Future Jazz Prospects Victor Wembanyama & Scoot Henderson Face Off
The much anticipated first meeting of the top two projected players in the 2023 NBA draft occurred on Tuesday night, and they did not disappoint.
Victor Wembanyama scored 37 points and knocked down seven three-pointers, while Scoot Henderson finished with 28 points and nine assists.
Losing will be the new winning heading into the 2022-23 season for the NBA's bottom dwellers vying for the chance to land either face-of-the-franchise prospects.
The 7-foot-2 Wembanyama has the skill set to play guard and boasts a 7-foot-9 wing span with a 9-foot-7 standing reach.
Henderson has been compared to Derrick Rose in his prime. The 6-foot-2 point guard is the projected No. 2 overall pick in next year's draft and should be a day-one difference maker.
Wembanyama and Henderson are generational talents that have a real shot at being the faces of the NBA as players like LeBron James and Steph Curry enter the tail end of their careers.
Wembanyama is considered the player with a higher ceiling, but Henderson might be the safer pick when you consider the injury history of the two.
The Utah Jazz front office is on the record with the message to fans that they'll be trying to win as many games as possible. This may hold true out of the gates, but if the Jazz are trending in the wrong direction, expect first-year head coach Will Hardy to take the foot off the gas.
The franchise that finishes last only has a 14.5% chance of getting the No. 1 pick, but Utah should seize the moment and roll the dice, even with those odds.
The Jazz have never picked first in the franchise's history, and have only picked second once.
Time will tell how the Jazz front office plays its cards.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.
