It is no secret at this point, after the trade of Rudy Gobert and with trade talks surrounding Donovan Mitchell, that the Utah Jazz are about to embark on a rebuild, arguably the most complete down-to-the-studs rebuild in franchise history.
Given the return for Gobert and the reported asking price Utah has for Mitchell, the Jazz are prioritizing draft picks above all else.
It makes sense, especially for next season. Top 2023 NBA draft prospect Victor Wembanyama is considered by most to be a generational talent, along the lines of LeBron James in 2003, Anthony Davis in 2012 and Tim Duncan in 1997.
Wembanyama is such a highly touted prospect that an NBA scout recently told Yahoo Sports, “Right now, it’s Wembanyama and everyone else for the 2023 draft.”
Only one team can get the No. 1 pick, though, and the Jazz won’t be the only squad in the Wembanyama sweepstakes, so who are the best prospects among “everyone else?”
Scoot Henderson
6-foot-2, 195 pounds
Point guard
Marietta, Georgia
Mock draft placement
- ESPN — 2
- CBS Sports — 2
- NBC Sports — 2
- The Athletic — 2
If there is a prospect who can threaten Wembanyama’s hold on the No. 1 spot, it is Henderson.
As The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie wrote, “I’m not quite of the opinion that the race for No. 1 overall is a done deal, largely because Henderson exists and is terrific in his own right.”
Henderson is prized most for his physical attributes and athleticism — he has a ways to go when it comes to refining his passing and playmaking — and has earned early comparisons to Memphis Grizzlies’ star Ja Morant.
As Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo noted, “Henderson is off the charts physically, with long arms, a muscular body type and high-level strength and speed with the ball that have made him one of the best athletes in the G League as a teenager.”
Nick Smith
Arkansas
6-foot-4, 185 pounds
Point guard/shooting guard
North Little Rock, Arkansas
Mock draft placement
- ESPN — 3
- CBS Sports — 4
- NBC Sports — 4
- The Athletic — 4
There isn’t much in the way of consensus after Wembanyama and Henderson, at least not yet, with multiple prospects getting the nod at No. 3 overall in different mock drafts.
Smith, a 5-star recruit and freshman at Arkansas, has as good a chance as any, though, with NBC Sports’ Tyler Byrum and Chase Hughes writing, “Smith brings a ton of two-way athleticism and can create for himself. A year at Arkansas will help determine which position scouts will want to draft him for, but for now, projects as a 6-4 combo guard.”
Combo guards increasingly have value in the NBA, as teams search for multiple ballhandlers — the bigger the better.
And as CBS Sports’ Kyle Boone writes, “Smith has always been considered an elite talent but has really ascended the last year, going from a sub-25 level recruit to the No. 3 player in his class. He’s a smooth combo guard who can handle and score on an Arkansas team that features backcourt talent as well as any team in college hoops.”
Ausar Thompson
6-foot-7, 204 pounds
Shooting guard/small forward
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Mock draft placement
- ESPN — 4
- CBS Sports — 3
- NBC Sports — 8
- The Athletic — 6
Ausar Thompson has the size that NBA teams look for on the wing and has been described as almost your prototypical wing scorer.
As Vecenie writes, “(Ausar) will be one of the best wing athletes to enter the NBA in a long while. At 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, he possesses prototypical measurements for the wing position across the court. He’s lethally quick twitch and can guard across the positional spectrum. Defensively, he’s lightning quick.”
Ausar Thompson is most likely to make an impact on defense first, with his offense developing later on.
“Ausar plays as more of a traditional wing scorer, with more change-of-pace to his handle,” Woo writes, “and sets himself apart on defense, where growing up he’d typically take the toughest assignment.”
Amen Thompson
6-foot-6, 190 pounds
Point guard/shooting guard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Mock draft placement
- ESPN — 5
- CBS Sports — 5
- NBC Sports — 11
- The Athletic — 7
Like his twin brother Ausar Thompson, Amen Thompson has intriguing promise as a wing defender, but where Ausar is a more of a traditional wing, Amen is more of a rangy guard.
As Boone notes, “Amen ... is a lotto talent as well with the positional size and length to be a difference-maker at the guard spot. He flashed some really impressive playmaking skills over the last year and could give his brother, who right now is seen as the better prospect, a run for his money as he continues to develop.”
Every bit as athletic as his brother, Amen Thompson thrives on his physical gifts — and is a very capable ballhandler — but will need to develop into a more capable shooter if he is to have long term success in the NBA.
“Amen Thompson is more of the passer/playmaker of the duo, and he possesses real skill as a ballhandler,” Vecenie writes. “I don’t know that I’d quite call him a primary lead guard right now, but he’s certainly going to be able to handle at least secondary ballhandling responsibilities in the NBA.”
Cameron Whitmore
Villanova
6-foot-6, 220 pounds
Small forward
Severn, Maryland
Mock draft placement
- ESPN — 6
- CBS Sports — 6
- NBC Sports — 15
- The Athletic — 3
A 5-star recruit who is expected to star for Villanova in 2022-23, Whitmore has his believers, in part because of his size, length and strength, which should helped him develop quickly into a good defender.
“He’s big and physical and uses his length, strength and athleticism well at 6-foot-6 with a 220-pound build, particularly on the defensive end,” Vecenie writes. “He plays hard and tries to shut down the opposition. ... On top of it, he’s a good shooter and seems to know how to move. He makes the right passing reads and right plays, plus he can create his own shot. There are some explosiveness concerns athletically.”
Not unlike Ausar Thompson, Whitmore is viewed as a prototypical NBA wing, arguably the most desired player type in the NBA currently outside of pure superstars.
“Good-sized wing who has a slasher’s mentality and plays with an edge,” Boone writes. “Perfect fit with Villanova — and fits the archetype of a wing the NBA values.”
Other notable 2023 NBA draft prospects
Dariq Whitehead participates in the second half of the McDonald’s All-American boys basketball game Tuesday, March 29, 2022, in Chicago.
Charles Rex Arbogast, Associated Press
- Dillon Mitchell (Texas) - Small forward/power forward, 6-foot-7, 200 pounds
- Dereck Lively (Duke) — Center, 7-foot-2, 235 pounds
- Dariq Whitehead (Duke) — Shooting guard/small forward, 6-foot-6, 190 pounds
- Keyonte George (Baylor) — Shooting guard, 6-foot-4, 185 pounds
- Anthony Black (Arkansas) — Shooting guard, 6-foot-7, 185 pounds
- Kel’el Ware (Oregon) — Center, 7-feet, 210 pounds