The time has come for a new crop of basketball talent to be drafted in the annual NBA Draft. There is a lot of buzz surrounding this year’s draft due to the fact that the first pick will be the highest rated prospect since LeBron James. Unlike a lot of years, there is no debate for the 1st pick in this year’s draft. Last year, the number one pick was unknown until draft time and all of us at The Sports Chief were fooled. It wasn’t just us though. I don’t think anybody was predicting Paolo Banchero to be the first pick. Top 3, yes, but not first overall. To be honest, I have no idea about this draft class. Last year seemed to be a strong class and I think it was for the most part, but I can't get a read on this year’s class. It seems very top-loaded, but fairly weak overall class. There could be some teams looking to move up into the Top 3, which could be some big players being dealt. It should be an interesting draft. In the past, I have just given our picks, but I may decide to give some details on certain picks. I won’t do it for all of them, just a select few. It is also worth noting that these picks are all prior to the 3-team trade that was finalized this morning between the Wizards, Celtics, and Grizzlies. Well, here goes. Here are our picks for this year first round of the NBA Draft.

1: San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama, France

The biggest prospect since LeBron and I can honestly say, we have never seen a player like him. Ralph Sampson is probably the closest comparison. Victor himself says that he is 7’3” tall without shoes, but he has been listed anywhere from 7’2”-7’5”. I’ll just say he is tall, and he can do just about everything on the court. It seems like the Spurs always luck out on these kinds of picks, but we don’t know how the grind of an NBA season will treat a player of his size. In the past, players have had a difficult time remaining healthy, so we’ll see. It would have been cool to see him in Charlotte though. Nothing is ever a sure-fire thing though, especially when you’re 7 and a half feet tall running up and down the court 9 months out of the year.

Austyn: Victor Wembanyama, France; Hailed as a generational talent, Victor Wembanyama will have a considerable amount of hype to live up to. It is difficult to compare him to any previous NBA player, but the Spurs hope he is their next Tim Duncan

Garett: Victor Wembanyama, France

2: Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller, Alabama

There was a lot of controversy surrounding Miller last season, but it seems as if that has all gone away and his name is officially cleared. The rumors and buzz suggest that Miller will be the Hornets’ pick. Some may have their reasons for not wanting him in Charlotte, but he has talent and he will probably be a very good pro. With talk of Miles Bridges potentially returning to Charlotte, I don’t know if Gordon Hayward will be traded this offseason or not or if they decide to bring Kelly Oubre back. Miller should fit right in with the Charlotte lineup, no matter what they decide to do. I have a feeling that Scoot Henderson may be the better player though and I personally would rather have him. Odds have swapped for Charlotte’s favored pick multiple times throughout the last couple of weeks, so I guess we won’t really know until the pick is in. Or they could trade it for Zion. I’m on board for that if Zion can remain on the court, but I guess there is no way of knowing if he will remain healthy enough for the Hornets to be relevant.

Austyn: Brandon Miller, Alabama; The Hornets have been making headlines with MJ selling some of his ownership stake, but in selecting Brandon Miller, they take what they believe is the best player off the board. In all reality, the Hornets need depth and an identity and unfortunately, I don’t think they get that here. See you up at the top of the board next year CLT!

Garett: Scoot Henderson, G League Ignite

3: Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson, G League Ignite

This pick will either be Brandon Miller or Scoot Henderson and I will go with the latter. Scoot seems like a guy that you shouldn’t pass up on. I think he has the potential to be a D-Rose or Damian Lillard type of guard. Pairing him with Lillard in Portland could be a good match, kind of like when they had he and CJ McCollum. However, the Blazers could decide to trade the pick as well and whoever trades up to this pick, will not pass up on Scoot.

Austyn: Cam Whitmore, Villanova; Portland’s identity is Damian Lillard. They need size and strength, so they get a physical Forward in Whitmore

Garett: Brandon Miller, Alabama

4: Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite

I don’t know which Thompson twin is the better player, because not only are they identical twins, but they’re practically identical players statistically. Amen is getting more love towards the top of the leaderboards and that is mainly because scouts believe him to be a better passer than his twin brother.

Austyn: Scoot Henderson, G League Ignite; Scoot falls down the board after Charlotte passes on him. The Rockets do not have a solid PG, so Henderson is a no-brainer.

Garett: Cam Whitmore, Villanova

5: Detroit Pistons: Jarace Walker, Houston

The Pistons need a strong, athletic Forward and they can get it with Walker. Walker won’t wow you on offense, but he is a solid enough threat in the paint. He is also a solid rebounder and defender.

Austyn: Jarace Walker, Houston; I feel like Detroit is known for its blue-collar, bruiser style teams… Jarace Walker is a physical Forward who will fit in perfectly with them.

Garett: Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite

6: Orlando Magic: Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite

Projections aren't expecting Ausar and Amen to be too far apart in the draft, but I am seeing Ausar going anywhere from 5th-11th. The Magic have 2 lottery picks, so don’t be surprised if they decide to move up in the draft. They have a talented, young team and I expect them to be competitive in another year or two.

Austyn: Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite; I have no idea of the identity of the Magic. They seem to have a plethora of “potential”, but no real superstars. They go for the best player on the board here.

Garett: Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite

7: Indiana Pacers: Cam Whitmore, Villanova

Whitmore was projected Top 5 in a lot of mocks, but his draft stock seems to be slipping a little bit due to medical concerns and lackluster workouts with teams.. This seems like a good fit for him, but don’t be surprised if he falls to around the 10th pick or even at the back end of the lottery.

Austyn: Taylor Hendricks, UCF; Taylor is a great shooter and Indiana is missing a solid PF. They have great players everywhere else and if Hendricks develops, the Pacers are contenders int he East.

Garett: Cason Wallace, Kentucky

8: Washington Wizards: Anthony Black, Arkansas

After trading Bradley Beal and the uncertainty of what they will do with Chris Paul, Anthony Black should fit right in with the Wiz.

Austyn: Anthony Black, Arkansas; Washington is selling the house with Porzingis and Beal gone. Anthony Black has the potential to give the Wizards a rebuilding piece for the betterment of the team.

Garett: Anthony Black, Arkansas

9: Utah Jazz: Taylor Hendricks, UCF

Hendricks could be somewhat of a hidden gem. Everyone is talking about Wemby, Scoot and others, but Taylor Hendricks could be the real deal.

Austyn: Jordan Hawkins, UCONN; Jordan Hawkins could be scary good in Utah. He led the Huskies to a Nation Championship and already looks NBA ready.

Garett: Jarace Walker, Houston

10: Dallas Mavericks: Dereck Lively, Duke

I don’t expect Dallas to keep this pick. I think they will go after a veteran player because they are in win-now mode. Lively is one of the best defenders in the draft wherever he goes. If the Mavs do decide to keep the pick and Hendricks is available, it would be the ideal pick for them.

Austyn: Gradey Dick, Kansas; Dallas needs perimeter shooting and Grade is the best in the class.

Garett: Taylor Hendricks, UCF

11: Orlando Magic: Kobe Bufkin, Michigan

I expect Orlando to trade this pick away to move up, but I think Bufkin will likely go around this area.

Austyn: Bilal Coulibaly; Here the Magic are again, they may trade… if not, they take a project out of France. The French aren’t messing around in this year’s draft.

Garett: Gradey Dick, Kansas

12: Oklahoma City Thunder: Bilal Coulibaly, France

Victor Wembanyama’s teammate is scheduled to go in the back half of the lottery, but where exactly is uncertain. The Thunder are pretty much set on playmaking guards, so that would rule out players like Cason Wallace and Kobe Bufkin. It is always interesting to see how these European players progress in the NBA. You can never tell how good they will actually be.

Austyn: Cason Wallace, Kentucky; Cason is a great pro prospect and OKC already has a great UK guard. they draft another Calipari product #12.

Garett: Bilal Coulibaly, France

13: Toronto Raptors: Cason Wallace, Kentucky

Austyn: Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite; Ausar falls down the board, but he lands in a great situation in Toronto to be a lead guard on a solid Raptors team.

Garett: Jordan Hawkins, UCONN

14: New Orleans Pelicans: Gradey Dick, Kansas

If the Pelicans are indeed trading Zion Williamson, I would venture to say that this pick would be involved in any potential deal somehow. If the potential trade is with Charlotte, this could fill the void of a potential trade piece Gordon Hayward. This is all purely speculation, but crazy things can happen in the draft, so don’t rule it out. Dick is arguably the best shooter in the draft.

Austyn: Dereck Lively, Duke; Jonas Valanciunas’s contract is up at the end of the year and Derreck Lively offers NOLA a solid future Center who could dominate with fellow Duke alumni Zion Willamson and Brandon Ingram.

Garett: Dereck Lively, Duke

15: Atlanta Hawks: Noah Clowney, Alabama

Austyn: Noah Clowney, Alabama; John Collins hasn’t been great, so they push him to improve with a great rebounding Power Forward.

Garett: Keyonte George, Baylor

16: Utah Jazz: Rayan Rupert, France

Austyn: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana; Utah does it again with Jalen Hood-Schifino. Talent is deep in Salt Lake City.

Garett: Jett Howard, Michigan

17: Los Angeles Lakers: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana

It is tough to decipher what the Lakers will do. They clearly need something, but what is it? Well, how about another two-way guard. If Hood-Schifino falls this far, it would be a great pick for LA.

Austyn: Nick Smith, Arkansas; Smith probably won’t fall this far, but if he does, the Lakers scoop him up. The major question here is… are the Lakers entering re-build mode?

Garett: Kris Murray, Iowa

18: Miami Heat: Keyonte George, Baylor

Austyn: Kobe Bufkin, Michigan; The Heat played excellently in the Playoffs and now they get a solid draft pick. Kobe Buffoon helps their guard depth.

Garett: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana

19: Golden State Warriors: Jordan Hawkins, UCONN

Hawkins in Golden State would be a natural fit because of his sharpshooting ability. I don’t think he will fall quite this far, but I can’t imagine the Warriors passing up on him if he is still on the board.

Austyn: James Nnaji, Nigeria; Nnaji is a great project, but he would make the Warriors an exciting team on the highlight reel.

Garett: Nick Smith, Arkansas

20: Houston Rockets: James Nnaji, Nigeria

Nnaji is expected to be a late 1st/early 2nd round pick, but considering how weak this year’s draft is for bigs, I think he will go higher than expected.

Austyn: Jaime Jaquez, UCLA; The Rockets get an experienced player who can help them on the defensive end.

Garett: Leonard Miller, G League Ignite

21: Brooklyn Nets: Nick Smith, Arkansas

The popular predicted destination for Smith is the LA Lakers, but I think he will fall just a little bit.

Austyn: Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State; Sensabaugh matches the Nets personality at the point… He’ll be a great depth piece ( I feel like I am saying that a lot about this year’s class).

Garett: Kobe Bufkin, Michigan

22: Brooklyn Nets: Maxwell Lewis, Pepperdine

Austyn: Tristan Vukcevic, Serbia; I feel like there is always a lot of random international players who go in “weak” drafts like this one. Tristan Vukcevic is known for his shooting and any team can use that.

Garett: Noah Clowney, Alabama

23: Portland Trail Blazers: Kris Murray, Iowa

Austyn: Jett Howard, Michigan; Jett Howard manages to fall this far the Trail Blazer get a player who’s dad played in the NBA.

Garett: Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara

24: Sacramento Kings: Leonard Miller, G League Ignite

The Kings seem to be only one piece away from being legit contenders. I don’t think Miller is that missing piece to the puzzle, but he should provide good depth for Sacramento.

Austyn: Leonard Miller, G League Ignite; The Kings can afford to draft a project and Miller could be a boom or bust player with this exciting team.

Garett: Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State

25: Memphis Grizzlies: Marcus Sasser, Houston

Ja Morant is going to miss some time, so that means Tyus Jones will lead the floor. Marcus Sasser is a great plug-and-play guard that can be an immediate help to the backcourt. I think he could be one of the steals of the draft.

Austyn: Keynote George, Baylor; Who wants to play in Memphis right now? They have pieces, but their star player may not play again… they take best available if they don’t trade out of this draft altogether for next season.

Garett: Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Marquette

26: Indiana Pacers: Julian Strawther, Gonzaga

I think Strawther would be a great fit in Indiana. The Pacers play style and Strawther seem like a good match.

Austyn: Kris Murray, Iowa; Murray just seems like a Pacer.. That’s all I got.

Garett: Maxwell Lewis, Pepperdine

27: Charlotte Hornets: Gregory Jackson II, South Carolina

It almost seems like a lock for Charlotte to take Brandon Miller at 2, but will they keep the 27th pick? Who knows? I think they will roll the dice and go with potential here. GG Jackson was a highly rated prospect that didn’t quite live up to his potential in his lone college season. I think he is worth taking a chance on. He could wind up being a superstar. He showed flashes of brilliance at South Carolina.

Austyn: Dariq Whitehead, Duke; If Dariq Whitehead is still on the board, the Hornets better not mess this one up. He was on a Duke team who was loaded in depth and the statistics don’t show it, but Whitehead would be a Top 5 pick if he played at an obscure school.

Garett: Tristan Vukcevic, Serbia

28: Utah Jazz: Dariq Whitehead, Duke

Whitehead was a highly touted prospect, but didn’t quite get a chance to show all that he was capable of at Duke. I think he would have benefited from staying another year at Duke from a draft stock standpoint, but I think whoever picks him will get a steal.

Austyn: Maxwell Lewis, Pepperdine; I don’t see Utah making 3 selections, but Maxwell Lewis is a solid player from the west coast.

Garett: Dariq Whitehead, Duke

29: Indiana Pacers: Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State

Austyn: Ben Sheppard, Belmont; What is up with all of these repeated picks?!?!?!?! Sheppard was a solid college player who dominated at Belmont. He can shoot and had a very high percentage of buckets go in.

Garett: Rayan Rupert, France

30: Los Angeles Clippers: Jaime Jaquez, UCLA

The big positive for Jaquez is his defensive ability and his leadership skills. The Clippers don’t need a leader, but they could use another solid defender.

Austyn: Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara; Eric Gordon is injury prone and Brandin Podziemski could be the player the Clippers need to complement Kawhi and George.

Garett: Andre Jackson Jr., UCONN

The Sports Chief's 2023 NBA Mock Draft (1st Round)