CBS

Around this time last year, the No. 1 and No. 2 projected NBA prospects in our first NBA Mock Draft of the 2022 cycle were Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren – the same prospects who indeed in 2022 went No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. So while it may feel early for a stab at prospect rankings for the 2023 NBA Draft, which is still nine months away, the truth is that by and large, projecting months and even years out in basketball can be instructive even if it could and likely will change over the course of the next year. The 2023 draft class, in particular at the top, feels especially locked in even at such an early stage. The class is unique in that, though there are plenty of college prospects projected in the lottery, the top of our board -- seen as very, very strong -- consists of non-college talents playing professionally in leagues ranging from the G League Ignite to Overtime Elite to the highest levels of hoops in France – where of course No. 1 prospect Victor Wembanyama is developing a reputation as the clear alpha in a loaded class. It's not hyperbole to suggest it could be a norm-shattering class; the top three in our first rankings are all non-college prospects. It has been more than two decades (in 2001, dating back to the preps-to-pro era) since the top three of a draft hasn't included at least one college product.