NBA Draft 2023: Scoot Henderson picked at No 3 overall by the Portland Trail Blazers

Scoot Henderson has been picked at No 3 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Georgia-born point guard, 19, has spent the last two years with the NBA G League Ignite, after signing a $1million, two-year deal in May 2021.

The general Draft consensus was that the Hornets would choose either Henderson or Brandon Miller, but they landed on the latter Thursday night after holding a series of meetings earlier in the day.

Both players had worked out in front of wantaway owner Michael Jordan earlier in the week, and the team were split on who to draft heading into the Draft in Brooklyn.

Interestingly, the franchise went for Miller, meaning the Trail Blazers swooped in to take Henderson with the following pick. 

Henderson has played the last two years on a $1million deal with NBA G League Ignite

Miller, the 20-year-old former Alabama star, is one of the more controversial inclusions in this year’s event after his involvement in a shooting that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris earlier this year.

Tuscaloosa police testified that Miller delivered a handgun to teammate Darius Miles, which was ultimately used by another man, Michael Lynn Davis, to kill the woman.

While Miles and Davis remain in jail awaiting trail on capital murder charges, Miller has not been arrested in the case. His attorney says he never handled the firearm and did not have any idea that the shooting would take place. Miller’s coach, Nate Oats, said it was a case of ‘wrong spot, wrong time.’

Henderson poses in Times Square during Draft week, ahead of being picked at No 2 overall

Brandon Miller was another option for the Hornets, but they opted against the Alabama star

French phenom Victor Wembanyama went No 1 overall, as expected, to the San Antonio Spurs

When questioned about his future in basketball, Miller said: ‘NBA teams kinda did their background on me and they kinda found out that I was a great guy, great character.

‘I don’t think they’re really worried about the character part of it now. I think it’s just basketball now.’

Henderson, meanwhile, was also picked behind Victor Wembanyama from the 2023 Draft class, with the 7-foot-4 Frenchman heading to the San Antonio Spurs at No 1 as widely expected.