The San Antonio Spurs have gotten their year off on a real rollercoaster of wins and losses. They could just as easily surprise some people and sneak into the play-in games as they could end up as a top-3 picker in the 2023 NBA Draft. So to properly prepare you for that draft, we’re going to do some top-5 lists as requested by one of our favorite fans.
Team needs a starting pg and C. Who are the top 5 at each position
— Tavarius (@1Tavarius) November 7, 2022
Tavarius brought up a great idea and so we are going to start with a point guard list. Here are the top five point guards (in my opinion) of this draft and the order in which I would draft them.
Top Point Guards: 2023 NBA Draft
1. Scoot Henderson
Henderson is head and shoulders above all the other available point guards in this draft standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 195 pounds. He showed out in the exhibition game against Victor Wembanyama and showcased all of what he is capable of doing at the NBA level. He is faster than anyone guarding him and can get pretty much anything he wants at the rim.
CHILL, Scoot Henderson! 🔨😳
(via @gleagueignite)pic.twitter.com/eLkGm8Oxm1
— NBA (@NBA) November 7, 2022
Henderson is averaging 25 points, 5.5 assists, one steal, two turnovers, and 4.5 rebounds per game so far in the early part of his G-League season. He still has to improve his three-point and free-throw shooting, but he will have plenty of time to do that throughout his season.
2. Nick Smith
The 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard did not play in his team’s opener against North Dakota State as a precaution. However, he is expected to come in and not only be a major playmaker for this team, but to also help with spacing as a shooter. He can shoot it from deep, can handle the ball exceptionally well, and can get to a variety of different shots on his own.
Nick Smith Jr. dropped 17 and 6 in his debut with Arkansas today 🔥🚨
(via @RazorbackMBB) pic.twitter.com/6ZT8Bqp5AB
— SLAM University (@slam_university) August 9, 2022
Playing alongside Ricky Council IV and Anthony Black, Smith is going to have plenty of guard help as well as weapons on offense. Smith’s plus-4 wingspan should help on defense and his quickness will allow him to stay in front of just about everyone.
3. Amen Thompson
The 6-foot-7, 202-pound point guard and combo wing is the best athlete in this draft. In fact, he is a top-tier NBA athlete and he is not even in the league yet. He can jump out of the gym, handle the ball smoothly, and knows how to use his size to get to the rim. He is a willing and able passer, but also knows when he should go hunting for his shots.
Amen Thompson with the spin & finish 😵💫 pic.twitter.com/2ETvSnAtZZ
— Overtime Elite (@OvertimeElite) October 5, 2022
His quick first step and blow-by speed has dumbfounded defenders in the Overtime Elite league and should do so at the next level. He will have to become a much better shooter, but that is something he has been working on over the last year. He made one of his four 3-point attempts and went 3-of-10 on shots inside the arc in his lone game this season. Thompson scored 14 points, grabbed four rebounds, nabbed a steal, and dished out seven assists in his lone game so far on the Overtime Elite circuit.
4. Anthony Black
The 6-foot-7, 200-pound guard gives off Shaun Livingston vibes with his height, ability to pass the ball, and shaky shot thus far in his career. Once he becomes more familiar with his Arkansas teammates, his numbers should improve. He will be a bit of a do-everything guard as the Razorbacks have plenty of backcourt players to help him throughout the season.
WATCH YA HEAD pic.twitter.com/JE4sMmOmjb
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) October 25, 2022
Black shot the ball poorly in his first game of the season against North Dakota State as he hit only one of his seven shot attempts. However, he affected the game in other ways by pulling in seven rebounds, blocking a shot, dishing out three assists, and notching three steals. He prefers to set up his teammates so keeping an eye on his shooting will be key this season.
5. Cason Wallace
The 6-foot-4, 193-pound guard showed exactly who we thought he was against Howard in the first game of his collegiate career. He went 7-of-11 from the floor with 15 points, he dished out nine assists, secured eight rebounds, and stole the ball twice. He did everything for Kentucky and looked good doing it.
The next great Kentucky PG
I introduce you Cason Wallace.
15-9-9 on his debut on 7/11 shooting, played with pace, leadership and most importantly elite on-ball defense. Cason a vet and he’s PG1 for Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/k9pTIQGIDh
— Pistons Draft Talk (@PDTScouting) November 8, 2022
If Wallace plays like this and possibly better with the return of Oscar Tshiebwe, he is going to make a case to move up on draft boards for sure. Wallace is not necessarily elite at everything he does, but he is quite good nonetheless. He will have plenty of opportunities against SEC opponents as well as tough non-conference teams to truly showcase how good of a point guard he projects to be.
What is your list of the top point guards in the 2023 NBA Draft?
