The 2023 NBA Draft is primed to be one of the most memorable drafts (both the event itself, and the subsequent success in the NBA of the players) in history.
This is due in no small part to the presence of a 7’4″ Frenchman who is in the conversation as the best NBA prospect ever. His name is Wembenyama, perhaps you’ve heard of him! There is also a primetime prospect more than a foot shorter than Wemby by the name of Scoot. In many, if not most, other drafts, a team would gladly scoop him up with the top pick. All that said, even beyond these two top talents, there’s depth. And as with any draft, this writer and website feel there could be some strong value picks remaining.
Here are your sleepers.
Gradey Dick, Kansas
Shooter! Tongue-in-cheek jokes and memes about why the Orlando Magic should draft him (as high as 6), Dick is a high upside pick with a — no, THE — highly sought after skill in today’s NBA. He really knocks them down from outside. One of the premier outside shooters in college basketball last season, he converted on better than 40% from three, hitting 2.3 per game. He was also an 85% FT shooter. But he’s more than shooting. Like Gordon Hayward, Dick may rely on shooting to open up the rest of his game. Moreso than Hayward, Dick applies constant pressure on the defense by always moving without the ball. I see shades of “the best version of Max Strus” here. There is a whole lot of additional game to go around, too. Dick is a decent athlete and should be a solid defender at the next level. He moves without the ball, including cuts to the hoop where he can finish fairly well. And you can see his toughness in his rebounding — his 5 per game last season for the Jayhawks is nothing to sneeze at. Between the elite shooting ability and lack of any glaring weaknesses, Dick should be able to carve out a role not only as a shooter, but a nice overall offensive playmaker.
Expected: Mid-first round.
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
TJD is a bit on the older side for this draft. Indiana’s senior star is already 23 years old. Does it matter to scouts? Yes, often age can play into teams undervaluing a guy vs. younger draft counterparts — because the older guy is seen as closer to already having “maxed out his potential.” In reality, should the age be held against them? Maybe, sometimes, the argument is fair. In the case of Trayce Jackson-Davis, though, there is still plenty to like, among them that he enters the NBA ready to contribute on day one. He’s a lefty who lacks range out beyond the NBA 3-point line. But his overall touch on offense is better than advertised. We all know about his rebounding ability — nearly 11 per game last season, including a high rate of offensive rebounds. And he can control an offense from the forward position — last season he averaged 4 assists per game. He had attempted exactly three 3-pointers his entire 4 years in college (he made none). But his FT percentage hovers near-70%, which, while not great, suggests some shooting touch. And his 2p FG% is a stellar 57%+ (on high volume). There’s already a whole lot to like, and we haven’t even touched on his calling card yet — TJD was among the nation’s top defenders. With a 7’1″ wingspan, he averaged a damn impressive 3 blocks per game last season. We love his versatility and potential to fit in on the modern NBA squad, that has room for its big man to run a sort of “point forward” role — especially if they are also a plus on the defensive end, which Jackson-Davis is almost sure to be.
Expected: Late-first round / Early-second round
Julian Strawther, Gonzaga
After you’re drafted, you learn which city you’ll likely be living in for the year (or longer). You meet the team personnel. And just two weeks later, you’re off to Vegas to show out and establish yourself in the NBA Summer League. For Strawther, that’s home. If nothing else, won’t he benefit from some home cooking in Vegas? This Las Vegas native and Gonzaga alum had a decorated college career and leaves for the draft after his Junior campaign. The lanky wing saw his role expand mightily and consistently over the course of his three years. He played sparingly his freshman season (when Gonzaga lost in the NCAA Tournament Finals to Baylor). But by his third year, he was one of the team’s leaders in every respect. He was Gonzaga’s second leading scorer and rebounder. And one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in the country, hitting 2.2 per game at nearly 41%. At this point in the article, it’s no secret. We love shooters, and the modern NBA offense does too. We especially love shooters when they bring another thing or two to the table, as Strawther does on the boards (rebounding) and defensively.
Expected: Late-first / early-second round
Maxwell Lewis, Pepperdine
Here is another Las Vegas native albeit with a different style from Strawther. Maxwell Lewis is a certified bucket getter — high volume scorer who can do it on all levels. He is extremely athletic with a ton of potential — both offensive and defensive. Add decent rebounding to the mix and it’s a wonder that he may drop outside of the top-20 in this draft. He will need to improve on his consistency on the defensive end and shot selection / efficiency on offense. But with his physical tools and competitiveness, it’s hard to count him out.
Expected: Late-first round/Early-second round
Azoulas Tubelis, Arizona
Tubelis wouldn’t be here on this list if he was 2 inches taller or 10 pounds (of muscle) bigger / stronger. Tubelis was a magnetic and decorated college talent with immense amounts of skill and responsibility at University of Arizona. What stands out about him is his touch around the hoop and leadership ability. He can also knock down shots from mid-range. If he can develop a more reliable outside (3-point) shot, he will ascend to the territory with many offensive threats from the Forward position in the league.
Expected: Second round.
No longer sleepers — The fans have woken up!
Here are two names that previously could have been considered sleepers. But at this point, they are the nation’s favorite “sleeper” picks! Podziemski and Vukcevic. The cat is out of the bag.
Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara
And it’s not so different a story for the prolific lefty guard Brandin Podziemski out of Santa Clara. He reminds of a better shooting, less athletic Donte DeVincenzo in his movements and offensive talent at this age. Concerns remain over his slow-footedness. But with his deep bag of offensive tricks and sweet shooting ability, it’s exciting to think about what could (or can) be for the combo guard with excellent court vision. Podziemski has a green room invite and is expected to go in the 17-25 range, so he’s probably rated properly, finally.
Tristan VukcevicVukcevic really showed out at the first day of the NBA Combine. If there were any weaknesses to his game, they weren’t visible. And if he’s ever missed a shot in his life, it also wasn’t apparent given his outrageously high-octane performance. He was hitting from all angles, under the basket to out beyond three point range. And the 7-footer was even creating his own shot off the dribble. He is indeed a force in terms of offensive skill set. But questions remain about his foot speed and ability to defend at the NBA level. He and his agent wisely decided to “shut it down” for the rest of the Combine after such a performance. Go out on top, indeed.
