ESPN releases first 2023 mock draft following 2022 NBA Draft
With the 2022 NBA Draft now behind us, it’s time to start looking toward next year’s prospects. After this year’s draft ended Thursday night, ESPN NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony released his first mock draft for the 2023 season.
There is still plenty to learn about the 2023 crop of prospects, and these rankings will likely look a lot different come June of next year. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic prevented plenty of live sports from taking place over the past couple of years, which has limited scouting to some degree. That means there isn’t quite as large of a sample size on many of these players as in past year, and 2022 could have a big impact on how this class ultimately shapes up.
Below is Givony’s 2023 NBA mock draft, with the order based on ESPN projections prior to draft night.
Round 1
1. Oklahoma City Thunder — Victor Wembanyama, PF/C, France
2. Detroit Pistons — Scoot Henderson, PG, G League Ignite
3. Orlando Magic — Nick Smith, PG/SG, Arkansas
4. Houston Rockets — Ausar Thompson, SG/SF, Overtime Elite
5. Sacramento Kings — Amen Thompson, PG/SG, Overtime Elite
6. San Antonio Spurs — Cameron Whitmore, SF, Villanova
7. Indiana Pacers — Dillon Mitchell, SF/PF, Texas
8. Portland Trail Blazers — Dereck Lively, C, Duke
9. Washington Wizards — Dariq Whitehead, SG/SF, Duke
10. New Orleans Pelicans (from Lakers) — Keyonte George, SG, Baylor
11. New York Knicks — Kel’el Ware, C, Oregon
12. Charlotte Hornets (to Atlanta if 17-30) — Anthony Black, SG, Arkansas
13. Atlanta Hawks — Terquavion Smith, SG, NC State
14. Orlando Magic (from Chicago) — Cason Wallace, PG/SG, Kentucky
15. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland) — Kyle Filipowski, PF/C, Duke
16. Toronto Raptors — Jarace Walker, PF, Houston
17. Los Angles Lakers (from New Orleans) — Julian Phillips, SF, Tennessee
18. Minnesota Timberwolves — Gradey Dick, SG/SF, Kansas
19. Utah Jazz — Leonard Miller, SF/PF, G League Ignite
20. New York Knicks (from Dallas) — James Nnaji, C, Barcelona
21. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Denver) — Jordan Walsh, SF/PF, Arkansas
22. Brooklyn Nets (from Philadelphia) — Rayan Rupert, SG/SF, NZ Breakers
23. Los Angeles Clippers — Brandon Miller, SF, Alabama
24. Brooklyn Nets — Chris Livingston, SF/PF, Kentucky
25. Houston Rockets (from Milwaukee) — Sidy Cissoko, SG/SF, Undecided
26. Boston Celtics — J.J. Starling, SG, Notre Dame
27. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Miami) — Marcus Sasser, PG/SG, Houston
28. Golden State Warriors — Ousmane Ndiaye, PF/C, Undecided
29. Memphis Grizzlies — Amari Bailey, PG/SG, UCLA
30. Phoenix Suns — Nikola Djurisic, SG/SF, Serbia
Round 2
31. Oklahoma City Thunder — Arthur Kaluma, PF, Creighton
32. New York Knicks (from Detroit) — Nolan Hickman, PG, Gonzaga
33. Orlando Magic — Emoni Bates, SG/SF, Undecided
34. Boston Celtics (from Houston — Jordan Hawkins, SG, UConn
35. Sacramento Kings — Julian Strawther, SF, Gonzaga
36. San Antonio Spurs — Jaime Jaquez Jr., SF, UCLA
37. Sacramento Kings (via Indiana) — Andre Jackson, SG/SF, UConn
38. Boston Celtics (from Portland) — Harrison Ingram, SF/PF, Stanford
39. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Washington) — Roko Prkacin, PF, Undecided
40. Los Angeles Lakers — Adem Bona, C, UCLA
41. New York Knicks — Oscar Tshiebwe, C, Kentucky
42. Atlanta Hawks (from Charlotte) — Caleb Love, SG, North Carolina
43. Philadelphia 76ers (from Atlanta) — Daimion Collins, PF/C, Kentucky
44. Los Angeles Lakers (from Chicago) — Alex Fudge, PF, Florida
45. Milwaukee Bucks (from Cleveland) — Drew Timme, PF/C, Gonzaga
46. Toronto Raptors — Mouhamed Gueye, C, Washington State
47. New Orleans Pelicans — Kris Murray, PF, Iowa
48. Minnesota Timberwolves — Coleman Hawkins, PF, Illinois
49. New York Knicks (from Utah) — Matthew Cleveland, SG/SF, Florida State
50. New York Knicks (from Dallas) — Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton
51. Philadelphia 76ers — Matthew Murrell, SG, Ole Miss
52. Los Angeles Clippers — Colby Jones, SG/SF, Xavier
53. Brooklyn Nets — Kevin McCullar, SF, Kansas
54. Milwaukee Bucks — Jazian Gortman, PG/SG, Overtime Elite
55. Charlotte Hornets (from Boston) — Matthew Mayer, SF/PF, Illinois
56. Indiana Pacers (from Miami) — Ariel Hukporti, C, Melbourne
57. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Golden State — Zach Edey, C, Purdue
58. Memphis Grizzlies — Trayce Jackson-Davis, PF/C, Indiana
59. Phoenix Suns — Jamarion Sharp, C, Western Kentucky
Note: The Chicago Bulls forfeited a 2023 second round draft pick.