2023 NBA Draft Class: Fantasy Basketball Breakouts
The 2023 NBA Draft class is hitting a new phase of its life cycle — and that matters just as much in fantasy as it does on the floor. First-rounders are now eligible for extensions, money is on the line, roles are expanding, and front offices are making it clear who they’re willing to build around.
That mix of ambition and opportunity is exactly where fantasy managers should be shopping, especially in High Score formats where ceiling trumps everything.
Brandon Miller: Charlotte’s new primary option
Brandon Miller sits at No. 42 on RotoWire’s overall points rankings, and that might still be a step behind where his usage is heading.
LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges are gone, their trades out of Charlotte leaving a gaping hole in touches, shots and late-clock decisions. Miller and rookie Kon Knueppel are the ones walking into that vacuum. Miller has already shown he can handle volume, averaging over 20 points per game in each of his last two seasons — strong production for a 23-year-old wing still learning the league’s tricks.
Now he gets more of the ball. More pick-and-rolls. More trips to the line. His scoring should climb, and with the ball in his hands more often, rebounds and assists have room to follow.
In a High Score format, you’re not drafting him for tidy all-around efficiency. You’re drafting him for the nights he explodes and drags you up the leaderboard. With Charlotte trying to climb out of the basement, Miller has a clear path to becoming both their No. 1 option and a fantasy star.
Keyonte George: Utah’s engine with something to prove
Keyonte George, ranked No. 60 on RotoWire’s list, already made his statement last season: 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game in his third year, and a firm grip on Utah’s starting point guard spot.
The next statement is financial.
Like the rest of his draft class, he’s eligible for a major extension. Reported talks haven’t produced a deal yet. If that drags on, it only sharpens his edge heading into 2026-27. Players in that position rarely coast.
Utah looks ready to push for the playoffs again. That means more minutes for George, more time orchestrating an offense built around Jaren Jackson Jr., Darryn Peterson and Lauri Markkanen. Surrounded by that kind of scoring talent, George is well-positioned to set a career high in assists per game for the fourth straight season, while keeping his scoring punch intact.
A 22-year-old lead guard, clear runway, and growth at a thin position, available around the sixth round? That’s the kind of swing that can tilt a league.
Ausar Thompson: Defense on lock, offense on deck
Amen Thompson already got his big deal in Houston. Ausar Thompson, ranked No. 82, is still waiting.
The Pistons didn’t crowd him out this summer. Tobias Harris walked to San Antonio, John Collins arrived, but Detroit didn’t add a dominant on-ball scorer to soak up possessions. The door is still open for Ausar to grow his offensive role.
His defense guarantees his minutes. That’s the foundation. He guards multiple positions, flies around the floor and earns the trust of coaches who want some semblance of structure in a rebuild. The question now is whether the offensive step comes — more drives, more transition finishes, more confidence as a secondary creator.
In the eighth-round range, that’s a gamble worth taking, especially in High Score leagues where his lack of 3-pointers doesn’t sting. If the scoring bump arrives, the price will look cheap very quickly.
Jaime Jaquez Jr.: From sixth man to centerpiece in Milwaukee
Jaime Jaquez Jr. arrives in Milwaukee with momentum and a clear lane.
Last season in Miami, he carved out a reputation as a do-it-all weapon off the bench, stuffing the stat sheet and finishing second in the Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting. He played 28.3 minutes per game, came off the bench in 74 of 75 appearances, and still made himself impossible to ignore.
Then came the trade. Giannis Antetokounmpo goes out, Jaquez Jr. comes in as part of the return, and suddenly the 27-year-old is staring at his best NBA opportunity yet. Milwaukee is rebuilding, but someone still has to carry possessions, attack mismatches and take the tough shots.
Jaquez Jr. enters camp as the favorite to start at small forward. If he locks that down, his blend of scoring, rebounding and playmaking should translate into the kind of nightly volume that pushes him well beyond his current No. 100 ranking. Rebuilding teams create fantasy winners; he’s at the front of that line for the Bucks.
GG Jackson: Deep-league upside in a wide-open Memphis
GG Jackson doesn’t come with the first-round safety net. As a second-round pick from that loaded 2023 class, he’s tracking toward unrestricted free agency after the 2026-27 season.
He’s also walking into one of the most intriguing depth charts in the league.
Memphis hits training camp with a wide-open rotation at the forward spots. Jackson finished last season on a surge, averaging 17.9 points and 5.3 rebounds over his final 23 games, all in just 25.7 minutes a night. That kind of per-minute production forces its way into a coach’s plans.
He’ll battle Jerami Grant and Cameron Boozer for minutes, but there’s enough room for all three to post respectable numbers if the Grizzlies lean into versatility and offense. For now, Jackson is a name for deeper leagues, a stash with clear upside if his role spikes.
If Memphis leans into youth and scoring, he becomes more than just a watchlist name.
Dereck Lively II: Forgotten big with a narrow but real lane
Dereck Lively II barely featured last season, logging just seven games. That makes him easy to overlook, and that’s exactly where value often hides.
Dallas is lining him up to split center minutes with Daniel Gafford. On the surface, that sounds like a timeshare to avoid. Look closer. Both bigs carry a worrying injury history in Dallas. If one goes down, the other’s value spikes immediately.
Lively’s appeal is specific. In very deep leagues, or in formats where field-goal percentage is a premium category, he deserves late-round attention. His game fits the classic efficient big-man mold: high-percentage finishes, rim running, and the kind of role that doesn’t require the ball to be effective.
He won’t be a centerpiece. He doesn’t need to be. In the right build, and with a little health luck, he can quietly swing a category race.
Money, minutes, and motivation are converging for this 2023 class. Fantasy managers who read that landscape early won’t just find depth — they might find the next wave of league-winners before the rest of the room catches up.
