The 2023 NBA Draft is already shaping up to be a strong class, well beyond generational prospect Victor Wembanyama. Now three seasons into the league, we have a significant enough sample size to get a better sense of each prospect's career trajectory. Still, plenty can change, which, combined with the depth of this class, makes it challenging to limit it to only the top ten picks.
The theme of this class is defense, which is fitting, given that the only thing standing between the headliner, Wembanyama, and a Defensive Player of the Year award each season is the controversial 65-game eligibility rule. Even besides Wemby, there are many stout defenders: the Thompson twins, Cason Wallace, Toumani Camara, the list goes on.
While the Portland Trail Blazers should be thrilled they were able to land an All-Defense player in Camara thanks to their trade with the Phoenix Suns, this 2023 draft was also haunting.
Not only did they miss out on Wembanyama by one lottery ball, but they also botched their Scoot Henderson selection, missing out on yet another franchise-altering prospect in Amen Thompson.
Re-drafting the 2023 NBA Draft
No. 1: San Antonio Spurs select Victor Wembanyama
Original pick: Victor Wembanyama
Nothing to see here.
No. 2: Charlotte Hornets select Amen Thompson
Original pick: Brandon Miller
While Wembanyama is in a tier of his own, so is Amen Thompson. He's emerged as the clear-cut second-best player in this draft class.
Thompson's two-way impact is undeniable, as his combination of size at 6-foot-7 and elite athleticism makes him a standout in a league full of standout athletes. At 22 years old, he's still figuring out how to put that all together on the offensive end, giving him a star upside. He's already an underrated playmaker, but if Thompson is ever able to add a shot to his arsenal, the league is in trouble.
The Charlotte Hornets' young core is finally looking promising, and they shouldn't regret their original Brandon Miller pick by any means. Still, Amen is somehow a one-of-one talent even though he has a twin brother. That's how special he is.
No. 3: Portland Trail Blazers select Brandon Miller
Original pick: Scoot Henderson
Prior to the actual draft, the biggest debate was between Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson. It turns out that wasn't even a contest. Miller has been as advertised with a Paul George-like skillset. Meanwhile, Henderson remains a work in progress.
Scoot showed promising signs of development after a historically bad rookie season, but unfortunately, he hasn't been able to build on that due to a hamstring injury that has sidelined him for all of 2025-26 to date. That makes Henderson one of the harder prospects to evaluate in this class, as many have already experienced Year 3 breakouts.
Still, the Blazers go with the rare combination of a safe floor and high ceiling in Miller. Injury-proneness is the only slight concern surrounding this pick, but Miller's shot-creation and floor spacing ability make the fit too perfect for Portland to pass up.
No. 4: Houston Rockets select Ausar Thompson
Original pick: Amen Thompson
The Houston Rockets are one of the only teams that shouldn't want to do a re-draft after absolutely nailing their selection the first time. Here, they get the closest thing they can to Amen Thompson's production in twin brother Ausar.
He's more of a wing and not as much of a playmaker as Amen, which could present a challenge for Houston's roster. They'd have to rely more on the development of guard Reed Sheppard, but he's played well in Fred VanVleet's absence this season.
Like Amen, Ausar's defensive tenacity, size, and athleticism make him a two-way force with upside if a shot ever comes around. Rockets head coach Ime Udoka loves his defense, and that ultimately prevails with this selection.
No. 5: Detroit Pistons select Cason Wallace
Original pick: Ausar Thompson
On the surface, it may be puzzling that the Detroit Pistons are investing a top-five pick in a guard who is averaging just 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists this season. But Cason Wallace is the type of player whose impact far exceeds the boxscore. He's already an NBA champion, after all, which has to be taken into consideration here.
Additionally, Wallace's numbers would be significantly better had he landed with a rebuilding team instead of a contender, like the other prospects in his range. Cason has a bit of Jrue Holiday in his game in the best way possible. He's a two-way guard who is willing and able to reduce his role for the betterment of the team, and it's no surprise that both guards are champions.
With the market for undersized offensive-minded guards falling apart this trade season, it makes even more sense for the Pistons to invest in someone who can make a two-way impact. He may not have the star ceiling as some of these other options, but the ball is in Cade Cunningham's hands the majority of the game anyway. Detroit needs complementary pieces, which is something Wallace has already proven he can do effectively at the highest level.
No. 6: Orlando Magic select Keyonte George
Original pick: Anthony Black
Anthony Black has quietly taking significant strides this season, and it could make sense if Orlando were to continue investing in their initial selection here. But we can't help but shake the feeling that there's still an Anfernee Simons-sized void on this Magic roster.
Orlando went all-in with Desmond Bane, but their offense still could use a boost in the shooting and playmaking departments. Keyonte George has some Simons in his game as an offensive-minded combo guard, putting those old trade rumors to rest once and for all.
George's stock has drastically improved since last season, putting him firmly in the conversation for Most Improved Player of the Year. He's averaging 24.3 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.2 rebounds, playing a key role for a Utah Jazz team that's surprising a lot of people this season.
George's ceiling is higher than Wallace's, but question marks remain about what his role would be on a contending team. Like Simons, his defensive limitations could have him best served in a sixth man role, where he could still lead a second unit with his playmaking and shot creation. The No. 6 overall pick may be a steep price to pay for such a role, but George's upside and fit with the Magic outweigh those concerns.
No. 7: Indiana Pacers select Dereck Lively II
Original pick: Jarace Walker
The Indiana Pacers are in search of a long-term center this trade season after Myles Turner joined the rival Milwaukee Bucks this past offseason. Meanwhile, Jarace Walker has been relatively disappointing compared to the expectations he had coming out of Houston. This would give Indiana a chance to secure that center they're currently seeking, going with Duke's Dereck Lively II.
He's out for the season after undergoing foot surgery, but Lively has shown enough through his first two seasons to justify a top ten selection. Offensively, he's already a tremendous lob threat, which would be a perfect pairing with playmakers Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard. Defensively, Lively is even better. His strength lies in his agility, making him a versatile defender who has an underrated ability to hold his own out on the perimeter.
Indiana would be thrilled to lock him up here and no longer have to worry about that massive hole at their center spot.
No. 8: Washington Wizards select Scoot Henderson
Original pick: Bilal Coulibaly
The Washington Wizards still don't have a clear-cut starting point guard. They are even rumored in a potential Trae Young trade! Here, they go back in time to proactively avoid that potential mistake.
Henderson may not have the safe floor as someone like Jaime Jaquez Jr., but the rebuilding Wizards want to shoot for upside here, and Scoot's star ceiling is too tantalizing. This could even prove to be a draft steal, as we have yet to see him play his best basketball. Guards typically take the longest to develop in the NBA, and the Wizards would be wise to bet on a 21-year-old who continues to trend in the right direction.
Their original pick, Bilal Coulibaly, started off his NBA career strong but has surprisingly plateaued, shooting a concerning 24.7% from three this season. Henderson isn't the franchise-altering prospect many thought he was, but there's still a pathway to a long-term starting point guard here.
No. 9: Utah Jazz select Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Original pick: Taylor Hendricks
Jaime Jaquez Jr. isn't the best fit for a young Jazz team that ideally wants to swing for more upside here. At the same time, he's averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists while shooting an efficient 53.3% from the field. That production screams top-ten pick regardless of age or collegiate experience.
The Jazz have been reluctant to trade Lauri Markkanen up until this point, as his impact on winning takes precedence over his murky fit for their rebuilding timeline. That would be the case here with Jaquez as well. He could even go much higher, as the UCLA product is currently outplaying several of the prospects already off the board in this scenario.
No. 10: Dallas Mavericks select Toumani Camara
Original pick: Dereck Lively II
After trading for an aging, injury-prone Anthony Davis and then miraculously winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, it's safe to say the Dallas Mavericks have a confusing roster. That complicates this pick as they could take their roster in several different directions.
The best path is to trade veterans and build around Flagg as the face of the franchise. In every decision the Mavericks make from here on out, they must consider how the pieces they bring in complement Flagg. From that standpoint, spending a top ten pick on a former second-rounder, Toumani Camara, makes perfect sense.
Every team can use a player like Camara, but he'd be a particularly great fit alongside a go-to option like Flagg. Camara has struggled in his increased offensive role this season for Portland, but that's not his ideal situation. He's the perfect 3-and-D wing that can be a fourth or fifth-best option on a contender. That's a highly coveted player archetype in today's NBA, making this selection more than worthwhile despite his relatively limited ceiling.
Originally the No. 52 overall pick, Camara is the highest climber in this re-draft. Although the Blazers would like to take their Scoot selection back, they still somehow managed to come away with two top-ten values from this class to add to their promising young core.