The 2023 NBA Draft was full of promising young players who went on to make their mark in the NBA for their respective teams. While we all know that 7-foot-4 French big man Victor Wembanya will inevitably become the face of the league sooner rather than later, the other draftees have also shown promise on the court.
But as with all NBA Draft, there will be a few hits and tons of misses. While it may take a few years for other young guys to develop their potential, some will arguably feel too overwhelmed inside an NBA court despite their best efforts to succeed.
In today’s list, we will be Re-drafting the super-stacked 2023 NBA draft class (all first-round picks).
Did your favorite team select the best pick in the 2023 NBA Draft?
1. San Antonio Spurs – F/C Victor Wembanyama
It’s safe to say that the Spurs certainly got this pick right. Not only did Victor Wembanyama live up to the hype, but he’s also shown flashes that he’ll be a real problem for the entire NBA landscape soon. Nobody has ever seen a player like Wemby and once he bulks up a bit and fulfills his potential, nobody in the world can stop him.
2. Charlotte Hornets – G/F Brandon Miller
As rare as it may be, the Hornets finally got it right by drafting Brandon Miller. While the athletic 6 foot 7 guard/forward will probably never become an MVP-caliber player in the league, we can all agree that he’ll be a future all-star for years to come.
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3. Portland Trail Blazers – C Dereck Lively II
How did a Chandler Tyson-type player slip outside the top 10 of the 2023 NBA Draft? That’s the question everybody was questioning themselves when Lively showed his skills as a versatile and super athletic big man for Dallas. There’s a ton to like about Lively as he’s also a very good defender in the post.
4. Houston Rockets – G/F Ausar Thompson
While his twin brother, Amen, is a much more gifted player on the offensive end, we can’t deny that Ausar has the potential to become a much better player down the line due to his versatility on both offense and defense. He crashes the boards like a veteran and is slowly becoming a very good one-on-one defender for the Pistons.
5. Detroit Pistons – F Cam Whitmore
Selected as the 20th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, nobody saw Whitmore’s potential to be this good other than the Rockets. The 6-foot-7 forward already has a smooth three-point shot in his offensive repertoire and is a very good wing defender for his size.
Also read: 5 NBA Players From The 2023 NBA Draft That Already Look Like Busts…And 5 That Look Like Superstars
6. Orlando Magic – G/F Amen Thompson
Although Amen Thompson slipped a bit in this list, the 4th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft could be the starting floor general for the Magic if they had the chance to select him. He fits perfectly with the team as he’s a good defender with tons of untapped potential on the offensive end.
7. Indiana Pacers – F Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Teams were understandably wary of selecting Jaquez Jr. in the lottery solely because of his age. While it’s true that he’s a bit old compared to his peers, we can’t deny the fact that he’ll become a solid team player for any NBA team throughout his career.
8. Washington Wizards – G Keyonte George
It’s baffling that the Wizards missed on Keyonte George in the draft for a team struggling at the point guard spot. He has a decent size at the point and already has a dependable three-point shot in his arsenal.
9. Utah Jazz – F GG Jackson II
Originally selected as the 45th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, it’s baffling that only the Memphis Grizzlies saw GG Jackson II’s immense potential as a player in this league. The second-round gem is widely viewed as an integral part of the Grizzlies in the near future.
10. Oklahoma City Thunder – Trayce Jackson-Davis
Imagine if Trayce Jackson-Davis had the chance to start alongside Chet Holmgren. That’s certainly a sight to see. But to be clear, being selected at the 10th spot is a great honor for the big man, considering that he was the 57th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
11. Orlando Magic – G Scoot Henderson
While Scoot Henderson is getting a lot of flak on his game due to being selected as the 3rd pick in the 2023 NBA draft, he still has a lot of time to succeed in this league if given the opportunity to do so. The Magic certainly would be a good fit for him had they selected him on this spot.
12. Dallas Mavericks – G Brandin Podziemski
While we can’t imagine the Mavs selecting another prospect aside from Derek Lively II, picking Podziemski isn’t too bad of a decision at this spot. His toughness will be a welcomed addition to Dallas and his savvy playstyle will fit perfectly alongside Mavs star Luka Doncic.
13. Toronto Raptors – G/F Bilal Coulibaly
There’s no doubt that Coulibaly would have been a great fit for the Raptors right from the get-go. The French guard/forward has tons of untapped potential in his game. Plus, he refuses to back down against anybody, which is a good trait for any young player in this league.
Also read: 5 NBA Teams Who Should Draft Bronny James and 5 Teams Who Should Stay Very Far Away
14. New Orleans Pelicans – G Jordan Hawkins
In all honesty, the Pelicans made the right decision to select Hawkins as the 14th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He still has tons to learn, but the 6-foot-5 guard will certainly be a part of the Pelicans core moving forward.
15. Atlanta Hawks – G Cason Wallace
The 15th spot will be a slight fall for the guard out of Kentucky as he was originally selected as the 10th pick by the Thunder in the 2023 NBA Draft but Atlanta would not be a bad spot for him either. The Hawks definitely need some help in their backcourt rotation and Wallace would have been a perfect addition for them.
16. Utah Jazz – G Gradey Dick
It took a while for Gradey Dick to find his footing in the NBA, but there’s definitely some potential in his game, especially in the shooting department. While he certainly won’t get selected to any all-star games soon, he still has the potential to evolve into a solid starter for years to come.
17. Los Angeles Lakers – F Taylor Hendricks
The Lakers need help in all positions and Hendricks would have been a nice addition in their frontcourt rotation. At 6 foot 9, the versatile forward can switch multiple positions on the court and can arguably become a long-term fit for the proud franchise.
18. Miami Heat – G Anthony Black
While Anthony Black has struggled to find some minutes on the court due to the plethora of guards the Magic have on their current roster, the same can’t be said if he was drafted in Miami. He needs a little bit of toughness, and Heat star Jimmy Butler would have been a good mentor for the young guard.
19. Golden State Warriors – F Kris Murray
It would certainly be nice if the Warriors selected Kris Murray in the 2023 NBA Draft. Kris, the twin of the Sacramento Kings’ budding star, Keegan Murray, has tons of potential to become a solid 3 and D player in the future.
20. Houston Rockets – G Marcus Sasser
Marcus Sasser is an unbelievably underrated pick by the Pistons at the 25th spot in 2023. He is a solid player who can either start or play as a backup point guard with any team in the league right now. Plus, he went to college at Houston.
21. Brooklyn Nets – F Toumani Camara
There’s a lot to like the Belgium-born big man, Toumani Camara. He runs the floor well and is a good defender despite being undersized at the power-forward spot. Take note that he was originally selected as the 52nd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns.
22. Brooklyn Nets – G Kobe Bufkin
Bufkin’s slide from the 15th to the 22nd isn’t entirely his fault as the Hawks never truly found a way to properly play him due to the presence of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray in the backcourt. However, there’s certainly some potential for Bufkin if he was given some consistent minutes on the floor.
23. Portland Trail Blazers – F Julian Strawther
The 6-foot-7 forward from Gonzaga has jumped a few places from his original spot. He’s currently part of the rotation of the 2023 NBA champion Denver Nuggets. If you’re new and already contributing to the champs, you know you can play.
24. Dallas Mavericks – F Olivier-Maxence Prosper
This was a pick for the future and the Mavs certainly got it right by drafting the Canadian-born forward as the 24th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. They know he’s a project and he’ll become a contributor for the Mavs sooner rather than later.
25. Detroit Pistons – G Ben Sheppard
Although extremely raw, Sheppard has all the right tools to become a solid backup shooting guard in the league for years to come. The Pistons would have been a great landing spot for the 6-foot-6 senior out of Belmont.
26. Indiana Pacers – C Trey Jemison
The 6-foot-10 undrafted center from UAB has been a nice surprise for the Grizzlies this season. Indiana certainly needs a backup center in their rotation and Jemison would have been a great fit for the role.
27. Charlotte Hornets – G Nick Smith Jr.
In another rarity, the Hornets definitely selected the right pick here in the 2023 NBA Draft. Nick Smith Jr. can play and he has the potential to become a starter someday in the league.
28. Utah Jazz – F Tosan Evbuomwan
It took a while for Tosan Evbuomwan to find his niche in the league, but he’s now playing well for the Pistons due to his hard work and persistence on the floor. The undrafted senior out of Princeton can definitely carve a nice career in the league as a starter if he continues his development.
29. Denver Nuggets – G Ricky Council IV
The 6 foot 6 undrafted senior out of Arkansas has been a nice surprise for the Sixers in his first season with the team as he’s shown that he has what it takes to compete on an NBA court. The Nuggets would have benefitted if they had Council IV in their backcourt rotation this season.
30. Los Angeles Clippers – C Oscar Tshiebwe
It’s quite understandable why the 2022 National College Player of the Year went undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft. He doesn’t have any range in his game and he’s a bit old compared to other younger prospects. But the 6 foot 8 big man can ball and had the Clippers taken a chance on him, there’s no doubt that he can play spot minutes for them on any given night.
Also read: Re-Drafting These 10 Huge Mistakes From The 2022 NBA Draft Class
