ESPN's new NBA mock draft has two Razorbacks before Cason Wallace

Big Blue Nation has been so focused on the NCAA bubble and the SEC standings that a recent update to ESPN’s 2023 NBA mock draft went unnoticed this past Sunday.

In the update, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony of course has Victor Wembanyama projected as the No. 1 overall pick, currently to the Houston Rockets in that spot. The 18-year-old Frenchman is widely regarded as the best draft prospect since LeBron James.

Behind Wembanyama at No. 2 is Scoot Henderson, the dynamic G League Ignite point guard; followed by Amen Thompson of Overtime Elite at third.

There isn’t an NCAA prospect on Givony’s mock draft until fourth when Alabama star Brandon Miller is the first college player off the board. Miller is the first of four SEC players currently projected in the draft lottery, and the other three come from the teams that will play tonight in Rupp Arena.

At sixth, Nick Smith Jr. of Arkansas heads to the Oklahoma City Thunder to join Shai-Gilgeous Alexander’s backcourt. Smith Jr. was the No. 1 shooting guard in the Class of 2022, but hasn’t played a game since December and isn’t expected back on a college floor. Smith Jr. will be unavailable tonight at Kentucky, a school that recruited him heavily out of high school. It’s the 19th game he has missed for the Razorbacks.

Smith Jr.’s Arkansas teammate, Anthony Black, isn’t far behind at tenth to the Washington Wizards. Black will be a key part of tonight’s game at Rupp Arena as he averages 35 minutes per game for Arkansas, making him one of the most used players in all of college basketball. Another five-star from last year’s high school class, Black averages 12.5 points per game on the wing.

Then when the two Razorbacks are gone, Cason Wallace is Kentucky’s first lottery pick since PJ Washington and Tyler Herro in 2019–or if you count Shaedon Sharpe, him last summer. Wallace is at No. 12 to the Los Angeles Lakers in ESPN’s latest round of predictions. Wallace would join Anthony Davis and Wenyen Gabriel in Hollywood if it holds true. LeBron too.

Mr. Irrelevant

There is one more Kentucky Wildcat in Givony’s latest mock draft and it’s Oscar Tshiebwe at the very last pick in the draft. Givony bumped Tshiebwe down to No. 58 to the Boston Celtics. (There are only 58 picks this year due to two forfeitures.)

Read ESPN’s entire 2023 NBA Mock Draft here. It’s a plus article so you’ll need to sign up.