NBA Draft

Forwards likely to go in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft

These players appear likely to fall to the second round of the NBA Draft but could still potentially provide value for a team like the Wizards.

By Matt Modderno May 10, 2023, 8:00am EDT

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Arkansas v Kansas — Jalen Wilson driving against Jordan Walsh

On this week’s Bleav in Wizards podcast, I was joined by Ersin Demir of NBA Draft Junkies to break down the “fours” in this year’s draft. In part one, we listed the centers who are most likely to get drafted in the first round. This list contains the players who are likely to go anywhere from late first to undrafted.

Jalen Wilson, 6’8, Kansas, consensus: 35

Stats: 20.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, .5 blocks, .9 steals, 43% FG, 33.7% 3PT, 79.9% FT

Case for: super productive college player, jumpshot looks better than his three-point percentage might indicate, jack of all trades

Case against: “master of none” from a skills perspective, was very high usage but questionable efficiency, not a great athlete

Dillon Mitchell, 6’8, Texas, consensus: 42

Stats: 4.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, .4 assists, .3 blocks, .6 steals, 63.6% FG, 0% 3PT, 40.5% FT

Case for: crazy athlete, long, high school pedigree, good finisher around the rim and doesn't take a lot of shots he can't make, transition weapon, rebounds well

Case against: raw offensively, doesn't shoot beyond mid-range and not sure he will be able to make threes anytime soon, would benefit a lot from going back to school

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament - Midwest Regional — Dillon Mitchell dunking against Miami

Nikola Đurišić, 6’8, Mega Basket, consensus: 43

Stats: 12.3 points, 3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, .1 blocks, 1 steals, 40.1% FG, 19.8% 3PT, 70.4% FT

Case for: looks to be a much better shooter than the percentages would suggest, good feel, has some playmaking potential, good handle

Case against: not a great athlete, shooting percentages aren’t great, doesn't finish well around the rim currently

Jordan Walsh, 6’7, Arkansas, consensus: 47

Stats: 7.1 points, 3.9 blocks, .9 assists, .5 blocks, 1.1 steals, 43.3% FG, 27.8% 3PT, 71.2% FT

Case for: very good athlete, long good defensively

Case against: still raw offensively, jumpshot is a work in progress, would benefit a lot from going back to school

Fordham v Arkansas — Jordan Walsh dunking against Fordham

Coleman Hawkins, 6’9, Illinois, consensus: 48

Stats: 9.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.1 steals, 44.1% FG, 28% 3PT, 61.4% FT

Case for: has some point forward potential, good passer, good feel, good team defender

Case against: inconsistent, shooting concerns

Illinois v Arkansas — Coleman Hawkins blocking a shot

Arthur Kaluma, 6’7, Creighton, consensus: 53

Stats: 11.8 points, 6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, .6 blocks, .5 steals, 42.3% FG, 31.1% 3PT, 73.6% FT

Case for: pretty athletic, long, drives well, pretty productive on a good team

Case against: very inconsistent, gets lost on defensive, shooting concerns

Creighton v Baylor — Arthur Kaluma dunking against Baylor

Kobe Brown, 6’8, Missouri, consensus: 60

Stats: 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, .4 blocks, 1.5 steals, 55.3% FG, 45.5% 3PT, 79.2% FT

Case for: very productive, shooting looks real, smart, great feel, point forward potential, can grab and go, can score multiple ways (author's note: I think Brown will be a real riser pre-draft because he will out produce his peers in workouts and teams will ignore the flaws mid-second round)

Case against: tweener but not in a good way, questionable lateral quickness, older

Princeton v Missouri — Kobe Brown dunking against Princeton