With the No. 2 pick, Charlotte has a headache.
On June 23, the 2023 NBA Draft will take place at the Barclays Center in New York City.
All eyes are on Victor Wembanyama, an ultra-highly touted French prospect who has been dubbed the “Victor Wembanyama Draft” and is expected to go first overall.
Barring an upset, the San Antonio Spurs are expected to select Wembanyama, the first team to have the No. 1 pick in 26 years since 1997.
San Antonio is no stranger to French NBA players, with Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, and Nande De Colo all having played for the Spurs. David Robinson (1987) and Tim Duncan (1997) also made franchise history as the first big men to be drafted No. 1 and retire with San Antonio. It’s hard to find a team with a better storyline than Wambanyama’s.
But there’s another team to keep an eye on. It’s Charlotte with the No. 2 pick.
Once again, Charlotte failed to land the No. 1 pick. They haven’t had a No. 1 pick in over 30 years, since the 1991 draft (Larry Johnson).
Instead, they used the No. 2 pick in the 1992 draft (Alonzo Mourning), 2004 draft (Emeka Okafor), and 2012 draft (Michael Kidd-Gilchrist). In those three drafts, Charlotte missed out on Shaquille O’Neal (No. 1 in 1992), Dwight Howard (No. 1 in 2004), and Anthony Davis (No. 1 in 2012). All three went on to become some of the best big men of their era and won championship rings.
So who should Charlotte select with the No. 2 pick in this draft?
Assuming Victor Wembanyama is selected at No. 1, there are two players that Charlotte could consider with the No. 2 pick. Scooter Henderson and Brandon Miller.
The 7-footer played for the G League’s Ignite last season and drew comparisons to Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and Kyrie Irving. His athleticism and skill set make him a natural fit for the NBA right away. 메이저놀이터
The problem is that Charlotte has a solid guard in Lamar Ball. Henderson and Ball have overlapping roles. So Henderson, who initially seemed like a lock for the No. 2 pick, slipped to No. 3 on many draft projection sites once Charlotte got the No. 2 pick.
Instead of Henderson, Brandon Miller has emerged as the favorite to take the No. 2 pick.
Miller is a wing prospect out of the University of Alabama who has been compared to Paul George for his shooting ability.
His physicality is impressive. He’s 6-foot-6 with a 213-centimeter wingspan, and he’s an excellent shooter, shooting 38.4 percent from three-point range in college. He’s also not your average spot-up shooter who simply stands there, receives the ball, and throws it up. At the collegiate level, Miller was also very adept at creating moving shots, whether it was taking a handoff pass or utilizing a pin-down screen for a three-pointer. His ball-handling-based jump shot production is also excellent, and he has the potential to be a scorer above Keegan Murray (Sacramento) from his rookie season.
Charlotte lost Miles Bridges for the entire 2022-2023 season due to domestic violence issues, and Gordon Hayward had another injury-plagued season that saw him in and out of the lineup. Jaylen McDaniels was acquired in a trade during the season and wore a Philadelphia uniform. Even if Bridges returns next season, the team will need to add more wing depth. Miller could be a good option, as he’s big, long, and a great shooter.
It remains to be seen what Charlotte decides to do. In the age of the multi-handler, it wouldn’t be out of the question to see a backcourt with LaMelo Ball and Scott Henderson. We’ll see what Charlotte does with the No. 2 pick on draft day.