Andrew Buller-Russ
Did Scoot Henderson miss Thursday’s NBA draft lottery? Probably not.
Even though the San Antonio Spurs catapulted the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets by winning the lottery, earning the No. 1 pick, it likely didn’t matter which team the lotto balls pointed to. No matter what, Victor Wembanyama would still be the No. 1 pick.
Yet, we have Scoot Henderson, the 6-foot-2 point guard who joined the G League Ignite in 2021, and a projected top-three pick, who still believes he has “the ability” to be the first player selected on draft night.
“I think I have the ability to go No. 1. I believe in myself as any competitor should.”
Coveted NBA draft prospect Scoot Henderson on his mentality
To be clear, this isn’t necessarily Henderson saying he’s going to be the top pick, or even that he should be over Wembanyama. He’s simply stating that, from an evaluation standpoint, he has the talent of a No. 1 pick in the NBA. As he points out, any competitor should believe in themselves.
With that, Henderson says he’d be interested in sitting down with the Spurs because, “my personality, it speaks for itself.”
However, should Henderson face the fate the rest of the NBA community is anticipating, one where he ‘slips’ to the No. 2 or No. 3 pick in Charlotte or Portland, respectively, he’d be just as thrilled with the outcome.
While both the Hornets and Trail Blazers already have a top point guard, Henderson is built in a similar mold to their existing stars in that he can make defenders pay with his shot or with his passing ability. His future NBA team may be unclear for now, but whichever franchise lands Henderson is getting a driven individual who does not lack confidence.
Related: NBA mock draft 2023: Complete Rounds 1-2 predictions following the NBA Draft Lottery
