Scoot Henderson, the projected No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, will not play the final five games of G League Ignite’s season, a league official told ESPN.
The initiative to shut down Henderson comes from G League executives who feel Henderson has shown enough with his play this season. The 19-year old point guard averaged 17.6 points, 6.4 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 30 minutes per game.
Ignite has an 11-16 record this season and is currently in tenth place in the Western Conference and four games out of the G League playoffs, making it unlikely the team can qualify with just five games remaining. Henderson did not play in Ignite’s last game March 12 against the Texas Legends, a game the team won 99-82.
He played 25 of a possible 50 games for Ignite this season as part of G League competition, including the Showcase Cup leading into the G League Winter Showcase in December.
Henderson missed significant time with a nasal fracture and two separate concussions as well as an ankle injury he suffered in late January.
Once considered the consensus No. 2 pick, Henderson’s sometimes uneven play and absences have opened the door for Alabama wing Brandon Miller, currently the projected No. 3 pick, to potentially overtake him on draft night. Alabama is the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament with Miller winning SEC player of the year honors and being a likely first-team All-American after an outstanding freshman season.
The NBA Draft lottery will be conducted on May 16 and will play a significant role in determining how the top-3 of the draft ultimately shakes out.