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Nov 12, 2023

2023 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings: Scouting reports for Victor Wembanyama, other top players on Big Board

With only two weeks (and change) standing between us and NBA Draft night, it's

With only two weeks (and change) standing between us and NBA Draft night, it's time to kick things up a notch as we barrel into the homestretch of the pre-draft coverage process and really drill down into the studs of what makes this year's studs ... well, studs.

So today -- building off of our Top 100 Big Board, which will be updated into the final days leading up to the draft -- we're beefing up our prospect rankings with scouting reports on the top 10 prospects in this year's class.

Order of prospects below is consistent with how yours truly ranks the class, as is the same methodology of the Big Board until we finalize our final rankings with a consensus ranking formulated by our team. For how we think where players will land, you can find that intel in updated mock drafts from Gary Parrish, David Cobb or yours truly.

Check out Kyle Boone's entire updated Top 100 Big Board

Long considered one of the best basketball prospects on planet earth, Wembanyama finished his regular season in the Pro A as the leading scorer, rebounder and shot-blocker for Mets 92. Standing at 7-foot-4 with an 8-foot wingspan, Wembanyama projects as the No. 1 player in the class and one of the best basketball prospects since LeBron James with his rare combination of size, skill and defensive versatility.

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A former five-star recruit from Marietta, Georgia, Henderson is a first-of-his-kind prospect who spent two seasons with G League Ignite developing the last two years into a bona fide top-five prospect in the 2023 class. Henderson's combination of playmaking, athleticism and competitiveness makes him an appealing lead guard who could serve as a building block for a franchise.

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Thompson is the twin brother of Ausar, both of whom project as lottery picks in the 2023 draft. Amen is a natural playmaker who has explosive athletic ability and a long frame to buttress one of the most exciting long-term profiles in the class. He spent the last two seasons developing with Overtime Elite and could be the program's first-ever first round pick — if his twin brother doesn't beat him to the punch.

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Long wings who can score are among the more valuable archetypes in the NBA, and Miller projects neatly as exactly that. The former five-star recruit led all freshmen in scoring last season at Alabama and led the Tide to an SEC regular season and SEC Tournament championship while going on to secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

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The first Villanova one-and-done since Tim Thomas in 1997, Whitmore brings power and explosiveness to the table as one of the most appealing long-term wing prospects in this year's draft class. A former five-star recruit who ranked as the No. 1 prospect in his class from the state of Maryland, Whitmore is an above-the-rim wing finisher who can provide floor-spacing as a spot-up threat and showed immense talent making shots in a variety of ways, though his playmaking ability for others is an area of improvement.

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The twin brother of potential top-five pick Amen Thompson, Ausar, like his brother, has long been viewed as a blue-chip prospect with NBA pedigree. Ausar spent the last two seasons developing with Overtime Elite and has grown into his own as a gifted scorer and improved shot-maker. He brings great size and skill to the wing spot and projects as a boom prospect with loads of long-term upside.

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A nagging ankle injury sapped some of George's sensational skill set in his one-and-done season at Baylor, but he has made a strong impression on NBA teams during the pre-draft process both with his athleticism and his polished scoring ability. George led all Big 12 freshmen in scoring last season and showed growth as a playmaker, making him an appealing two-way guard whose offensive versatility is his biggest selling point.

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Walker became the highest-rated signee in Houston men's basketball history in 2022 in signing with the Cougars out of high school, and paid off right away as a floor-spacing forward with talents galore on both ends of the floor. He was a versatile defensive weapon and swiss-army knife offensive player for a 33-win Houston team that was primarily comprised of upperclassmen, and there is untapped potential in his game as a playmaker and scorer that should be unlocked in NBA spacing.

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SUMMARY: Black was the No. 1-ranked point guard prospect in the Class of 2022 and a consensus five-star recruit who signed with Arkansas out of high school. Hed led the team in assists and minutes per game as a true freshman in 2022-23 and profiles as a big-bodied combo guard who can make plays and score. If his 3-point shot shows continued improvement he will be one of the most complete NBA prospects in this class.

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Ranked as the No. 84 player in the Class of 2022 coming out of high school in Florida, Hendricks is the most meteoric of risers over the last year among potential top-10 picks after a stellar one-and-done season at UCF. He flashed dominance as a do-it-all defender and shot nearly 40% from 3-pint range on 155 attempts throughout the year, earning Second Team All-AAC honors as a true freshman.

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