Eight players from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex entered the 2023 NBA Draft, and six were selected in the 58 picks teams made during the event on Thursday night.
Four of the six selected came off the board in the first round.
Former Coppell and Duncanville guard Anthony Black was the first selected, taken No.6 overall by the Orlando Magic. Black spent one year at Arkansas, where he etched his name in the program record books and was a finalist for the National Freshman of the Year. He joins a young core that includes Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs and adds length, defense, and scoring on the perimeter.
Kentucky guard and former Richardson High School standout Cason Wallace was the next to go as part of the Mavericks and Oklahoma City deal that sent Duke center Dereck Lively II to Dallas. The Mavericks selected Wallace for the Thunder and traded him and Davis Bertans for Lively’s draft rights.
Wallace was one of the best distributors in the SEC as a freshman and should become a good complement to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, and Josh Giddey. Those three will carry the scoring early, but Wallace should become a factor as his career progresses.
Utah chose Baylor point guard and Lewisville High School alum Keyonte George 16th overall. George was one of three first-round picks for the Jazz, joining sharp-shooting forwards Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh as the team begins its rebuild with the picks it received from trading Donovan Mitchell.
George had an outstanding freshman season at Baylor, scoring the second-most points by a freshman in program history and setting the team’s freshman record for three-pointers and 20-point games. The Jazz definitely added shooting in the draft and now have another point guard that can stretch the defense.
Houston guard and Red Oak native Marcus Sasser was the fourth DFW player selected in the first round on Thursday night. While he was picked by the Memphis Grizzlies, his draft rights were traded to the Detroit Pistons.
Sasser brings much-needed defense and shooting to the team. He is an efficient shooter who played for a team that excelled in low-scoring games and became the first All-American from Houston since Hall-of-Famer Hakeem Olajuwon.
Two more DFW high school alums were selected in the second round: Jordan Walsh (Oak Cliff Faith Family) and Jalen Wilson (Denton Guyer).
The Sacramento Kings selected Walsh with the 38th overall pick and traded to the Boston Celtics. He was a key member of Arkansas’s team as a freshman last season and adds a versatile defensive player to the Celtics’ lineup.
The Brooklyn Nets picked Wilson 51st overall. He had a breakout season as the go-to scorer at Kansas, but some question how his athleticism will translate to the next level. He is a bit undersized for the role he will be asked to play in the NBA and is not a lights-out shooter from the perimeter.
The remaining two DFW prospects – TCU’s Mike Miles (Lancaster) and Gonzaga’s Drew Timme (Richardson Pearce) – signed undrafted contracts shortly after the draft. Miles signed a two-way deal, meaning he can play in the NBA and the G-League next season.
Miles stays in DFW with the Mavericks, while Timme joins the Milwaukee Bucks.
Miles was a three-time All-Big 12 selection and dynamic scorer, finishing his collegiate career with the 15th most points in program history. He is a solid defender and is fearless in taking over on the big stage.
Timme leaves college as one of the most decorated players in the history of the West Coast Conference. He spent four years at the school and became the program’s all-time leading scorer, along with many other accolades. His game is unorthodox, and he is not an explosive athlete, which may be why he was undrafted, but his scoring and rebounding abilities give him a shot to stick in the league.
Most rookies will debut during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas July 7-17.
