The NBA Draft Starts with the Charlotte Hornets
The 2023 NBA Draft Lottery was viewed with much anticipation as every fanbase was praying for the basketball gods to bless them with "an alien" in Victor Wembanyama. Hornets fans included.
If you haven't heard by now the Hornets received good news! They moved up in the draft; sadly it wasn't all the way to the first pick for Victor Wembanyama. The Charlotte Hornets landed with the 2nd pick, which was a bittersweet moment for the fans as the Hornets were one pick away from landing what some call the greatest basketball prospect in the history of the sport.
After the initial feelings of disappointment passed you come to a quick realization that the Hornets will still be adding a really good basketball player with whomever they pick. The question becomes who will it be?
Now that the entire world knows Victor Wembanyama will be a San Antonio Spur, the Hornets are officially on the clock. It will become a major debate over the next month on sports talk radio, podcasts, tv shows, blogs, and barbershops amongst other places on who the Hornets should take with the 2nd pick in the 2023 draft.
Scoot Henderson or Brandon Miller?
Scoot Henderson was considered to be an obvious selection at two after Wembanyama for more than a calendar year. First impressions last. However, after an incredible season by Brandon Miller at Alabama, a real debate has formed as to whose name will be on the card come June 22.
When it comes to the NBA Draft what you hear most scouts say is you never want to draft for fit, you want to take the best available talent and figure the rest out later. Many believe that to be Scoot Henderson.
To paint a quick picture of the type of player Scoot is many compare him to a Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook-type of player. Scoot attacks the rim with anger and will put pressure on the back line of NBA defenses. Scoot is almost guaranteed to be some sort of star in the NBA. The only concern with Scoot is he's really only capable of consistently guarding one position and in a league that is continually moving to a more position-less approach, it's not ideal. At 6'2" and 195 pounds, Henderson has a well-built frame for his size and should be able to guard point guards well. However, asking him to guard wing players and bigger guards will be a tall task. Scoot has made strides with his jump shot but it is still a work in progress as he shot 27.5% from three on 2.7 attempts per game.
Then there is the question of playing with LaMelo Ball. Henderson's skillset actually does complement LaMelo's game in a couple of different ways. LaMelo's main weakness to this point in his career is his effectiveness when he is driving to the basket. His skinny frame and subpar vertical athleticism have left his efficiency inside the arc something to be desired. Scoot would bring that element to the Hornets. LaMelo is also considered a great catch-and-shoot player so the Hornets could move Lamelo off the ball a bit more and allow Scoot to set the table for him.
But do the Hornets really want to take the ball out of the hands of a player who has what can only be described as a God-given ability to pass the basketball?
This is where the Brandon Miller conversation begins.
Brandon Miller ascended up draft boards during the college basketball season because of the offensive display he put on in Tuscaloosa. Standing 6'9" and 200 pounds, Miller's skillset is designed for the modern NBA. He has the length and want-to to play good defense 2-4 in the NBA. From watching Alabama during the college season, I can recall several chase-down blocks from Miller. While that's great, it is not what puts Miller in the conversation at two. It is his shooting ability combined with that frame. Brandon's shooting stroke is pure as he shot 38.4% from three on 7.5 attempts a game. On top of all that Miller has flashed some nice playmaking skills himself. All of that would seem to fit in very well next to LaMelo and the young core the Hornets have built over the last few years.
The knock on Brandon Miller is his lack of explosiveness and quickness. Miller does have a decent handle for someone his size but the area where his game has been questioned the most is his ability to get by defenders and finish at the rim, the same problem LaMelo has.
It will be a tough decision for the Charlotte Hornets front office to make but either way, Charlotte should be adding a young player that can help them achieve their first playoff birth since 2016.
While there is no way of knowing who the Hornets will pick at this time, there is one thing for sure. The debates on talk shows and Twitter over the next month will be never-ending. The eyes of the NBA world are on what Charlotte will do for what feels like the first time in.. well .. maybe ever.
