good defender; the Detroit Pistons will need him to get his defensive shoes on, as that’s an area of need. Ausar struggled to shoot a little bit and, at times, does not see the floor as well as teams would like. His initial NBA comparison has been Andre Iguodala.
Other Interesting Picks:
9. Taylor Hendricks, UCF Knights, Utah Jazz
13. Gradey Dick, Kansas Jayhawks – Toronto Raptors
15. Kobe Bufkin, Michigan Wolverines – Atlanta Hawks
18. Jaime Jaquez Jr, UCLA Bruins – Miami Heat
19. Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara – Golden State Warriors
There is an NBA 2023 Draft Recap. Now, we are excited to see what happens with the rosters throughout the league to get Summer League games going and, eventually, the 2023- 2024 season underway later this fall!
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