Three Duke basketball freshmen in first round of 2023 mock draft

Another Duke-heavy NBA Draft looks likely in 2023.

On Monday, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report released his first 2023 mock draft (first round only). And he sees three of the 2022-23 Duke basketball team's five five-star newcomers coming off the board among the first 17 picks.

Small forward Mark Mitchell and point guard Tyrese Proctor are the two five-star Blue Devil rookies who didn't end up on Wasserman's list.

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Wasserman projects small forward Dariq Whitehead to go No. 4 overall and provided the following assessment of the reigning Naismith High School Player of the Year and McDonald's All-American Game MVP:

"Once a high-motor, passing role player at Montverde, Whitehead transformed into its lead scorer by improving his self-creation and shot-making. He can be streaky and reliant on tough jumpers, but with 6-foot-6 size, shooting versatility, secondary playmaking skills, and terrific defensive tools, Whitehead figures to be viewed as one of the class' more complete prospects."

Eight spots later, at No. 12, Wasserman gave an NBA-focused scouting report on Duke's probable starting center, Dereck Lively II, who arrived in Durham this summer at No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite:

"Lively's NBA archetype is clear, as he'll play the role of finisher and rim protector with 7-foot-1 size, ridiculous reach, and an effortless ability to make plays above the cylinder. Continuing to build on the flashes of post-ups and spot-up threes will be the goal to give some differentiator skills compared to other easy-basket targets."

Finally, at No. 17, Wasserman briefly analyzed the potential of another first-year Blue Devil big man in the 6-foot-11, 220-pound Kyle Filipowski:

"Highly skilled for a projected power forward or center, Filipowski will create highlights by handling in the open floor and shooting threes. Showing he can defend away from the basket (next to Dereck Lively) will be key for getting scouts to buy in."

Another 2023 mock draft with a Duke basketball trio in the first round

Cody Taylor of The Rookie Wire also published his 2023 mock draft 1.0 on Monday.

Like Jonathan Wasserman, Taylor looked at only one round and predicted Dariq Whitehead, Dereck Lively II, and Kyle Filipowski — again, in that order — to be the only Blue Devils to hear their names.

Unlike Wasserman, Taylor forecasted an NBA franchise next to each selection.

First, Taylor has Whitehead going No. 6 overall to the Orlando Magic.

If that happened, Whitehead would be a teammate to the top pick from the 2022 NBA Draft in power forward Paolo Banchero, who was one of a program-record five Blue Devils to come off the board in a single year (four first-rounders plus a second-rounder).

Then Taylor sees the pick-rich Utah Jazz using two of their three first-round selections to snag Lively and Filipowski at No. 10 and No. 23, respectively.

That could make sense seeing that the Jazz recently loaded up on future picks by trading three-time All-Star center Rudy Gobert.

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