NBA Mock Draft: Spurs Land 'Star' with Top 3 Pick

The San Antonio Spurs could select their next franchise cornerstone in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 13, 2023

Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

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San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are in need of a home run during the 2023 NBA Draft after plummeting to the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Their futility this season, however, has given them the best odds to land the No. 1 pick along with the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets.

In ESPN's latest mock draft, the Spurs are slated to pick behind the Pistons and Rockets and select G League Ignite point guard Scoot Henderson.

"The Spurs are hoping this draft brings a star to anchor their rebuild, and landing a potential franchise point guard at No. 3 would be a pretty strong outcome," ESPN writes. "And while NBA evaluators have been poking holes in Henderson's case as the clear-cut No. 2 prospect in the class, it's still hard to envision him falling further than third."

Henderson has been viewed as the best prospect of this draft class other than Victor Wembanyama for years. Even with Alabama star Brandon Miller challenging him for the second spot on teams' big boards, Henderson's upside as a point guard makes him a potential franchise game-changer.

"Henderson's strength, quickness and scoring instincts can be overwhelming for opponents and should allow him to impact games from the get-go," ESPN writes. "But he's far from a finished product, and his growth as a shooter, playmaker and defender will ultimately determine what type of heights he reaches. His second Ignite season wasn't all smooth sailing, but expect Henderson to be the first guard drafted regardless."

Should he land in San Antonio, the Spurs would give Henderson ample opportunity to develop while also giving him playing time. The Spurs aren't looking to contend next year, but they are seeking a player who can help them contend at some point down the line.

Taking Henderson would be the star that could make that possible.

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Published Apr 13, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.