2023 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Wembanyama, Henderson on top; Freshmen rising in latest projections

Height: 7-4 | Weight: 209 | Year: N/A | Position: C

There is no secret who the first player drafted this year will be: Victor Wembanyama. The phenom has dazzled at every level to this point of his career, and he performed to expectations in October in front of scouts and executives against projected No. 2 pick Scoot Henderson and the G League Ignite. Since then, Wembanyama has helped France claim a berth in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and was named an All-Star with Metropolitans 92. He is averaging 22.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 2.2 assists this season and recently threw down the game-winning dunk over ASVEL Basket, his former team. He laughed off sitting out this year and vowed to play in Europe through the end of the season. You probably wouldn't have blamed him for sitting out and preserving his body ahead of the NBA draft, but the 18-year-old absolutely gained quite a bit of respect by playing anyway. The only other question to ask is: Who will ultimately land the No. 1 pick? For more coverage on the Rockets, visit Rockets Wire