Sportsline

It seems like the 2022-23 NBA season just came to a close, and already the 2023 NBA Draft is set for Thursday. While many basketball fans have had a pretty clear idea about who the top pick will be for a few years, plenty of others are sure to make a difference in their first NBA seasons in 2023-24. The 2022 NBA Draft was full of surprises. While I only nailed the exact locations of five players, eight of the players I projected to go inside the top 10 did just that. I've taken a long look at this year's crop of players. While it's clear that Victor Wenbanyama is bound to hear his name called first, picks two through five are up in the air. I'll give away some brief player analysis and a projected landing spot for the prospects I expect to crack the top five below. Each has plenty of upside, but their environments could play a large role in how productive they are as rookies.