NBA mock draft 2023 4.0: Will Victor Wembanyama be the next Tim Duncan in San Antonio?

The NBA draft lottery is quickly approaching and several teams are looking to land the top pick, especially in a class where one prospect stands above the rest. Here’s our fourth 2023 NBA Draft mock, with the lottery simulation courtesy of Tankathon.com.

2023 NBA Draft lottery results and picks

1. San Antonio Spurs - Victor Wembanyama, France

Is it 1997 again? The Spurs get the desired result and select Wembanyama, who could be their next Tim Duncan. San Antonio already has some intriguing players in place with Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and Jeremy Sochan. Adding Wembanyama to the mix will accelerate this rebuild significantly and potentially jumpstart the next Spurs dynasty.

2. Orlando Magic - Scoot Henderson, G League Ignite

The Magic could take Brandon Miller here but they’re a bit loaded at the wing with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Consistent guard play remains a problem for Orlando, and that’s where Henderson steps in. He’s going to battle Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs for playing time but the upside is much higher with Henderson.

3. Houston Rockets - Brandon Miller, Alabama

Miller is likely the third of the top 3 prospects in this draft, although fit could push him ahead of Henderson depending on the team. He had a rough ending to March Madness but did establish himself as a strong all-around scorer. The Rockets looking to be dynamic on that side of the ball and Miller fits the bill there.

4. Washington Wizards - Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite

This is a decent jump for the Wizards, although it doesn’t quite get them into the top 3 where they’d really want to land. Thompson has a longer ways to go than his brother when it comes to shooting, but he’s the better facilitator at this stage and could be of more use to Washington immediately than some of the other players available.

5. Detroit Pistons - Jarace Walker, Houston

The Pistons still get a solid contributor in Walker, who has likely fallen a bit out of favor due to Houston’s early exit from the tournament. The combo forward is still an elite rebounder and defender, with a decent enough base to potentially improve as a shooter. If he can stretch the floor well, he’ll be a great fit here.

6. Charlotte Hornets - Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite

The Hornets take the prospect with the most upside and someone who should help immediately defensively, although that margin alone won’t improve this team. Thompson will need to work on his overall offensive game to get minutes in this rotation, which should see more youth next season.

7. Portland Trail Blazers - Taylor Hendricks, UCF

The Blazers are likely going to explore trade deals involving one of Jerami Grant and Jusuf Nurkic, so Hendricks makes sense to grab here. He’s been flying up draft boards during the process and possesses good size at the power forward spot. He can also hit the triple, which is a key to fit with this Portland team.

8. Indiana Pacers - Cam Whitmore, Villanova

The Pacers ultimately get a solid all-around prospect in Whitmore, who also fills a positional need for them. The Villanova product flew a bit under the radar due to the Wildcats not being a factor in March Madness, but he’s got some strong skills to grow into a bigger role.

9. Utah Jazz - Gradey Dick, Kansas

The Jazz can go in several directions, but Dick likely offers them the most positional versatility at this point in the draft. Utah is still figuring out which players it can use as foundational pieces for the rebuild, and Dick’s ability to contribute in multiple facets of the game make him an intriguing player.

10. Dallas Mavericks - Jordan Hawkins, UConn

We’ll see what the Mavericks ultimately do with Kyrie Irving, but Hawkins is a great fit with this team. He’s going to be counted on as a knockdown shooter immediately while being able to grow as a secondary playmaker with the bench unit.

11. Orlando Magic (via Chicago Bulls) - Anthony Black, Arkansas

The Magic could get some depth in the frontcourt here but they opt to go with the upside play in Black. The Razorbacks guard had some nice moments as a freshman but is still quite raw and will need some time to develop. He’ll get that patience in Orlando.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder - Gregory Jackson, South Carolina

The Thunder could be in the trade market here, potentially dealing for a veteran instead of making a selection. If they do stay pat, they’ll likely address their frontcourt by taking Jackson. He was not a big factor at South Carolina but he’s a nice rotation big man immediately for Oklahoma City.

13. Toronto Raptors - Jett Howard, Michigan

The Raptors are going to be undergoing some changes, and one of those changes could be letting Gary Trent Jr. walk. Howard could fill in immediately as a strong perimeter shooter, and also has the length to be a disruptor defensively. Toronto still has a championship core, so this is more a re-tool than a rebuild.

14. New Orleans Pelicans - Cason Wallace, Kentucky

The Pelicans have a lot of great offensive options, but they could use a point guard who makes everything fit together. Wallace isn’t an elite facilitator but he’s an aggressive player who can open up space for others when he drives. He also brings some good defensive instincts to this team.