On June 23, Beijing time, the NBA Draft came to an end, and 58 rookies were selected by the team. Venbanyama was officially selected as the top pick, with Brandon Miller being the top pick and Scout Henderson becoming the prospect. The Thompson twins were selected with the 4th and 5th picks, setting an all-time record for twins. The Lakers and Warriors also selected their favorite players, with the Rockets picking up Whitmore with the 20th pick and the Pacers selecting Chinese guard Isaiah Wang with the No. 55 pick.
Venbanyama was elected
With an official height of 2.26 meters and an arm span of 2.44 meters, he became the tallest figure since Yao Ming in 2002. Although the Spurs' choice was not in suspense, Venbanyama was still in tears with emotion when interviewed. He made history by becoming the first French champion to wear the number 1 shirt at the Spurs.
"I've dreamed so many times [being chosen by the Spurs] that I'm crying. Before I was chosen, I went through the longest 5 minutes of my life. Speaking about Spurs legend Duncan, Venbanyama said: "Tim Duncan, if I had the opportunity to work and train with him, I really can't think of a better role model than him. "After Venban Yama was selected, the fan store immediately put on the shelves of Venban's Spurs No. 1 jersey.
Spurs player Sohan came to the scene and hugged Venbanyama to celebrate, and Popovich also spoke out to welcome Venbanama to the Spurs. Venbanyama quipped: "Popovich hasn't scared me yet, but I don't know if it will be later." "There are quite a few templates in Venbanyama, the latest of which is former Rockets Sampson, who averaged 21+11 per game in his rookie season.
Miller Eye Henderson Flower Probe
The Hornets pondered for a long time between Henderson and Miller and finally decided to choose Miller. Miller is the fourth star in Hornets history. The top three were Alonzo Mourning in 1992, Emeka Okafor in 2004 and Michael Kidd Gilchrist in 2012. Hornets general manager Kupchek said: "Brandon Miller has always been our favourite, it was not an easy decision, but we think he is the best player, they are all good, but we think Brandon will perform very well in Charlotte. ”
Brandon Miller said he was only confirmed to join the Hornets two seconds before the results were announced. "I'm really excited, it's like a dream come true for me and I'm ready to go to Charlotte!" The Hornets already have three balls at the point guard position, and from the position, Miller is a better fit for the Hornets than Henderson, whose template is George.
The Blazers drafted Henderson with a scouting pick to create a backcourt combination between him and Lillard. Henderson, who is 1.88 meters tall, is considered the strongest defender of the class, and his template is Ross and Morant, which has a strong impact but the projection needs to be improved. The funny thing is that after being selected by the Blazers, Henderson was in a good mood and showed off his dance steps in the tunnel.
The Thompson twins set a record
The Rockets selected Amen Thompson with the No. 4 pick and the Pistons selected Osar Thompson with the No. 5 pick. The Thompson brothers became the first pair of twin brothers in NBA history to be selected with the top 10 picks in both drafts.
Brother Amen Thompson is a 2.01m tall point guard who is good at hitting the basket and passing the ball well. Younger brother Ossa Thompson is similar in stature to Amen, but he is a winger. Ossa Thompson's defense is said to be a better fit for the NBA than his brother and has the opportunity to become an efficient scorer in offensive and defensive transitions. ”
Amen Thompson also made it clear that he would improve his shooting: "I'm willing to work hard for that and show the team the best of me. I'll soak in the gym and stay with the shooting coach all the time. In terms of draft templates, Amen Thompson is Preville and Ossa Thompson is Ariza.
Who did the Lakers and Warriors choose?
The Lakers used the No. 17 pick in the first round to select Jaylen Hood Shifino, a 1.93-meter-tall dual-guard who averaged 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season while shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range. His template is DeLong Williams, physically strong, good at organization, with great vision and defensive aggression. The disadvantage is that his athletic ability is average, and once he feels cold, he will struggle very much. He needs to improve his projection.
The Lakers traded for the No. 40 pick in the second round to pick forward Maxwell Lewis. Lewis, who is 2.01 meters tall, is a sophomore at Pepperdine University. He tried out for the Lakers and received good reviews, and the Lakers once considered using the first-round No. 17 pick to pick him, and being able to get him on the No. 40 pick was earned. In 2022-23, Lewis averaged 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, shooting 46.8% from the field and 34.8% from three-point range. His draft template is Sean Elliott and Devin Vassell, one Spurs star and the other a current Spurs player.
The Warriors used the No. 19 pick in the first round to select Brandin Pozimski, a left-handed pitcher who is also 1.93 meters tall. His template is D'Angelo Russell, Josh Hart and Damien Lee. Last season, Pozymsky averaged 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 48.3 percent from the field, 43.8 percent from three-point range and 77.1 percent from the free-throw line. He was absolutely central to Santa Clara University, but to the Warriors had to adjust to the new role.
The Warriors traded the No. 59 pick to power forward Tracy Jackson Davis. Jackson Davis is 2.03 meters tall and has an arm span of 2.16 meters, and averages 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game in his senior season. The son of former NBA player Dale Davis, he is technically mature and has a strong style of play, but lacks range.
Rockets pick up leaky Whitmore
Cam Whitmore, who has a top-five first-round price, slipped all the way and was eventually selected by the Rockets with the 20th pick. For the Rockets, they also considered the No. 4 pick Amen Thompson or Whitmore, but they didn't expect to be included. Woj reported that Whitmore had some problems during his tryouts and interviews, and that he had also heard that Whitmore also had knee problems. Last season, he played just 26 games, averaging 12.5 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 47.8 percent from the field.
While there are some risks in choosing Whitmore, taking a risk with the No. 20 pick in the first round is definitely a worthwhile option. The outside world believes that the Rockets are the winners of this draft.
The Pacers drafted Chinese guard Isaiah Wang
The Pacers drafted Chinese guard Isaiah Wang with the No. 55 pick. Originally from the University of Miami and modeled after Vincent and Reeves, he averaged 16.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals in his senior season, shooting 44.5 percent from the field, 38.4 percent from three-point range and 84.5 percent from the free-throw line.
Wang is a good three-point scorer with an excellent college resume, and is one of the best players in the history of the University of Miami. Wang's physical condition is not outstanding, he is a good instant fighter, his shooting can help the team, but he needs to get stronger. It is reported that his great-grandfather was Chinese.
Attached: List of 2023 drafts
First round
1. Spurs: Victor Venbanyama
2. The Wasp: Brandon Miller
3. Blazers: Scout Henderson
4. Rocket: Amen Thompson
5. Pistons: Osa Thompson
6. Magic: Anthony Black
7. Pacers: Bilal Koulibaly (swapped to the Wizards)
8. Wizards: Jaras Walker (swapped to Pacers)
9. Jazz: Taylor Hendricks
10. Lone Ranger: Carson Wallace (swapped to the Thunder)
11. Magic: Jett Howard
12. Thunder: Drake Lively (swapped to the Lone Ranger)
13. Raptors: Grady Dick
14. Pelicans: Jordan Hawkins
15. Eagles: Kobe Bryant
16. Jazz: Kiyant George
17. Lakers: Jaylen Hood Shifino
18. Heat: Jaime Hax Jr
19. Warriors: Blandin Pozymsky
20. Rocket: Cam Whitmore
21. Nets: Noah Crawney
22. Nets: Darrick Whitehead
23. Blazers: Chris Murray
24. King: Maxans-Prosper (swapped to the Lone Ranger)
25. Grizzlies: Marcus Souther (swapped to the Pistons)
26. Pacers: Ben Shepard
27. The Wasp: Nick Smith Jr
28. Jazz: Bryce Senzaab
29. Pacers: Julian Strausher (swapped to Nuggets)
30. Clippers: Kobe Bryant
Second round
31. Pistons: James Najib (was swapped to the Hornets)
32. Pacers: Jaylen Pickett (traded to the Nuggets)
33. Spurs: Leonard Miller (was traded to the Timberwolves)
34. The Wasp: Kobe Jones (swapped to Kings)
35. Celtic: Julian Phillips (swapped for the Bulls)
36. Magic: Andrey Jackson Jr. (swapped to the Bucks)
37. Thunder: Hunter Tyson (traded to Nuggets)
38. Kings: Jordan Walsh (swapped to Celtic)
39. Wasp: Mohammed Gay (swapped to the Eagles)
40. Nuggets: Maxwell Lewis (traded to the Lakers)
41. The Wasp: Amari Bailly
42. Wizards: Tretan Vukcevic
43. Blazers: Layan Luppel
44. Spurs: Sidi Sissoko
45. Grizzlies: GG-Jackson
46. Eagles: Seth Lundy
47. Lakers: Mojave King (swapped to Pacers)
48. Clippers: Jordan Miller
49. Knights: Imoni Bates
50. Thunder: Kiyant Johnson
51. Nets: Jaylen Wilson
52. Sun: Tumani - Kamara
53. Timberwolves: Jaylen Clark
54. King: Jaylen Slaughson
55. Walker: Isaiah - King
56. Grizzlies: Tariq Biberovich
57. Bull: Violation was confiscated by the league
58.76 people: Violations were fined by the League
59. Wizards: Tracy Jackson Davis (swapped to the Warriors)
60. Bucks: Chris Livingston