NBA Mock Draft: 5 surprise prospects who could crash the lottery
Every year, there are prospects who get picked higher than expected. Who might crash the 2023 NBA Draft lottery?
We see it every year. The lottery order is set, the NBA Draft arrives, and at least one team breaks from consensus. In 2019, the Phoenix Suns selected Cam Johnson with the No. 11 pick. Consensus had him pegged in the 20-30 range. In 2021, the Spurs selected ultra-young wing Josh Primo with the No. 12 pick. He, too, was expected more in the 20-30 range.
Every team has its own individual scouting department, its own set of core values, and its own list of priorities. Put the right team in the right spot, and they’re liable to take a significant risk to get “their guy.” All it takes is a promising individual workout or an illuminating team interview for a prospect to end up much higher than expected.
The 2023 NBA Draft is loaded with talent at the top. While Victor Wembanyama continues to receive the majority of headlines (and understandably so), the list of potential stars and, beyond that, potential contributors runs deep. That being said, which prospects could break into the lottery unexpectedly?
NBA Draft prospects who could unexpectedly end up as lottery picks
5. Rayan Rupert, G, New Zealand Breakers
A lot of lottery surprises generally come in the form of theoretical prospects — prospects who might not have a complete body of work, but whose physical profiles and hypothetical skill sets are too tantalizing for teams to pass up.
It’s not difficult to imagine a team falling in love with Rayan Rupert. Playing for the New Zealand Breakers of the NBL, he missed time this season due to a wrist injury and was otherwise inconsistent. Even so, the physical tools leap off the page — he’s a 6-foot-7 guard with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and fluid athleticism.
Rupert’s defensive acumen is the root of his appeal. He’s good at shooting the gaps or using his long arms to hassle ball-handlers and generate steals. He has a long way to go offensively, but there are flashes of pull-up shooting that will have scouts hooked. He needs to get better at finishing and handling physicality, but he did play against grown men in a notoriously physical professional league. College prospects can’t say the same.