TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 6: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks passes the ball to Julius Randle #30 against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on January 6, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
Knicks fans need to desperately hope latest 2023 mock draft doesn’t come true
Now that the first half of the 2022-23 season has come to a close, New York Knicks fans haven’t had to turn their attention to this year’s draft. Instead, thanks to the strong play of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, the Knicks sit at No. 6 in the Eastern Conference.
Last year’s draft night was a wild ride for New York as the front office made a series of moves that included trading away the No. 11 lottery pick. Draft night in June shouldn’t be as hectic for Knicks fans, but it will be especially exciting for the fan base of the No. 1 pick. The draft lottery will take place in mid-May a couple of weeks before the draft and there’s a lot more than normal at stake.
Whichever organization is lucky enough to secure the top pick in the draft will get to turn their team around with Victor Wembanyama. The seven-foot-three (when barefoot) 19-year-old prospect has already been labeled as the greatest player of his generation, which is why the No. 1 pick means more in this year’s draft.
In Sports Illustrated’s recent 2023 mock draft, an unexpected team had the No. 1 pick and was declared the winner of the Wembanyama sweepstakes.
Knicks’ division rival Raptors select Victor Wembanyama in 2023 mock draft
In December, former No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham underwent season-ending surgery on his left shin. Before then, the Pistons were already a team to watch in the race for Victor Wembanyama, but Detroit being without Cunningham for the remainder of the season has increased the chances of Wembanyama becoming a Piston.
Knicks fans should hope that Wembanyama doesn’t go to Detroit, but it’d be far worse if he were to end up in the Atlantic Division. Toronto currently sits at No. 11 in the East with a 19-24 record and could shake things up ahead of the trade deadline. Something has got to change for the Raptors to turn their season around, but if that doesn’t end up happening, Wembanyama could electrify Scotiabank Arena for years.
SI’s Jeremy Woo said it best:
You may have heard this line before, but there’s just never been a prospect with Wembanyama’s size, coordination, ball skills, versatility and ability to put it all together and impact winning. It’s all real. It’s not the year to be a contrarian.
Toronto currently has only a 6.7% chance to land the top pick in the 2023 draft. The draft lottery has been notoriously unkind to the Knicks, so of course, that increases the chances of the Wembanyama outcome falling in the Raptors’ favor if their shaky season continues. The good thing is that this is just a mock draft and that hopefully, Wembanyama will end up with a team like the Spurs.
