Blazers' Scoot Henderson Says He Will Win 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year Award

Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson is setting the bar high for his first NBA season.

The No. 3 overall pick of the 2023 NBA draft told Playmaker that he will win the Rookie of the Year for the 2023-24 season:

Winning the Rookie of the Year award is never easy, but it may be even more challenging than usual during the upcoming season.

After all, Victor Wembanyama is widely considered to be the best prospect since LeBron James entered the league in 2003. The big man will be the anchor of the San Antonio Spurs' attack and will surely put up double-doubles on a consistent basis during his first season.

Brandon Miller was also drafted ahead of Henderson, and the No. 2 overall pick will be a focal point of the Charlotte Hornets.

Henderson's ability to rack up the individual statistics necessary to win Rookie of the Year may come down to whether the Trail Blazers trade Damian Lillard. If they do, they will give Henderson the ball early and often, and he has the skill set to average 20-plus points a night in that scenario.

Throw in the assists he could generate in such a role, and Henderson may live up to his own expectations.