The idea of prospect comparisons ahead of the 2023 NBA draft is always a controversial flawed exercise: few players ever reach the high end of their ceiling, and those who bust tend to have floors well below even what modest expectations can be set. Yet, NBA executives and talent evaluators make them yearly anyway as they attempt to contextualize why a prospect may or may not succeed in the league.
Comparisons are useful for just that: providing context, if done responsibly. Comps can help us understand what type of role a player might fill, what type of impact he might have, and what the downside could be if he doesn't pan out as hoped. There are very few easy one-to-one through lines, but the thought process can still be helpful nonetheless.
With that modest goal in mind and as Thursday's draft (8 p.m. ET, ESPN, ABC and ESPN the App) draws near, draft expert Jeremy Woo came up with high-end and low-end comparisons for each prospect currently projected in the lottery of our last mock draft.