Heading into the 2023 rookie draft, avid followers of the pro hoops scene knew there were three players who stood head and shoulders above all the others. Of the three, Victor Wembanyama was sure to be taken first overall by the Spurs; widely acknowledged as the best prospect since LeBron James in 2003, he offers a unique combination of height, length, mobility, athleticism, and solid decision-making on both ends of the court. At Number Two, the Hornets were torn between Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller; the former had the superior skill set, but the latter projected to fill an immediate need.
The Hornets did their due diligence, taking a deep dive on the backgrounds of their options, conducting interviews with them, and subjecting them to not one but two on-court assessments. That said, general manager Mitch Kupchak admitted after the draft that Miller was their pick all along. Which, insofar as a significant number of quarters in the league are concerned, brings up red flags. After all, the annals of the National Basketball Association are littered with examples of franchises that make choices based on fit rather than the best available, only to be burned in the end.
Not that the Hornets are wrong to latch on to Miller. He has range and figures to help fill a need at the wings. Meanwhile, Henderson looks to have a game that overlaps with resident playmaker LaMelo Ball’s. Nonetheless, critics are arguing that they do not have the luxury of turning down higher-level talent when presented with one. Upside does not win matches. In this regard, it doesn’t help that majority (but soon-to-be-minority) owner Michael Jordan is said to have made the final decision, what with his spotty record as a draft evaluator and his lame duck position.
Time will tell if the Hornets did right by themselves. By way of consolation, naysayers can find solace in the notion that Miller isn’t really a reach; had he been in last year’s draft, he could well have gone first. Still, Kupchak would do well to hope a missed opportunity didn’t pass them by. Their fans deserve a break, not another heartbreak inflicted by those supposed to look after their interests in the first place.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.