Every college basketball player dreams of making it big in the National Basketball Association (NBA). With a maximum of 60 draft spots available each year, most players fail to make the grade, and even those selected face an uphill battle to become a superstar. However, the rewards are vast for those who do rise to the top and achieve stardom. Their earning potential is off the charts, their team’s loyal fans adore them, and they get to write a legacy in basketball’s top-tier competition.
The 2023 NBA Draft saw some incredible youngsters join the ranks of NBA teams. Despite many players featuring for teams listed on March Madness betting websites only 12 months ago, 53 of the 58 those drafted in 2023 have appeared at least once in the 2023-24 NBA regular season. The following five potential superstars, the top five 2023 picks, are not only rubbing shoulders with balling greats but excelling on the court week in and week out.
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Victor Wemanyama – San Antonio Spurs – Center
Victor Wemanyama was the number one overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft; the San Antonio Spurs selected the 7 ft 4 in center. The Frenchman made a name for himself in the French leagues, where his size and basketball ability caught the eyes of the top NBA franchise’s scouts. However, the San Antonio Spurs got their hands on the young giant, and boy, are they glad they did.
Wemanyama is regarded as one of the greatest NBA prospects of his generation. He was so highly rated that NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated the league was paying close attention to tanking for the 2023 draft because there was a once-in-a-generation player in the draft. Wemanyama is that player.
At the time of writing, Wemanyama had played 42 games for the Spurs and was averaging 20.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.2 blocks per game. On January 10, 2024, in a 130-108 win over the Detroit Pistons, Wemanyama put up his first career triple-double, scoring 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. There are likely many more where that came from; he improves with every game.
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Brandon Miller – Charlotte Hornets – Small Forward
The Charlotte Hornets selected Brandon Miller as the second overall pick after Miller gained a reputation for being a five-star recruit during his college career with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Miller produced some excellent figures for Alabama, including averaging 24.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game as a senior. His performances won him back-to-back Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year awards, among others.
Although Miller has not recaptured his college form for the struggling Hornets (10-36), he still averages 15.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Those numbers are pretty good for a rookie in a poor NBA team.
Scoot Henderson – Portland Trail Blazers – Point Guard
Scoot Henderson did not play college basketball, but that has not prevented him from starting a career in the NBA. Henderson graduated from Carlton J. Kell High School earlier than expected and signed with NBA G League Ignite, becoming the youngest-ever player in the G League. He averaged 15.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game across 22 starts in the G League.
The Portland Trail Blazers selected Henderson as the third overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft and wasted no time giving the point guard time on the court. Through 39 games played, Henderson is averaging 26.3 minutes, 12.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Again, like Miller, Henderson’s numbers are good, considering he’s playing for a team that is 15-33.
Amen Thompson – Houston Rockets – Point Guard
Much hype surrounded the Thompson Twins, Amen, and Ausar, when they declared they were entering the 2023 NBA Draft, and rightly so because the twin brothers have bags of potential. Amen Thompson bypassed his final year of high school and college to play in the Overtime Elite in 2021. Overtime Elite is a new professional league based in Atlanta with players aged 16 to 20.
During his final regular season in the OTE, Thompson averaged 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.3 steals. After the Houston Rockets selected him fourth in the 2023 NBA Draft, Thompson has played 28 games but only averages 16.4 minutes. However, despite his limited time on the court, he still manages 6.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.
Ausar Thompson – Detroit Pistons – Small Forward
Ausar Thompson was selected fifth overall in 2023 by the Detroit Pistons. It marked the first time in NBA history that brothers had been chosen in the top five in the same year. Like his brother, Amen, Ausar Thompson joined the OTE instead of his final year of high school and college because he thought it would be better preparation for an NBA career.
Ausar averaged 16.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 2.4 steals per game during his last regular season. Through 47 games for the Pistons during his rookie campaign, Thompson has 8.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game, which, considering the 2023-24 Pistons (6-41) are arguably the worst NBA team ever, is pretty good going.
Conclusion
All the players selected in the top five picks of the 2023 NBA Draft are enjoying game time on the courts and putting up impressive figures when you consider the teams they play for.
As expected, Victor Wembanyama has hit the ground running in the NBA, putting up superb numbers in a San Antonio Spurs team that is 10-38. Wemanyama has the potential to become one of basketball’s all-time greats, as you would expect from a player who has been compared to legendary figures like Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
