Winners and Losers From 2023 NBA Draft: Spurs Land Wemby, Hornets Pass on Scoot

• The 2023 NBA Draft is complete
• There were a few surprises, history, and questionable selections from NBA teams
• Sports Brief looks at some of the biggest winners and losers from the draft

It has been an eventful week in the NBA. The 2023 NBA Draft has come and gone, and we have witnessed groundbreaking trades just over a week after the conclusion of the 2022/23 season.

The NBA Draft, however, was the big event of the week. Unsurprisingly, Victor Wembanyama was selected No. 1 overall, but there were some questionable decisions by some teams.

Although Wembanyama going to the San Antonio Spurs was the big story, there were some interesting talking points in the draft.

Amen and Ausar Thompson made NBA history by becoming the first twins to be selected in the top five of the same draft. The other key point was Charlotte passing on Scoot Henderson and selecting Brandon Miller.

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The draft is, nonetheless, complete. Which teams won or lost in the draft? Here are the winners and losers.

2023 NBA Draft winners and losers

Winner: San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs won the draft lottery in May, which essentially meant they will be getting Wembanyama, the most exciting prospect since LeBron James. Although the result was expected, there was still excitement among Spurs fans. The young French star could be the player to rejuvenate a Spurs team that has missed the playoffs four seasons in a row, per Bleacher Report.

Just like Tim Duncan, Wembanyuama could usher in a new era for the Spurs as they look to return to the top.

Loser: Charlotte Hornets

Scoot Henderson was the projected No. 2 pick for months leading up to the draft. However, on Thursday, the Hornets picked Brandon Miller, passing on Henderson, who is considered more talented. Miller is a good fit for the Hornets, but it is baffling that they would consider fit over talent, considering they have Lamelo Ball and Mark Williams as their only long-term players, per CBS Sports.

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Although Miller will fit greatly alongside Ball, prioritizing fit over talent is confusing. Michael Jordan made another questionable decision as hands over the team to Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall.

Winner: Portland Trail Blazers

After the Hornets passed on Henderson, the Blazers took him, adding him to a team loaded with guards. Now, they have Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simmons, and Shaedon Sharpe. Still, they had a chance to draft a guard that could be a franchise cornerstone in the next decade.

This is the highest draft pick the Blazers have made since selecting Greg Oden first in 2007. It will be interesting to see how things change in the next few months.

Loser: Amen and Ausar Thompson

it was a historic night for the Thompson twins. They became the first set of twins to be selected in the top 10 of the same draft. Interestingly, they were picked back to back in the draft (Amen No. 4, Ausar No. 5), something they'll cherish forever.

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Both are not great jump shooters, so ideally, they needed to be on teams that could allow them to handle the ball more. Ausar joins the Detroit Piston, a team with top drafty picks like Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, who is still developing as a shooter.

For Amen, he joins a Houston Rockets team with high-usage guards Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., so it will be tough for him to get the development he needs. Moreover, they have a center, Alperen Sengun, who needs the ball to be effective. Both will need plenty of time to reach their full potential.

Other Winners: Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat

Other Losers: Cam Whitmore

How much will Wembanyama make?

Sports Brief earlier broke down Wembanyama's potential salary for the 2023/24 season. He is expected to earn as much as $12.2 million in his first season.

Based on salary cap projections ($136 million), the young French phenom's on-court earnings could be as much as $55.2 million over the next four years.

Wembanyama could make way more from his off-court deals. He is a Nike athlete and could add a few endorsement deals ahead of his rookie season.