Michigan's Kobe Bufkin Declares for 2023 NBA Draft; No. 14 on B/R's Big Board

Michigan basketball announced today that sophomore guard Kobe Bufkin has declared for the 2023 NBA Draft.

Bufkin is rated No. 14 on B/R's Big Board and is coming off of a season where he averaged 14 points and 34 minutes for the Wolverines. This news comes shortly after Hunter Dickinson entered the transfer portal.

This all comes after a disappointing season for the Wolverines, who finished eighth in the Big Ten and missed the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015.

Bufkin, a four-star recruit and consensus top-50 player in the class of 2021, came primarily off the bench for the Wolverines in 2021-22 before asserting himself as a starter in 2022-23. He was named to the all-Big Ten third team in his sophomore season.

He possesses a 6'4", 195-pound frame and splits time between shooting guard and point guard. He notably earned increased playing time after a torn ACL sidelined Jaelin Llewellyn for the season.

Bufkin's decision means that the Wolverines will be without their top three scorers from this past season. Dickinson and Bufkin are joined by Jett Howard, who declared for the draft last week.

Bufkin was slated to go to the Oklahoma City Thunder at pick No. 14 in Jonathan Wasserman's most recent mock draft ahead of the NCAA Tournament.