Ranking the 5 best rebounders in the 2023 NBA Draft

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 17: Oscar Tshiebwe #34 of the Kentucky Wildcats protects the lane form Ed Croswell #5 of the Providence Friars during the first round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament game at Greensboro Coliseum on March 17, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

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KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – JANUARY 28: Julian Phillips #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers catches a rebound against the Texas Longhorns in the first half at Thompson-Boling Arena on January 28, 2023 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images) /

5. F Julian Phillips, Tennessee

Julian Phillips didn’t put up outrageous rebounding numbers during his lone season with the Tennessee Volunteers. He displayed a strong instinct for sniffing out missed shots, though, an intriguing attribute for a player not yet 20 years old.

In Knoxville, the 6-foot-7 freshman averaged 4.7 rebounds per game. He didn’t need to grab many boards, however, as Rick Barnes’ team had a few big men at its disposal to worry about swallowing up missed shots.

Phillips showed a propensity to crash the boards and comprehend where shots were headed when they rolled off the rim. Because of his athleticism and long wingspan, he’s able to fly around and grab those rebounds, sometimes outmaneuvering a bigger player in the key.

His ability to rebound could be a key to his future, since there’s still a lot of development that needs to happen on the offensive end. He has no misgivings about attacking the basket, but his jumper leaves plenty to be desired.

Due to some of his shortcomings, Phillips serves the role of a high-energy, athletic defender and rebounder, but one who won’t be selected in the first round, in all likelihood. He projects more as someone who would be selected in the middle of the second round – just like Jokic.