The NBA season is finally underway, and a multitude of teams have enlisted the services of their 2023 NBA Draft selections. Though these newcomers are exciting, their performance as a draft class has, at least thus far, been underwhelming. This list will discuss the three rookies I am most concerned about, and the three I think have made the biggest impact and will be valuable assets to their ball club during the remainder of the season.
The Bottom 3: – No order
Scoot Henderson (R1 P3) – Portland Trail Blazers
Henderson was a highly touted prospect approaching the draft. A product of the G League team Ignite, he was discussed as being the potential #1 overall pick, if another name on this list wasn’t in the draft. With the departure of perennial All-Star guard Damian Lillard, the young Portland backcourt pairing of second year man Shaedon Sharpeo and newcomer Scoot Henderson was marketed as must-watch TV. Through four games, Henderson is averaging 8.2 pts, 4 asts, 2.8 rebs, and nearly a steal per game in just over 30 minutes of action. Though these numbers sound passable for a first year player on a below average roster, his poor shooting efficiency and lack of awareness on the defensive end is readily apparent. Henderson is shooting a putrid 33.3 percent from the field, and an unheard of 5.6 percent from the three point line. Even though he was not labeled as a “shooter” coming into the league, these numbers are obviously unacceptable. I think Henderson will learn to utilize his explosive first step as the season progresses, but as of now, he may be in danger of losing his starting spot.
Jordan Hawkins (R1 P14) – New Orleans Pelicans
Hawkins’ draft stock soared after winning the college national championship with the Uconn Huskies in April of 2023. Though he is more of a defensive minded wing, his three point stroke has only improved since coming off his March Madness run. Experts tentatively compared him to Klay Thompson and Steph Curry due to his ability to come off screens and get right into his shooting position. Hawkins joined a young Pelicans roster with some question marks in the frontcourt, namely Zion Williamson and the aging veteran CJ McCollumn. He has struggled thus far in limited time, shooting 21.0 percent from three in about fifteen minutes per game. Though Hawkins was by no means going to be a huge part of the Pelicans rotation this year, he could be a late season breakout candidate. Keep an eye out for him to be a contributor if the Pelicans roster is depleted due to injury.
Gradey Dick (R1 P7) – Toronto Raptors
Though Dick is off to a slow start, if I were to choose one of these three to buy stock in for the rest of the year, it would be the former seventh overall pick and Kansas Jayhawk. Dick doesn’t fit the traditional Raptors wing build of 6’ 7”+, freakishly athletic and defensive minded, OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes come to mind. What he does provide is an unparalleled offensive IQ. We consistently saw Dick come off pin down screens and off-ball sets at Kansas, where he shot 44.3 percent from three, but that hasn’t translated to the NBA just yet. This is partially due to the fact that the Raptors aren’t running plays for the sharpshooter, but also when he does get looks, his shots aren’t falling. I think Dick will prove the doubters wrong and will be a bounce-back candidate for the second half of the season.
The Top 3: – No order
Chet Holmgren (R1 P2 – 2022) – Oklahoma City Thunder
The long-awaited debut of the Gonzaga product Chet Holmgren is finally here, and it was just as advertised. So far this season, Holmgren is averaging 17 pts. 8 rebs and 2.7 asts, on 55.5 percent shooting from the field. He also contributes on the defensive side of the ball, which is an area the Thunders are actively trying to improve as they were around the middle of the pack in terms of defensive efficiency rating last year. Holmgren has solidified himself as a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, putting up numbers rivaling those of Victor Wembanyama, the first overall pick in this year’s draft. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen William, Josh Giddey, and Holmgren all projecting as breakout candidates this year (Gilgeous-Alexander more of an MVP candidate), the Thundersrebuild is near over, and they will be a thorn in the side of elite teams in the Western Conference for years to come.
Victor Wembanyama (R1 P1) – San Antonio Spurs
The most hyped prospect since LeBron James, Wembanyama has been the focal point of this young NBA season so far. The Spurs won’t win this year, but with the arrival of the most notable prospect in decades, to go along with a young developing core and an all-time coach in Gregg Popovich, they are looking to build for the future. So far, Wembanyama is averaging 18.8 pts and 8.5 rebs to go along with 2.3 blocks on 44.4 percent shooting from the field. He is everything that he was said to be and doesn’t leave much to be desired from a talent standpoint. The Spurs are an ideal fit for him, and I see them being a competitive team in the West as soon as 2025.
Dereck Lively II (R1 P12) – Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks took a shot on the seven-footer out of Duke in the lottery and, so far, it has paid off. Lively has been seeing anywhere from 15-30 minutes of action on a given night and is averaging 9 pts, 7 rebs, and a block a game on an efficient 77.7 percent from the field. Interestingly enough, these numbers are better than his days at Duke, where his career high in points was just 13. Lively II has been an integral part of the Mavs lineup thus far and may find himself in the starting lineup before the All-Star break, as he offers a more dynamic set of skills than the current Mavericks frontcourt rotation.
