The 2023 draft was one of the most anticipated in a long time. Victor Wembanyama was one of the most hyped prospects of all-time, but there were many other talented players that GMs around the league were hoping could turn their franchises around. After their rookie season, the draft class did not disappoint. Wembanyama showed GOAT upside, while players like Brandon Miller and Amen/Ausar Thompson proved they could have a big impact in the league for a long time. We will look at the 2023 NBA Draft class and see who is not playing to their sophomore season expectations.
Biggest Sophomore Season Surprises From The 2023 NBA Draft Class
Scoot Henderson Stats Still Disappointing
In year one, Scoot Henderson was probably the biggest disappointment from the 2023 draft. At one point, he was the no-question number two pick behind Wembanyama but fell to Portland with the third pick (likely because the Hornets already had a franchise point guard in LaMelo Ball). The Trail Blazers even traded away their franchise legend Damian Lillard in part to make room for Scoot to take over.
Scoot didn’t take over. He only started 32 games as a rookie, averaging 14 points and 5.4 assists on 38.5% shooting from the field. It isn’t uncommon for rookies to struggle like this, so some thought Scoot would bounce back during his sophomore season. So far, the Scoot Henderson stats are not telling that story. Henderson is playing fewer minutes this season, averaging 11.3 points, 5.2 assists, and 2.9 rebounds. His field goal efficiency has gone up slightly, shooting 40.6%, but his three-point percentage is down from 32.5% to 28.3%. There is still a lot of season left, but Scoot being worse in his sophomore year was very unexpected.
Gradey Dick Takes a Scoring Leap
Gradey Dick did not have a special rookie season. He started 17 games, averaged 8.5 points, and only showed small flashes of his upside. This season has been totally different. Largely because the Raptors have been dealing with multiple injuries, Dick has been given the stage to shine. And shine, he has. This season Dick is averaging 18.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He is third in scoring in his draft class, and although the Raptors aren’t winning many games, Dick’s play has kept them competitive while their best players have been out.
2023 NBA Draft Class All-Rookie Can’t Shoot
Brandin Podziemski was one of the steals of the 2023 draft. After being selected by the Warriors 19th, he proceeded to have an amazing rookie season, landing him a spot on the 2023-24 All-Rookie First Team. Although Podziemski was probably better known for leading the league in charges as a rookie than for his shooting, he shot well as a rookie. Podziemski was 38.5% from three and 45.4% from the field in his rookie season.
This offseason, there was much talk about Podziemski taking a big step forward to help replace some of Klay Thompson’s scoring. Unfortunately, so far, that hasn’t panned out. The Brandin Podziemski stats are down across the board this season, but his three-point shooting is the most noticeable. Right now, Podziemski is only shooting 19.3% from three, on more attempts than last year. His shooting numbers are far from being a Klay replacement.
