As the NBA draft rolls into the second night of proceedings, analysts and fans across North America are all aflutter. DraftExpress.com founder Jeremy Woo is driving the discussion. Alongside him is Jonathan Givony, one of the most recognized and influential NBA draft analysts and ESPN’s draft expert. That’s because they have deep experience covering the draft and scouting players. Their expertise gives them unique insight into who might be good picks and who to watch out for.
Woo has quickly established himself as one of the biggest names on the draft landscape. From 2015 to 2023, he wrote about the NBA and its draft for Sports Illustrated. Given his profound comprehension of player movements and their fit to teams, he serves as a trusted barometer for projections and evaluations. Givony has been at ESPN since July of 2017, where he provides the in-depth, extensive analysis of prospects that ESPN is known for. Combined, they make scripts to the story around this year’s diverse draft class.
This year’s draft class offers an abundance of interesting prospects, certain to command headlines with their big-play ability and upside. Australian born, Noah Penda is a breakout prospect and one of the stronger, more skilled frame wing forwards, with an excellent feel for the game. His official measurements include an incredible 6-foot-11.5 wingspan. This luscious length has bolstered his defensive versatility, making him a highly coveted asset for teams looking to bolster their defensive roster.
Promising Prospects
Javon Small is an impressive prospect. He’s a physical and versatile fireplug of a guard, and he showed elite role-player traits during his four-year collegiate career. Small had a big impact on the short-handed West Virginia roster. On defense, he wreaked havoc, and on offense, created opportunities off the dribble. His combination of resilience, skill and tenacity should make him a major name to watch for as teams inevitably seek to improve their backcourt depth.
Another player turning heads is Viktor Lakhin. The Kansas standout has become one of the most coveted players in this year’s NBA Draft. As a fifth-year senior, Lakhin has transformed into a highly efficient shooter. He combines his paint skills with great passing and quick defensive timing. His well-rounded game makes for a fascinating option for teams looking to add depth and versatility in their frontcourt.
Ryan Kalkbrenner is another intriguing prospect on the 2023 draft board. Kalkbrenner dazzled onlookers with his impressive burst around the basket and touch in the paint. For the last few years, he ranked first in all of Division I in dunk by a wide margin. His sporadic examples of floor-spacing possibilities is what makes his game so exciting. This combined with his switch-hitting talent makes him an extremely attractive option for teams looking to boost their offensive attack.
Emerging Talents
As a result, Chaz Lanier has developed into a lethal movement shooter. His good physical tools help, for teams that place a heavy premium on shooters’ shot creation in their line-ups. His capacity to create shots off screens and his quick release can open up offensive possibilities for any team willing to invest in his development.
Bogoljub Markovic had a huge breakout year that ended with a terrific performance at the Nike Hoop Summit. His continued success at this highly regarded event proved his talent, raising his profile even further with NBA scouts and analysts. NFL teams will most definitely be intrigued by his upside as they put together their final draft boards.
Maxime Raynaud (left) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (right) both measured at 7 feet in shoes. When healthy, they represent the type of prize dominating presence teams hope to discover in this draft. Their height, however, gives them tremendous perks in rim protection and rebounding. Their respective skill sets have made them the most highly-coveted prospects.
The Draft’s Impact on Teams
The second night of the NBA draft has tangible, lasting impacts on franchises ready to reload or introduce new blood into their rosters. Each pick has the potential to transform a team’s fortunes. Every year, young talent pours into the league, ready to leave their stamp and forge a new path.
Teams will evaluate how immediate players such as Penda, Small, Lakhin, Kalkbrenner, Lanier, Markovic, and Raynaud will impact. Then, they’ll weigh the value of that potential against their immediate demands. So when organizations make selections, they should be looking beyond upfront contributions to the capacity for eventual build-out.
As analysts like Woo and Givony continue to share insights on these players, their assessments will influence team strategies and decisions leading up to the draft. How the combination of player evaluations and team needs plays out will define the story of this year’s draft class.
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