The Most Hyped NBA Draft Prospects Since 2000
Everybody from NBA executives to fans is always looking for the next best thing. We envision any number of young players becoming the latest in a long line of basketball legends.
When the majority of us believe that prospect has been discovered, the hype machine spins wildly. Leading up to the 2023 NBA draft, we're in that moment. Victor Wembanyama is widely considered a generational talent—including by none other than LeBron James.
LeBron himself leads this exclusive list of players since 2000 who entered the NBA with an enormous billing.
And, yes, Wembanyama—even before he's been selected first overall in the 2023 draft—deserves a place on the list. Pre-NBA performance and draft scouting reports/perceptions are the main factors.
LeBron James (2003)
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The Chosen One. King James.
If you arrive to a professional league with those nicknames, you'd better back up the hype. The wildest part about LeBron James, however, is he managed to exceed just about every expectation.
The only one he hasn't surpassed is being the undisputed greatest basketball player in history. And at the very worst, he holds an unmistakable place in that conversation.
The four-time league and Finals MVP has earned 18 All-NBA selections and six All-Defensive Team honors. He's the all-time leading scorer in NBA history during both the regular season and playoffs. He's propelled three different franchises to a championship.
King James was indeed The Chosen One.
Greg Oden (2007)
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Greg Oden looked like a superstar.
In high school, the 7-footer twice commanded Gatorade National Player of the Year honors. During his lone season at Ohio State, he averaged 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and an absurd 3.3 blocks per game while helping the Buckeyes win the Big Ten and finish as the national runner-up.
An awfully cruel twist of fate ruined Oden's career, though. He dealt with constant knee issues that limited him to 82 games in six years with the Portland Trail Blazers, who picked him No. 1 overall over Kevin Durant.
Oden spent his final NBA season as a reserve for the Miami Heat before playing one year in China.
Perhaps the most demoralizing part is a quote from Oden from right after the 2007 draft.
"I know we're going to be connected for a long time, Kevin Durant and Greg Oden," he said. "He's a really, really good player. I'm a pretty decent player. So I hope things work out."
Kevin Durant (2007)
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Portland chose Oden in 2007's memorable draft debate and created one of the biggest what-if stories in NBA history.
The main beneficiary proved to be the Seattle SuperSonics (who soon moved and became the Oklahoma City Thunder). Sure, there were concerns about Durant's slender figure and limited strength, but he'd been described as a blend of Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett.
Bold. Yet entirely true.
Durant has since become one of the most efficient scorers in NBA history, ranking 10th all-time in career true shooting percentage through the 2022-23 season. He's a 10-time All-NBA selection with four scoring titles and two league championships.
Derrick Rose (2008)
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One year later, the Derrick Rose sweepstakes included the second-least likely NBA lottery win in league history.
In fairy-tale fashion, the Chicago kid went to the Chicago Bulls—who owned just a 1.7 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick. Rose brought his all-world athleticism and playmaking ability to the hometown team.
Rose immediately put that dynamic skill set on display, winning Rookie of the Year. He earned the league MVP and led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals in his third season.
But injuries stung him, too.
After missing about half of the 2011-12 campaign, Rose endured a torn left ACL in the opening game of the playoffs. That moment, in hindsight, is remembered as the turning point of his career.
Rose basically missed the next two years and never played more than 66 games in another season. He played reasonably well for about a half-decade but never regained his All-Star form.
Anthony Davis (2012)
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Every prospect is defined by potential, of course, but a key appeal for Anthony Davis was just how much better he may become.
The now-superstar began his sophomore year of high school as a 6'2" guard before a major growth spurt. He developed into an elite prospect and headed to Kentucky, but the 7-footer still needed time to evolve as a post player.
In the meantime, Davis established himself as an overpowering defender who swatted a near-unfathomable 4.7 shots per game for Kentucky. Beyond that, he averaged 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.3 assists. Davis' trophy case included AP National Player of the Year, consensus All-American honors and an NCAA championship.
And, yes, he's even better now.
Injuries haven't done Davis any favors either, but he's produced 24.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks per game in 11 NBA seasons. Davis won an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019-20.
Zion Williamson (2019)
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Zion Williamson checked in at 6'7" and 285 pounds yet showcased an above-the-rim game, positional versatility and high-level defensive traits in his lone season at Duke.
Here at Bleacher Report, Jonathan Wasserman described him as a player with "an unprecedented mix of power, explosion and quickness."
No matter what happens in his NBA career, that much remains true. The concern for Zion is whether his body can literally handle his physical ability; he's poured in 25.8 points per game on 60.5 percent shooting in four seasons—undeniably elite production—but appeared in just 114 games for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Hopefully, injuries don't overshadow Williamson's career as they did for Oden and Rose.
Victor Wembanyama (2023)
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When a prospect is compared to Kevin Durant—and it doesn't sound like complete and utter nonsense—we are talking about a potentially legendary player.
Victor Wembanyama will arrive with no shortage of hype as a 7'4" rookie who excels defensively, hits threes and can create off the dribble or as a passer. His skill set at his stature is incredibly rare.
But don't simply take my word for it.
"This kid is unbelievable," soon-to-be Hall of Fame inductee Dirk Nowitzki said, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time league MVP, added of Wembanyama, "We've got to get ready for this kid."
