The top five players in the Big Ten for the 2023 NBA Draft

Christmas has come and gone, and with that, we are inching closer to June 22, the night of the 2023 NBA Draft. While we are still not at the time when NBA front offices truly start to narrow down their big boards, December was a huge month for data collection.

While October and the early parts of November were spent traveling to campuses and practices, NBA scouts traveled from coast to coast in the latter part of November and in December to watch games. A lot of NBA Draft preparation is done via thorough background checks and medical reports; live scouting players will never go out of style.

The early part of the 2022-23 season has started off with some excellent head-to-head matchups. Most of the players who are thought to be top 2023 NBA Draft prospects have had at least one and in some cases more, prime-time matchup. Player’s stories are being written.

While the teams are performing well in the Big Ten this season, the top-end NBA talent is down from years past. However, there are some great storylines here when you look at guys multi-year guys like Coleman Hawkins and Kris Murray or an out of nowhere one and done freshman like Brice Sensabaugh. The Big Ten is also the league of the center, guys like Zach Edey and Hunter Dickinson, who are wildly productive college players and most likely were lottery locks 20 years ago.

We are still six months out from Adam Silver walking to the podium; however, here are the top five players in the Big Ten, in alphabetical order, for the 2023 NBA Draft.

Read The top five players in the SEC for the 2023 NBA Draft

PF Coleman Hawkins (Illinois)

Profile | 6-10, 225 | Dec 2001 (21 y.o.)

2022-23 stats: 12 games, 29.3 minutes, 9.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.4 blocks, 42.3% FG, 27.9% 3P

The skinny: The size and fluidly explosive athleticism are where the intrigue starts. He is a late bloomer who has improved every year in college. His defensive metrics are good across the board, both in advanced analytics and counting numbers. The passing has taken a big jump, and while the numbers are not there, the shooting form passes the look test.

PG Jalen Hood-Schifino (Indiana)

Profile | 6-6, 215 | June 2002 (19 y.o.)

2022-23 stats: 10 games, 29,0 minutes, 10.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.0 blocks, 41.1% FG, 37.9% 3P

The skinny: Hood-Schifino is a big-bodied lead guard. He is a very good defender, both on and off the ball. Plays tough and moves his feet. Offensively, he plays with a good pace, never rushed. He will need to cut down on the turnovers, but the near-38 percent shooting from three is adds intrigue.

SF Jett Howard (Michigan)

Profile | 6-8, 215 | Sept 2003 (19 y.o.)

2022-23 stats: 11 games, 30.7 minutes, 15.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.1 blocks, 49.2% FG, 40.3% 3P

The skinny: Howard has proven to be a player with great positional size and versatility. He has the look of a good off-ball defender. He is also making over 40 percent of his threes to this point, with an understanding of how to move off the ball. A connective piece with size.

SF Kris Murray (Iowa)

Profile | 6-8, 220 | Aug 2000 (22 y.o.)

2022-23 stats: 8 games, 31.4 minutes, 19.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.8 blocks, 50.0% FG, 37.8% 3P

The skinny: The twin brother of last year’s NBA Draft rapid riser Keegan Murray. Obviously, the age pops off the page, but his confident shot-making is hard to ignore. He’s doubled his attempts while upping his percentages. The defense remains a question, but he is capable of creating his own offense off the ball.

W Brice Sensabaugh (Ohio State)

Profile | 6-6, 235 | Oct 2003 (19 y.o.)

2022-23 stats: 11 games, 21.1 minutes, 15.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.4 blocks, 51.3% FG, 48.9% 3P

The skinny: There are some questions with Brice Sensabaugh when it comes to the athleticism or the secondary skills. However, there is no doubting his ability to put the ball in the basket. His production is too hard to ignore, 15 points in 21 minutes, with a strong frame and three-point shooting around 49 percent.

Others to watch

Hunter Dickinson (Michigan), Zach Edey (Purdue), Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana), Terrence Shannon (Illinois)