Three players from the American Athletic Conference were selected in the first round 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday, June 22.

Houston’s Jarace Walker and UCF’s Taylor Hendricks were selected eighth and ninth overall, making The American one of two conference to have multiple lottery picks. Walker was selected eighth to Washington (proposed trade to Indiana) and Hendricks was picked ninth to Utah. Houston’s Marcus Sasser was also drafted 25th overall by Memphis (proposed trade to Detroit). It was also the first time The American has had multiple lottery picks in the same draft and three first-round picks.

Walker, the 2023 American Freshman of the Year, averaged 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He was named to the NABC All-District 24 First Team and The American’s All-Conference Second Team. He was selected as the conference’s Freshman of the Week six times and was the CBS Sports/USBWA National Freshman of the Week twice. Walker is the 13th first-round draft pick in program history and Houston’s first top-10 selection since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984.

Hendricks, a second-team all-conference selection and unanimous all-freshman team honoree, averaged 15.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. He was name The American’s Freshman of the Week a record nine times. Hendricks becomes the Knights’ first lottery pick in program history and is first player to be drafted in the first round from UCF.

Sasser was named the 2023 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and winner of the Jerry West Award, which goes to the nation’s top shooting guard. Sasser was also a consensus All-American after earning first-team nods from the Associated Press, the United States Basketball Writers Association and the National Association of Basketball Coaches and second-team honors from Sporting News. Sasser led the Cougars with 16.8 points per game and was a unanimous all-conference first-team selection.