2023 NBA Draft: The Twenty
In every NBA Draft, something like 20 players end up sticking around. Who will they be in 2023?
Tier 1: Alpha and Omega
The NBA lottery is tonight, and it begins and ends at #1. Victor brings the beginning of a new era of NBA basketball, and the end of years-long tanking efforts, all undertaken in his name. Victor is the captain of The Twenty: the alpha, the omega, the prodigal son, the one who is prophesied to bring a team to the promised land, where the NBA titles flow freely and the MVP awards always find their way home. Godspeed, Victor. We’re all rooting for you!
Victor Wembanyama
Tier 2: Ascendant Beings
In any ordinary draft, Scoot goes #1. I stand by that common refrain, not just due to the talent he possesses, but also the mind, the composure, the spirit with which he lives his life. It all translates to his game - he is unselfish but does not defer by default; rather, he lifts his teammates to his level of excellence, imbuing them with the same calm confidence that Scoot constantly exudes. At 6’2, Scoot will always be at a disadvantage to his peers. Height is his Achilles heel, the flaw that will prevent players like Markquis Nowell and Darius McGhee from even hearing their names called on June 22nd.
But Scoot will adapt. He will survive. And in time, he will thrive. That’s what Ascendant Beings do - they ascend their surroundings, their self-doubts, and their own limitations. And in doing so, they lift the team around them to great heights.
Scoot Henderson
Tier 3: Divine Beasts
Yes, okay, I am writing this instead of playing Tears of the Kingdom. In fact, I haven’t even purchased it yet because I just moved to Texas 9 days ago and my girlfriend just flew to Korea two days ago, so I’ve been on a bit of a whirlwind of emotions - not to mention that the dang NBA playoffs are in full swing, with a Game 7 on Sunday, and now the NBA Lottery tonight??
What was I talking about???
ANYways, the Divine Beasts. While they don’t match the power of a true alpha like Ganon (or in this case Wemby & Scoot), these are powerful forces of nature that shape the world around them. Add a player like this to a losing team, and upend the status quo, bringing new energy to the team and adding value in spots it may have been missing. Add them to a winning team and they find a way to plug a couple leaks, to fill a couple weaknesses that plague your squad.
In all of these cases, we are talking about big, powerful athletes with versatile skill-sets and burgeoning craft on and off the ball. No team in the NBA would turn down a chance to add these guys to their rotation. Is some dynastic rule in their future? An ascension, an awakening, a metamorphosis into the all-time great player that some see them as?
Maybe? Beats me. But provoke these Divine Beasts at your own peril.
Brandon Miller
Jarace Walker
Cam Whitmore
Amen Thompson
Ausar Thompson
Tier 4: Celestial Bodies
A tier below the brutal beasts, and far from the likes of the legends at the top of the mountain, these prospects come with clear flaws. But oftentimes we can draw upon these flaws for a greater sense of clarity. To reach the heights of The Twenty, you must do many things phenomenally well on the basketball court. But in the glaring light of your greatest weakness, you often discover ways to counter said weakness.
Keyonte George struggled with efficiency this year, so what did he do? He focused more on making advantage passes, and on working as part of a team structure on defense. Cason Wallace struggles to break down defenders off the dribble, so he learned to shoot off the catch. Gradey Dick struggles to stay in front of his man, so he learned how to use his length to block smaller players from behind.
All of these players are flawed in very obvious and frankly concerning ways. But the strengths they bring are not just impressive, they are transcendent. The Twenty is all about finding the players who will make an impact at the next level, and these players all have clear paths to doing so - clean up the weaknesses while doubling down on the strengths you’ve developed along the way.
Anthony Black
Brice Sensabaugh
Taylor Hendricks
Keyonte George
Cason Wallace
Kobe Bufkin
Tier 5: Nuclear Building Blocks
These are the blue-collar building blocks that make any industry run. The lunch-pail toting, Carhartt-boot rocking sons of guns that always get the job done, no matter how dirty it gets. The NBA is full of these folks, as funny as it is to say about a group of multi-millionaires; for every star, there are a dozen role players doing whatever they can to empower the breadwinner. To be a role player, you have to be malleable. One day you can be the keystone of the rotation, the crowd living and breathing with your every shot. The next, your role is to cheer as loud as you can, and to expend your six fouls in the most efficent way possible. Not everyone has the mental makeup to do that, and betting on that type of personality is nigh impossible.
Yet, I tried to do it anyways. These are guys that I am confident will become building blocks on NBA benches for years to come.
Jordan Hawkins
Gradey Dick
Jalen Hood-Schifino
Dariq Whitehead
Kris Murray
Dereck Lively II
Trey Alexander