It’s no secret that shooting is at a premium in the modern NBA, with nearly every team in the hunt for more players who can help space the floor and consistently knock down shots. That said, the 2023 draft class is somewhat unique in that several projected high picks (Scoot Henderson, and Amen and Ausar Thompson chief among them) have real questions about their long-term shooting projection. Still, there are plenty of sharpshooters on the board who should add value from beyond the arc from Day 1 in the league. Here’s a look at the five best in this year’s draft class.
1. Jordan Hawkins, UConn
Hawkins is an elite off-movement shooter who knocked down 109 threes for a title-winning UConn team as a sophomore. UConn’s offense required Hawkins to be in near-constant motion, using mostly off-ball screening and player movement to get him open despite opponents’ best efforts. He’ll immediately be comfortable getting his shot off out of pindowns and staggers in the NBA, and his lightning-quick release allows him to generate open shots even against a good defense. Plus, he shot extremely well when the lights were brightest, sinking a ridiculous 21-of-42 from deep in the NCAA tournament. How much a team buys in to the rest of his skill set will determine whether Hawkins lands in the lottery on draft night, but he’s clearly an elite three-point threat.
