NBA Draft 2023: Victor Wembanyama leads way-too-early mock draft

7. Dillon Mitchell (SF) – Texas

Mitchell will be one of the most explosive athletes in the country as a freshman this season both vertically as well as with his speed and quickness. He profiles as a physical, versatile defender who matches the current mold of what NBA front offices are looking for on that end of the court. Mitchell is a skilled passer but has room to develop as a consistent, multi-level scorer.

Chris Beard’s system at Texas will suit Mitchell’s current skillset nicely, but there are real concerns over whether it’s the right fit for a player needing to develop offensively to realize his potential. Regardless, Mitchell is a high-upside prospect who could fall anywhere from the 3-10 range in the 2023 NBA Draft.

6. Dereck Lively II (C) – Duke

Lively is the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2022 and is headed to Durham, North Carolina, where he’ll join a loaded frontcourt alongside Kyle Filiposwki, the No. 2 center in the class, and Mark Mitchell, the No. 2 power forward in the class. For that reason, he might not put up otherworldly numbers this season, but the talent and potential are definitely there.

For starters, he has eye-popping athleticism for someone who is 7-foot-1 with a 9-foot-4 standing reach. His translation to the NBA as an aggressively athletic rim protector, pick-and-roll defender, and lob threat is almost a given. He can shoot the three, albeit not consistently, and could struggle to finish at the rim against similarly sized humans at the next level.

That said, there’s absolutely no reason he can’t develop his low-post skillset over the course of this season at Duke and become a surefire top-three pick.