The 2023 NBA Draft is tonight! Check out our NBA odds series as we give you a Kobe Bufkin draft position over/under prediction and pick.

Michigan basketball had a very tough season in 2022/2023, but Bufkin did his best to make it good. He averaged 14.0 points per game, 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season. He also got it done defensively as he recorded1.3 steals per game. Bufkin is almost automatic from the free throw line and shot over 35 percent from beyond the arc. Several young men see their dreams become a reality during the NBA draft and Kobe Bufkin will be one of them. The only question right now is where he will go in the draft.

Below we will give our Kobe Bufkin over/under draft position prediction and pick.

2023 NBA Draft odds, courtesy of FanDuel

Kobe Bufkin over/under draft position odds

Over 12.5: +140

Under 12.5: -188

Why Kobe Bufkin will be drafted 13th or later

Bufkin is very good player and he was a pivotal part of the Michigan team last season. However, he is definitely not one of the top-10 players in the draft. The first three picks are already locked in pretty much, and there are other people who will definitely go before him. Players like Cam Whitmore, Anthony Black, and Ausar Thompson are a players that should be drafted ahead of Bufkin. That does not leave many more teams for Bufkin to go to inside the top-12.

Looking at the possible teams that can take him, it is most likely he would fall somewhere 10th or later. Picks 10-12 are the Mavericks, Magic and Thunder. Now, trades are possible and happen all the time, but right now, none of those teams really need Bufkin. The Magic are a very young team with some potential in their backcourt. The Mavericks are a mess right, so who knows what they are going to do. The Thunder have Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, so if they take Bufkin it will be in a bench role. The teams that draft within the lottery want a player that will make an immediate impact. I am not saying Bufkin will not do that, but the Mavericks, Magic and Thunder might look elsewhere for that person.

Why Kobe Bufkin will be drafted 12th or better

Bufkin is an all-around type of player. He is solid on offense, both with his shooting and playmaking, and he can get it done on defense. Teams might want him to beef up a little bit, but that is the case with many rookies. Bufkin is not afraid to get after it on the boards, as well. A player like him is hard to find, he just needs to translate it to the NBA game. Nonetheless, a team is definitely going to take a chance on him.

As mentioned, it is most likely for Bufkin to fall in that 10-12 range. However, I can see a team as high as eight draft him. It would not be surprising to see the Mavericks trade out of the 10 spot, so the team that ends up drafting 10th can easily take Bufkin. As for the Magic, they need someone that will get it done on the perimeter and play some solid defense. Bufkin can be that guy for them. The Thunder are right on the cusp of being a playoff team. Giddey and SGA are a solid backcourt, but if Bufkin joins the team, he can give the Thunder valuable minutes of the bench.

He will not be the bench guy that just fills space, instead he has the possibility to be one of the better bench players in the NBA. His potential will get him drafted in the top-12 picks.

Final Kobe Bufkin over/under draft position prediction and pick

Bufkin is a good player. He could definitely drop to 13 or even 14/15. However, his potential and all-around style of play will not let that happen. I expect Bufkin to be drafted within the top-12. I would not be surprised to see him go in the top-10, either.

Final Kobe Bufkin over/under draft position prediction and pick: Under 12.5 (-188)