VILLEURBANNE, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 13: Victor Wembanyama, #1 poses during the 2021/2022 Turkish … [+]
The 2023 NBA Draft is expected to be one of the strongest crop of classes the Association’s talent evaluators have seen in five-plus years. There’s no wonder why many fanbases are hoping their team enters the “tank race” to secure one of the top talents.
Victor Wembanyama, a 7’3” big who can move like a guard, headlines the list. Scoot Henderson, an explosive point guard who left high school early to play for the G League Ignite, falls right behind him in the No. 2 slots.
Outside of the top duo, many teams view the 2023 class as seven or eight players deep, in terms of true franchise-changing talent. That list could also expand as there’s always one or two surprise breakout candidates who pop up out of nowhere.
On Oct. 4, Wembanyama and Henderson will face off in Las Vegas in an exhibition matchup, which includes another game two days later as well. Every organization will send their scouting staff to get an up-close look at these two prospects, and this could be the only time NBA staffs see who many are believing is easily the best international player since Luka Doncic in 2018.
For some, Wembanyama is viewed as the best overall prospect since LeBron James in 2003. Extremely high praise for the French product, but rightfully deserved when you realize the dominance he’s put together for a multi-year stretch. Last season with ASVEL, owned by former San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker, Wembanyama’s per-36 minute numbers were simply absurd averaging 18.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 3.5 blocks as an 18-year-old.
Entering onto United States soil for his first game in the country he will soon call home full-time, the anticipation is palpable when speaking to league executives. Already, teams are making their intentions known for next season. The hope is Wembanyama is donning their uniform on opening night for the 2023-24 NBA season.
This is also the perfect opportunity for Henderson to prove he’s on the same tier as Wembanyama, which some don’t see at the moment. Henderson’s elite self-creation ability to go along with budding playmaking and shooting took serious strides forward within a professional environment. Last season for the Ignite, Henderson averaged 14.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.6 steals in 27.8 minutes across 21 total games.
As the season progressed, Henderson continued to take strides forward as an all-around show-stopping guard cut from a similar cloth as Ja Morant or prime Russell Westbrook and John Wall. The appeal is certainly there for the 18-year-old guard, who many believed would have been the No. 1 overall pick if he were eligible for the 2022 draft.
Although the 2023 NBA Draft is over eight months away, Wembanyama and Henderson are making it a must-watch event next week in Sin City. It’s a sneak peek of what could be the next dynamic star duo to enter the Association with expectations they’re both ready to handle.
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