Victor Wembanyama goes No. 1 overall to San Antonio Spurs, Hornets take Brandon Miller

Victor Wembanyama is officially a San Antonio Spur.

After years of anticipation, the French phenom joined the NBA Thursday night as the first pick of the NBA Draft. As widely anticipated, the Spurs selected the 7-4 center, who’s expected to transform the position and lead San Antonio from the lottery back to NBA prominence. He follows the footsteps in San Antonio of fellow No. 1 overall picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan, who went on to Hall of Fame careers while combining to lead the Spurs to five NBA championships.

The Hornets then took Alabama’ Brandon Miller at No. 2, selecting the 6-9 forward over G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson. The Portland Trail Blazers then pounced on the opportunity to select the player widely regarded as the draft’s second best player and took Henderson at No. 3.

What: NBA Draft, two rounds consisting of 58 total picks (two picks were forfeited because of violation of tampering rules)
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn
When: 8 p.m. ET Thursday
TV: ABC (first round only); ESPN (first and second rounds)

What to know about the 2023 NBA Draft

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C Victor Wembanyama (7-4, 209 pounds, Metropolitans 92 in France)

Wembanyama is the best prospect to hit the NBA since LeBron James and had an impressive showing in his last season in France, playing all the way up to June 15. The 7-foot-4 center led the Mets 92 to their first LNB Pro A Finals appearance, where they were swept by Monaco 3-0. Wembanyama led all players during the regular season in points (21.6), rebounds (10.4) and blocks (3.1) per game and was named the league MVP, becoming the youngest player in league history to earn the top honor.

G Scoot Henderson (6-2, 196 pounds, G League Ignite)

Henderson already has a leg up on almost all the players in this draft class. The 6-2 guard has been playing against NBA talent with NBA rules and spacing the past two seasons in the G League. Henderson has shown how he can play alongside different guards in the backcourt, although his outside shooting still needs some work.

G/F Brandon Miller (6-9, 205 pounds, Alabama)

Miller was one of the best 3-point shooting wings in college basketball and was named the SEC’s Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year, becoming first player to win both awards since Anthony Davis did it with Kentucky in 2012.

G Amen Thompson (6-7, 202 pounds, Overtime Elite)

Thompson’s one of the most athletic guards in the draft, a tenacious defender and makes great reads as a primary ball-handler. His outside shooting needs some development, but with his size and how he projects as an NBA guard, Thompson is the best option at No. 4 after the consensus top-three picks.

G Ausar Thompson (6-7, 209 pounds, Overtime Elite)

Ausar is the better shooter out of the Thompson twins and is more comfortable as a perimeter player. Like his brother, he’s an excellent defender who can guard multiple positions on the court. He’s so dynamic in transition and loves to play above the rim. The most underrated part of his game is how well he cuts off the ball and gets to his spots.

Full 2023 NBA Draft order

First Round

1. San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama
2. Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller
3. Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson
4. Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Orlando Magic
7. Indiana Pacers
8. Washington Wizards
9. Utah Jazz
10. Dallas Mavericks
11. Orlando Magic (from Chicago)
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Toronto Raptors
14. New Orleans Pelicans
15. Atlanta Hawks
16. Utah Jazz (from Minnesota)
17. Los Angeles Lakers
18. Miami Heat
19. Golden State Warriors
20. Houston Rockets (from Clippers)
21. Brooklyn Nets (from Phoenix)
22. Brooklyn Nets
23. Portland Trail Blazers (from New York)
24. Sacramento Kings
25. Boston Celtics (reported trade with Memphis):
26. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland)
27. Charlotte Hornets (from Denver via New York and Oklahoma City)
28. Utah Jazz (from Philadelphia via Brooklyn)
29. Denver Nuggets (reported trade with Indiana via Boston)
30. Los Angeles Clippers (from Milwaukee via Houston)

Second Round

31. Detroit Pistons
32. Denver Nuggets (reported trade with Indiana via Houston)
33. San Antonio Spurs
34. Charlotte Hornets (from Charlotte via Philadelphia and Atlanta)
35. Washington Wizards (reported trade with Boston via Portland, Atlanta, Clippers, Detroit and Cleveland)
36. Orlando Magic
37. Denver Nuggets (reported trade via Oklahoma City, Washington and New Orleans)
38. Sacramento Kings (from Indiana)
39. Charlotte Hornets (from Utah via New York)
40. Los Angeles Lakers (reported trade via Indiana Pacers, Dallas, Oklahoma City)
41. Charlotte Hornets (from Oklahoma City via New York and Boston)
42. Washington Wizards (from Chicago via Los Angeles Lakers and Washington)
43. Portland Trail Blazers (from Atlanta)
44. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto)
45. Memphis Grizzlies (from Minnesota)
46. Atlanta Hawks (from New Orleans)
47. Indiana Pacers (reported trade with Lakers)
48. Los Angeles Clippers
49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Golden State via Utah and New Orleans)
50. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Miami via Boston, Memphis, and Dallas)
51. Brooklyn Nets
52. Phoenix Suns
53. Minnesota Timberwolves (from New York via Charlotte)
54. Sacramento Kings
55. Indiana Pacers (from Cleveland via Milwaukee and Detroit)
56. Memphis Grizzlies
— Forfeited pick by Chicago
— Forfeited pick by Philadelphia
57. Washington Wizards (from Boston via Charlotte)
58. Milwaukee Bucks