Mock draft roundup: Where Brown, Hodge are projected to be picked

A few of Missouri’s former players will hope to hear their names called on Thursday as the 2023 NBA Draft takes place in Brooklyn, N.Y. With just one day left before the Tigers officially make the leap up to the next level, here is where media outlets have them being selected in their most recent mock drafts (as of Tuesday):

Bleacher Report: Portland Trail Blazers — Round 2, No. 43 overall

CBS: Charlotte Hornets — Round 2, No. 34 overall

Draft Digest/SI.com: Denver Nuggets — Round 2, No. 40 overall

ESPN: Sacramento Kings — Round 2, No. 38 overall

NBADraft.net: Memphis Grizzlies — Round 2, No. 56 overall

NoCeilings.com: Los Angeles Lakers — Round 2, No. 47 overall

The Athletic: Sacramento Kings — Round 2, No. 28 overall

The Ringer: Sacramento Kings — Round 2, No. 54

USA Today FTW: Memphis Grizzlies — Round 1, No. 25 overall

Yahoo: Memphis Grizzlies — Round 2, No. 45 overall

Brown’s draft range mostly seems to be in the early second round, with a small chance to sneak into the 20s or slip into the 50s. It makes sense, given Brown’s ability to dribble, pass and shoot at a high level as a forward — he connected on 59.8% of his 2-pointers, 45.5% of his 3s and accounted for 16.8% of Mizzou’s assists while he was on the floor according to KenPom. Those types of numbers would likely make the Huntsville, Ala. native a lock to go in the first round if he was any younger. However, given that he’s 23 years old, most NBA general managers will consider him to have less upside than some of the teenagers looking to turn pro.

There has also been some uncertainty regarding what position Brown would play in the NBA given his size. Brown measured in at just above 6-foot-6 without shoes and 252.2 pounds at the draft combine last month but quelled some concerns about his lack of height with a standing reach above 8-foot-10.

Still, all signs point to Brown getting picked at some point on Thursday, which would be a remarkable feat as a former unranked three-star prospect coming out of high school. Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Tuesday that Brown’s worked out for a dozen teams, including the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs. Brown could end up becoming the first player from Mizzou to be drafted since Michael Porter Jr. was chosen by the Denver Nuggets with the No. 14 pick in 2018.

The general consensus on Hodge is that he won’t be drafted. At 24 years old, he isn’t considered to have all that high of a ceiling. But that doesn’t mean the British Virgin Islander won’t end up on an NBA roster. Most outlets have him ranked not too far outside the top 58 in their lists of the draft’s best prospects.

Bleacher Report: N/A

CBS: 75

ESPN: 83

Draft Digest/SI.com: N/A

NBADraft.net: 88

NoCeilings.com: 53

The Athletic: 82

The Ringer: N/A

USA Today FTW: N/A

Yahoo: 83

Hodge will appeal to teams looking for gunners from outside and active hands on defense. The 6-foot-4 guard sank 40% of his treys for the Tigers last season and picked up a steal on 7.5% of possessions, which ranked 17th in the nation per KenPom. The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, which goes into effect on July 1, also allows teams to carry three players on two-way contracts — deals that let the players split their time between the NBA and G League — instead of just two. Another option is that Hodge could end up joining a team’s Summer League squad and/or earn an invite to a training camp.

Whether he’s drafted or not on Thursday, Hodge has multiple paths to prove he belongs in the big leagues.