Just How Good Are The Top Two Picks Of The 2023 NBA Draft?
With their rookie seasons winding down, the 2023 NBA Draft class has already established itself as one with the potential to dominate the NBA ranks. Led by top pick Victor Wembanyama and second pick Brandon Miller, this class has the potential star power to make its mark on the league for years and years to come.
Both Wembanyama and Miller showcased their high upside in their Sunday matchups. In a big win over the Indiana Pacers, Wembanyama filled up the stat sheet with one of the more impressive outings of his Rookie Of The Year campaign. He scored 31 points on just 17 shots, snagged 12 boards, dished out six assists, rejected six shots, and nabbed a steal. He looked every bit like the impending superstar he is in this one with stellar two-way impact. However, unlike in many of the other big games he has had this season, San Antonio came out victorious.
Miller put in work in his own right. He posted 26 points with 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc for an efficient mark of 60.6 True Shooting Percentage. He also corralled a career-high 10 rebounds for his first NBA double-double. The rookie wing has torn defenses apart on many occasions this season. His combination of smooth handling skill, sharp shooting, feathery touch, and innate creativity at 6-foot-9 makes him a potent scorer. In games like this one, he looks every bit like a star, and they’ve become far more common.
With both top two picks on a clear all-star trajectory, the 2023 Draft could enter rare historical territory. Since 2010, only the top two picks of the 2015, 2016, and 2017 NBA Draft have both made an All-Star Game. Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell from 2015, Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram from 2016, and Zion Williamson and Ja Morant in 2019. None of the aforementioned players have ascended to the game-breaking heights Wembanyama seems destined for; the top of the 2023 Draft could go down as the best in quite some time.
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