The Top Senior Prospects In The 2023 NBA Draft

The one-and-done prospects typically get all the draft love but there are some experienced players who also deserve some. Who are the top senior prospects in the draft?

With the NCAA tournament slowly coming to an end, we have more than enough film on the senior prospects. Despite them all being much older and not oozing with potential, they still project to be productive role players in the NBA. Let's dive into five senior prospects that standout the most.

Marcus Sasser (Houston | Guard)

Sasser is one of the most exciting shot-makers in all of college basketball. At 6-foot-2 he has creativity off the bounce with a ton of craft as a ball-handler. His patented stepback jumper is elite. His ability to play on or off the ball will allow coaches in the NBA to use him in a variety of different ways. He’s kind of a tweener between point guard and shooting guard.

He has a point guard body as he’s only 6-foot-2 with a score first mindset but he doesn’t possess the playmaking chops to make the advanced reads needed or create for others to be a prototypical true lead guard. Sasser has been considered for the majority of the year as the number one senior prospect and most expect him to be the first senior drafted come June.

Marcus Sasser was carrying his team in the second half on the offensive end. His shot-making ability really impresses me. Smooth pull-up shooter and has a ton of moves in his bag. He arguably has the best step-back jumper in all of college basketball. pic.twitter.com/q4vx0B6mYZ

— Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) March 11, 2023

Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana | Center)

The Indiana big man was one of the most productive players in all of college basketball. He’s an efficient scorer inside the paint as he was nearly top in the nation in made dunks while also having a variety of different moves in the low post. Jackson-Davis has a strong frame and has made a ton of improvements over the years as a rim protector. Amongst all big men eligible for the draft,  he has some of the best feel on both ends of the floor.

He’s a talented passing big man which goes very well with his paint scoring and rim protection. He has below average height for a center at 6-foot-9 and isn’t an effective scorer outside of the paint due to a lack of touch and shooting ability. The college star has been in first round conversations as of recently and deservingly so as he projects to be a productive big in the NBA.

Trayce Jackson-Davis is such a powerful finisher inside the paint. Has some nice explosive finishes at the rim. Also one of the top shot-blockers in the country. Probably will end up as a top 60 prospect for me come draft night. pic.twitter.com/UCz0UxY2lS

— Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) January 22, 2023

Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA | Wing)

The versatile wing has been a crucial part to UCLA’s success over the last couple of years. He’s a connector piece that does a lot of things well but doesn’t quite have one elite skill. He’s a physical wing that has the ability to take advantage of mismatches. He can score in the post when smaller defenders are on him, he can take big men off the dribble when they’re out defending him in space, and he has proven to be a capable shooter off the catch.

He’s super tough and will fight for second chance points. Has the ability to defend two through four in the NBA due to his size and good feel. Jaquez Jr. is a projected second-round pick due to versatility as he has a chance to be a valuable role player for an organization.

Terrence Shannon Jr. (Illinois | Wing)

Shannon Jr. has had an up and down college career but with a change of scenery at Illinois, he looks destined to be drafted come June. The explosive wing has shown to have some scoring chops and intriguing defensive tools. In transition he’s super exciting to watch as he’s able to use his frame and athleticism to finish through contact.

His ability to put a defender on a poster is awesome. At the start of the season, he seemed to have improved as an outside shooter. He has the chance to be a super valuable off-ball scoring wing at the NBA level. Shannon Jr. has a limited handle and is a streaky shooter but he has the highest upside amongst all seniors due to the flashes we’ve seen.

Terrence Shannon Jr three-point shooting improvements he has made year by year is impressive. Freshman year he shot 25.7% on 1.2 attempts, sophomore year he shot 35.7% on 3.0 attempts, junior year he shot 38.4% on 3.3 attempts, & in his senior he’s shooting 53.8% on 6.5 attempts. pic.twitter.com/n9P01PpirX

— Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) November 19, 2022

Kevin McCullar (Kansas | Wing)

McCullar is one of the best perimeter defending wings in the entire draft which will certainly translate over to the NBA. He does a great job of disrupting an offense and has the defensive tools to guard one through four. He has quick hands and great hand eye coordination. He has shown some secondary playmaking abilities which is a valuable skill for an off-ball wing player to have.

His 3-point shooting is very inconsistent as he’s a 29.8% 3-point shooter in his college career. If McCullar can become a more reliable and consistent outside shooter then there’s no reason he can’t be one of the best rotational players in the NBA at some point. He should be able to find a valuable role on an NBA team due to his elite defense, feel for the game, and experience.

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