NBA Mock Draft 8.0: Raptors take a high-risk prospect; Lakers get a steal in round 1

NBA Draft prospect Anthony Black (Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports)
NBA Draft prospect Anthony Black (Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports)
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NBA Draft
NBA Draft prospect Taylor Hendricks (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

10. Dallas Mavericks – Taylor Hendricks, F, Central Florida

It’ll be interesting to see how the Dallas Mavericks end up approaching the 2023 NBA Draft. You would assume, based on the recent reporting, that there’s a strong chance that the Mavs either end up picking for another team or end up trading this pick entirely. However, for the sake of this NBA Mock Draft, let’s assume they’re going to keep this pick.

If they do end up keeping the pick, one prospect that would make some sense for the Mavs is Taylor Hendricks. He’s a prospect that played in Central Florida and because of that, he didn’t get much publicity last season. However, he’s a very intriguing prospect that is going to continue to rise up draft boards over the next few weeks.

At worst, the belief is that Hendricks will translate to a 3-and-D weapon at the next level. He is already a good defender and due to his size and athleticism, he’ll have the chance to be a versatile one too. He shot well from 3-point range last season and was productive overall on the offensive end.

Playing next to Luka Doncic will make his life so much easier and his transition to the league smoother.