NBA DRAFT 2023 LIVE: Follow all the updates as Wembanyama, Henderson and Miller are picked

Follow Mail Sport’s live blog from the 2023 NBA Draft, as we wait to find out where the best young talent is headed on a huge night in Brooklyn. We’ll bring you each pick and all the news as we get it from the Barclays Center…

Host commentator

Host commentator

The Magic have talent and depth in the front court, but are still waiting for a leader in the backcourt. 

Detroit already has two athletic, young guards who have struggled with their shooting in Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. 

Thompson — another 6-foot-7 guard who has disappointed as a shooter — fits that same mold. 

Current Bogdan Bogdanovic is the only reliable shooter for new coach Monty Williams. 

And the SECOND Thompson Twin is off the board 

Henderson’s background montage included a shot of Lillard. 

There are questions about Thompson’s perimeter shooting, but his size (6-foot-7) and ball handling make him an intriguing backcourt partner for Jalen Green, who averaged 22.1 ppg in his second season. 

The question for Houston is: Is it worth it to bring back James Harden, as many are speculating. 

Harden isn’t getting any younger and may not have the patience to play with younger guards like Green, Thompson, and Kevin Porter Jr. 

The first of the Thompson Twins is off the board. 

Several Tim Duncan jerseys in the crowd, and current Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan has been floating around the crowd. 

The reaction was likely due to the confusing fit. He and Lillard both need the ball in their hand. It’s unclear if Portland thinks it can compete this year or if the team is starting to rebuild. 

The Frenchman was in tears after his name was called as he went on stage and shook the hand of commissioner Adam Silver

Victor Wembanyama is in tears after being selected with the first overall pick pic.twitter.com/Aht8vc7ezU

It’s unclear if he’ll be staying there, with Lillard being traded, or if he’s on his way somewhere else. Very tough decision for Portland. 

Brandon Miller has some controversy surrounding him after police say he delivered a gun used in a fatal shooting on January 15. His attorney says he didn’t touch the gun and didn’t know how it was going to be used. His coach at Alabama, Nate Oats, said it was a case of “wrong spot, wrong time.”

Prior to the draft, Miller said teams did their background on him and found that he’s not a bad person. 

The upside here is huge: He’s a better “fit” than Henderson and projects as a good two-way player. 

This puts the pressure squarely on the Portland Trail Blazers: Keep the pick, and take Scoot Henderson, or trade the pick and give Damian Lillard a veteran teammate. 

Now this is where things get interesting. Mock drafts have mostly put Brandon Miller here over the past few weeks, but speculation surrounding Scoot Henderson has put him in the conversation for this selection.

This shouldn’t be all that shocking.

Wembanyama has been hyped up for months at this point and the Spurs would be insane to choose anyone else

The San Antonio Spurs are on the clock but it should not take long for them to make their selection

American prospects have traditionally gone through the NCAA ranks before being drafted. And after the league created its controversial ‘one-and-done’ rule, college hoops had a near monopoly on US talent. 

But now, with the Thompson Twins and Scoot Henderson, we’re really seeing the impact of Ov Overtime Elite and G League Ignite. 

Henderson is widely expected to go second or third. Amen and Ausar are pegged to go in the top five. 

This is a great advertisement for these outfits and a slew of other players are already following suit. Recently elite prospect Ron Holland signed with Ignite, which will pay him at least $500,000 (and likely more) for the 2023-24 season. 

Then he can declare for the 2024 NBA Draft. 

In addition to his son, Jett, there’s also guard Kobe Bufkin, who significantly improved his 3-point shooting in 2022-23. Went from shooting 22.2% from deep as a freshman to 35.5% as a sophomore. That’s a big boost for someone who could make it in the NBA for his perimeter defense. 

Howard is accompanying his son and former player, Wolverines guard Jett Howard. 

It was in 1994 that Juwan Howard was picked fifth overall by the Washington Bullets. 

So he customized one himself. 

Both teams already have elite point guards in LaMelo Ball (Hornets) and Damian Lillard (Blazers). Of course, Overtime Elite point guard Scoot Henderson has been pegged as the second-best player in this year’s draft for some time. 

Will it create a redundancy if the Hornets try to pair Henderson with Ball, or will Charlotte opt for Alabama forward Brandon Miller — a 6-foot-9 talent who is good on offense and defense. 

And if the Hornets do go with Miller, what will the Blazers do: Trade the pick to give the 32-year-old Lillard a veteran teammate for a title run OR trade Lillard to a contender? 

Wembanyama caught it, took a selfie flashing a piece sign, and handed it back (Yes, he has the reach) 

Wembanyama smoothly caught it, signed it, and tossed it back. 

Now he’s headed towards his family’s table – out of range from any projectiles from the Barclays Center crowd. 

Victor Wembanyama is pictured ahead of tonight’s draft. Tonight is more of a formality for him, which could be why he’s been seen smiling in the Bronx, Manhattan and Brooklyn over the last three days.

NBA hopefuls packed the stage at Barclays Center in Brooklyn before tonight’s 8pm start. Victor Wembanyama – the 7-foot-4 French phenom – will undoubtedly go first overall to the San Antonio Spurs, but that’s where the certainty ends. Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller are widely expected to go second and third, but their order and their ultimate destinations remain a mystery. 

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