Welcome to “Good Morning, Illini Nation,” your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey. He’ll offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwood’s team:
ESPN didn’t have its updated mock for the 2023 NBA Draft ready as soon as the 2022 edition wrapped, but it was a close things. Here’s some of what stood out projecting the draft a year in advance:
— There are two Illini projected to be selected, but it’s not the same two as as in ESPN’s first run at the 2023 mock. Coleman Hawkins is still the first Illinois player of the board in the second half, and then Matthew Mayer — not Terrence Shannon Jr. — is next.
— Victor Wembenyama is still the projected No. 1 overall pick and would go to the Oklahoma City Thunder based on ESPN’s mock. We can only dream. Pairing the French 7-footer (he’s 7-2 and considered a taller Kevin Durant) with another unicorn in Chet Holmgren would be sublime. Tank, OKC. Tank.
— Want to know how many projected first round picks played college basketball in 2021-22 and are back for another year? Just two in North Carolina State’s Terquavion Smith and Houston’s Marcus Sasser. The rest of the first rounders are freshmen, internationals or currently playing for Overtime Elite or with the G League Ignite.
— The 2022 draft was a great one for the Big Ten with four first round picks and five second rounders. Things don’t look as good in 2023 with zero projected picks in the first round and five (all late) in the second.
This news is republished from another source. You can check the original article here