The 2023 NBA draft combine is in the books, concluding a week in Chicago that will forever be highlighted by the San Antonio Spurs’ winning the draft lottery and the right to select 19-year-old French phenom Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick.

NBA executives from all 30 teams were on hand to get a closer look at this year’s draft class — minus Wembanyama, who is still playing for Metropolitans 92 in Paris — prior to the June 22 draft (ESPN/ABC, 8 p.m. ET).

One of the prospects in the spotlight was Alabama’s Brandon Miller, who was questioned by police following the fatal shooting of Jamea Jonae Harris in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in January. ESPN’s projected No. 2 pick, who was not charged with any crime, briefly addressed executives and the media regarding the shooting.

Below is a look at Jonathan Givony’s and Jeremy Woo’s key observations from last week, including how Charlotte is approaching the No. 2 pick, how some teams felt underwhelmed by the combine and the prospects who stood out.

Brandon Miller interviews with 12 teams at the combine

With the San Antonio Spurs not doing anything to hide the fact that they will be selecting Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick, the 2023 NBA draft starts at No. 2 with Charlotte deciding which direction it will head in.

Miller’s season, which saw him named SEC Player of the Year and a first-team All-American, elevated him on many NBA teams’ big boards to the No. 2 prospect in the class. Tuesday’s lottery results further solidified his chances of hearing his name called immediately after Victor Wembanyama at No. 1, as both of the teams who rose into the top three — Charlotte and Portland — have bigger needs on the wing than at guard. While there is a process that will need to play out over the next month, it was hard to find a single NBA executive at the draft combine who believed that G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson will eventually rise into the No. 2 spot.

There are several mitigating factors that will still need to play out for that to become a reality, though. Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak is known to place individual team workouts very high up on his priority list when it comes to his decision-making process, and it’s unclear what type of workout Miller — who was recovering at home in Nashville, Tennessee, from mononucleosis while his peers were training for the pre-draft process — will be able to conduct on his visit to Charlotte. Miller has lost 13 pounds and hasn’t had much basketball activity since the season ended, his agent, Wilmer Jackson, confirmed to ESPN.

The fact that Kupchak attended Miller’s best game of the season — a 41-point performance at South Carolina in late February — should help alleviate that concern. But the door is still open for Henderson to impress Charlotte executives during his individual workout, something he’s more than capable of doing based on what we’ve seen the past two years.

While Henderson has narrowed his focus to the three teams picking atop the draft, Miller elected to interview with 12 teams last week at the combine, something you don’t usually see from a player with such a seemingly narrow draft range.

Team executives present at interviews said Miller arrived holding a legal brief written by his attorneys informing teams that he will not be able to comment on specific details regarding the shooting.

A Tuscaloosa police investigator testified in February that Miller had received a text message from his former teammate, Darius Miles, to bring Miles’ gun to the scene where Harris was killed. Miles and his friend, Michael Lynn Davis, were charged with capital murder — Davis for allegedly firing the shot that killed Harris, and Miles for allegedly providing the gun.

Teams that interviewed Miller in Chicago have privately expressed some concern regarding fallout that might still come in the form of a potential lawsuit or follow-up investigation with yet-to-be-released details and were hoping to get more information directly from him.

Miller was also asked by reporters at the draft combine about what message he was hoping to convey to teams regarding the shooting, and he said the following: “The message I’ve presented to them is just it’s all a lesson learned. You always have to be aware of your surroundings and know what you’re surrounded by. I feel like the night could’ve changed my career in less than a heartbeat. So always be aware of your surroundings.”

The Hornets will likely have a degree of apprehension after Miles Bridges’ felony domestic violence charges, for which he pleaded no contest and was suspended 30 games by the NBA. Bridges sat out the past season and is currently a free agent, but the front office would like to have him back on the roster next year, sources told ESPN.

The Hornets’ ownership situation is currently in flux, as Adrian Wojnarowski reported in March that Michael Jordan is in “serious talks to sell a majority stake in the franchise to a group led by Hornets minority owner Gabe Plotkin and Atlanta Hawks minority owner Rick Schnall.” Jordan was awaiting the possibility of landing the No. 1 pick before deciding whether to proceed with a sale, sources told ESPN. It remains to be seen whether moving up to No. 2 changes that plan and what the timetable might look like if a sale did occur, as well as how that might affect the front offices’ decision-making process in regard to who to draft.

Charlotte is planning on sending its attorneys to Tuscaloosa this week to conduct their own investigation into Miller’s involvement in the Jan. 6 shooting, Jackson told ESPN, and Miller plans to fly to Charlotte in mid-June for a workout and follow-up interview.

Jackson reiterated there is no pending investigation into Miller, he did not break any laws and that he is “free and clear” of any wrongdoing. “The case is still open, and Brandon has had limited communication for that reason,” Jackson said. “He’s been cleared from day one. We were told by the attorneys not to speak about the situation. At the right time we can have that conversation, but for now, we’re leaving it alone and will let the process complete itself.”

There’s little doubt that teams will want Miller to answer more questions regarding the shooting, for which he is a “cooperating witness,” according to the University of Alabama. How he handles those questions moving forward will likely play a role in where he’s ultimately picked.

— Jonathan Givony

Combine dissatisfaction

It’s worth noting that teams seemed to be somewhat underwhelmed by combine week on the whole, with 37 players (some more justified than others) declining to play in scrimmages. The need for participants created a trickle-up effect that predictably led to watered-down games both at the combine and G League Elite camp, with most executives we spoke with feeling that the level of play — and the number of legitimate first-round candidates playing — was down relative to past years.

In addition, there were gripes about a rather arduous agency pro day schedule that required team personnel to hang around for hours after the conclusion of on-court activity on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, to watch primarily fringe-draftable prospects in unhelpful workout settings.

Executives were somewhat puzzled because the schedule ran so late on those days, while Tuesday’s schedule was left open. Pro day attendance, in general, seemed to be down, with teams splitting up gym duties among themselves but rarely assigning full cohorts of staff to stick around. Most of the NBA’s top decision-makers will now leave their home markets and flock to Los Angeles this week for yet another set of agency-led pro days — effectively taking a second week of potentially significant team-hosted workouts off the calendar.

The nonstop nature of the scheduling setup unintentionally makes things difficult for college prospects who are genuinely testing the waters. In many cases, this leaves just a few days for players to work out privately for teams, to better assess their own standing ahead of the NCAA’s May 31 withdrawal deadline. And with so few projected first-rounders actually playing in any capacity at this year’s combine (even the first day of low-intensity drills was thinner on big-name participants than usual), the concept of the scrimmages as a purported proving ground to earn first-round status also lost a bit of its luster.

The onset of the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement on July 1 will bring with it a couple of major changes to next year’s combine. Prospects will be required to attend and participate in order to be eligible for the draft and will be required to partake in medical examinations. While players will still not be forced by the league to scrimmage, the changes to the rules give the NBA far more control over the pre-draft process, eliminating agents’ ability to create leverage by controlling which teams have access to what information about their clients. It’s still unclear exactly where the lines will be drawn in terms of which players will be required to do what moving forward — it’s still difficult to imagine the NBA forcing a projected top-10 pick to test or partake in drills — but the hope is that the combine itself may take on at least some degree of added significance in years to come.

Some around the league hypothesized that this year’s generally limited participation from nearly every projected first-rounder may have stemmed from agents exercising their ability to effectively play games in this particular context for the final time before the rules tilt in favor of teams. Reasoning aside, the combine itself felt a tad less consequential than normal this year, and there’s still quite a bit left to play out behind closed doors with the draft just a month away.

— Jeremy Woo

Stock movers

Brandin Podziemski | Santa Clara | Top 100: No. 31

Having entered the week as one of our higher-ranked prospects slated to scrimmage, Podziemski turned in an excellent showing on the first day of games, stuffing the box score with 10 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, flashing some on-ball creation ability and a willingness to battle in the run of play. While not immensely gifted from a physical standpoint (6-foot-3¾ barefoot with a 6-5 wingspan), his constant pursuit of 50-50 balls and nonstop motor would seem to be good indicators that he’ll at least hold his own on the defensive end. He will have to work himself into a truly high-level shooter to secure a regular NBA role, but he has been trending in a good direction on that front.

Many around the league view Podziemski as one of the most competitive prospects in this class, and he reinforced that reputation in Chicago, approaching every aspect of the combine seriously and choosing to play on the second day of scrimmages, rather than shut it down after a strong initial showing. On Friday, Podziemski announced his intent to remain in the draft, and he has likely earned himself guaranteed money.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper | Marquette | Top 100: No. 32

Prosper was a Wednesday combine standout, racking up 21 points and seven rebounds, bullying his way to the free throw line (10-for-12 on free throws in 22 minutes), and showcasing his two-way upside before opting to shut it down on Thursday. Measuring at just under 6-7 barefoot with a 7-1 wingspan and 40½-inch max vertical, Prosper’s physical advantage was pronounced in a scrimmage setting where few opponents could really slow him. While not the type of player NBA teams will trust to make decisions with the ball, he’s physically suited to play either forward spot and was able to separate himself from the pack somewhat at the combine. He wasn’t heavily featured on offense at Marquette, but the flashes of aggression he showed in Chicago popped in a big way.

While still not a particularly good shooter — his mechanics are a bit stiff, and cultivating 3-point range will be crucial to him sticking around in the NBA long-term — Prosper is still on the younger side for a college junior, turning 21 in July with room for additional physical and skill development. There are still some warts around his questionable feel and below-average defensive productivity that may keep him from sneaking into the first round, but he’s the type of athlete who at least deserves real developmental opportunities on the chance his ability to read the game can meet NBA standards. A return to college could give him an opportunity to bolster his stock further, but Prosper’s odds of landing a guaranteed contract look much better following his combine showing.

Ben Sheppard | Belmont | Top 100: No. 36

As a mid-major prospect who went somewhat under-scouted at Belmont, Sheppard legitimized himself as a draftable player in Chicago, turning in a pair of strong scrimmages that showcased some breadth in his skill set. He was tasked with some ballhandling duties and didn’t look entirely uncomfortable initiating play, also making several impressive passes for assists. Those elements of his game leave the door open for potential growth as a secondary creator moving forward. Sheppard also looked solid defensively trailing the ball, and his all-around activity level and constant energy left a positive impression.

We knew Sheppard was a legitimate threat from distance entering the week, but he also flashed a pretty quick first step and measured up to par for a 2-guard, coming in at 6-5¼ barefoot with a 6-6¾ wingspan. He certainly didn’t look like an overmatched mid-major star in any respect, and considering the constant league-wide demand for perimeter shooters, Sheppard now looks like a solid bet to be drafted. He could conceivably keep rising with positive showings in team workouts.

Tristan Vukcevic | Partizan | Top 100: No. 37

Vukcevic was nearly automatic scoring the ball on the first day of scrimmages with 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, flashing an appealing mix of size and scoring ability and doing enough to justify shutting things down after that. The combine presented a major opportunity for him on a couple of fronts, as the majority of executives and scouts in attendance had never seen him play live, and with the center position widely acknowledged as the thinnest in this year’s draft.

At 6-11¼ barefoot with a 7-2½ wingspan, Vukcevic offers as much from a skill perspective as any non-Wembanyama big in this draft class. That alone gives him some obvious appeal, although his history of productivity is a bit questionable. He has never been a standout defensively and has a lot of things to refine, but there’s some legitimate stretch-5 potential with him, and he’s looking like one of the better stashable options anywhere in the second round.

Seth Lundy | Penn State | Top 100: No. 51

Viewed by some as a surprise combine invite, Lundy dispelled that notion by putting on the week’s best 3-point shooting display, draining eight 3-pointers on 11 attempts across both scrimmages and placing himself in the ever-popular “3-and-D” bucket. Teams hoping he’d remain somewhat under the radar as a sleeper two-way candidate had to have been bummed by Lundy’s scoring explosion. He’s in a significantly better position to hear his name called after the week’s events, also measuring at 6-4 with a solid 6-10¼ wingspan. While Lundy is already 23 and can have occasional tunnel vision as a scorer, he flashed some ability to make the next pass and fit in alongside teammates. If he can handle himself defensively at the next level, there’s a well-worn path to a utility role for him.

Dillon Mitchell | Texas | Top 100: No. 42

Although Mitchell briefly captivated imaginations with good showings in shooting drills Monday, his scrimmage performance reinforced why he wasn’t much of a contributor at Texas. In his defense, that setting was never going to favor him, and props to Mitchell for playing anyway, but his decision-making struggles and overall inability to impact the game on offense were pretty evident. He’s a big-time project who is multiple years away from being a net positive in an NBA game. Drafting him will require belief in his potential for development down the line.

Amari Bailey | UCLA | Top 100: No. 43

Bailey was productive in the scrimmages, totaling 14 assists between them, but he benefited greatly from heavy on-ball usage. There are scouts who like his vision and athleticism, but his iffy 3-point shooting and somewhat one-dimensional style of downhill attacking makes him more of an acquired taste. He’s a ways from helping an NBA team, but Bailey is in a better spot to be drafted than he was entering the week, at the very least.

Emoni Bates | Eastern Michigan | Top 100: No. 57

Contrary to expectations, Bates did a fairly decent job of sharing the ball in scrimmages while also showcasing his own shot-making skills. Given all we know, however, it’s pretty clear at this point his aptitude for team basketball is subpar at this stage. Bates struggles to impact the game when not placed in a high-usage offensive role with a large diet of touches, and his feel for playing with others away from the ball has always been somewhat limited. His lack of physical strength and length hinders him, as well. It wasn’t all bad for Bates at the combine, but he didn’t reinvent the wheel, either, and he’s far from a lock to be drafted at this point.

Hunter Tyson | Clemson | Top 100: No. 60

Tyson was among the top players at G League Elite camp and played his way into the combine by showcasing a nice mix of shooting, positional size and toughness over the course of the week. Measuring at 6-7½ with a nearly 6-10 wingspan, Tyson established enough of a physical presence on the floor to impact the game beyond simply spacing the floor. Whether or not he’s drafted, the constant demand for players in his mold should lead to a real opportunity somewhere.

Jordan Miller | Miami | Top 100: No. 67

While Miller is one of the older players in the draft, he was among the most productive players at the combine. At this point, he has proved his mettle as a winning role player with a decent mix of size, skill and motor, totaling 28 points and 15 rebounds between the two scrimmages. Though he measured in under 6-5, his nearly 7-foot wingspan allows him to play a bit bigger, and makes him an interesting fit for small-ball lineups, particularly if his shooting can improve a bit. Miller is a solid two-way contract candidate who could overachieve in the right situation.

— Woo

Other measurement takeaways

Zach Edey | Purdue | Top 100: No. 48

NBA executives were well aware of Edey’s outlier physical tools, but it was still startling to see the Wooden Award winner measure over 7-3 barefoot, 306 pounds with a 7-10½ wingspan and 9-7½ standing reach. If he elects to stay in the draft, Edey will be one of the tallest and longest player in the NBA — along with the 7-5 Wembanyama — while eclipsing the likes of Boban Marjanovic and Rudy Gobert.

Edey also conducted what many considered to be the most interesting pro day of any prospect in Chicago, showing better-than-expected mobility, coordination and skill running the floor, finishing around the basket and making jumpers from midrange and beyond the arc. He brought a huge amount of energy and appears to be in outstanding shape. Several NBA executives said they were impressed with the way he presented himself and now view him in a slightly different light after seeing him in that setting. Edey hasn’t decided yet whether to keep his name in the draft — he’s looking for assurances he’ll be picked in the late first or early second round — and told reporters in Chicago he’ll likely wait until the NCAA deadline of May 31 to make his decision.

Amen Thompson | Overtime Elite | Top 100: No. 4

Ausar Thompson | Overtime Elite | Top 100: No. 5

The Thompson twins both measured longer than expected relative to several previously released figures from Overtime Elite the past two years — at 6-7 in shoes with a 7-foot wingspan. Ausar (218 pounds) is four pounds heavier than Amen (214) but both are extremely impressive for a guard or wing prospect, on par with the likes of Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young and Jaylen Brown. The twins both have legitimate guard skills with their ability to handle, pass and finish with creativity around the basket. The fact that they have the length and frame to guard power forwards or even centers in extreme small-ball lineups gives them defensive versatility that few players in this draft can boast, especially after considering their top-tier athleticism.

Jalen Hood-Schifino | Indiana | Top 100: No. 14

It has been nearly four years since we’ve gotten updated measurements on Hood-Schifino, and he’s clearly grown and filled out considerably since then, now up to 6-5½ in shoes, 217 pounds with a 6-10¼ wingspan. It’s hard to find many players in the NBA who play point guard and boast those types of physical dimensions — our extensive measurement comparison database spit out the likes of James Harden, Dwyane Wade, Malcolm Brogdon and Anthony Edwards as a few of his physical comps.

Cason Wallace | Kentucky | Top 100: No. 12

Wallace measured 2½ inches longer and more than an inch taller than expected from the figures we received from the Kentucky pro day in October — an event that seemed to shortchange several of its players (Chris Livingston’s wingspan is more than 3 inches longer and he’s over an inch taller, for example). At 6-4 in shoes, 195 pounds with a 6-8½ wingspan, John Wall, Bruce Brown, De’Anthony Melton and Derrick White are some of the comps our database offers, suggesting Wallace has the type of coveted defensive versatility we saw in his lone season at Kentucky.

Rayan Rupert | NZ Breakers | Top 100: No. 18

We were well aware of Rupert’s dimensions from the season, but it was still impressive to see them on paper. He has the same wingspan as De’Andre Hunter (7-2) and very similar dimensions to his favorite NBA player, Mikal Bridges, who was 11 pounds heavier at age 21 (Rupert is still 18). Herbert Jones, Trevor Ariza and Otto Porter Jr. are a few other names our database suggests as close physical comps, which is exactly the mold of player many NBA teams envision when projecting Rupert long-term.

— Givony

Pro days recap

Keyonte George | Baylor | Top 100: No. 15

George elected to not measure, test or participate in any facet of the drills portion of the combine, making his pro day the only glimpse of on-court action NBA teams would receive. Several executives pointed to this workout as one of the most impressive they saw over the course of the week, as he was noticeably in outstanding shape, looked extremely explosive finishing around the basket and made difficult shots look easy all session long. The late-night workout, run by two-time NBA champion Mike Miller (who is also his agent), was full of energy and something much appreciated by scouts after a long day in the gym. George still has work to do in workouts to solidify his standing as a lottery prospect, but he certainly helped his cause in Chicago.

Matthew Murrell | Ole Miss | Top 100: NR

Coming off a somewhat underwhelming junior season at Ole Miss, Murrell didn’t have a great showing at the G League Elite camp, posting just 13 points on 15 field goal attempts in 34 minutes of action. Understandably not drawing a great deal of interest from NBA teams, he looked all but set to return to Ole Miss next season — where a new coaching staff led by Chris Beard awaits him — before giving NBA teams one last glimpse of him at his agency’s pro day in the last day of the NBA draft combine. Murrell took advantage of the platform and then some, looking like one of the most vertically explosive athletes in the class while shooting the ball better than expected in drills and making several eye-popping plays that only a handful of players outside the NBA are capable of. Murrell was viewed as a breakout candidate after a sophomore season in which he shot 39% from 3, but didn’t make the step many hoped this year — hitting just 30% of his 3s (but 84% of his free throws). His pro day experience has rekindled the interest he’s garnering among NBA teams, leading to a flurry of workout invites, but he still has work to do to receive the type of assurances he’s hoping for in order to keep his name in the draft.

Gregory Jackson II | South Carolina | Top 100: 34

Viewed by NBA teams as one of the more polarizing prospects in this class in terms of his draft range, Jackson’s pro day was well attended by executives. Electing to be the only player on the floor, somewhat of a rarity, Jackson looked completely gassed only minutes into his workout, struggling to make shots for much of the session. If teams had concerns about his body language and especially his shot selection this season — he was the most inefficient high-volume scorer in high-major basketball (44 EFG%) — Jackson didn’t do much to alleviate those concerns. The majority of the types of shots he attempted in Chicago would be considered low-percentage looks. Couple that with his relatively pedestrian measurements for a power forward — Paul George, Kevin Knox, Sam Dekker and Sekou Doumbouya are some of his closest physical comps — along with his struggles in the drills session of the combine on Monday, and this clearly wasn’t a great week for Jackson’s hopes of solidifying himself as a sure-fire first-rounder.

— Givony

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.

Jeremy Woo is an NBA analyst specializing in prospect evaluation and the draft. He was previously a staff writer and draft insider at Sports Illustrated.