NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 12: Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide sits during a timeout against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half of the 2023 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship game at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images)
Victor Wembanyama seems like a lock for the No. 1 pick, no matter who wins the lottery. Our latest NBA Mock Draft looks at who each team could take No. 2.
For months, it has seemed like a foregone conclusion that Victor Wembanyama will be taken with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. The 7-foot-4 French teenager is an utterly unique blend of length, fluidity, handle, vision, shooting touch and defensive upside. That means the NBA Draft Lottery will settle not just the draft order, but lock in the top pick.
The next question then is who goes No. 2.
While Wembanyama may be a lock at No. 1, there are a handful of players with the talent to go No. 2. Figuring out who actually lands at No. 2 will depend a lot on team needs and how each assesses the developmental potential of the prospects in front of them.
NBA Mock Draft: Who each lottery team should take with the No. 2 pick
Brandon Miller
Forward, Detroit Pistons
The Pistons are at the top of the lottery, at least in part, because of Cade Cunningham missing essentially the entire season after surgery. The No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft had a strong rookie season and there’s every reason to think he and Jaden Ivey, last year’s No. 5 pick could be franchise cornerstones in the backcourt over the next decade.
The frontcourt is still a work in progress — long-shot swings on Marvin Bagley and James Wiseman don’t seem like they’re going to work out but Jalen Duren was impressive as a rookie, showing the potential to be a long-term defensive anchor. Isaiah Stewart’s future may be as a third big off the bench but his energy and athleticism have value.
All of that leaves a hole on the wing, currently filled by Bojan Bogdanovic. His shooting and ancillary creation are hugely valuable in the present but Brandon Miller might be the ideal long-term replacement. He has excellent size and his shooting ability should be the perfect complement to a Cunningham-Ivey backcourt. He’s the kind of off-ball threat who can hold defensive attention and his burgeoning creation ability could have time to blossom with Cunningham and Ivey there to scaffold things for him.
Check out our full scouting report on Brandon Miller here.