Michigan basketball: Where Kobe Bufkin, Jett Howard are in post-lottery mock drafts

Michigan basketball is expected to have a pair of first-round picks in the 2023 NBA Draft in sophomore guard Kobe Bufkin and freshman wing Jett Howard.

The NBA held its draft lottery on Tuesday night with the San Antonio Spurs winning the grand prize and opportunity to select French phenom Victor Wembanyama. After the top three slots, expected to be occupied by G-League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson and Alabama forward Brandon Miller, the class is wide open from there.

This could open the door for the Michigan prospects to move in any direction. Heading into the summer. Bufkin is surging as a prospect, while pundits have cooled a bit on Howard after tabbing him a lottery pick throughout much of the season.

Bufkin averaged 14 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game this past season, shooting 54.6 percent on twos and 35.5 percent on threes. Howard averaged 14.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2 assists per game in his lone year in the maize and blue. He shot 41.4 percent overall and 36.8 from three-point range. Howard’s 78 made three-pointers are tied for the ninth-most by a Michigan player in a single season.

In the aftermath of the lottery, draftniks from across the sport rushed to put out their mocks with the order of picks now official. Here is a sampling of where the national analysts think the Michigan stars could be headed.

Where analysts have Michigan guard Kobe Bufkin

The Athletic: 12th overall, Oklahoma City Thunder – “Bufkin is the most complete player left on the board. He can shoot, pass, handle and defend. He measured a bit taller than expected this week at the combine, which could allow for more versatility on defense. The Thunder are building one of the most versatile teams in the league, and decision-making is one of the traits that all of their lottery picks possess thus far. Bufkin fits that mold. He would be a bench player from the start, and could bring some much-needed scoring punch as a reserve. The Thunder will need to address their need for more size in the frontcourt at some point, but the ability to add another versatile guard to the mix gives OKC even more upside moving forward.”

The Ringer: 13th overall, Toronto Raptors – “Selecting Bufkin would help the Raptors begin to rebuild their backcourt, giving them an exciting and feisty defender who could complement all of their youth. Bufkin is so savvy off-ball that he’d immediately vibe with Scottie Barnes in two-man games. And with his defense, he could form a feisty backcourt duo with Fred VanVleet or even serve as his successor.“

CBS Sports: 16th overall, Utah Jazz – “A second-year player for Michigan, Bufkin blossomed into a bona fide first-round talent this past season. He has a nice combination of scoring and creation that might make him an appealing two-way guard in the league.”

ESPN: 19th overall, Golden State Warriors – “Golden State’s disappointing playoff exit revealed some issues the franchise will need to address with its aging roster and inability to get stops in key moments. Bufkin’s physical tools, toughness and defensive versatility could be attractive at this stage of the draft after the breakout season he had in the Big Ten.“

Where mock drafts have Jett Howard

ESPN: 17th overall, Los Angeles Lakers – “After a surprise playoff run, the Lakers have plenty of flexibility to continue to add young players to their roster. Surrounding Anthony Davis and LeBron James with competent teammates who can space the floor effectively, bring a strong feel for the game and have the positional size needed to play multiple positions has long been a priority. Howard is one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in this class and also flashed impressive scoring versatility before injuries derailed his season. At 6-8, he can play either wing position and has upside to grow into multiple roles at just 19 years old.”

The Ringer: 23rd overall, Portland Trail Blazers – “Howard received some lottery buzz during his freshman season but is now seen as a mid-to-late first-rounder. With his impressive scoring ability, he’s worth the risk for a team like the Blazers, stuck between a youth movement and looking to win now.“

CBS Sports: 25th overall, Memphis Grizzlies – “This is a bit of a plunge from where I last had Howard — which was late lottery — but I’m still very much in on him as a top-30 player in this class. Really good shooter with an excellent frame who has touch on floaters, in the mid-range and from beyond the 3-point line.”

The Athletic: Not included, beat writers only picked the first 14 slots

When is the 2023 NBA Draft?

The 2023 NBA Draft will be held on Thursday, June 22 at 8 p.m. ET from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Michigan has sent nine first-round picks to the NBA since 2013, good for most in the Big Ten. If current trends hold, it appears that margin will grow by two this summer.