Where Kobe Bufkin, Jett Howard Are Projected To Land In Latest ESPN 2023 NBA Mock Draft

We are just over a week away from the 2023 NBA draft which is held on Thursday, June 22.

The Wolverines have two players that have a high chance of becoming first-round selections next Thursday evening. Both Kobe Bufkin and Jett Howard received green room invites and are projected as the top 19 players in the draft.

With the draft getting closer and closer draft analysts are starting to finalize their mock drafts. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremey Woo updated their mock draft on Tuesday.

Sophomore Kobe Bufkin lands in the lottery in this updated mock. He is selected No. 12 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Bufkin has quietly gathered a good deal of interest in the pre-draft process and is being extremely selective where he works out, with a lottery selection potentially on the horizon. The Thunder have plenty of young guards and can go in a number of directions at No. 12, but Oklahoma City rarely hesitates to grab the best talent on the board, and Bufkin has built a strong case to be the first player drafted among a large group of guards jockeying for position. He’s a name to watch over the next week, with room to potentially rise higher. Washington and Utah appear to be candidates to select guards at No. 8 and No. 9.

Bufkin left Michigan after having a sensational sophomore campaign. The 6-foot-4 guard became the go-to guy for the Wolverines toward the end of the season and averaged 14 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. Bufkin shot 35% from 3 in 2022 and has the capabilities of improving in that area to become a deep threat in the NBA.

Jett Howard’s name slips a little in this mock draft. The ESPN crew has Howard going No. 19 to the Golden State Warriors.

Howard’s draft range starts around No. 11 (Orlando), with plenty of teams looking for shooters with size, skill and feel that will likely consider him, including Toronto (No. 13), Utah (No. 16), and the Lakers (No. 17). He’s an extreme contrast in ability, from what he showed early in the season until late of it when he played through an injury. If not Howard, the Warriors could look at other prospects who fit their style of play. The appetite for taking on more projects will likely be limited due to their narrow window for maximizing the prime of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and others. Sources tell ESPN the Warriors are also exploring the option of acquiring a high draft pick in exchange for a young prospect such as Jonathan Kuminga.

Howard left after his freshman season in Ann Arbor. He averaged 14.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and two assists per game. Howard played in 29 games due to injury and shot 36% from 3. The Warriors would be a good spot for the youngest Howard to fit his style of play. Howard has the ability to become a knockdown 3-point shooter in the NBA and what team would be better to fit that style other than the Warriors?