2023 Draft Sleeper Pick is...

[CFAN38]

Sleeper picks are hard to define with so many different big boards and mock drafts out there. My sleepers (players not typically ranked/mocked in top 35) are....


Chris Livingston, highly ranked HS recruit who underwhelmed at Kentucky. Similar sized but slightly taller than JB. I also like that he has been involved with USA bball and averged 14ppg for the gold medal U16 team in 2019.

Julian Phillips, like Livingston Phillips was a highly ranked HS recruit who underwhelmed. He has playing in a crowded front court this past season at Tennesse. As an extremely athletic wing whose calling card is his defense he it a consistent 3pt shot away from being a highly valuable player. His 82% Ft shooting is a solid indicator that the shot will come.

Keyontae Johnson, really simple if medical and off court issues check out he is the perfect back up wing. Long, strong, athletic and can shoot the 3. Team that drafts him has to just refine him on D and they have a player who can contribute to winning right away.

Kobe Brown, he is an odd prospect who was recruited to college as a 6'5 225lb shooting guard and was listed as both a SG and SF over his career but he measured 6'6.5" with out shoes 252lbs with a 7' wingspan making him taller, heavier and longer than Grant. His perimeter skills are that of a much smaller player and there is a path for him to lose some weight and become a really special combination of strength and length on both ends of the court.

 

[terra haute]

I would love to see them get Trayce Jackson Davis. Even if his outside shot doesnt get better and he isnt a huge offensive threat his athleticism and especially 2nd jump and shot blocking skills and rebounding and defense . Plus he was bringing the ball up the court half the season. I am biased as an IU fan but I think he has upside and seems to have a great attitude.

[CFAN38]

I would love to see them get Trayce Jackson Davis. Even if his outside shot doesnt get better and he isnt a huge offensive threat his athleticism and especially 2nd jump and shot blocking skills and rebounding and defense . Plus he was bringing the ball up the court half the season. I am biased as an IU fan but I think he has upside and seems to have a great attitude.

Jackson-Davis is boarder line perfect fit but I have grown pessimistic he makes it to #35. The lack of bigs in this draft and his potential as a play now big leads me to believe he goes in the 20s. 

[gouki88]

Sleeper picks are hard to define with so many different big boards and mock drafts out there. My sleepers (players not typically ranked/mocked in top 35) are....


Chris Livingston, highly ranked HS recruit who underwhelmed at Kentucky. Similar sized but slightly taller than JB. I also like that he has been involved with USA bball and averged 14ppg for the gold medal U16 team in 2019.

Julian Phillips, like Livingston Phillips was a highly ranked HS recruit who underwhelmed. He has playing in a crowded front court this past season at Tennesse. As an extremely athletic wing whose calling card is his defense he it a consistent 3pt shot away from being a highly valuable player. His 82% Ft shooting is a solid indicator that the shot will come.

Keyontae Johnson, really simple if medical and off court issues check out he is the perfect back up wing. Long, strong, athletic and can shoot the 3. Team that drafts him has to just refine him on D and they have a player who can contribute to winning right away.

Kobe Brown, he is an odd prospect who was recruited to college as a 6'5 225lb shooting guard and was listed as both a SG and SF over his career but he measured 6'6.5" with out shoes 252lbs with a 7' wingspan making him taller, heavier and longer than Grant. His perimeter skills are that of a much smaller player and there is a path for him to lose some weight and become a really special combination of strength and length on both ends of the court.

 

Kobe Brown is a super interesting one for me. Love his outlet passing. If he can keep on top of his conditioning, he should be a pretty neat player.

Keyontae Johnson is who I raised earlier. Would take him before guys like Vukcevic, if his medical status is cleared.

I would love to see them get Trayce Jackson Davis. Even if his outside shot doesnt get better and he isnt a huge offensive threat his athleticism and especially 2nd jump and shot blocking skills and rebounding and defense . Plus he was bringing the ball up the court half the season. I am biased as an IU fan but I think he has upside and seems to have a great attitude.

Jackson-Davis is boarder line perfect fit but I have grown pessimistic he makes it to #35. The lack of bigs in this draft and his potential as a play now big leads me to believe he goes in the 20s.

I am fairly resigned to him not being there for our pick, sadly

[terra haute]

I would love to see them get Trayce Jackson Davis. Even if his outside shot doesnt get better and he isnt a huge offensive threat his athleticism and especially 2nd jump and shot blocking skills and rebounding and defense . Plus he was bringing the ball up the court half the season. I am biased as an IU fan but I think he has upside and seems to have a great attitude.

Jackson-Davis is boarder line perfect fit but I have grown pessimistic he makes it to #35. The lack of bigs in this draft and his potential as a play now big leads me to believe he goes in the 20s.

Sadly, I think you are right which is good for him. Ive watched pretty much every game of his for 4 years. His ability on his 2nd jump is great. I can see him being a great replacement for Grant minus the 3  point shot. I am biased, he isnt going to be an all star but he is going to be a good player

[Quetzalcoatl]

Dariq Whitehead!  Slated to go in the early second round, he was a 5* recruit and the McDonalds Game MVP then had a foot injury.  Was #2 overall in the ESPN list of incoming freshman for 2022. 

He had middling stats at Duke when he got healthy but I think with some development he could be a real player.  He is the type of player that if he ends up being a starter in a few years everyone will be like "of course".  I mean granted he could permanently lose his explosiveness but I think he will be fine.  He was going to be a lottery pick.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/gamelog/_/id/4432735/dariq-whitehead

[lbgreen33]

Dariq  !  Slated to go in the early second round, he was a 5* recruit and the McDonalds Game MVP then had a foot injury.  Was #2 overall in the ESPN list of incoming freshman for 2022. 

He had middling stats at Duke when he got healthy but I think with some development he could be a real player.  He is the type of player that if he ends up being a starter in a few years everyone will be like "of course".  I mean granted he could permanently lose his explosiveness but I think he will be fine.  He was going to be a lottery pick.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/gamelog/_/id/4432735/dariq-whitehead

ya, Whitehead is intriguing, I agree, but hard to know at this point. Sanogo was the Best Player on the NCAA champions!! It is kind of weird to me that he isn't loved as much by the scouts? He will Not be a center in the NBA, but a very solid PF. I see All star talent all over him. We will see.