2023 NBA Draft prospects: Brandon Miller, Cam Whitmore, Jarace Walker headline top 10 forwards

We're going to take a look at who we feel are the top prospects at each position ahead of Thursday's NBA draft, with this piece focusing on the forward positions. This ranking is a combination of our projections, analysis from other experts, an expectation on where the player will be drafted and the player's production up to this point.

Here are the top 10 forwards in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Top 10 forwards

Miller was the best player on the best team in the country for most of the season. He can score from anywhere on the floor, and his development curve is excellent. That makes him one of the top three overall players in this draft. The off-court stuff is concerning but teams are saying Miller has taken accountability for his actions during the pre-draft process. It's still not something to forget, but his play on the court is undeniable.

Miller's numbers are impressive, especially since he doesn't possess a strong three-point shot. However, this is also against lesser competition. Miller's athleticism might be his biggest attribute at the moment, but the efficiency from inside the arc is enough to make teams interested. He's not going to get high usage right away but Miller has shown he can be a scorer when tasked with doing so.

We might be calling him “Brice Buckets” soon. Sensabaugh can score and score with efficiency, which every team wants. He's an excellent marksman and will see immediate playing time, but the question is whether he can do much else outside of putting the ball in the basket. His athleticism doesn't jump off the page, he's had some knee injuries and his defensive chops leave a lot to be desired.

Whitmore has shot up draft boards over the last few weeks. He has the prototypical “3-and-D” body, but his ability to move the ball within an offense is limited. He's able to get to his spots well, and there's enough to think his three-point shot could eventually be lethal. He's already an excellent defender who can switch across positions, so his impact there will be more immediate.

Walker is the complete package defensively, and he's a force on the boards. The three-point shooting sample size is small but if he's even a passable threat from deep, he'll jump Whitmore in this ranking. If he can develop his overall offensive game and add a midrange shot, Walker will be one of the best players in this class. At the moment, he's a bit underdeveloped offensively to be considered in that upper echelon of prospects.

The most intriguing thing about Hendricks is his ability to stretch the floor while also making an impact on the glass. He's a bit on the smaller end when it comes to power forwards, but he fits the mold of Jerami Grant. Hendricks is unlikely to develop into a star, but he's got the chance to be a quality starter if his perimeter shooting holds.

It's easy to label Dick as a three-point specialist, and that's his best attribute at the moment. However, he's got strong vision and can move the ball well within the offense as a creator. There's upside for him with that ability to make plays, but there might not be enough usage for him to do that early in his career. He's not exactly a strong defender, so his three-point shooting is going to be what keeps him on the floor in his rookie season.

Howard has good lineage when it comes to basketball, but his lone season at Michigan was riddled with inconsistencies. He's an offensive threat, but it's largely dependent on whether he's connecting from deep. Defensively, he needs to improve in order to see playing time. If the perimeter percentage holds, Howard will have enough going for him to stick around and develop the rest of his game.

On the plus side, Murray took on a bigger role at Iowa and crushed it. On the downside, his three-point percentage took a hit with increased volume. The comparisons to Keegan will be there, but Kris is slightly less proficient offensively from behind the arc. He is a much better defender across the board, which helps his case to stick on a team. The development curve is not great, so Murray's three-point shooting will hopefully return to a passable percentage.

Coulibaly doesn't have the hype of his French teammate Victor Wembanyama, but there's enough potential there to believe he can be a viable NBA player. His defense is already in a good spot, so this is really about whether he can take the leap offensively. He didn't get many touches with Wembanyama taking most of the shots but the advantage is he is adaptable as a role player and can be effective without having heavy usage.

  
Read Full Article