None and done: 4 of the top 5 NBA draft picks didn’t play in NCAA

For the firsttime since 2001, four of the top five picks in the NBA draft didnot play college basketball in the United States.

No. 1 pickVictor Wembanyama will join the San Antonio Spurs after havingplayed in France’s top league.

The thirdpick, Scoot Henderson, went to the Portland Trail Blazers after twoseasons with the G League Ignite. Last season, he averaged 17.6points, 6.6 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 25 games, including a 28-point outburst in a preseason game against Wembanyama’sMetropolitans 92 squad.

The next twopicks, twins Amen and Ausar Thompson, played for Overtime Elite, anAtlanta-based pro league for 16- to 20-year-olds. Amen Thompsonwent to the Houston Rockets, while Ausar went to the DetroitPistons.

“When you seesomebody elite, you know it,” Pistons general manager Troy Weaversaid. “I think Halle Berry is pretty in church or in the grocerystore. So I think that you can kind of figure it out when you seesomething pretty special.”

The picksshowed the increasing viability of overseas and domestic minorleagues as paths to the NBA. Henderson said his time in the GLeague made him the most prepared player in the draft.

“We playagainst pros every night and guys that killed college, guys thatkilled overseas, guys that are going up and down in the league,coming down just to play against us, to show that they can dominatedraft picks or whatever the case may be,” he said.

The onlytop-five pick who played in college was Brandon Miller, aone-and-done player out of Alabama who went to the CharlotteHornets at No. 2.

Wembanyamaplayed the past three seasons in France’s Pro A. Last season, heled the league in scoring, rebounding and blocks. He was theyoungest regular-season MVP in league history and its defensiveplayer of the year.

“Can’t reallydescribe it,” he said. “Still fresh. Best thing in my life, youknow. Best night of my life. Dreaming about this for so long. It’sa dream come true. It’s incredible.”

Miller was afirst-team Associated Press All-American, averaging 18.8 points,8.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

The Thompsontwins led the City Reapers to the Overtime Elite championship lastseason. Ausar was the regular-season and Finals MVP while Amen wasan all-league first-team pick and posted a league-best 9.2 assistsper game during the Overtime Elite playoffs.