The 2023 NBA Draft Lottery is upon us, set for Tuesday, May 16th.
And while every franchise will be hoping the ping-pong balls land in their favor to select generational prospect Victor Wembanyama, this draft class goes much deeper than its headliner.
If your favorite team misses out on the Wembanyama Sweepstakes, there are still plenty of talented players to choose from. In need of a guard to fill out your backcourt? There are options that range from G League Ignite star point guard Scoot Henderson to UConn breakout shooting guard Jordan Hawkins.
Take a look at the 10 best guards in the 2023 NBA Draft class.
Ranking the Top 10 Guards in the 2023 NBA Draft
| Rank | Player | Position | Age | Class | Height/Weight | Team |
| 1. | Scoot Henderson | PG | 18 | — | 6-2, 195 lbs. | G League Ignite |
| 2. | Amen Thompson | CG | 20 | — | 6-7, 202 lbs. | Overtime Elite |
| 3. | Ausar Thompson | CG | 20 | — | 6-7, 207 lbs. | Overtime Elite |
| 4. | Anthony Black | PG | 19 | FR | 6-7, 198 lbs. | Arkansas |
| 5. | Cason Wallace | PG | 19 | FR | 6-4, 193 lbs. | Kentucky |
| 6. | Jalen Hood-Schifino | PG | 19 | FR | 6-6, 215 lbs. | Indiana |
| 7. | Jordan Hawkins | SG | 20 | SO | 6-5, 195 lbs. | UConn |
| 8. | Keyonte George | SG | 19 | FR | 6-4, 185 lbs. | Baylor |
| 9. | Nick Smith Jr. | CG | 18 | FR | 6-5, 185 lbs. | Arkansas |
| 10. | Kobe Bufkin | SG | 19 | SO | 6-4, 195 lbs. | Michigan |
Honorable mentions: Bilal Coulibaly, CG, Metropolitans 92 (France); Colby Jones, PG, Xavier
The 2023 NBA Draft class has a number of intriguing guard prospects.
You're probably aware of Scoot Henderson's name by now, as the Ignite star put himself on the map in a showcase against Wembanyama before the season started. Amen and Ausar Thompson helped lead the City Reapers to an Overtime Elite championship and while Ausar was the league MVP, Amen's crafty playmaking places him ahead of his brother on a lot of Big Boards.
Arkansas' Anthony Black represents the new wave of jumbo point guards in the NBA, while Kentucky's Cason Wallace is more of a traditional floor general and defensive stopper. Indiana's Jalen Hood-Schifino has as much upside potential as any playmaker in this class.
Jordan Hawkins boosted his draft stock after showing off his flamethrower jumpshot during UConn's National Championship run, while Baylor's Keyonte George is one of the most advanced shot-creating shooting guards.
Arkansas' Nick Smith Jr. was in the running to be the best prospect in college basketball before a knee injury derailed his season, and Michigan's Kobe Bufkin has been one of the biggest risers in this class after he surprisingly declared for the 2023 draft.
Honorable mentions go to Wembanyama's Mets 92 teammate Bilal Coulibaly, who has also had a meteoric rise as a combo guard prospect, and Xavier's Colby Jones, who is as NBA-ready as any prospect in this class.
