NEW YORK CITY — NBA Draft prospects are gathering in New York City this week, eagerly anticipating when they will hear their names called by Commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday night at the Barclays Center.

One player, French sensation Victor Wembanyama, has little doubt when he will be selected or the team for which he will play. The big man with the 7-foot-3 frame has been featured on TV in the United States this year, showcasing his perimeter and ball-handling skills to go along with the ability to block shots and deflect passes. When San Antonio won the NBA Draft Lottery last month, Wembanyama seemed like a natural fit for a team that already had developed All-Star big men David Robinson and Tim Duncan and had another Frenchman, point guard Tony Parker, on multiple NBA championship teams. Neither the Spurs nor Wembanyama have tried to hide their excitement for him to join the team.

After that, however, it's theoretically possible for the Magic to have the opportunity to select any other player in the draft because there still are debates going on in team war rooms even about who could be selected No. 2 or No. 3. However, Orlando would have to give up significant assets in terms of current roster players and/or draft picks if they want to move up to one of those picks.

The Magic have two selections — No. 6 and No. 11 — among this year's lottery picks, selections awarded to teams that did not make the playoffs in the season that just ended (though some of them were in the play-in round). The 11th pick belonged to the Bulls, but it moved to Orlando when Chicago did not receive one of the first four picks in last month's Draft Lottery as part of the trade that sent Nikola Vucevic to Chicago in 2021. 

Orlando's team leadership is notoriously tight-lipped — so secretive that no one knew until the day of last year's draft that they would take forward Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick. It's no different this year. They have not provided NBA pundits with any clues about whether they will make both those selections or trade one or both of them, much less who they might choose to add to their roster in this year's draft.

Since they have a fully stocked roster, that doesn't provide any clues either, and with a pick so high at No. 6, they could just choose the best player available from their draft board. However, team leaders conceded after they finished the 2022-23 season that the team needed to get better at shooting so finding a specialist in the draft to help is a possibility.

The pick(s) almost certainly will come from the list of players invited to the NBA Green Room for the draft. The league invites 25 players to a room to gather at the draft site with family and friends. The invite list is compiled after NBA general managers and presidents vote for the players they most expect to be among the top players selected. According to multiple published reports, those 25 players this year are, in no particular order: Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, Brandon Miller, Amen and Ausar Thompson, Cameron Whitmore, Jarace Walker, Anthony Black, Taylor Hendricks, Gradey Dick, Bilal Coulibaly, Cason Wallace, Nick Smith Jr., Dereck Lively II, Kobe Bufkin, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jett Howard, Jordan Hawkins, Keyonte George, Noah Clowney, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kris Murray, Olivier Maxence-Prosper, Brandin Podziemski and Rayan Rupert.

Only Murray, whose brother Keegan was drafted No. 4 by the Sacramento Kings last year, declined the invitation. Murray said he would spend the night at home with his family.

Here are profiles of most of these top prospects, grouped by position.

GUARDS

Scoot Henderson

• Previous Team: G League Ignite
• Strengths: The 19-year-old from Georgia has athleticism that jumps out immediately, drawing comparisons to former MVP Russell Westbrook, after spending two years with the G League Ignite program. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Henderson forcefully attacks the paint, making him capable of highlight-reel finishes or pulling up off the dribble. He has an aggressive edge as a playmaker and in transition and offers potential to disrupt defensively with deflections and activity.
• Concerns: Few, considering he’s been long mentioned possibly to go 1-2 behind Wembanyama. Shot selection could improve, along with his outside stroke after he hit 27.5% of his 3-pointers in 19 regular-season games last year.

Amen Thompson

• Previous Team: Overtime Elite
• Strengths: The 20-year-old boasts explosive athleticism and is the older twin brother by 1 minute. He skipped college basketball and went to Overtime Elite to concentrate on developing his basketball skills. He measured about 6 feet 6 and weighed about 215 pounds at the NBA Combine. He has a smooth game with a quick first step, the ability to finish at the rim and often-tenacious defense. He is a more developed passer and playmaker than his brother. He averaged 17.2 points, 9.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the Overtime Elite playoffs to lead the City Reapers to the championship. 
• Concerns: He is still working on his 3-point shot. When he joins his NBA team, he will be truly separated from his brother for the first time in their basketball careers. Their father, Troy, said about the twins: “Wherever they have a deficit, they will work tirelessly to try to get it right, or fix it. Almost to a perfectionist point, which I wish they could pull back a little bit sometimes.”

Ausar Thompson

• Previous Team: Overtime Elite
• Strengths: The 20-year-old has many of the same skills as his brother Amen but projects as more of a combo guard. Ausar also measured about 6 feet 6 at the NBA Combine but was slightly heavier at about 219 pounds. Ausar had a slightly longer standing reach at 8 feet, 8 inches, and both had a wingspan of 7 feet. In the Overtime Elite playoffs, he averaged 21 points, 4.8 assists and 5.2 rebounds and won MVP. 
• Concerns: He averaged just 29.8% shooting from 3-point range. Like brother Amen, he will have to adjust to playing without the “twin telepathy” he and his brother share when they play together that they say helps them play so well.

Anthony Black

• Previous Team: Arkansas
• Strengths: Black was a top-15 national recruit. The 19-year-old started all 36 games for Arkansas. He’s a playmaker with size, measuring nearly 6-6 without shoes and 210 pounds at the NBA Combine. He averaged 12.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals while playing a Southeastern Conference-high 34.8 minutes to contribute in multiple areas as a lottery prospect.
• Concerns: The freshman made 30.1% of 3-pointers and 70.5% of free throws, areas to improve ahead of taking on significant ball-handling duties as a creator.

Cason Wallace

• Previous Team: Kentucky
• Strengths: The No. 5 overall recruit for last year’s incoming freshman class is a combo guard with two-way potential. The 6-2, 195-pounder is Kentucky’s latest one-and-done prospect, standing out by disrupting defensively and harassing ballhandlers. He showed that in three nonconference games against marquee programs: he tied a program record with eight steals against Michigan State, had four against Gonzaga and five against Kansas. Wallace, 19, also finished with a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover margin to highlight playmaking skills.
• Concerns: There aren’t glaring holes to his game. It would help to improve on 34.6% shooting from 3-point range, and he doesn’t possess game-breaking athleticism.

Jordan Hawkins

• Previous Team: Connecticut
• Strengths: The 6-4 sophomore helped Connecticut win the program’s fifth NCAA championship. He’s adept in catch-and-shoot, pull-up and off-screen situations, shooting 38.8% from behind the arc — including 21 of 42 3s (.500) during the six-game title run. The 21-year-old also made 88.7% of his free throws, showing a touch that could land him late in the lottery.
• Concerns: He’ll need more strength on a 186-pound frame to handle physical play. He's also not all that tall for a shooting guard. Roughly 60% of his baskets came from behind the arc, so it could help to develop more off-dribble production toward the rim, too.

Keyonte George

• Previous Team: Baylor
• Strengths: The 6-4 combo guard looked more likely to crack the lottery heading into the postseason after showing his scoring punch (15.3) as a Baylor freshman. His foul shooting (79.3%) offers optimism he can improve his 3-point percentage.
• Concerns: George shot just 33.8% from behind the arc. He also had more turnovers (96) than assists (91).

Nick Smith Jr.

• Previous Team: Arkansas
• Strengths: His scoring potential made him the No. 1-ranked recruit for 247sports heading into college and boosts his chances of moving up in the first round. Smith spent just one season in college.
• Concerns: He was limited by a knee injury at Arkansas. The 6-5, 185-pound guard averaged 12.5 points while missing 19 of 36 games.

Kobe Bufkin

• Previous Team: Michigan
• Strengths: The 6-4, 187-pound sophomore has been a riser toward the end of the workout circuitl He could develop to have an impact on both ends of the court. He made significant gains last year, including scoring (14 points per game, up from 3.0), 3-point shooting (35.5%, from 22.2%) and free-throw shooting (84.9%, from 77.3%).
• Concerns: He probably needs to add strength to take on NBA-level talent.

Jalen Hood-Schifino

• Previous Team: Indiana
• Strengths: He was the Big Ten freshman of the year, averaging 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He would bring size to the point guard position, measuring better than 6-4 without shoes and 217 pounds at the NBA Combine.
• Concerns: At times during the college season, he struggled against pressure from persistent guards.

Rayah Rupert

• Previous Team: New Zealand Breakers
• Strengths: At 6 feet 6 without shoes and 193 pounds, Rupert can play either the guard or forward position. He is a tenacious defender with a 7-2 wingspan. After breaking his right wrist early in the season, he used the time to improve his left-handed skills. 
• Concerns: The 19-year-old averaged 5.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Rupert shot 23% from 3-point range in 28 games played and acknowledges that he needs to improve his consistency from outside the arc. His overall field-goal percentage was just 35%.

FORWARDS

Brandon Miller

• Previous Team: Alabama
• Strengths: Miller, 20, went from McDonald’s All-American to AP First-Team All-American. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting 38.4% from 3-point range and 85.9% from the foul line. He also showed the ability to play off the dribble or attack the rim, along with quality play on the defensive end behind the length to chase multiple positions. It adds up to a mix of shooting, athleticism and size suited for today’s NBA game that demands versatility on the wing. He is challenging Scoot Henderson to be the No. 2 pick.
• Concerns: He needs bulk on a 200-pound frame to handle bumps and physical play at both ends. He faded late in the college season after dealing with a groin injury, including averaging 9.3 points on 8-for-41 shooting (19.5%) and going 3 for 19 from 3-point range in three NCAA Tournament games as the top-seeded Crimson Tide fell in the Sweet 16. Off the court, he has been mentioned in a murder case that led to former Tide player Darius Miles and another man being indicted on capital murder charges. A police investigator testified in February that Miles texted Miller to bring him his gun that night. Miller hasn’t been charged with wrongdoing and continued to play, but the ongoing case brought intense scrutiny through the second half of the season on Miller and the Alabama program.

Cameron Whitmore

• Previous Team: Villanova
• Strengths: The McDonald’s All-American got a late start to the season because of a thumb surgery, but became the Big East freshman of the year. Whitmore, who turns 19 in July, has an NBA-ready frame (roughly 6-6 without shoes, 235 pounds) and athleticism to attack off the dribble. He ranked tied for third at the NBA Combine in max vertical leap (40.5 inches). And he shot 37.3% on 3s after becoming a starter for the final 20 games.
• Concerns: He shot just 65.9% at the foul line as a starter and didn’t consistently create opportunities, having nearly as many games with no attempts (six) as those with three or more (seven).

Jarace Walker

• Previous Team: Houston
• Strengths: The McDonald’s All-American joined Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars program built on defense, rebounding and toughness — a formula typically better-suited to older players. Yet the 6-7 forward fit right in as a 250-pound presence. He measured with a 7-foot-2-plus wingspan at the NBA Combine, ranked tied for third in standing vertical leap (34.5 inches) and tied for ninth in max vertical leap (38.0). Walker, 19, is strong enough to tussle with bigger opponents and nimble enough to switch onto wings on defense.
• Concerns: Walker’s stroke is still developing. He shot 34.7% from 3-point range and just 66.3% from the foul line. 

Taylor Hendricks

• Previous Team: UCF
• Strengths: The four-star recruit did not enter the college basketball season as a top prospect for the draft. But he averaged 15.1 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 47.8% from the field and 78.2% from the line. Notably, he shot 39.4% from behind the arc and had only four games out of 33 in which he failed to hit a 3. Measuring slightly taller than 6-8 without shoes at the combine, Hendricks has athleticism and length (better than a 7-foot wingspan) that could help him become a two-way power forward for today’s floor-spaced game.
• Concerns: The 19-year-old needs to add strength to a slender 213-pound frame. He also faced an AP Top 25 opponent twice all season, offering only a glimpse of how he handles top competition.

Gradey Dick

• Previous Team: Kansas
• Strengths: The wing made 40.3% of 3-pointers as a potential lottery pick who can space the floor and is nimble enough to play some at guard. The 19-year-old measured at better than 6-6 without shoes at the NBA Combine. He moves well without the ball.
• Concerns: His minutes in the NBA could depend on how he holds up defensively, though some scouts have said he might just get targeted a lot, especially with a reputation as a shooter.

Bilal Coulibaly

• Previous Team: Metropolitans 92, France
• Strengths: Wembanyama’s teammate in France offers his own intriguing skillset. Still just 18, the athletic 6-8 wing has disruptive-defender potential. The 6-6 swingman uses his length effectively on both ends, slashing and finishing above the rim. He uses his 7-3 wingspan to harass ball handlers and shooters. Super athletic, makes smart cuts and can finish in traffic. Delivered some strong performances in the playoffs for Metropolitans 92 in the French league, boosting his stock in the draft.
• Concerns: Not a pure shooter. Even benefitting from extra space with Wembanyama on the floor, he shot just under 24% from 3-point range through nine playoff games — down from 36% during the regular season. Here’s what Wembanyama thinks: “By now, everyone knows he deserves to be top 10. But not enough realize he deserves to be top 5.”

Kris Murray

• Previous Team: Iowa
• Strengths: The twin brother to Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray more than doubled his scoring at Iowa last season (20.2 points per game, up from 9.7). The wing — who measured nearly 6-8 with a nearly 7-foot wingspan at the NBA Combine — turns 23 in August, hit 35% of his 3s over the past two seasons and could go in the back half of the first round. He led Iowa in points, rebounds, blocks, shot attempts, and 3-pointers per game on the way to an NCAA Tournament bid.
• Concerns: He doesn't score much on post-up plays so his offense is kind of one-dimensional. He is an older prospect at 22, but some teams might consider that a positive. He is a solid defender but is not a physical player.

BIGS (could be centers or power forwards)

Victor Wembanyana

• Previous Team: Metropolitans 92, France
• Strengths: An incomparable combination of skills and size have made the French star a generational prospect with can’t-miss expectations unseen since LeBron James. He can roam the perimeter, handle the ball and shoot off the dribble like a guard, but his length helps him score over defenders inside along with racking up blocks and deflections. And with San Antonio holding the top pick, he’ll soon be under the tutelage of a five-time NBA champion in Gregg Popovich. Among his countless highlights, one play from April stands out: the sight of Wembanyama missing an off-the-dribble stepback 3-pointer — only to fly in and tip dunk his own miss.
• Concerns: Essentially none. The 19-year-old could probably stand to add strength to handle physical defenders. Some detractors worry if he will be able to stand up physically to the grind of a long NBA season.

Dereck Lively II

• Previous Team: Duke
• Strengths: The lean 7-foot-1 freshman arrived at Duke as 247sports’ No. 2-ranked national recruit and came on in the season’s second half as a strong rim protector nimble enough to defend in open space. He ranked ninth nationally in blocked shots (2.41). The highlight came in a February win against rival North Carolina, when he dominated while scoring just four points thanks to 14 rebounds and eight blocks. Duke coach Jon Scheyer said Tuesday that Lively’s role “directly translates” as a modern big capable of handling defensive switches and being a lob threat.
• Concerns: The 19-year-old wasn’t a dominant rebounder despite his length (5.4 average, six double-digit outings in 34 games). His offensive game was limited beyond putbacks and alley-oops, including a scoreless game with no shot attempts in 36 minutes against a physical Tennessee team as Duke fell in the NCAA Tournament’s second round. Adding bulk to a 230-pound frame could help both areas.

Noah Clowney

• Previous Team: Alabama
• Strengths: The 6-10, 210-pound freshman became an every-game starter for an Alabama team that was the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAAs. Clowney, who turns 19 next month, averaged 9.9 points and offers potential as a rebounder (8.0) with the ability to step outside (eight games with multiple made 3s). That could help him land in the late first round.
• Concerns: His passing skills are not great and his assist-to-turnover ratio was poor in college. On defense, he fouls too often when the offensive player fakes, but this is not uncommon for young big men.

James Nnaji

• Previous Team: Barcelona, Spain
• Strengths: The 6-11 Nigerian center with a 7-5 wingspan is a rim protector and pick-and-roll lob threat for Barcelona, one of the best teams in Europe. The 249-pound Nnaji has averaged 9.3 minutes, 2.2 rebounds and 0.6 block per game over 53 games — with Barcelona in the Spanish league playoffs and facing Real Madrid in the finals.
• Concerns: Nnaji lacks shooting touch when defenders keep him away from the rim. Can be prone to turnovers — 0.8 per game in limited minutes — because of unrefined post moves. He’s shooting 51% from the free-throw line. He’s seen as a developmental prospect, but he turns 19 in August.