From start to finish, the 2023 NBA Draft was a showcase of SEC talent. The conference produced the first college player off the board (Alabama’s Brandon Miller at No. 2), the last player selected (Kentucky’s Chris Livingston at No. 58) and dominated much of the time in between, sending 10 prospects to the professional ranks in the two-round event.
The Big Ten was second with eight players selected, starting with Michigan’s Jett Howard at No. 11. The NBA plucked five players from the ACC ranks. Both the Pac-12 and Big 12 were close behind with four. Eleven schools sent multiple players to the draft in 2023. Among those, two programs led the way with three apiece.
Let’s take a deeper look and see which schools produced the most NBA-bound talent in 2023.
Arkansas (3)
- Anthony Black (No. 6 to Magic)
- Nick Smith Jr. (No. 27 to Hornets)
- Jordan Walsh (No. 38 to Celtics)
Eric Musselman does it again, helping produce two first-round picks and three players overall. Jaylin Williams was drafted in the second round last season and Moses Moody was selected No. 14 overall by the Warriors in 2021. Black is the highest draft pick in the Musselman era.
UCLA (3)
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. (No. 18 to Heat)
- Amari Bailey (No. 41 to Hornets)
- Jaylen Clark (No. 53 to Timberwolves)
Jaquez was a late riser in the cycle and worked his way up to mid-first-round consideration. Bailey elected to go through with the draft process and became a second-round pick. If he stayed with the Bruins one more season, it’s possible he could have been a first-round pick.
Alabama (2)
- Brandon Miller (No. 2 to Hornets)
- Noah Clowney (No. 21 to Nets)
Miller beat out Henderson for the right to be selected second and he will head to Charlotte to team up with a rising star in LaMelo Ball. Miller joined Antonio McDyess (No. 2 pick in the 1995 NBA Draft) as the highest draft selection in school history.
Duke (2)
- Dereck Lively ll (No. 12 to Mavericks)
- Dariq Whitehead (No. 22 to Nets)
Coming into the draft, the Mavericks seemed like the ideal landing spot for Lively. Dallas was able to trade back with the Thunder, acquire additional assets and select the player they coveted throughout the process.
Kentucky (2)
- Cason Wallace (No. 10 to Thunder)
- Chris Livingston (No. 58 to Bucks)
Stop me if you have heard this before: A Kentucky guard gets drafted in the lottery. Wallace continued a longstanding program tradition and now goes to a great situation in Oklahoma City.
Houston (2)
- Jarace Walker (No. 8 to Pacers)
- Marcus Sasser (No. 25 to Pistons)
The Pacers were a likely destination for Walker, and that’s exactly where he landed. Indiana traded back one spot and were able to draft their guy while getting a handful of second-round picks.
Indiana (2)
- Jalen Hood-Schifino (No. 17 to Lakers)
- Trayce Jackson-Davis (No. 57 to Warriors)
Jackson-Davis was considered to be a late first or early second-round pick before sliding to the bottom of the draft. Both Indiana products landed in the Pacific Division.
Michigan (2)
- Jett Howard (No. 11 to Magic)
- Kobe Bufkin (No. 15 to Hawks)
The first real surprise of the draft occurred when the Magic selected Howard with their second lottery pick of the night. Howard soared up draft boards late in the process and joins Black in Orlando.
Miami (2)
- Jordan Miller (No. 48 to Clippers)
- Isaiah Wong (No. 55 to Pacers)
Miami’s dynamic duo that helped lead the Hurricanes on a Final Four run this past season. Both landed in the second round.
Penn State (2)
- Jalen Pickett (No. 32 to Nuggets)
- Seth Lundy (No. 46 to Hawks)
Penn State was one of two Big Ten teams with multiple draft picks this year, and the pair of Nittany Lions were selected in the second round. The defending NBA champs traded up to get Pickett.
UConn (2)
- Jordan Hawkins (No. 14 to Pelicans)
- Andre Jackson Jr. (No. 36 to Bucks)
The reigning national champions saw two players selected. Hawkins is considered by many to be the best shooter in the draft. He was taken by the Pelicans with the last lottery pick. He will have a chance to contribute right away on a contender in the west.
Schools with one selection in the draft
Baylor: Keyonte George (No. 16 to Jazz)
Belmont: Ben Sheppard (No. 26 to Pacers)
Central Florida: Taylor Hendricks (No. 9 to Jazz)
Clemson: Hunter Tyson (No. 37 to Nuggets)
Dayton: Toumani Camara (No. 52 to Suns)
Eastern Michigan: Emoni Bates (No. 49 to Cavaliers)
Furman: Jalen Slawson (No. 54 to Kings)
Gonzaga: Julian Strawther (No. 29 to Nuggets)
Iowa: Kris Murray (No. 23 to Trail Blazers)
Kansas State: Keyontae Johnson (No. 50 to Thunder)
Marquette: Olivier-Maxence Prosper (No. 24 to Mavericks)
Missouri: Kobe Brown (No. 30 to Clippers)
Ohio State: Brice Sensabaugh (No. 28 to Jazz)
Pepperdine: Maxwell Lewis (No. 40 to Lakers)
Santa Clara: Brandin Podziemski (No. 19 to Warriors)
South Carolina: Gregory Jackson ll (No. 45 to Grizzlies)
Tennessee: Julian Phillips (No. 35 to Bulls)
Villanova: Cam Whitmore (No. 20 to Rockets)
Washington State: Mouhamed Gueye (No. 39 to Hawks)
Xavier: Colby Jones (No. 34 to Kings)
Breakdown by conference
SEC: 10
Big Ten: 8
ACC, Big East: 5
Big 12, Pac-12: 4
AAC, WCC: 3
MAC, Southern, MVC, A10: 1
