Since being selected third overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, Portland Trail Blazers point guard Scoot Henderson has been a subject of heated discussion. A semi-disastrous rookie season has given way to a sophomore year in which Henderson has improved radically in shooting percentage, taken his turnovers down slightly, and started to get teammates involved in the offense. 2025 Scoot is different than the 2023 version by a long shot.
We still don’t know how far Henderson will climb. He’s not starting yet. His contributions are still up and down. We just know he’s getting better and the situation seems far less hopeless right now than it did at the end of last season.
The Blazer’s Edge Mailbag usually contains at least one or two questions about Scoot at any given time. Having digested multiple dozens throughout the season, I want to turn the tables today and ask you, our readers, a question from me.
Given Scoot’s current production and trajectory, factoring in all that’s gone before, who would you rather the Blazers had taken with that third pick in 2023?
Here’s the link to the complete 2023 NBA Draft, first and second round. You can peruse the names yourself. Once you’ve done so, let us know in the comments section who you’d want Portland to take.
Obviously you can’t have Victor Wembanyama, because Spurs fans evidently sold their soul to some previously-unknown NBA devil and whenever there’s a generational center on the market, they’re going to get him throughout all the generations until the end of time amen. You can’t have Brandon Miller either. Anybody else is fair game.
With almost two years of hindsight now, was Scoot the right choice for Portland? Share your thoughts below in this ultra-rare reverse Mailbag. (Bonus points if you answer in your best Dave voice.)