Table of Contents
By Alex Lauzon from the “Course of Life” podcast
NBA Draft Preview – Forwards
The ping pong balls bounced for the San Antonio Spurs, who were the big winners of the Victor Wembanyama Madness. Now that we know that Victor is headed to SA for certain, let’s examine what the rest of the 2023 draft class looks like. Believe it or not, there are other players in the draft outside of Victor and there’s a bunch of big-man talent that could fit nicely into today’s ever-changing NBA game.
Last week I profiled the best guards on the draft board – this week we shift our energy to the BIGS. The NBA Playoffs have been riddled with teams that flow through the game-changing energy of big men like Nikola, Jokic, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, and the Celtics duo of Al Horford and Robert Williams. So who will be the next forward emerging from the 2023 draft class to make a lasting impact in the association? Let’s break it down:
The Blue-Chip Forwards
1. San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama (Every Position – France)
Yes, I know you hate me for listing WEMBY in both the guards and forwards list, but it’s warranted as he’s THAT MUCH of a game-changer and will prove to be in San Antonio. At 7 foot 4 (and maybe growing?) you can’t not classify him as a threat down low. Solely framing his work as a forward at the next level, he has the movement of a Kristaps Porzingis but also the thundering dunks down low like an Alonzo Mourning or Larry Johnson from the 90s. After averaging 10+ rebounds and 3+ blocks a game in the last French pro league season, half of that output in his rookie campaign would be an impressive start.
3. Portland Trail Blazers: Brandon Miller (PF – Alabama)
The best prospect in the college game in the States is likely a top 3 pick, and you have to figure Portland would be a good landing spot for the “3 and D” guard that lit up college hoops last season. He could get as far away from the Tuscaloosa bubble and the off-the-court issues he’s run into, and get nurtured along by Damian Lillard, a natural scorer in his own right with similar game speed and style.
5. Detroit Pistons: Cam Whitmore (F – Villanova)
Whitmore is one of those athletic big men that makes awe-inspiring plays look easy. He gives off some Robert Williams vibes with his shot-altering ability, but injuries may have limited what we saw in his offensive prowess. He looks to be another young piece for the maturation of the Detroit Pistons.
The Sleepers At Forward
10. Dallas Mavericks: Jarace Walker (F – Houston)
Now this fit is intriguing. If you remember how impressive the University of Houston’s 2022-2023 campaign was that got them a 1 seed in the bracket, you’ll remember Walker’s pivotal role in that squad. Much of the hype was geared toward teammate Marcus Sasser but Walker might emerge as the first Cougar drafted after all. The idea of him staying in Texas and being paired with Luke Doncic is very much in play.
16: Utah Jazz – GG Jackson (F – South Carolina)
Rightfully dubbed as a sleeper, Jackson is young at 18, raw, and untested overall. His flashes of brilliance in SEC play this past season were enough to mystify scouts for what the long-term graph could look like on Jackson’s progression. His actual first name is Gregory but GG rolls off the tongue nicely.
22. Brooklyn Nets – Rayan Rupert (F – NZ Breakers)
As if the geotags on these draft prospectus could get any broader, there’s now a treasure trove of players coming from the ranks of the New Zealand pro ranks in recent years. This Rayan spells his name very strangely but his game is far from strange to me. He’s a rangy wing forward that has a surprisingly long wingspan – watch out for the rookie from Down Under.
The Familiar College Faces
Trayce Jackson-Davis – The four-year star at Indiana is finally taking his talents to the draft, with a prolific NCAA career in his rearview mirror – he looks to be a late 1st round pick.
Dariq Whitehead – Duke’s big man last year had injury setbacks that limited his action, but he’s giving the draft a go and figures to get a first-round contract.
Zach Edey – It feels like just days ago we were toasting the Purdue Boilermaker and labeling their center as the best player in college basketball. The mighty have fallen and so has Edey’s draft stock – he’s likely a second-round pick.
Draft Coverage begins at 8:00 PM on June 22nd on ESPN + ABC
NBA FAQs
How do you win NBA pick'em pool?
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In an NBA Playoff Bracket pool, players pick the winner of each NBA Playoff series. Commissioners can choose to have members receive bonus points for guessing the series length. Points increase as the tournament progresses (points per round are configurable by the commissioner). The winning entry is the player with the most points at the end of the playoffs.
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How to set up a basketball pool?
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