ESPN releases updated mock draft after 2023 NBA Draft Lottery

The San Antonio Spurs were the big winners of the NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday night, landing the No. 1 pick and therefore the chance to draft generational prospect Victor Wembanyama. Unsurprisingly, he’s slotted to the Spurs as the first pick in a post-lottery mock draft via ESPN.

While the Spurs won big, the biggest loser was comfortably the Detroit Pistons, who entered the lottery with the best chances to get the No. 1 pick, along with two others (including the Spurs). Instead the Pistons will be picking at No. 5.

And with the lottery done, picks No. 1-14 are set in the 2023 NBA Draft (as are a few more).

Here’s the full ESPN mock draft for the lottery picks after the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery.

1. San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama, PF/C, Metropolitans 92
2. Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller, SF, Alabama
3. Portland Trailblazers: Scoot Henderson, PG, G League Ignite
4. Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson, PG/SG, Overtime Elite
5. Detroit Pistons: Ausar Thompson, SG/SF, Overtime Elite
6. Orlando Magic: Cam Whitmore, SF, Villanova
7. Indiana Pacers: Jarace Walker, PF, Houston
8. Washington Wizards: Anthony Black, PG/SG, Arkansas
9. Utah Jazz: Gradey Dick, SG/SF, Kansas
10. Dallas Mavericks: Taylor Hendricks, PF, UCF
11. Orlando Magic (via Chicago): Jordan Hawkins, SG, UConn
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Cason Wallace, PG/SG, Kentucky
13. Toronto Raptors: Keyonte George, SG, Baylor
14. New Orleans Pelicans: Nick Smith Jr., PG/SG, Arkansas

ESPN mocked the rest of the first round and the second round, which you can view here.

With Wembanyama more or less locked in as the No. 1 overall pick for months now, the bigger mystery of the draft was who would pick second, who would that team prefer? According to the ESPN mock, the Hornets would add former Alabama star Brandon Miller, a 6-foot-9 wing who can shoot, attack the basket and rebound. But the No. 2 pick could just as easily be the player currently mocked at No. 3, electric guard Scoot Henderson.

Getting further down the order, things could shift around. The Pistons might opt for a ready-made scorer like Whitemore or to add the positional versatility that Walker brings, instead of taking a Thompson as ESPN predicts.

Yet-to-be-executed trades, pre-draft injuries or behind-the-scenes character concerns can also change the whole picture of what happens in the draft after Wembanyama becomes a Spur in the 2023 NBA Draft.

All that’s left now is for the picks to be made and a whole lot of discussion to happen in between.