NBA Mock Draft: Dallas Mavericks take a huge gamble; A surprise riser emerges

5. Detroit Pistons – Cam Whitmore, F, Villanova

The Detroit Pistons are in an interesting spot and many would say that this is where the 2023 NBA Draft will officially begin. I think it’s pretty safe to say that the unanimous top 4 prospects in this year’s draft class are Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, and Amen Thompson – in some order. Unfortunately for the Pistons, they just fell out of the top 4. But this can also be viewed as a great opportunity for them.

With the fifth pick, Cam Whitmore is a player that could be taken. He’s one of the best wing prospects in this year’s class and because of the combination of size, skill set, and athleticism, he has true star potential and perhaps the best long-term ceiling of any prospect outside the top 4.

And the Pistons could be a perfect landing spot for Whitmore. He could learn behind Bojan Bogdanovic and continue to grow alongside this team’s young core of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and Jalen Duren. The Pistons may not land one of the unanimous top prospects in this year’s draft class, but they could still emerge with a really great player.