This week marks the beginning of the NCAA’s annual men’s basketball tournament, known best as March Madness (bracket).
For the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets, who will own two first-round picks in the 2023 NBA draft, it brings hope for the future.
While the non-college prospects are headlined by French phenom Victor Wembanyama and NBA G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, there are intriguing prospects in the March Madness field, such as Alabama’s Brandon Miller and Houston’s Jarace Walker.
Those two prospects may be in play for the Rockets’ own pick, which is likely to land in the draft’s top six or seven overall selections, pending results from the draft lottery. Many other players are in the mix for Houston’s second selection, which will likely be headed their way from the Clippers in the middle-to-late first round.
Here’s a roundup of who the various draft experts project to Houston in this month’s mock drafts, along with the latest lottery odds.