Saying Goodbye To The 2023 Rookie Class

It's time to pivot away, and let the 2024 take over

Apr 12, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reaches for a rebound during the first half against the Denver Nuggets at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

With the new NBA season closing in, it's time to take one final, and long-lasting look, at the 2023 NBA rookie class, which had one heck of an entrance to the professional scene.

Victor Wembanyama set records right and left, establishing himself as the player to track over the next decade. The 7-foot-4 center finished his debut season with a line of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3.6 blocks, all gathered in under 30 minutes per game.

Not only did Wembanyama meet the ridiculous expectations placed upon him, he actually managed to exceed them. By all accounts, if the Spurs build around him the right way, and he maintains his own trajectory, the Frenchman could become a candidate to achieve greatest of all-time status. 

Wembanyama had competition, at least early on in the season, from Chet Holmgren in Oklahoma City. The 7-foot-1 center averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game, while coming into the NBA as ready as one could expect.

Granted, he was from the 2022 draft class, but that doesn't matter. Holmgren more than lived up to his pre-draft hype, becoming an ultra important core piece for the Thunder immediately as he took the floor. 

It's widely expected that Holmgren and Wembanyama will spend the next decade duking it out between them. 

That's not to ignore Brandon Miller, the 6-foot-9 silky-smooth small forward from Charlotte, who might have frog-leaped LaMelo Ball as the franchise savior. The 21-year-old netted 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and canned 184 shots from distance in his debut year, hinting at a career that will see him develop into one of the better scorers in the NBA while he attempts to pivot the Hornets away from mediocrity.

We also can't forget the do-it-all Thompson twins, Amen and Ausar, both of whom are one consistent jump shot away from stardom. The two are highly impactful defenders, ball-movers, and elite rebounders for their size, aided by a high level of understanding of the game.

Then there's Dereck Lively who helped take the Dallas Mavericks to the Finals where he was the team's best center, and arguably best defender at the age of just 19.

Gradey Dick came alive during the second half of the season, and projects as a highly potent floor-spacing wing over the next decade-plus, likely propelling the Raptors to new heights. 

Cason Wallace found a niche, stuck to it, and became one of the best 3-and-D rookie guards in a long while, giving him every opportunity to earn minutes moving forward on a potential championship contender in Oklahoma City. 

Keyonte George, a shooting guard in college, took over the point in Utah, and made surprisingly effective strides in very little time, making him and intriguing follow for the next few years. 

In Miami, Jaime Jaquez Jr applied his footwork, and skill level, to achieve heights not initially believed he had in him, providing the Heat with a steady wing for the future.

Brandin Podziemski took the Warriors by storm, offering quality offense, high-caliber rebounding, and an all-around presence that could turn him into an All-Star down the line.

Cam Whitmore looks like an automatic bucket for the next decade-plus, and found a place in Houston that allowed him to lean into his strengths. 

And finally, GG Jackson provided the answer to Memphis' long search for a true wing, by leveraging his 6-foot-9 frame into an impactful scorer. 

The NBA had a good crop on their hands, and as Draft Digest pivots into the 2024-2025 season, it's only fitting we say one last goodbye to a rookie class worth remembering. 

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

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