After weeks of speculation over a potential pre-draft trade, the Portland Trail Blazers stood pat and selected G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson with the third pick in the NBA draft Thursday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Leading up to the draft, Henderson and Alabama forward Brandon Miller went back and forth as the No. 2 prospects behind generational French big man Victor Wembanyama, who was taken No.
1 overall by the San Antonio Spurs. Ultimately, the Charlotte Hornets went with Miller with the second pick, leaving Portland to take Henderson, who will now join a burgeoning young core in Portland that includes last year's seventh overall pick, Shaedon Sharpe, and 24-year-old guard Anfernee Simons.
At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Henderson, 19, is the prototypical point guard prospect. He spent the past two seasons playing for the G League Ignite, the NBA's developmental team in the G League, averaging 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists across 19 regular-season games this past season.