ALTHOUGH much of the talk has been surrounding the likes of Victor Wembanyama heading into the upcoming draft, potential top two pick Scoot Henderson has been quietly making a strong name for himself.

Suiting up for the G-League Ignite, the explosive guard has shown the potential to become a star of the NBA, and is certain to be a top-10 selection later this year. Although Wembanyama looks likely to be the first name read out on draft night, Henderson will be close behind as the exciting youngster looks to forge his own path at the top level.

Scoot Henderson

TEAM: G-League Ignite
POSITION: Point Guard
DOB: 03/02/2004
HEIGHT: 6ft 2in
WEIGHT: 89kg

The premier guard in the 2023 draft class, Henderson has the potential to become the best young guard in the world after his strong work in high school and now in the G-League, and affiliate competition of the NBA which has produced a number of top-10 picks in recent years.

Hailing from Georgia, Henderson quickly made a name for himself thanks to some impressive work hitting the court for Carlton J. Kell High School in the past few years. After announcing himself as one of the brightest young talents in the world, Henderson was a consensus five-star recruit and one of the highest ranked point guards in the country.

Instead of accepting an offer from one of a number of college teams that would have surely come knocking, he chose to sign with the G-League Ignite, who have proven to be a genuine path to NBA stardom.

In the 2022/23 season, Henderson has averaged just under 15 points per game, an impressive feat given the attention he cops as the side’s highest profile player. Being handed the primary ball-handling responsibilities, the 18-year-old has thrived against some seriously tough competition, facing off against fully developed players instead of young opponents, where his stats would be inflated slightly.

An explosive point guard with excellent court vision, Henderson has drawn comparisons to the likes of Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose, a pair of first-ballot hall of famers and NBA MVPs over their respective careers.

Inside scoring is his bread and butter, showcasing some serious hops including a massive poster dunk in his most recent outing in the G-League. He is not afraid to attack the rim, but has the potential to be a consistent mid-range shooter, similar to the likes of Donovan Mitchell when he joined the league.

Although he is shooting just 25 per cent from behind the arc on the season, Henderson still has the potential to work on his shooting motion and hurt the opposition from downtown. Although it is not the strongest part of his game, he has still shown that he can possibly hit a wide-open shot if given the time and space.

Henderson has been public in his wish to be the number one pick in the draft, and although Wembanyama’s success is making that difficult, anything is possible. Either way, he has plenty to bring to the table and will be highly sought by NBA sides.