2023 NBA draft -- Player comps for all 14 projected lottery picks - ESPN

The idea of prospect comparisons ahead of the 2023 NBA draft is always a controversial flawed exercise: few players ever reach the high end of their ceiling, and those who bust tend to have floors well below even what modest expectations can be set. Yet, NBA executives and talent evaluators make them yearly anyway as they attempt to contextualize why a prospect may or may not succeed in the league.

Comparisons are useful for just that: providing context, if done responsibly. Comps can help us understand what type of role a player might fill, what type of impact he might have, and what the downside could be if he doesn't pan out as hoped. There are very few easy one-to-one through lines, but the thought process can still be helpful nonetheless.

With that modest goal in mind and as Thursday's draft (8 p.m. ET, ESPN, ABC and ESPN the App) draws near, draft expert Jeremy Woo came up with high-end and low-end comparisons for each prospect currently projected in the lottery of our last mock draft.

High-end comp: Kevin Durant on offense, Kevin Garnett on defense

Low-end comp: Taller Anthony Davis

The sky's the limit for Wembanyama, who has truly earned his lofty, all-time prospect status. The unique nature of his frame and skill set makes it difficult to draw comparisons, but the potential for him to become a supersized shot creator (Durant) who is also a game-wrecking interior defender (Garnett) is where the excitement lies. Plus, Wembanyama doesn't have to quite reach the heights of either player in order to be a perennial All-Star.

As far as the realistic downside, I think it's more attached to Wembanyama's capacity to stay healthy than any chance his basketball talent fails him. That line of thought is how I landed on