Noah Clowney's draft prediction: What number will the Crimson Tide big go at the 2023 NBA draft?

Noah Clowney will be 18 years old when he joins other prospects at the Barclays Center on June 22 for the NBA draft. An Alabama freshman last season, Clowney played second fiddle to top prospect Brandon Miller yet still managed to forge a path of his own and give himself a real shot at going in the first round.

The 6-foot-10, 210-pound forward had a mixed bag of a first – and only – season with the Crimson Tide but showed potential that will be hard to overlook. He seemed a little flushed at times in the early parts of the 2022-2023 NCAA season, but slowly found his groove as he went on.

Clowney's stats are not flashy, with the forward averaging 9.8 points and 7.9 rebounds, but modern basketball has changed. Bigs who can defend and shoot are a hot commodity, and he can do both. Oh, and he's also athletic.

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How high can Noah Clowney go in the NBA draft?

The versatility of modern bigs like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid has cultivated a new vision of a big man in the league today – a vision that seems to be a far cry from the grit-and-grind of the big men of old.

Clownley's upside is potentially one of the largest (and overlooked) in this year's NBA draft class. And it's precisely because of that versatility on the floor that he may go in the first round.

His ability to play both ways down the stretch gives him an edge over more one-dimensional players. He can space the floor well, he's a good rim protector, and he commands respect from behind the arc. Although his long-range game needs work, he's not lacking in confidence. A player who will back himself and keep on shooting is a player any coach loves to have.

Entering college, Clowney, a four-star recruit, wasn't the biggest name out there. Throughout his freshman year, however, he showed that he's got what it takes to play at the next level.

There are always question marks around one-and-done players, but the 18-year-old will be looking to build his legacy beginning with the NBA draft. He's got a long way to go, but there's no doubt that Noah Clowney is willing to put in the work.