Scoot Henderson was once viewed as the only prospect in the 2023 NBA draft class who could rival Victor Wembanyama. Fast forward to 2026, though, and he’s largely been a letdown after being selected third overall by the Trail Blazers. It's too early to say that the front office completely whiffed on the draft pick, but something needs to change or drafting Scoot could look like yet another embarrassment for a Portland organization that's had multiple scandals this year.
Luckily, Henderson’s story is far from over. He’s about to have the ultimate chance to change the narrative and prove his worth as Portland takes on the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.
Henderson’s career hasn’t lived up to expectations, yet
On October 4th, 2022, Scoot Henderson and the G League Ignite took on Victor Wembanyama and his French pro squad in a preseason game. The two top guys of the ‘23 class going head-to-head sparked plenty of fanfare, and the matchup lived up to the hype. Wemby unsurprisingly wowed with 37 points and five blocks, but Henderson’s 28 points and nine assists in an Ignite victory showed he was worthy of all the buzz in his own right.
We haven’t seen much of that version of Scoot in the NBA. The star factor, the confidence, and the production all haven’t been there with any regularity. There have been glimpses, sure, but he just hasn’t looked like the no-brainer top-three pick he was scouted as.
Henderson still has time to turn things around. He’s only 22 years old, after all, and point guard has long been the toughest position to adjust to for young guys in the league. On top of that, 2025-26 has arguably been his best season yet. He’s scoring as efficiently as ever and his defensive improvement has been really impressive.
The youngster now has a shot at parlaying that positive momentum into real results that could restore his place in the conversations he’s fallen out of.
Henderson can change everything for himself against the Spurs
In the NBA, reputations and careers are made in the playoffs. A strong postseason performance for Henderson would do wonders for his reputation league-wide and his status as a prospect, especially because he’ll be going against Wembanyama.
Obviously, Henderson isn’t going to surpass the French phenom this year, or, realistically, ever. But if he has some big games and steals some of the spotlight from The Alien, he’ll give people a reason to come back around on him and his potential.
Scoot Henderson isn’t a cooked product. He just needs a spark to rekindle his fire. His first playoff experience, especially because it will be against his old rival, could be what reignites him as a young star.
A Henderson leap would spell not only relief, but also vindication, for the Blazers.
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