The 2023 NBA Draft doesn’t feature the deepest group of power forwards, but it’s definitely an exciting group of athletes. The American Conference boasts the top two prospects, and each have had their own rumors of sneaking into the top five of the draft. Following Hendricks and Walker on draft night promises to be a thrill, but don’t sleep on the rest of these prospects who each enjoyed their own immense success, whether it was with their college team or in the workouts building up to draft night.
1. Taylor Hendricks, UCF Knights
UCF’s star freshman has exciting defensive upside with his athletic ability and natural rim-protecting instincts, but he also can let it fly from beyond the arc as a 39% shooter. He’s still a bit raw as a perimeter defender and inside the arc scorer, but his defensive versatility and absurd athleticism more than make up for this and have him projected inside the lottery as things stand. Hendricks dominated Jarace Walker. in the second of their head-to-head matchups, which solidified him at the top spot on this list. Hendricks could go anywhere from 5 to 12 on draft night.
2. Jarace Walker, Houston Cougars
While Hendricks ranks higher on the list here, it’s Walker who is expected to be the higher draft pick. The versatile freshman phenom made a living at Houston bullying players in the post and locking players down all over the floor. He already looks the part of a seasoned defender both on the perimeter and on the low block and he has the bulky frame to translate these skills to the next level. Walker is expected to go between 5 and 7 on draft night.
3. Kris Murray, Iowa Hawkeyes
He didn’t acquire the same draft projection as his brother last year, but Kris Murray filled his brother’s shoes remarkably well in Des Moines this season. He projects as a rotational 3-and-D wing who finishes well through contact around the rim. Murray is a smooth athlete and intelligent player who can make an impact even if his shot isn’t falling. He hit a wall in the final 10 games of the season, with his shot abandoning him and his confidence was affected. But in the right situation, he could end up being a real contributor and excellent value in the second half of the first round.
4. Jaime Jaquez, UCLA Bruins
Jaquez is another experienced forward who received a late green room invite and he did it by continuously advancing his game at UCLA. While not the greatest athlete, Jaquez gets it done through determination and skill, driving to the basket and bully ball when necessary. He developed into an All-American for Mick Cronin’s group. His intelligence and savviness will bring the best out of the players around him and it is no surprise that his teams at UCLA won as many games as they did. He’s simply a guy that any competing team would love to have coming off the bench for years to come.
5. Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Marquette Golden Eagles
Prosper was another big winner at the NBA Combine, so much so that he opted out of the second scrimmage that week. This likely came because of a promise in the late first round. The Canadian native is a super explosive and high motor stretch-four who is a trustworthy ball-handler in the high post with a unique skillset that can create mismatches all over the floor. If his dominance at the NBA Combine is any indication, Prosper will be a solid rotational tool throughout his career in the NBA. Prosper was one of the last players to receive a green room invite, and should hear his name in the 20s on draft night.
6. Julian Phillips[, Tennessee Volunteers
Phillips recorded the highest vertical of anyone at the combine with a 43 inch max vert. Generally the highest verticals are attained by guards, but his explosivness is rare for a combo forward. He’s also one of the draft best defenders and should only continue to improve as his body gets stronger. While a bit of a project, it appears he’s received some sort of a promise in the late first or early second round, explaining why he decided to keep his name in the draft. Phillips versatility to defend multiple positions is a real selling point, and he will have a chance to pass up a number of guys on this list if he realizes his abilities. Phillips should hear his name called right on the bubble of the two rounds.
7. [Player: Leonard Miller, G-League Ignite
The 6-10 combo forward had a solid season with the G-League Ignite this season, developing into the steadiest members of a team that included Scoot Henderson and Sidy Cissoko. Miller should hear his name called somewhere in the second round on draft night. He’s an intriging prospect for a fee years down the road, but needs a lot of time before he can be relied upon to contribute. Miller is expected to hear his name called in the mid-second round.
8. GG Jackson, South Carolina Gamecocks
Considering that he was supposed to be a senior in high school, GG Jackson’s freshman season went fairly well from an individual standpoint. Not many reclassifying freshmen have succeeded in their college careers recently, in fact many tank completely. But Jackson showcased skill as a shot creator who is comfortable putting the ball on the floor and scoring at all three levels. Unfortunately, Jackson has had absolutely horrible feedback from teams regarding his maturity, with lack of conditioning and an unwillingness to put in effort in workouts. Look for GG Jackson to fall a ways on draft night, perhaps shockingly so, and hopefully get the wake up call he needs to pick up the pieces and get back on track and find success through the G League and an NBA team that believes in him.
9. Jordan Walsh, Arkansas Razorbacks
He might not bring much in terms of offensive output, but Jordan Walsh has the potential to be one of the best defenders in this year’s draft class. With impressive length, Walsh can switch onto any player and serve as the lockdown defender for the best player on the floor. it was a bit of a surprise that he kept his name in the draft, but Walsh is young enough and talented enough to provide valuable minutes right away as an impactful defender.
10. Toumani Camara, Dayton Flyers
Dayton had a few of players this season who could eventually play in the NBA, but Camara is the readiest of them all with his fluid athleticism and improved perimeter jumper. He is at his best when he’s getting downhill with his long strides inside the arc, but he also has an NBA frame on the wing as well. Since this isn’t the deepest positional group, he may not hear his name called at the draft, but Camara can certainly play his way into an NBA contract and contribute.
