Every year I like to analyze the draft pretending I watch college basketball and know about all these prospects. It started when I worked at ESPN and they would put me on the draft night coverage. Nowadays, I just watch some Youtube highlights, NCAA tournament games and have Mark Titus and Tate Frazier give me notes on all the players. But with that said, I present to you my expert opinion draft grades for the 2023 CSL Draft.
Pick 1 + 2: New York Knicks – Jaren Jackson Jr. + Markelle Fultz - Grade: A
Grouping together the first two picks, the Knicks finally make good decisions? A franchise that’s been just horrific for years finally is headed in the right direction. It’s hard to imagine them actually going anywhere with this and I’m sure they’ll both be traded to Minnesota within the year, but for now, good job Knicks.
Pick 3: Los Angeles Lakers – Dzanan Musa – Grade: C
The first draft surprise comes early, and I can’t understand it. Why trade up, just to take a guy you could have gotten at 6? Getting off of Mudiay’s deal is a win, but if you’re going to move up, take the guy who’s going to have more value. I don’t hate Musa as a prospect based on the EuroLeague mixtape I watched 10 minutes ago, but I would have taken Porter or Harrison here.
Pick 4: Milwaukee Bucks – Troy Brown – Grade: C+
Similar to the Lakers, I don’t hate the player but I hate the value of the pick. Brown is what? Two years away from being a legitimate CSL rotation player? I just hate it value wise, I base all my opinions on “can this guy give me minutes in the CSL Finals today,” and Brown I don’t think would be ready for that for at least 2-3 years. Taking a guy at 4 you could have gotten at 8 or 9 isn’t going to get a good grade from me.
Pick 5: Detroit Pistons – Kaiser Gates – Grade: A-
A good move by a good organization. Everyone compares Gates to Okaro White but I don’t know about that. Regardless, Gates is going to be an awesome fit and a team that’s already good just got better. It doesn’t get an A though because he can’t shoot and mixtapes full of good defensive plays are boring.
Pick 6: Houston Rockets – Michael Porter – Grade: A+
I love it. I love it so much. As you know I’m obsessed with trade value and trade value columns and the value of this pick is just too much for me to handle. I hate it because it was one pick before the Celts and I was near the point of climax thinking of the potential of him in Boston, but I love it. Great value, and some fun lineup potential. CSL League Pass team number one.
Pick 7: Boston Celtics – Miles Bridges – Grade: A-
I LOVE IT, BEST PICK OF THE DRAFT! ONLY GIVING IT AN A- SO I CAN PRETEND I’M NOT A HOMER!
Pick 8: Charlotte Hornets – Mikal Bridges – Grade B+
Charlotte is one of my favorite young teams in the league, and I like Bridges as a prospect, but I’m not sure I would have gone with another young guard/wing on a team that already has Dunn, Young and Korkmaz. I might have gone Robert Williams here, but I still like the player and the value.
Pick 9: Phoenix Suns – Shaquille Harrison – Grade: A++
How? How did we let this happen? How did we let the 4th best player in the draft fall to 9 and get picked to a Suns team who probably could have won the title this year? How did we let this happen CSL? Please, someone tell me.
Pick 10: Philadelphia 76ers – Robert Williams – Grade: B+
A surprisingly solid pick by a team that doesn’t have anyone really in charge right now. Hey, look Jabari! We’re competent even if it doesn’t seem like we are! Jabari? Hello?
Pick 11: Cleveland Cavaliers – John Collins – Grade: B
Like the player, like the fit on the team, but don’t love the value that much. I just feel like there were better players on the board at this point. Still, a smart team drafting for a need and picking a solid player.
Pick 12: Miami Heat – Landry Shamet – Grade: C
I just don’t see it with this guy. I know he can shoot but I can get a shooter later in the draft. Trade out or pick the better players that are on the board. Miami deserves the benefit of the doubt given their history, but I don’t think Shamet is good enough to warrant getting picked this high, despite the need for shooting across the league.
Pick 13: Indiana Pacers – Elie Okobo – Grade: A
This is great value for a team that’s doing things the right way. Okobo is going to be a dynamic scorer on three levels and he’s going to be awesome. I mean, the Youtube highlights on this guy are otherworldly, and that’s 75% of my criteria for foreign players. The other 25% is if I can pronounce their name correctly and Elie is easy enough. But is it E-Lie or is it L-ee? Oh god.
Pick 14: Brooklyn Nets – Marcus Derrickson – Grade: B+
I think I like it? Brooklyn has a glaring need at point guard I think I would have rather seen them address, but Derrickson could be a dynamic player if the organization uses him correctly. But lose some weight Marcus. Calories in calories out, that’s all it takes.
Pick 15: Los Angeles Clippers – Collin Sexton – Grade: A+
What a marvelous pick. Absolutely incredible. This guy is a guaranteed CSL Hall of Famer if that ever becomes a thing. Their absolute genius of a general manager does it again.
Pick 16: Detroit Pistons – Davon Reed – Grade: A-
I like Reed and I like him on a playoff team. A guy who’s going to know his role and be able to play right away. He’s a guy I can see playing meaningful minutes in the CSL Finals next season. Who doesn’t need threes and good defense?
Pick 17: Dallas Mavericks - Kostas Antetokounmpo – Grade: B+
This guy just intrigues the hell out of me. I’m not positive he’ll ever be all that good in the CSL, but he looks like an alien with that mixture of size, length and athletic ability. Maybe he’ll be a superhero version of his brother?
Pick 18: Indiana Pacers – Josh Okogie – Grade: C+
This pick is… fine. Okogie is fine as a player, I guess. He’ll play some defense and shoot a little, I guess? I don’t know, I couldn’t find much on Youtube of this guy.
Pick 19: Chicago Bulls – Laurynas Birutis – Grade: B+
Based on extensive research, I’ve concluded this guy is big and very good at being that. There is no chance in hell I’m ever going to be able to pronounce that name – I’m not even going to try. As far as I’m concerned, his name is Laury.
Pick 20: Sacramento Kings – Brandon McCoy – Grade: A
I love this. The Kings always nail these picks, so I think I’m required to say I love this. It’s probably going to work out and he’s probably going to be a starter on a team that wins the title because he was drafted by Bt/Donkey/Whoever he actually is in the 20s so I’m not taking the risk of giving this pick anything other than A and being wrong in the future.
Pick 21: Los Angeles Clippers – Chimezie Metu: Grade: A+
Dylan does it again. Unbelievable. How does he do it? How is he so good at being a GM? Just unreal. I heard he packs some serious heat too. He just has it all.
Pick 22: Minnesota Timberwolves – Kyle Wiltjer: Grade: B-
I really liked this pick. He’s like Ryan Anderson if Ryan Anderson could get more than a couple inches off the ground and block some shots. Ryan Anderson with even a hint of athleticism? Sign me up.
Pick 23: Oklahoma City Thunder – Deyonta Davis: Grade: B+
Davis is going to be a limited player, but it’s good value for a team that’s really going to need to utilize cheap labor players the next few seasons. Smart move by the Thunder to grab a guy who will provide nice value on a cheap contract.
Pick 24: Washington Wizards – Thomas Welsh – Grade: B
I like it since the Wizards are losing their top two centers from last season. He’s never going to be as good as those guys, but still, not to bad. Also, all we needed was another tall white dude from UCLA in the league. Wear brothers, I’m looking at you.
Pick 25: Los Angeles Lakers – Dikembe Dixson – Grade: B
I have no idea about this guy. Nothing about him really makes sense to me. It’s like God just threw all potential CSL skills into a random number generator and let that decide what this guy would be good at. Could you imagine?
Pick 26: Utah Jazz – De’Anthony Melton – Grade: C
This grade gets a slight bump for the fact that the Jazz didn’t let the clock run out for once. But I just don’t think Melton is going to be much of a player. I don’t see it.
Pick 27: Oklahoma City Thunder – Devin Robinson – Grade: B-
Another cheap labor guy for the Thunder which is smart, but Robinson can’t shoot. There were a lot of those, can’t shoot but can play good defense guys in this draft and he was one. Is he the best of them? I don’t know, but I’m sure Andrew thinks so and will tell us that he is nonstop.
Pick 28: Indiana Pacers – TJ Leaf – Grade: B
Another Ryan Anderson type? Sure, why not. Are we just going to compare every tall white guy who can shoot to Ryan Anderson?
Pick 29: Phoenix Suns – JP Macura – Grade: C+
Two straight white guys who can’t do anything other than shoot? I love it. Except that I love it less than TJ Leaf because he’s a wing and I think it’s easier to find a wing who can shoot than a big who can shoot. Still, Macura’s Youtube highlights are smooth as hell.
Pick 30: Washington Wizards – Omari Spellman – Grade: B-
The Wizards traded into the last pick of the first round, getting what seems like a solid rotation player. He’s probably going to have to play small forward in the CSL though, so if he does, it’s time to lose some weight Omari. Does that donut fit your macros? Probably not.
