5 Biggest Steals From 2023 NBA Draft As Wembanyama Steals the Show

• The 2023 NBA Draft was centered around Victor Wembanyama
• Some teams made surprising choices, while others made some savvy moves
• Sports Brief looks at the top steals from the draft

Victor Wembanyama was the star attraction of the 2023 NBA Draft. As expected, the San Antonio Spurs selected the Frenchman with the No. 1 pick.

The 2023 NBA Draft will always be remembered for Wembanyama and other lottery picks, but teams made shrewd moves down the board in the first and second rounds.

While Wembanyama going No. 1 was a guarantee, the Charlotte Hornets selecting Brandon Miller at No. 2 over Scoot Henderson was a surprise.

All eyes are usually on the lottery picks, but the NBA Finals showed teams can find gems down the board. For instance, the 2023 NBA Finals MVP was the 41st pick in the 2014 draft. Late first-round and second-round picks can be hit or miss in the past. So who were the top steals in this year's draft?

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Top 5 2023 NBA Draft steals

Cam Whitmore (first round, No. 20, Houston Rockets)

Whitmore was seen as a top-five talent in this draft, but he slid all the way down to No. 20. There were concerns about his medical records, predraft workouts, and interviews, but his power and explosiveness cannot be ignored. Some expect him to become a 20-point scorer, and he landed on a rebuilding Houston Rockets team that can give him the opportunity to thrive as a scorer. Many NBA analysts had Whitmore as a top 3 pick. He now has a chance to prove every team that passed on him wrong, per Bleacher Report.

Kobe Bufkin (first round, No. 15, Atlanta Hawks)

Like Whitmore, many saw Bufkin as a top 10 pick, but he fell all the way to No. 15. He made huge strides with a full offseason of health and a year of college experience under his belt. He improved as a shooter, scorer, and perimeter defender. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 14 points in 2022-23 and shot 48.2% from the floor, 35.5% from deep, per Detroit Free Press. He is yet to turn 20, an upside that gives him a chance to develop and learn from Trae Young.

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Nick Smith Jr. (first round, No. 27, Charlotte Hornets)

The Hornets surprised many people when they drafted Brandon Miller with the No. 2 pick over projected No. 2 pick Scoot Henderson. After passing on a good ball handler in Henderson, they found one at No. 27 Smith out of Arkansas. The shooting guard was highly regarded as he entered college and now has a chance to develop alongside Miller.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. (first round, No. 18, Miami Heat)

The Heat couldn't ask for a better player in the 2023 class. He fits seamlessly with the Heat culture as he is one of the toughest players in the class. Although his perimeter shooting is a concern, he is a decent mid-range shooter and an above-average free throw shooter, per Sports Illustrated. Moreover, he is an intelligent player, and seeing how undrafted Heat players performed in the 2023 postseason, Jaquez will be raring to go under Erik Spoelstra.

Victor Wembanyama Poor in Game 1 of French League Finals Ahead of 2023 NBA Draft

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Toumani Camara (second round, No. 52, Phoenix Suns)

The 23-year-old 6'8" forward will have less time to develop as the Suns are in the business of winning now after trading for Bradley Beal. Given their salary cap predicaments, the Suns need players on cheap contracts who can contribute right away. He offers "defensive versatility and off-ball value as a screener," according to Bleacher Report.

Winners and losers: 2023 NBA Draft

Sports Brief earlier reported on the biggest winners and losers from the NBA draft.

San Antonio Spurs were the biggest winner since they got Victor Wembanyama, while the Portland Trail Blazers came out on top by picking Scoot Henderson.

The Hornets took Brandon Miller with the No. 2, a choice that surprised many.