Tag: 2023 NBA Draft

WATCH: Malaki Branham NBA draft hype video

If you need a reminder of the type of game that should translate well to the NBA, just watch what Malaki Branham did last season in a Buckeye uniform. #GoBucks

We are just a day away from the 2022 NBA draft and we are more than likely going to see two Ohio State players taken in the first round. Guard Malaki Branham’s rise on many NBA-types big boards has been astounding after he put together a sensational back-end of the 2021-2022 college basketball season.

Almost everyone agrees he’s done enough to rise above another Buckeye, E.J. Liddell, and hear his name called earlier in the first round. All you have to do to understand the projection of what Branham can be in the NBA is watch some of his highlights at scoring at all three levels of the court.

The official Ohio State Hoops Twitter account has you covered on that with a video of Branham’s highlights from last season to hype up his name being called Thursday night.

It’s crazy how the kid found his game midway through the year and became a potential lottery pick. We can’t wait to see what story Branham writes in the NBA.

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Report: Ignite guard Scoot Henderson to sign historic shoe deal with PUMA

Henderson, the former No. 10 prospect in the class of 2022, averaged 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season.

NBA G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson is reportedly signing a multiyear shoe endorsement contract with PUMA, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The contract between Henderson and PUMA will be a seven-figure pact and is believed to be the richest shoe deal for a non-draft-eligible player. He became the youngest professional basketball player in the United States last year after signing a two-year deal at 17 years old.

He will be eligible for the NBA draft next year.

Henderson, the former No. 10 prospect in the class of 2022, averaged 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals in 18 games with the Ignite last season. He was among their prospects to participate in the NBA Rising Stars game at All-Star Weekend.

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Henderson is the latest player to represent PUMA, joining the likes of LaMelo Ball, Breanna Stewart, Deandre Ayton, Katie Lou Samuelson, RJ Barrett and more. The apparel company also signed prep phenom Mikey Williams in October.

The 18-year-old Henderson is a possible top-three pick next year.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Sports Illustrated reports teams believe Thunder will tank next season for shot at Victor Wembanyama

Would a core of SGA, Giddey, Helmgren and Wembanyama excite Thunder fans over the future?

Despite the Oklahoma City Thunder potentially having an impressive young trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey and Chet Holmgren next season, Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo has heard some teams believe the Thunder will stay committed to tanking next season for a chance to get Victor Wembanyama in his recent article.

“There are so many variables over the course of a year, and tanking is a demonstrably imperfect strategy. Finishing with the best odds ensures nothing. Committing to that process requires lottery luck and patient ownership, and most organizations can rely on neither. Oklahoma City’s current project seems the obvious exception to the rule, and rival teams already expect the Thunder will remain pot-committed to not being very good, at least for one more season, to ensure entry in the Wembanyama sweepstakes.”

Wembanyama is being billed as a generational prospect and the heavy favorite to go first overall in the 2023 NBA draft, so the Thunder having to stomach one more rebuilding season would be worth it if they can draft him. The only problem is that tanking and having one of the worst records in the league is easier said than done for the Thunder — especially next season if the young trio previously mentioned stays relatively healthy.

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If the Thunder get extremely lucky once again next lottery and land the first overall pick, then a core of Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey, Holmgren and Wembanyama is salivating enough to make the rebuild worth it.

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ESPN draft analyst sits down with Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell to breakdown his game

Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell sat down with ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz to break down his game and talk about his future in the NBA.

The 2022 NBA draft is just around the corner with the NBA scouting combine acting as a prelude. It just concluded over the weekend with two Ohio State players, Malaki Branham and E.J. Liddell, taking part in all the poking, prodding, and basketball activities.

Included with some of those activities are interviews with teams and media personalities. ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz was happy to get in on the mix as well, sitting down with both Buckeye stars that are expected to both go somewhere in the first round.

We already shared the short interview and film session of Schmitz with Branham, and now it’s time to get a look at Liddell’s time in front of the video and on the mic.

If you haven’t yet, it might be worth your time to take a look at the short, ten-minute video of Liddell and Schmitz discussing the power forward’s strengths and who his comparable is.

We’ll have more leading up to the NBA draft, during all the festivities in Brooklyn, and reaction afterward. It’ll all be here before you know it with Liddell being one of the most NBA-ready prospects out there.

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Who ESPN has the Thunder taking with five picks in latest 2023 NBA mock draft

ESPN has released its latest 2023 NBA mock draft. Let’s take a look at who the Thunder will select first overall.

Draft season truly never ends as ESPN’s Mike Schmitz and Jonathan Givony released a mock draft for 2023. The duo has the Oklahoma City Thunder selecting generational French prospect Victor Wembanyama going first overall.

The duo also included four other prospects heading to Oklahoma City as the Thunder own the 21st, 27th, 31st and 39th overall picks. Overall, the Thunder go home with five picks with three of them in the first round and two of them in the second round.

The draft order is based on ESPN projections for next season along with who owns picks for next season. Let’s take a look at the five rookies the Thunder could potentially add in the summer of 2023.

Meanwhile, back in reality, the Thunder owns the fourth-best and 12th-best lottery odds for the 2022 NBA Draft and four top-34 picks.

Twitter reacts to Emoni Bates dropping 17 points in debut with Memphis

Bates dazzled in his debut with No. 12 Memphis on Tuesday to kick off his much-anticipated freshman campaign.

Five-star prospect Emoni Bates dazzled in his official collegiate debut with the No. 12 Memphis Tigers on Tuesday in a win over Tennessee Tech to kick off his much-anticipated freshman campaign.

Bates, who committed to Memphis in September after reclassifying, finished with a game-high 17 points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal in 30 minutes of work in the 89-65 win. He went 6-of-9 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range.

The 17-year-old got his night started quickly, pulling up and draining a 3-pointer on the break just three minutes into the contest. He recorded 10 points alone in the first half, connecting on 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

Bates did the majority of his work from behind the 3-point line but also found success driving into the paint and getting others involved. He flashed that smooth jump shot numerous times throughout the contest and looks to be a capable shooter at the college level.

The debut of Bates garnered quite a reaction on social media, with many weighing in on his opening-night performance. The effort even earned the praise of Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, who was on hand at the game at the FedEx Forum.

Bates is considered perhaps the top high school prospect in over a decade and has often been compared to Kevin Durant. His recruitment was highly publicized as he projects to have a tremendous impact at the next level at Memphis.

Because he will not turn 19 until January, Bates will not be eligible for the NBA draft next year. He needs to spend at least two seasons in college prior to entering the draft in 2023.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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ESPN scout says Bronny at current age is a better jump shooter than LeBron was

ESPN’s Paul Biancardi wrote that while LeBron was more dominant at the same age, Bronny has a leg-up on his Dad in one important area.

The next generation was the focus of ESPN.com yesterday, particularly Bronny James, the eldest son of LeBron James, and one of the top-25 players in his age group. Not only did Bronny make the list, ESPN deployed their youth basketball expert and scout Paul Biancardi to breakdown the differences in the game of young Bronny and his father when he was in the same age group.

Among the biggest differences, Biancardi noted, is that Bronny was more of a role player and complimentary player on a team that had several elite college recruits, including a couple of projected NBA guys, Ziaire Williams and BJ Boston. However, one area where he believes Bronny is ahead of his Dad at the same age is his jump shot.

It should also be noted that when it comes to shooting the ball from the outside, Bronny’s jumper is ahead of where his dad’s was. Neither shot could be described as “pure,” but Bronny has slightly better range and accuracy than LeBron did at this stage.

It shouldn’t be a shock that in the age of the NBA’s embrace of the 3-point shot that kids in younger generations would become better shooters than their predecessors. Now, present-day LeBron is a great shooter and has evolved into one of the most lethal deep 3-point threats in the NBA today. However, LeBron had basically mastered the game at every other level before getting there. In modern times, the jumper will be even more important to his son’s future. But the good thing for Bronny is, it sounds like he’s already on the right track.

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