NBA 2023 Mock Draft 1.0: Utah Jazz select 3 studs in first-round

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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 10: Nick Smith Jr. #3 of the Arkansas Razorbacks dribbles down the court of the against the Texas A&M Aggies in the first half during the quarterfinals of the 2023 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 10, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Carly Mackler/Getty Images) /

11. player. 149. . Center, Duke. Oklahoma City Thunder. Kyle Filipowski

Despite many talented guards still on the board here, OKC has so much guard talent on the roster that it may be a better option to go with more of a position of need.

Orlando Magic. Nick Smith Jr.. 12. player. 38. . Point Guard, Arkansas

With Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony both with possibly one year remaining on their contracts, the Magic decide to add another Arkansas guard to the roster to pair with Black.

81. . Point Guard, Kentucky. Toronto Raptors. Cason Wallace. 13. player

Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent enter this offseason both on pending player options, giving the Raptors the perfect opportunity to add a young point to their core.

14. player. 69. . Shooting Guard, UConn. New Orleans Pelicans. Jordan Hawkins

UConn’s recent tournament success resulted in Hawkins jumping up draft boards; now projected to land lottery to mid-first. The Pelicans take a swing on him here.

Power Forward, Alabama. Atlanta Hawks. Noah Clowney. 15. player. 125.

With John Collins’s name being thrown around in trade talks for the past year, the Hawks select a versatile and lengthy big in Clowney to replace him.

With the 16th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select Jalen Hood-Schifino, PG, Indiana.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – MARCH 19: Jalen Hood-Schifino #1 of the Indiana Hoosiers handles the ball against Wooga Poplar #55 of the Miami Hurricanes in the first half during the second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on March 19, 2023 in Albany, New York. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

A lengthy 6’5 guard that can make plays and handle the ball would be exactly what would fit the needs of this Jazz team at this position in the draft. If developed well, Hood-Schifino could be an absolute star for Utah.

Unless the Jazz plan on starting Kris Dunn at point guard next season, they probably need to invest in some new talent at the position. With Hood-Schifino sitting here at 15, it’s a no-brainer. As a player, he provides great size and defense with a great mid-range shot.

He still needs to improve his streaky shooting and consistency overall, but if given a couple of years to develop with a young team like the Utah Jazz, this could be a steal of a pick right outside of the lottery.

This season with Indiana, Jalen Hood-Schifino averaged 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. While his numbers may not show it, scouts will tell you that Hood-Schifino has all the potential to become a high-level starter in the league.

17. player. 20. . Shooting Guard, Baylor. Los Angeles Lakers. Keyonte George

The Lakers opt to take the best player available here, while George provides ample explosiveness and shooting to add at the 2.

. Point Guard, Michigan. Miami Heat. Kobe Bumpkin. 18. player. 110

With Kyle Lowry aging, the Heat add to some talent at point guard with someone who runs the pick and roll extremely well.

169. . Small Forward, G-League Ignite. Houston Rockets. Leonard Miller. 19. player

Miller is a lanky, athletic forward with a year of the G-League under his belt, but still projects to be a project in the pros.

. Small Forward, Ohio State. Golden State Warriors. Brice Sensabaugh. 20. player. 41

A great scorer in college, Sensabaugh falls to the Warriors who could use him as a spark plug and shot-maker off the bench.