2023 NBA Draft: 3 big Winners and 3 losers after the draft lottery

NBA Draft prospect Scoot Henderson (Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports)
NBA Draft prospect Scoot Henderson (Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports)
5 of 6
NBA Draft
NBA Draft prospect Amen Thompson (Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)

2. Houston Rockets – loser

The Houston Rockets were another team with the best odds to get the No. 1 overall pick who ended up outside the top three. On the bright side, the Rockets stayed inside the top four and will likely have an opportunity to draft an extremely talented player.

However, they lost the chance to draft Victor Wembanyama, and they will likely miss out on the top point guard prospect in the class in Scoot Henderson.

Right now, it seems like the Rockets would be a good fit for Amen Thompson, a big, 20-year-old guard with elite athleticism and court vision who can generate rim attempts at will. Getting a player with the potential to be a high-level primary initiator is a solid consolation prize, but it’s a disappointing outcome for a team hoping to add a generational talent like Wembanyama to its roster.

The Rockets still heading into the NBA Draft with a chance to improve but missing out on Wembanyama is going to be a tough pill to swallow for this fanbase, especially considering who he’ll be playing for.