2023 NBA Draft Live Tracker: Grading every pick made
2023 NBA Draft grades: Second round picks Nos. 31-45
Scouting Report. Nigeria. 170. Pick Analysis. C. James Nnaji. 31. player
Grade: B
Strong value given James Nnaji’s absurd physical frame: 7-foot tall, 7-foot-7 wingspan, and tremendous mobility for his size. He has plus instincts as a rim protector and he played real minutes for Barcelona, one of the top clubs in Europe.
Update: This pick has been traded to the Hornets. Nnaji now joins a center rotation consisting of Mark Williams, Nick Richards, and Kai Jones.
73. G. Penn State. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Jalen Pickett. 32
Grade: D+
Better prospects are left on the board, but Jalen Pickett could carve out a role as a crafty pick-and-roll guard with a nifty in-between game.
F. Canada. Leonard Miller. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player. 86. 33
Grade: A+
First round, borderline lottery talent. The Spurs are big winners tonight. Leonard Miller was extremely productive in the G-League. His mobility and effort level at 6-foot-10 should translate to winning basketball eventually. He needs some more polish on defense, but the Spurs are the best developmental spot in the world.
Update: This pick has been traded to the Timberwolves.
Scouting Report. F. Xavier. 84. Pick Analysis. Colby Jones. 34. player
Grade: A
Awesome value for the Hornets, who have nailed their later picks after selecting Brandon Miller with No. 2. That decision at the top could haunt them, but Jones is a Swiss Army knife wing with shooting, passing, and defense to complement Charlotte’s creators.
Update: Jones has been traded to the Kings, where he’s a great fit for the reasons stated above.
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. F. Tennessee. Julian Phillips. 35. player. 24
Grade: B
Good second-round upside pick. Julian Phillips is an impressive wing athlete who gets after it on the defensive end. He’s unpolished offensively but the Wizards can afford to be patient.
Update: Phillips has been traded to the Chicago Bulls, who have a need for wing defense.
player. 89. Pick Analysis. F. Connecticut. 36. Scouting Report. Andre Jackson Jr.
Grade: A+
Top-20 player with tremendous basketball I.Q. and intangibles. He proved himself as a winner at UConn; he loves to defend, playmake, and run the floor in transition. He doesn’t shoot, which makes Milwaukee a potentially wonky fit, but he’s too good to pass up.
Scouting Report. F. Hunter Tyson. 73. Pick Analysis. Clemson. 37. player
Grade: B
Another experienced college player to aid Denver’s title pursuit. Hunter Tyson is 24 years old with limited athleticism but he can bomb 3s and he knows how to move without the ball, making him a natural fit in Denver’s system.
player. 18. F. Jordan Walsh. 38. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Arkansas
Grade: A+
Freshman with elite defensive instincts, high-level athleticism, and a plus-8 wingspan. He needs to get more consistent from 3-point range but this is a major steal for the championship-aspirant Celtics.
Mouhamed Gueye. 170. Scouting Report. Washington State. C. 39. player. Pick Analysis
Grade: C-
Hornets add to their frontcourt depth with a raw, bouncy athlete who can finish above the rim and occasionally flash shooting touch. He has a long way to go developmentally but upside swings in the second round are hard to argue with too much.
40. player. 20. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Maxwell Lewis. G. Pepperdine
Grade: B+
The Lakers have the opportunity to maximize Maxwell Lewis’ talented for spot-up shooting and attacking closeouts. He offers theoretical defensive upside too, but his effort level and consistency wavered too much for a very bad Pepperdine team.
G. Amari Bailey. player. Scouting Report. UCLA. 41. 170. Pick Analysis
Grade: B+
Amari Bailey’s stock wavered during a bumpy freshman season but he’s a strong defender and playmaker at only 19 years old. Strong value pick for Charlotte as a guard who can play alongside LaMelo Ball and Nick Smith Jr. in the backcourt.
C. Serbia. 42. 142. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Tristan Vukcevic. player
Grade: B+
The Wizards lose one stretch five and draft another. Tristan Vukcevic won’t be anywhere close to Kristaps Porzingis on the defensive end, but Vukcevic is a talented floor-spacer and face-up scorer at 7-foot.
Pick Analysis. G. France. Rayan Rupert. player. Scouting Report. 43. 34
Grade: A
The final green room invitee, the Blazers strike mid-second round gold with French wing Rayan Rupert. He’s not the most developed offensive player, but Rupert is 6-foot-7 with comfortable handles and a projectable 3-point shot. His defense held up against pro competition as an 18-year-old in Australia. Great value.
France. 29. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 44. player. G. Sidy Cissoko
Grade: B
Sidy Cissoko has a lot of interesting tools with no one skill that stands out. He’s a great passer in the combo guard role, but he doesn’t create a ton of advantages off the dribble and he struggles finishing around the rim. He defends hard but has to clean up his decision-making on that end. The Spurs are the best bet of any team to tap into his versatile upside.
South Carolina. GG Jackson. player. F. 45. 211. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Grade: A
GG Jackson struggled with decision-making and efficiency as a freshman at South Carolina but he was 17 years old for half the season. Not many 6-foot-9 players possess his strength and coordination at such a young age. The upside is massive; the Grizzlies are celebrating this one.