2023 NBA Draft

Kentucky’s Cason Wallace Entering 2023 NBA Draft

Kentucky freshman guard Cason Wallace is entering the 2023 NBA draft and will forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Wallace is the latest projected lottery pick to announce that he’s declaring for the draft and going pro, joining Brandon Miller, Jarace Walker, and Keyonte George, among others. Wallace is currently the No. 10 overall prospect in the 2023 draft class on Givony’s big board at ESPN.com.

Wallace’s numbers in 32 games as a freshman don’t necessarily jump off the page. He averaged 11.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in 32.2 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .446/.346/.757.

However, he finished the year strong, enjoying perhaps his best game of the season in the Wildcats’ second-round loss in the NCAA Tournament (21 points and nine rebounds on 9-of-11 shooting). He is also one of the best defenders in the draft, per Givony, and showed NBA evaluators a different aspect of his game when he assumed primary ball-handling duties following an injury to Kentucky point guard Sahvir Wheeler.

“Learning how to play the point guard position the whole game helped,” Wallace told ESPN. “It forced me to step up to another challenge in a new role.”

Wallace added that he’s intent on developing “each part” of his game further and intends to get “stronger, faster and quicker in the pre-draft process.”

Gradey Dick, Colby Jones, Others Declare For NBA Draft

Kansas freshman guard Gradey Dick announced on ESPN’s NBA Today on Friday that he has decided to enter the 2023 NBA draft and go pro, forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Dick had a solid year in his first and only college season, averaging 14.1 PPG and 5.1 RPG with a shooting line of .442/.403/.854 in 36 games (32.7 MPG) for the Jayhawks. He projects as a potential lottery pick, according to Givony, who has Dick ranked at No. 11 on his latest big board. Givony describes the 6’8″ wing as a player with “a high floor and plenty of upside left to tap into.”

Meanwhile, Xavier guard Colby Jones announced on Instagram that he’ll declare for the draft following a junior year in which he put up 15.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 4.4 APG with solid shooting percentages of 50.9% from the floor and 37.8% on three-pointers. He’ll forgo his remaining eligibility and go pro too, he confirms to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link).

Givony, who has Jones ranked 29th overall at ESPN, writes that his “passing ability and all-around feel for the game” are two of his most appealing traits as a prospect, adding that he has also shown defensive toughness.

Finally, Houston guard Marcus Sasser also intends to enter the draft and it sounds like he’ll forgo his final year of eligibility. The announcement he made on Instagram includes no indication that he’s leaving the door open to return to school.

Sasser averaged 17.0 PPG, 3.0 APG, and 2.8 RPG on .438/.399/.826 shooting across 48 games (31.1 MPG) during his final two years with the Cougars. He currently comes in as the No. 36 prospect on ESPN’s top-100 list.

Here are more of the prospects who recently declared for the 2023 draft:

Expected to remain in draft:

Testing the draft waters:

Indiana’s Jalen Hood-Schifino Enters 2023 NBA Draft

Indiana freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino is declaring for the 2023 NBA draft and will forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Adrian Wojnarowski.

According to ESPN’s duo, Hood-Schifino didn’t initially project as an obvious one-and-done player, but a strong freshman year improved his draft stock and has made him a potential lottery pick. He ranks 13th overall on Givony’s list of this year’s top 100 prospects.

A 6’6″ guard, Hood-Schifino averaged 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 33.1 minutes per game (32 contests) as a freshman, posting a shooting line of .417/.333/.776. The youngster took the reins at point guard for the Hoosiers when Xavier Johnson suffered a season-ending injury and helped the team claim a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament.

“NBA teams were able to see that I can take over a game, create my own shot, run a team, that I have a high IQ, that I’m tough, and that I have a unique pace to my game,” Hood-Schifino told ESPN. “I’m looking forward to showing the NBA teams my body measurements matching what’s on paper, my athleticism, and my shooting ability.”

Alabama’s Brandon Miller Entering 2023 NBA Draft

Alabama forward Brandon Miller will forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2023 NBA draft, he tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Miller is one of the draft’s top prospects, currently ranked third on ESPN’s big board, but he could go as high as second overall behind French phenom Victor Wembanyama, Wojnarowski adds.

As a freshman for the Crimson Tide in 2022/23, Miller averaged 18.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.9 BPG on .430/.384/.859 shooting in 37 games (32.6 MPG). Alabama was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the 20-year-old struggled mightily during the Tide’s three-game run due to a groin strain, with the team ultimately losing to San Diego State in the Sweet 16.

The 20-year-old was widely considered the top prospect in college basketball, earning numerous accolades, including SEC Player and Freshman of the Year and second-team All-America.

A 6’9″ wing, Miller has drawn comparisons to Paul George due to his length, guard-like skills, shot-making and versatility.

However, Miller was also tied to a murder case a couple months ago. He allegedly brought the gun that was used in the killing of a woman on the Tuscaloosa strip in January, according to police testimony.

Miller’s former Alabama teammate Darius Miles and another man, Michael Davis, were arrested and charged with capital murder. While the gun belonged to Miles, Miller reportedly brought it to the scene at his ex-teammate’s request. Miller’s car, which was struck by two bullets during the shooting, was allegedly one of two vehicles blocking the victim’s car.

Miller was not charged with a crime and his coach called him a “fully cooperating witness” who didn’t break any laws or school policies, which is why he was allowed to keep playing.

Arkansas’ Nick Smith Among Draft’s Latest Early Entrants

Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr., a potential lottery pick this June, has announced (via Twitter) that he’s declaring for the 2023 NBA draft.

It sounds like Smith is committing to going pro, since his statement doesn’t include any mention of maintaining his college eligibility and he projects to be selected in the first half of the first round. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has him ranked at this year’s No. 14 prospect.

Smith had an up-and-down freshman season that was marred by a knee injury which limited him to 17 games. In those 17 appearances, he averaged 12.5 PPG, 1.7 APG, and 1.6 RPG on .376/.338/.740 shooting in 25.8 minutes per contest.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) doesn’t expect NBA teams to be too put off by those modest shooting numbers, observing that Smith has shown shooting versatility and the potential to continue improving his jumper, as well as the ability to create his own shot.

Within the last 24 hours, the following college players have also declared for the draft or announced plans to do so:

Expected to remain in draft:

Testing the draft waters while maintaining NCAA eligibility:

Draft Notes: Clark, Miles, Cryer, Cook, Wahab, Pullin

Following a breakout junior season, UCLA guard Jaylen Clark has decided to declare for the 2023 NBA draft, he announced today on Instagram.

After coming off the bench in 54 of 60 games during his first college seasons, Clark was a full-time starter in 2022/23, averaging 13.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.6 steals per game in 30 contests (30.5 MPG). More notably, he was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the Pac-12 and was also a member of the All-Pac-12 team.

Clark is currently just outside the top 60 on ESPN’s big board, so he’s no lock to be drafted. He has the option of maintaining his college eligibility while testing the draft waters, but his Instagram statement gives no indication that’s the plan — our assumption for now is that he intends to keep his name in the draft and go pro.

Here are a few more updates on early entrants declaring for the 2023 draft:

  • TCU junior guard Mike Miles, who comes in five spots below Clark on ESPN’s top-100 list, has also declared for the draft, he announced today on Twitter. Miles averaged 17.9 PPG on .497/.362/.749 shooting in 27 games (31.9 MPG) in 2022/23. Like Clark, he doesn’t say anything in his announcement about maintaining his NCAA eligibility through the draft process.
  • Baylor junior guard LJ Cryer will test the draft waters, according to an announcement on Twitter. Cryer won a national title with the Bears in 2021 and became a full-time starter in 2022/23, averaging 15.0 PPG with a .415 3PT% and earning All-Big 12 honors.
  • Tulane junior guard Jalen Cook is entering both the transfer portal and the NBA draft pool, tweets Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Cook is coming off his second consecutive All-AAC season and upped his scoring average to 19.9 PPG.
  • Georgetown senior center Qudus Wahab tells Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link) that he’s entering the draft while maintaining his final year of NCAA eligibility. Wahab spent his first two college seasons at Georgetown, transferred to Maryland for his junior season, then returned to the Hoyas last year.
  • Zyon Pullin, a senior guard at UC-Riverside, is entering the draft after averaging a team-leading 18.3 PPG in 2022/23, he tells Jeff Borzello of ESPN (Twitter link). Pullin, who also tested the draft waters in 2022, is signing with an NCAA-certified agent, so he’ll have the option of withdrawing later this spring.

2023 NBA Draft Dates, Deadlines To Watch

We’re still nearly three months away from NBA draft day, but before we get to June 22, there are several other important dates and deadlines on the calendar. Here are some of those dates and deadlines worth keeping an eye on:


April 23 (11:59 pm ET): Deadline for early entrants to declare for the draft

College players and international early entrants have until the end of the day on April 23 to submit their names into the 2023 NBA draft pool. They can withdraw their names later if they decide they’re not quite ready to go pro, though if college players want to maintain their NCAA eligibility, they can’t hire an agent who’s not certified by the NCAA.

Once the early entrant list is set, NBA teams can begin conducting or attending workouts for those players.

May 13-14: NBA G League Elite Camp

In 2019, the Elite Camp – having recently been revamped by the NBA – consisted of 40 veteran G League invitees participating in the first half of the event, followed by 40 top draft-eligible players (who weren’t invited to the actual combine) taking part in the second half.

After being canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Elite Camp returned in 2021, but only featured 40 draft-eligible prospects, without the G League players. That format carried over to 2022, with 44 prospects in attendance, and will presumably be in effect in 2023 as well.

May 15-21: NBA draft combine

This week-long event, which takes place annually in Chicago, allows NBA teams to get a first-hand look at many of the year’s top draft-eligible players.

The combine is often particularly important for early entrants who have yet to decide whether or not to stay in the draft. The feedback they get at the combine could go a long way toward dictating whether they keep their names in the draft or return to school for another year.

May 16: NBA draft lottery

The 2023 draft lottery will be the fifth one that uses the new format, which was introduced in 2019. With the lottery odds flattened out, the NBA’s worst team has a 14% shot at the No. 1 overall pick, as opposed to the 25% chance it had prior to ’19.

The new system has generated some excitement during the past four draft lotteries — seven of the 16 teams that have claimed top-four picks since 2019 entered the night without a top-six spot in the lottery standings.

Still, it has been a few years since we saw any real long shots become big winners on lottery night. The Pelicans and Grizzlies moved up from seventh and eighth in the lottery standings in 2019 to claim the top two picks, but one of the NBA’s worst three teams has been awarded the No. 1 spot in each of the last three lotteries. Could we be due for a few surprises in 2023?

May 31 (11:59 pm ET): NCAA early entrant withdrawal deadline

College underclassmen – and seniors who are eligible to play for more one season – who want to retain their NCAA eligibility will have to withdraw their names from the draft pool by May 31. NBA rules call for a later withdrawal deadline, but the NCAA has its own set of rules that say the deadline is 10 days after the combine ends.

An early entrant could technically wait until after May 31 to withdraw from the draft and could still retain his NBA draft eligibility for a future year. However, he would forfeit his amateur status in that scenario, making him ineligible to return to his NCAA squad. College players who want to play overseas for a year or two before entering the NBA draft could take this route.

June 12 (5:00 pm ET): NBA early entrant withdrawal deadline

This is the NBA’s final deadline for early entrants to withdraw their names from the draft pool and retain their draft eligibility for a future year.

By this point, we generally know whether or not a college player decided to keep his name in the draft, but this is an important deadline for international players, who aren’t subject to the same restrictions as college players. We’ll likely hear about several international early entrants withdrawing from the draft during the days leading up to June 12.

June 22: NBA draft day

The most exciting few weeks of the NBA offseason unofficially get underway on draft day, which is often when several of the first major trades of the summer are completed and when we get a sense of which direction certain teams are heading.

It’s also worth noting that the hours and days after the draft ends will be hugely important for many of this year’s draft-eligible prospects — a ton of players who aren’t selected with one of the 58 picks in the draft will reach agreements shortly thereafter to play for an NBA team’s Summer League squad, to attend training camp with a club, or to sign a two-way contract.

Duke’s Dariq Whitehead Declares For 2023 NBA Draft

Duke freshman Dariq Whitehead announced on Wednesday that he’s entering his name into the 2023 NBA draft pool, per a press release from the school. The announcement doesn’t mention anything about Whitehead maintaining his NCAA eligibility, so it seems safe to assume he’ll hire an agent and go pro.

“I’m really looking forward to this next step in my basketball career and I’m truly blessed to have this opportunity,” Whitehead said in a statement. “I’ve dreamed of these moments for so long. I can’t wait to get after it and continue preparing for the NBA Draft.”

A five-star recruit out of high school, Whitehead was widely viewed as a potential lottery pick entering the college season, but has seen his stock dip a little since then. The 6’7″ swingman averaged just 8.3 points per game on .421/.429/.793 shooting in 28 games (20.6 MPG) for the Blue Devils, chipping in 2.4 RPG and 1.0 APG.

Whitehead sustained a stress fracture in his right foot last August and also dealt with an ankle sprain during the college season, so those injuries may have been a factor in his up-and-down freshman year.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) believes Whitehead’s draft range is among the widest for this year’s first-round prospects. Jonathan Givony of ESPN currently has the 18-year-old ranked at No. 24 on his big board. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic had him at No. 22 in his most recent mock draft.

Baylor’s Keyonte George Entering 2023 NBA Draft

Baylor’s Keyonte George will forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2023 NBA draft, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

The 6’4″ guard is a potential lottery pick, currently ranked ninth overall on ESPN’s big board.

I don’t really worry about (how high) I’ll be picked – I respect everyone that is trying to fulfill their dreams,” George said. “I’m looking for fit, somewhere where I can learn and grow at the same time. It’s important for me to be an all-around player and not just a scorer. I’m looking forward to showing NBA teams how tough I am and the savvy I carry myself with.”

As a freshman for the Bears in 2022/23, George averaged 15.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.8 APG and 1.1 SPG on .373/.338/.793 shooting in 33 games (28.6 MPG). He was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and was also named the top freshman in the conference.

According to Givony, George is a dynamic scorer with long range who has an impressive ability to change speeds. He also praises George’s creativity, footwork and body control.

2023 NBA Draft Early Entrants List

Early entrants who wish to declare for the 2023 NBA draft have until the end of the day on Sunday, April 23 to make that decision official.

Players who declare for the draft this year will have to withdraw by the end of the day on May 31 if they wish to retain their NCAA eligibility. The NBA’s withdrawal deadline, which is more relevant for international prospects, is on June 12 at 5:00 pm Eastern time. The 2023 draft will take place on June 22.

Beginning in 2021, the annual list of “early” entrants has become even bigger than usual because the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That means seniors who would’ve typically become automatically eligible for the draft now have the option of either declaring or remaining in college for an extra year.

Last year, 283 prospects initially declared as early entrants, with 149 of those players ultimately keeping their names in the draft and going pro. We’re expecting those totals to end up in the same neighborhood this time around.

We’ll use this post to keep track of reports and announcements on early entrant prospects and their decisions. We’ll archive them all here in a running list, which will be accessible anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” page found in our mobile menu.

The players below are listed in alphabetical order. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.

Last updated 3-31-23 (9:15am CT)


College Underclassmen

Expected to remain in the draft:

  1. Jaylen Clark, G, UCLA (junior)
  2. Gradey Dick, G, Kansas (freshman)
  3. Keyonte George, G, Baylor (freshman)
  4. Taylor Hendricks, F, UCF (freshman)
  5. Jalen Hood-Schifino, G, Indiana (freshman)
  6. Jett Howard, G, Michigan (freshman)
  7. Gregory Jackson II, F, South Carolina (freshman)
  8. Colby Jones, G, Xavier (junior)
  9. Maxwell Lewis, F, Pepperdine (sophomore)
  10. Brandon Miller, F, Alabama (freshman)
  11. Mike Miles, G, TCU (junior)
  12. Nick Smith Jr., G, Arkansas (freshman)
  13. Terquavion Smith, G, NC State (sophomore)
  14. Jarace Walker, F, Houston (freshman)
  15. Cason Wallace, G, Kentucky (freshman)
  16. Dariq Whitehead, G/F, Duke (freshman)

Testing the draft waters:

Note: Some of these players may also be transferring to new schools.

  1. TJ Bamba, G, Washington State (junior)
  2. Charles Bediako, C, Alabama (sophomore)
  3. Reece Beekman, G, Virginia (junior)
  4. Jalen Cook, G, Tulane (junior)
  5. LJ Cryer, G, Baylor (junior)
  6. Tristan Da Silva, F, Colorado (junior)
  7. Mouhamed Gueye, F/C, Washington State (sophomore)
  8. PJ Hall, F/C, Clemson (junior)
  9. Coleman Hawkins, F, Illinois (junior)
  10. Tyrese Hunter, G, Texas (sophomore)
  11. Meechie Johnson Jr., G, South Carolina (junior)
  12. Dillon Jones, G/F, Weber State (junior)
  13. Tyrin Lawrence, G, Vanderbilt (junior)
  14. Judah Mintz, G, Syracuse (freshman)
  15. Clifford Omoruyi, C, Rutgers (junior)
  16. Kario Oquendo, G, Georgia (junior)
  17. Brandin Podziemski, G, Santa Clara (sophomore)
  18. Justin Powell, G, Washington State (junior)
  19. Brice Sensabaugh, F, Ohio State (freshman)
  20. Mike Sharavjamts, F, Dayton (freshman)
  21. Jamal Shead, G, Houston (junior)
  22. Primo Spears, G, Georgetown (sophomore)
  23. Steele Venters, G, Eastern Washington (junior)
  24. Deshawndre Washington, G, New Mexico State (junior)

College Seniors

Expected to remain in the draft:

  1. Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu, F, Memphis
  2. Yuri Collins, G, Saint Louis
  3. RayJ Dennis, G, Toledo
  4. Tosan Evbuomwan, F, Princeton
  5. Seth Lundy, F, Penn State
  6. Terry Roberts, G, Georgia
  7. Marcus Sasser, G, Houston
  8. Ben Sheppard, G, Belmont
  9. Justice Sueing, F, Ohio State
  10. Jacob Toppin, F, Kentucky

Testing the draft waters:

Note: Some of these players may also be transferring to new schools.

  1. Manny Bates, F, Butler
  2. Branden Carlson, F/C, Utah
  3. Ta’Lon Cooper, G, Minnesota
  4. Marcus Domask, F, Southern Illinois
  5. El Ellis, G, Louisville
  6. Jaylen Forbes, G, Tulane
  7. Joseph Girard, G, Syracuse
  8. Hakim Hart, G, Maryland
  9. Emanuel Miller, F, TCU
  10. Rayquawndis Mitchell, G, Kansas City
  11. Paul Mulcahy, G, Rutgers
  12. Landers Nolley, G/F, Cincinnati
  13. Quinten Post, F/C, Boston College
  14. Zyon Pullin, G, UC-Riverside
  15. Jahvon Quinerly, G, Alabama
  16. Cormac Ryan, G, Notre Dame
  17. Tyrese Samuel, F, Seton Hall
  18. Jamarion Sharp, C, Western Kentucky
  19. Isaiah Stevens, G, Colorado State
  20. Noah Thomasson, G, Niagara
  21. Qudus Wahab, C, Georgetown

International players

Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.

  1. Eli Ndiaye, C, Spain (born 2004)

Information from RookieScale.com was used in the creation of this post.