The 2023 draft class’s rookie-extension window shut on October 19, and seven first-round picks had agreed to five-year deals by then. Added up from the reported totals, that is about $1.23 billion in new money.
Ranked by value, the list reads almost like the draft order. Almost.
The Seven, Ranked
| Rank | Player | Team | Pick | Total | Per year* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victor Wembanyama | Spurs | 1 | $252M | $50.4M |
| 2 | Brandon Miller | Hornets | 2 | $209M | $41.8M |
| 3 | Amen Thompson | Rockets | 4 | $208M | $41.6M |
| 4 | Keyonte George | Jazz | 16 | $157.5M | $31.5M |
| 5 | Ausar Thompson | Pistons | 5 | $155M | $31.0M |
| 6 | Cason Wallace | Thunder | 10 | $139M | $27.8M |
| 7 | Brandin Podziemski | Warriors | 19 | $110M | $22.0M |
*Total divided by five years; our arithmetic, not a reported salary. Totals are as reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania and relayed by the outlets below. Teams generally confirmed deals without terms.
The Top Three
Victor Wembanyama’s $252 million was announced by the Spurs on July 10. It is the 25% tier, and ESPN reported he passed on a 30% version worth up to $303 million. Our Wembanyama profile has the detail. One outlier: a Bleacher Report live blog lists $255.2 million without attribution; we go with the team and ESPN figure.
Brandon Miller’s $209 million came on deadline day, October 19, and sits $1 million above Amen Thompson’s. Per the Associated Press and ABC affiliates, Amen’s $208 million deal, announced September 3, includes a 10% trade kicker and runs through 2032. Read more in our Brandon Miller piece.
The Pick-Order Scramble
Below the top three, the money stops following the draft.
Keyonte George (No. 16) agreed on September 18 to $157.5 million, per ESPN’s reporting as relayed by NBC Sports, KUTV and the Deseret News. That is more than Ausar Thompson (No. 5), who agreed to $155 million the same day. One caveat from the Deseret-cited reporting: NBA insider Jake Fischer puts George’s figure, excluding incentives, at $155 million. On that reading the two tie.
Ausar’s deal is the one NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin calls a bet on his offense: an elite defender who shot 25% from three. George, by contrast, averaged 23.6 points a game in 54 games last season, per KUTV. Teams are paying for different things, and neither is paying for draft slot. See the Ausar Thompson profile.
Cason Wallace (No. 10) agreed to $139 million on Sunday, October 18, per ESPN, reported by NBA.com, News9 and Bleacher Report. The Thunder’s own announcement called it a “Multi-Year Contract Extension” without terms. NBA.com notes he led the league in total steals, made the 2026 All-Defensive Second Team, and now starts next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after Lu Dort’s trade. He averaged 8.6 points a game, per NBA.com, and still gets about 88% of George’s deal.
Brandin Podziemski (No. 19) took the smallest figure at $110 million, agreed October 10 per ESPN, nine days before his deadline. ClutchPoints had reported the sides were still apart on annual value in the run-up. Our Podziemski profile has the negotiation.
What the Deadline Means
A player who doesn’t sign by October 19 plays 2026-27 on the final year of his rookie deal and becomes a restricted free agent next summer: his team can match any offer sheet. Coverage ahead of the deadline named several eligible players, including Anthony Black and Scoot Henderson, as unlikely to sign. We did not verify a final post-deadline list, so we don’t rank anyone outside the seven.
What We Don’t Know
These are reported totals. Option, trade-kicker and incentive details differ by deal and were not all in the reports we opened. For how the cap and max tiers shape these numbers, see our 2026-27 salary cap explainer, and for where they sit against other leagues, the 2026 Sports Contracts Tracker.
The Bottom Line
The market priced this class on role and availability, not pedigree: a No. 16 pick edged a No. 5, and a No. 10 who scores 8.6 a game got $139 million. The top is still the top. Everything beneath Wembanyama is a negotiation.
More from Absolute Baller:
- Payton Pritchard’s $44.2M Celtics Extension, Explained
- NBA Salary Cap 2026-27 Explained
- Nikola Jokić Turned Down $278M — He Wants $359.5M Instead
Frequently Asked
Which 2023 draftees have signed rookie-scale extensions?
Seven that we could confirm: Victor Wembanyama ($252M, Spurs), Brandon Miller ($209M, Hornets), Amen Thompson ($208M, Rockets), Keyonte George ($157.5M, Jazz), Ausar Thompson ($155M, Pistons), Cason Wallace ($139M, Thunder) and Brandin Podziemski ($110M, Warriors). All are five-year deals as reported by ESPN's Shams Charania. We did not verify a complete list of everyone eligible, so other deals may exist.
What was the rookie-extension deadline?
October 19, 2026, the day before the regular season opens, per coverage from Bleacher Report and Hoops Rumors. A player who doesn't sign plays 2026-27 on his rookie contract and becomes a restricted free agent in the summer of 2027.
Why did Keyonte George, the No. 16 pick, get more than Ausar Thompson, the No. 5 pick?
Neither team has explained it. Reports put George's deal at $157.5M, though NBA insider Jake Fischer puts the figure excluding incentives at $155M, which would tie Ausar. NBC Sports' Kurt Helin calls Ausar's $155M a bet on his offense, and George averaged 23.6 points per game last season, per reports.
Did Victor Wembanyama take the most he could?
No. ESPN's Shams Charania reported he chose the 25%-of-cap tier rather than a 30% tier that could have paid up to $303M, a choice that leaves the Spurs more cap room. See our Wembanyama profile for the detail.