The 2023 NBA Draft is just about here and the drama is increasing with fervor in the lead-up to the anticipated event. In a deep draft full of potential prospects, contenders like the Celtics and the Nuggets have in recent days acquired picks in the 20s and 30s, with the potential idea of adding rotation pieces on rookie deals.
The latest big move came late Wednesday as Boston acquired pick No. 25, Kristaps Porzingis and a 2024 first-round pick while shipping out Marcus Smart to Memphis. The deal also landed the Wizards pick No. 35, Tyus Jones, Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala, adding to their treasure trove of picks that now includes four in this year's draft and three in the second round.
There may be more fireworks incoming in the hours leading up to Thursday night's draft, and of course that movement will be reflected in the mock draft below as we continue to track things. But in the ever-shifting landscape, our last stab at a mock draft -- what we think NBA teams will do and how we think the draft order will shake out -- can be found below.
Let's jump in!
Latest NBA Mock Drafts: Ward-Henninger | Parrish | Cobb | Norlander
Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
 
Victor Wembanyama
C
France
• 7'4"
/ 210 lbs
I'm setting the over/under on time spent on the clock for the Spurs here at 1.6 seconds, and I am hammering the under. Wembanyama has long been the favorite to go No. 1, and the Spurs will do what everyone expects and make him the first pick on Thursday night.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
 
Scoot Henderson
PG
G League Ignite
• 6'3"
/ 195 lbs
The betting markets now have Scoot Henderson as a heavy favorite to go No. 2 just hours after Brandon Miller was found as heavy as a -900 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook to be selected here. Henderson is the higher-ranked prospect on the CBS Sports Big Board and has the electricity and athleticism to be a nice fit next to LaMelo Ball to ease some of his playmaking burdens.
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Round 1- Pick 3
I'm not totally convinced Miller isn't still in play for the Hornets at No. 2, but if Henderson goes to Charlotte, Miller's fall won't be a long one. This is a draft seen by evaluators as having three clear top talents before a tier drop. Miller shot 38.4% from 3-point range as a freshman at Alabama and led the SEC in scoring, box plus/minus and win shares.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
 
Amen Thompson
SF
Overtime Elite
• 6'7"
/ 199 lbs
Realistically there are several names involved here at No. 4 and the Rockets' potential interest in James Harden this offseason could tilt their preference. But Thompson presents the most long-term upside here as a home-run swing. He has superstar athleticism and a silky smooth game with passing and playmaking that makes him appealing, though his shot remains a work in progress.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
The long-held belief here is that Detroit might look to add at the wing position to fill out its lineup around Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham, but Walker on the board presents real value. Ausar Thompson should be in play at No. 5 as well, but the size, skill and inside-out ability of Walker is a nice fit for the Pistons.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
When you think of Black the word immediately connected with him is "connector." He'd be a huge addition for the Magic who are now building around Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, giving them someone who can play selflessly on offense and embrace his role on defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
 
Ausar Thompson
SF
Overtime Elite
• 6'6"
/ 205 lbs
Adding scoring punch next to Tyrese Haliburton should be a priority for the Pacers, and in Ausar Thompson they get it at No. 7. Thompson is a natural scorer who can play both on and off the ball and has a well-rounded game and frame that could make him a starter long-term on the wing in Indy.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Whitmore's draft range is a bit wider than maybe initially expected, but it's hard to see him slipping too far down the lottery. He's not an adept passer but he's a jaw-dropping athlete who can shoot the 3-pointer and space the floor.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Hendricks is a fast-rising prospect who presents immense upside in this range with a 6-9 plus-wingspan. He brings amazing defensive versatility and shooting and has the movement ability to develop into a foundational piece as Utah retools its roster.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Dallas could -- and I think, should -- be thinking of ways to best maximize its pieces around Luka Doncic, and for my money Wallace is the best bet here. He's a great defensive playmaker who can play on or off the ball and brings playmaking to the game as a potential secondary creator.
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From
Chicago Bulls
Round 1 - Pick 11
After adding a playmaker who struggles to shoot consistently (Anthony Black) earlier in this mock, here I have Orlando coming back to grab Dick at No. 11 -- giving them the best and most versatile shooter in this year's class.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
 
Bilal Coulibaly
SF
France
• 6'8"
/ 195 lbs
Coulibaly helped himself in a big way the last month in helping lead Mets 92 to the Pro A Finals. He's played his way into a potential lottery selection and would make sense for OKC, which historically tends to value long wings with major potential.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
The belief for Toronto is that they may look to add to their weapons in the backcourt to potentially protect themselves from Fred VanVleet's potential departure. Bufkin is a combo guard who had a breakout second half of the season for Michigan and has the scoring ability to fill it up at every area of the court to go with sound defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
NBA teams are always on the hunt for combo guard/creators like Hood-Schifino, and he flashed enough on both ends at Indiana to push for a potential lottery spot in this year's draft. Great frame, really good defensively, and knows how to attack and make plays off the bounce. His shot needs to become more developmentally consistent but the tools here are undeniable.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Knock-down shooters aren't easy to come by, and Howard is an exciting one at 6-8. He's a quick decision-maker who can spot up in transition or hit 3-pointers off the dribble, and has also flashed some playmaking ability off of closeouts.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
If you squint a bit at George's game you'll see some shades of Bradley Beal in terms of what he can do as a scorer and combo guard. George impressed NBA teams at his pro day in Chicago during the NBA Draft Combine and appears to be on the rise, though he is a bit of a polarizing prospect who could go in the lottery or slip into the 20s.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Twenty-two-year-olds don't frequently climb this high in drafts, but Jaquez has had a strong few weeks on the pre-draft circuit and could be an exception. He's a savvy, experienced guard who can be a creator and scorer and embraces his role as a defensive playmaker to boot.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
One of the big winners of the NBA Draft Combine, Podziemski, coming off a breakout season in which he won Co-WCC Player of the Year honors at Santa Clara, goes No. 18 here as a plug-and-play combo guard who can add scoring, playmaking and toughness for a title contender.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Best player available here is Lively, the one-and-done Duke big man who was among the most effective rim-protecting players in all of college hoops last season. He's still got some growing to do as an offensive weapon, but his defensive impact is a foundational piece of his game that will translate, and there is a wave of momentum at his sails during the pre-draft process that makes me think this will present real value for the Dubs.
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From
Los Angeles Clippers
Round 1 - Pick 20
A nagging knee injury cost Smith Jr. real exposure to showcase himself on a big stage this season after carrying momentum into the season as a potential top-three pick. But the No. 1 recruit from the 2022 class, an immensely talented scorer and slasher, is still someone I think teams will be glad to bring in and develop, and in this range he'd be a no-brainer.
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From
Phoenix Suns
Round 1 - Pick 21
Murray had a breakout season for Iowa averaging north of 20 points per game while showing off range as a 3-point shooter. He's a combo forward who brings versatility, polish and size.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
 
Leonard Miller
SF
G League Ignite
• 6'10"
/ 210 lbs
Miller is a double-double machine who was playing like one of the best prospects for G League Ignite by the end of the season. His long-term potential as a big wing who can pass and defend presents nice value for the Nets, who have back-to-back picks here.
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From
New York Knicks
Round 1 - Pick 23
No player in this class is more skilled as a spot-up shooter than Hawkins, whose ability to be his own offensive hub because of his space-creation is underrated and under-appreciated. He profiles as a Duncan Robinson-like talent who can specialize as a floor-spacing scorer.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Prosper played so well on the first day of scrimmages at the combine that he pulled out of the second day, showing so much as an energetic combo forward that he likely solidified himself as a top-30 pick in this class. A really athletic, long forward who can shoot and impact winning with effort.
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From
Memphis Grizzlies
Round 1 - Pick 25
Big men who don't shoot 3-pointers don't pop off the page as definite first-rounders, and yet Jackson-Davis by most measures appears to be an anomaly. He's a dominant interior scorer and rebounder who shows great touch and makes great plays as a passer, and there is optimism in NBA circles that he will in time develop into a floor-spacer.
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From
Cleveland Cavaliers
Round 1 - Pick 26
Clowney received a green room invite to the draft, suggesting he's likely a first-round pick. In a class thin on bigs, his value as a shot-blocking center with 3-point shooting potential could be boosted.
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From
Denver Nuggets
Round 1 - Pick 27
Sheppard had a tremendous pre-draft process and starred at the NBA Draft Combine, showcasing his shooting ability. He plays hard on both ends and could wind up in the back end of the first round.
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From
Philadelphia 76ers
Round 1 - Pick 28
 
Rayan Rupert
SF
France
• 6'6"
/ 185 lbs
A developmental wing with real skill and a defensive baseline, Rupert hails from the NBL's New Zealand Breakers as an intriguing long-term talent worth gambling on in this range. He has incredible movement skills and flashes serious upside as a creator and downhill driver. Lots of tools to like.
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From
Indiana Pacers
Round 1 - Pick 29
Whitehead is one of the more intriguing prospects in the class, and another recent foot surgery only adds to the mystery. If healthy, though, he could be the steal of the draft with his size and scoring ability. The Nuggets may be hunting for a more immediate win-now piece, but they have shown a willingness to gamble on big talents like Bol Bol and Michael Porter Jr. who wound up slipping to them in recent years.
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From
Milwaukee Bucks
Round 1 - Pick 30
Lewis is a fun, intriguing prospect who has showcased basically every skill you're looking for in an NBA wing -- catch-and-shoot prowess, one-on-one scoring, finishing at the rim, defensive versatility. His 7-foot wingspan allows him to collect steals and throw down some impressive dunks in traffic. He ran into trouble at Pepperdine trying to do a little too much, so he would flourish in a simplified role with the Jazz.
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