Thursday night is the 2023 NBA Draft, and two former Indiana basketball players -- Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jalen Hood-Schifino -- are likely to hear their names, potentially in the first round.
Both starred last season for Mike Woodson -- who is expected to be in attendance for the draft on Thursday -- and helped the Hoosiers earn a No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and advance to the Round of 32 before losing to eventual Final Four participant Miami (Fla.).
Jackson-Davis is one of the greatest players in Indiana's history. He was a consensus All-American his senior season when he averaged 20.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. He is a four-time All-Big Ten selection, a two-time Big Ten All-Defensive team member and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team back in 2019-20. He ends his Hoosier career third in all-time points (2,258), the leader in career rebounds (1,143), the leader in blocks (270), third in career double-doubles (50) and is one of just five players in Big Ten history to record 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds.
Hood-Schifino was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2022-23 when he averaged 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game for the Hoosiers. A former five-star prospect, Hood-Schifino shot 41.7 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from beyond the 3-point line in his lone season as a Hoosier. His best game came in Indiana's win at rival Purdue, scoring 35 points to help the Hoosiers end a seven-game road losing streak to the Boilermakers.
The 2023 draft marks the first time Indiana will have two players selected in a draft since 2017 when OG Anunoby and Thomas Bryant were selected No. 23 and No. 42 overall. Indiana is also likely to end a streak of three consecutive drafts without a player being selected by an NBA organization.
The Hoosier previews potential landing spots for both Jackson-Davis and Hood-Schifino ahead of Thursday's NBA Draft using mock drafts from some of the leading NBA Draft experts in the industry.
ESPN/Draft Express
- ESPN projects Hood-Schifino to the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 15 overall pick, one pick outside of the lottery. Hood-Schifino has previously been mocked to the Raptors at No. 13 overall, but ESPN is now projecting Toronto to select Michigan's Kobe Bufkin at No. 13. Atlanta could be active in the trade market on Thursday with numerous players on the roster having the potential to be moved for salary purposes. But drafting Hood-Schifino would build some guard depth for the Hawks along with star-scoring threat Trae Young.
- Jackson-Davis is slated at No. 34 to the Charlotte Hornets in ESPN's latest mock. Playing in Charlotte would allow the Hoosier legend an opportunity to play with one of the best young guards in the NBA, LaMelo Ball. The Hornets are one of the worst teams in the NBA but do have some young intriguing talent alongside Ball like James Bouknight and Mark Williams.
The Athletic - John Hollinger
- The Athletic's John Hollinger projects Indiana'a star freshman to go No. 20 overall to the Houston Rockets, however, he also thinks that there's a high chance the Rockets move the pick. Hollinger isn't a big believer in Hood-Schifino writing, "I don't think Hood-Schifino is a first-round talent, so I'm really really interested to see where the league values him." Hollinger ranks Hood-Schifino No. 40 on his big boards and is critical of Hood-Schifino's advanced numbers -- 13.0 PER with a 49.2 percent true shooting percentage -- and his age, nearly 20 already, as a reason to critique the freshman guard.
The Athletic - Sam Vecenie
- The Athletic's Sam Vecenie also projects Hood-Schifino at No. 13 to the Raptors, ad believes the fit is a good one with Gary Trent Jr. opting out of his contract and Fred VanVleet likely becoming a free agent. Hood-Schifino provides some backcourt depth as an on and off ball weapon.
- Jackson-Davis is slated at No. 32 overall to the Indiana Pacers, a team that he worked out with this month. If drafted by the Pacers, Jacksoon-Davis would play his high school, college and professional careers in his home state, a pretty cool story for a player who has turned into a legend in the state's basketball history.
Bleacher Report - Jonathan Wasserman
- Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman reports that Hood-Schifino is receiving interest as high as No. 9 to the Utah Jazz, but instead is projecting him at No. 14 to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans have a talented roster with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, but Williamson has played a combined 29 games the last two seasons and missed all of 2021-22 because of a foot injury. He has not played more than 61 games in any of his four seasons, and reports surfaced this week of Williamson and the Pelicans front office not always being on the same page.
- At No. 38, Bleacher Report projects Jackson-Davis to go to the Sacramento Kings, a pick that originally was owned by the Pacers. The Kings qualified for the NBA Playoffs this past season for the first time since the 2005-06 season and have stars De'Aaron Fox, Domantes Sabonis and rising young talent Keegan Murray.
CBS Sports - Kyle Boone
- Hood-Schifino is again mocked at No. 14 to the Pelicans by CBS Sports' Kyle Boone. Boon projects Bufkin one spot ahead of Hood-Schiino. NBA organizations like Bufkin's offensive ceiling, defensive potential and his age, he's younger than Hood-Schifino.
- Jackson-Davis is projected at No. 29 to the Pacers by Boone. The Pacers finished 11th last season in the Eastern Conference but Tyrese Haliburton appears to be a growing star and Kendall Brown is preparing to enter his second professional season.
CBS Sports - Gary Parrish
- Parrish is high on Hood-Schifino, projecting him at No. 8 to the Washinton Wizards, ho traded star Bradley Beal this week in exchange for several draft picks and Chris Paul. At No. 8, Parrish has Hood-Schifino going ahead of Anthony Black, Bufkin and Cason Wallace, players he's viewed similarly to.
The Ringer - Kevin O'Connor
- Again, Hood-Schifino is projected at NO. 15 to the Hawks. But the Ringer also suggests that a trade of the pick is possible before Thursday night.
- Jackson-Davis is slotted at No. 30 to the Los Angeles Clippers, who reportedly are open to shopping star Paul George and breaking apart their super duo of George and Kawhi Leonard.
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