Scoot Henderson is currently preparing for the biggest day of his life as the 2023 NBA Draft takes place on Thursday night at the Barclays Center in New York City. Rumors have pinpointed Henderson for either the No. 2 or No. 3 pick, landing with the Charlotte Hornets and the former or the Portland Trailblazers and the latter. Brandon Miller was picking up steam to go No. 2 to the Hornets over the last week leading up to the NBA Draft, however Henderson is receiving a late surge in momentum to now be the second overall pick. It is pretty much a done deal that Victor Wembanyama will go No.1 overall to the San Antonio Spurs, so Henderson is fighting for No. 2 as the earliest possible selection. If he goes No. 2 or No. 3, Scoot Henderson is projecting to be a very exciting player that should make an immediate impact in the NBA. So what type of player is that? His player comparisons of Collin Sexton and Russell Westbrook should indicate what either the Hornets, Blazers, or whichever team that lands him should expect.

Scoot Henderson has been well know by avid NBA fans for a few years for his freakish size and athleticism at the point guard position while rising up the ranks of young prospects. He spent last year with the G-League Ignite, averaging 16.5 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.3 rebounds over 19 games. It is clear that he is projecting to be a stat-sheet stuffer, which makes the comparison of Russell Westbrook a no-brainer. However, he also plays with a ton of energy and ferocity on the defensive end, with the effort he displays very similar to Collin Sexton. Overall, Scoot Henderson will be trying to carve out his own image in the NBA like the rest of the prospects in this draft, but there is no harm in giving him some player comparisons for the fans' sake from his eventual new team. So without further ado, here is why Scoot Henderson's player comparisons are Russell Westbrook and Collin Sexton.

*Stats via ESPN

Russell Westbrook

Over the course of his career, Russell Westbrook is averaging 22.4 points, 8. 4 assists and 7.3 rebounds. Of course, this includes the four seasons in his career where he averaged a triple-double, one of those leading to an MVP award in the 2016-2017 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. For Scoot Henderson, a player comparison to a former league MVP is definitely something that should flatter him. However, it isn't just the ability to fill up the stat sheet and being a triple-double threat that makes these two players so similar. Overall, it is the way these two guys attack on offense and use their size and athleticism to dominate defenders.

Like Russell Westbrook, Scoot Henderson loves to get out on the run and force the issue into the paint where he has the advantage over opposing guards. It will often happen where Henderson grabs the board or gets a quick outlet on defense and within a moment is attacking the opposite rim. Furthermore, this doesn't just stop in the fast break, but he is very decisive in the half court offense. Often Henderson will get the ball at the top of the perimeter and make one dribble move and accelerate into his drive, forcing the defense to stop him until he gets to the rim. The way both Scoot Henderson and Russell Westbrook play is a nuisance for opposing defenses, as they can't take one possession off or they risk an easy drive for either player. Watching Henderson play and the comparison to Westbrook becomes pretty apparent.

Collin Sexton

Collin Sexton is also a similar player to Russell Westbrook, but there are a few traits that make him stand out in comparison with Scoot Henderson that differ slightly from Westbrook. The first is his shooting ability, as Henderson figures to better from beyond the arc than Westbrook and more similar to Sexton. Nevertheless, checking Henderson's mark from the three-point line with the Ignite and one would beg to differ with his 27.5% shooting from long range. However, 19 games is a small sample size, and in general he has a much smoother-looking shot than Westbrook that mimics Sexton's. Over the course of his career, Westbrook is a 30.5% shooter from three, while Collin Sexton is a 38.0% three-point shooter through five seasons; Scoot Henderson projects to be much more similar to Sexton than to Westbrook. Putting Sexton and Henderson's shot side-by-side and the similarity in their mechanics does not go unnoticed.

As well as the shooting similarities, Henderson and Sexton display a similar type of defensive effort. While Russell Westbrook is a riskier defender that tries to force turnovers, he also makes plenty of mistakes in the meantime. On the other hand, Sexton has made a name for playing sound, ferocious on-ball defense every possession, straying from taking risks in order to be a fundamentally tenacious defender. Henderson plays a similar brand of man defense, and many will see the tendencies akin to Sexton on the defensive end of the floor. In the end, both Collin Sexton and Russell Westbrook are solid player comparisons for Scoot Henderson. Tune into the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday night to see who makes Scoot Henderson the point guard of their future.