Best Available List – – – Final 2026 Mock Draft – – – Final Big Board
| Pick | Team | Instant Analysis – 6/23/26 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wizards | AJ Dybantsa – 6-9 – BYU – As expected the Wizards go with AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick. This team is now poised to make some noise, with a young star wing to go along with veterans AD and Trae. This is a team on the rise with a handful of young prospects, including Alex Sarr, who are developing into very good rotation pieces. The addition of Dybantsa gives them the high intensity, rim-pressuring wing that they need to challenge for the playoffs in the East. Will they regret passing on DP or Cam? Maybe. But this is the right choice for a team that really needs to hit on this pick. |
| 2 | Jazz | Darryn Peterson – 6-5 – Kansas – The Jazz get the ultra-talented guard from Kansas, giving the team a potential superstar to help lead them to the promised land. There were some orange flags that came up this past season but there’s no doubt about his talent. He’s an elite shooter who has the potential to be one of the leading scorers in the league. A great addition to a team that is now on the rise. |
| 3 | Grizzlies | Cameron Boozer – 6-9 – Duke – The Grizzlies get the most polished and steady prospect in the draft in Cam Boozer. He’s an elite talent who processes the game at a very high level and can do it all on the court and impacts all aspects of the game. He’s not a great above the rim athlete but he’s incredibly strong and smart and effective. I love the fit next to the massive Zach Edey, giving the Grizzlies a hugely powerful frontcourt that can match up with anyone. |
| 4 | Bulls | Caleb Wilson – 6-10 – North Carolina – From a pure talent standpoint there might not be any prospect in this class with the abilities and upside of Caleb Wilson. The Bulls add an awesome addition to the frontcourt and now have some really nice building blocks in place with Buzelis, Giddey, Noa and co. They might not be a great team next season but they have the pieces in place to build something special. So far the draft is going as expected. Will we see some fireworks soon?? |
| 5 | Clippers | Keaton Wagler – 6-6 – Illinois – What an incredible story of rising from obscurity to being the no.5 pick in the NBA Draft! Wagler is a unique talent with his herky-jerky style of play and ability to get to his spots and hit shots. He joins a team that is looking to win now and he’ll get a chance to play a meaningful role next season. I had him a few spots lower on my board but there’s no doubt that he’s a top 10 talent with big time upside. And just a reminder, the Pacers owned this pick until a trade at the deadline sent it to the Clippers. That’s gotta hurt for Pacers fans. |
| 6 | Nets | Mikel Brown Jr. – 6-5 – Louisville – Brown Jr. is right up there with Peterson as the most dynamic guard in the draft. He’s a special talent who can score the ball in bunches and has awesome passing vision. I think he’s going to be a stud for the Nets and will have some monster games as a rookie. They get a big time talent to add to an interesting young core and their handful of high scoring veterans. Great pick! |
| 7 | Kings | Darius Acuff Jr. – 6-2 – Arkansas – This is the perfect fit for the Kings. They get a guard who can be the face of the franchise, have the ball in his hands a lot and take over games. He’s a special talent who would be a top 5 pick in most drafts. He’s not the biggest guy and isn’t a high flying athlete but he’s incredible at getting to the rim and can light it up. This is going to be fun. |
| 8 | Hawks | Kingston Flemings – 6-4 – Houston – There are few players in the league, let alone in this draft, that are as quick and explosive as Kingston Flemings. He’s the type of rare athlete that can change the game in an instant. He’s also developing into a more complete guard who can find teammates off the bounce and hit shots from deep. He’s the type of talent that would be a top 5 pick in most drafts. |
| 9 | Mavericks | Morez Johnson Jr. – 6-10 – Michigan – The first pick that is a bit of surprise, Johnson Jr. rises all the way up through the first round into the top 10, where he’ll be reunited with his college coach in Dallas. He’s a special defender who gets after it all over the floor and can bang in the paint with anyone. He’s not the most flashy player but he’s a big impact guy. Interesting pick for the Mavs, who passed on a lot of talented guards and forwards to get the burly big man from Michigan. Morez and Cooper Flagg playing defense next to each other is a scary thought. |
| 10 | Bucks | Brayden Burries – 6-4 – Arizona – Yet another outstanding guard who should be able to come in and make a difference from the jump. He’s good on or off the ball and has the size to guard multiple positions. He’s not the flashiest player but is a bucket-getter who competes at a high level. A solid addition to the rebuilding Bucks, who have another pick coming up soon. |
| 11 | Warriors | Yaxel Lendeborg – 6-9 – Michigan – The Warriors go with the older player who theoretically is a win-now guy. He’s a big time talent who can do a bit of everything with the ball in his hands. There’s not a great history of older draft picks living up to expectations but the Warriors believe that Yaxel can buck the trend and be a big time talent. Does the team have one more run in them? We’ll see. |
| 12 | Thunder | Aday Mara – 7-3 – Michigan (Spain) – The massive man from Michigan, the spacious Spaniard, goes to the Thunder where he’ll help anchor the defense and help the Thunder match up with Wemby in the playoffs. This is a team that could afford to swing for the fences here. He won’t need to play 35 minutes a night and can come in a be a match up nightmare. This is going to be fun to watch. |
| 13 | Bucks | Nate Ament – 6-10 – Tennessee – An enigma with awesome offensive talent, Ament had a mixed season at Tennessee but has as much upside as any prospect in this range of the draft. He’s got a picture perfect shooting stroke and has a chance to become a lethal floor spacer. The Bucks are in rebuilding mode and can afford to let him figure it out. They’ve had a nice draft so far with Burries and Ament. The lose of Giannis is tough but the future is starting to look up for the franchise. |
| 14 | Hornets | Hannes Steinbach – 6-11 – Washington (Germany) – The Hornets get a high energy big man who has great hands, is a physical player in the post and changes ends exceptionally well. He has a chance to be one of the better rebounders in the league and is the type of player who has a big impact on the game even when he’s not scoring the ball. I’m such a hugh Hannes fan and think he’ll be awesome in Charlotte. Great pick. |
| 15 | Bulls | Dailyn Swain – 6-8 – Texas – The Bulls get a high energy wing who excels at defending all over the court and running the floor. He’s a guy I had a bit lower on my board but still think this is a solid pick for the Bulls, as most of the prospects in this range grade out about the same. He joins Caleb Wilson in an exciting draft for the Bulls. |
| 16 | Thunder | Bennett Stirtz – 6-4 – Iowa – The Thunder trade up one spot to make this pick, giving up no.17 and two second rounders. Stirtz should be able to step in and contribute right away, even on a very deep and talented Thunder team. He’s great with the ball in his hands and can space the floor as well. He’s not an elite athlete but has decent size and a shot that is NBA ready. |
| 17 | Pistons | Ebuka Okorie – 6-2 – Stanford – The Pistons trade up to draft the high scoring guard who excels with the ball in his hands. Okorie flew up draft boards throughout the season and now lands in the mid first round. He’s really crafty with the ball in his hands and is a lethal shooter. I had other prospects rated higher but Okorie is the pick and he’ll have a chance to be a difference maker in Detroit. |
| 18 | Hornets | Christian Anderson – 6-2 – Texas Tech – The Hornets get help at the guard position with a guy who can run the show or play off the ball and space the floor. He’s a bit time shot maker who can really light it up from downtown. |
| 19 | Raptors | Allen Graves – 6-9 – Santa Clara – An unheralded player who was incredibly efficient last year at Santa Clara. He’s a really smart player who is an ideal role player type. A great shooter who can space the floor. There’s as lot of talent on the board and the Raptors go with a versatile all around player who should step in and find a role. |
| 20 | Spurs | Jayden Quaintance – 6-10 – Kentucky – The Spurs get an elite defender who would have been a lottery pick if he was healthy this season. I thought he might fall a bit further because of the injury history but this is great landing spot for him. His physical play and elite defense will be very useful for the Spurs come playoff time. |
| 21 | Grizzlies | Karim Lopez – 6-8 – NZ Breakers, NBL (Mexico) – I love this pick. I think when we look back on this draft in 5 or 10 years this pick will look like an absolute steal. Lopez is a tough and physical forward who already has grown man strength to go along with a ton of natural talent. Putting this type of player next to Edey and Boozer is going to be really interesting. There might not be a more physical front line in the league. Really cool to see Lopez land in Memphis. |
| 22 | 76ers | Labaron Philon – 6-3 – Alabama – Philon is a lottery talent who somehow falls to no.22 and the 76ers. He should come in and provide great guard depth for this talented backcourt that includes Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. This might not have been the teams biggest area of need but the talent with Philon was just too much to pass up. Great pick. |
| 23 | Hawks | Zuby Ejiofor – 6-9 – St. John’s – The Hawks get a high energy forward who projects as a role player who will do all the dirty work and give great effort all over the court. I had a few guys rated higher but I can’t argue with this pick. Guys like Zuby who play super hard and have great physical tools tend to make it. |
| 24 | Lakers | Cameron Carr – 6-6 – Baylor – Carr finally goes off the board and the Lakers got a good one. I think he’s going to thrive in the league with his awesome 3pt shooting and his high end athleticism. He’s super long and a great above the rim player. I’m kind of shocked that he lasted this long. Teams are going to regret passing on him. |
| 25 | Mavericks | Sergio de Larrea – 6-6 – Spain – A big guard who can handle the rock and hit open shots. He has a lot of experience at the pro level and should be a solid role player for the Mavs, in time. |
| 26 | Spurs | Tarris Reed Jr. – C – UConn – The Spurs get a tough enforcer type of big man who is a guy who can contribute right away. He’s not flashy at all but is a bull on the block who will throw his weight around and loves to bang in the paint. A solid player for a contending team. |
| 27 | Celtics | Chris Cenac Jr. – 6-10 – Houston – Cenac Jr. fell more than expected and will be a steal for the Celtics. He’s a developmental player but his upside is really high and when we look back on this draft this pick will look like a steal. I’m not sure how much he’ll contribute in year one but he’s got a chance to grow into a big time player in Boston. |
| 28 | Nets | Joshua Jefferson – 6-9 – Iowa State – A senior rises up to the first round, getting picked a bit higher than I expected but a solid pick here for the Nets. He’s a really smart player who can dribble, pass and shoot. He’s a play-making big forward with an advanced feel for the game, who should fit in nicely with this Nets roster. |
| 29 | Kings | Alex Karaban – 6-8 – UConn – Another senior goes off the board, bringing his solid fundamental game and good outside shooting to a team that is need of steady leadership. There is a lot of talent still on the board and so this pick is a bit of a surprise but he could have a long NBA career and that’s worth a late first round pick. |
| 30 | Suns | Koa Peat – 6-8 – Arizona – If you had told me in November that Peat would be available at pick no.30 I would have thought you were smoking something very smelly. But his lack of outside shot scared teams away and could lead to the Suns getting a steal here. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s in the league for a decade and could grow into a starter. Good value here at the end of the first round. And it’s cool to see him staying home in Arizona. |
| best available players |
| Pick | Team | Instant Analysis – 6/24/26 |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Rockets | Bruce Thornton – 6-2 – Ohio State – The Rockets trade up and get the tough, physical and talented point guard. This is a bit of surprise pick as most mocks had him going lower but I like the pick and I like the fit here in Houston. |
| 32 | Grizzlies | Richie Saunders – 6-5 – BYU – Coming off the ACL injury Saunders goes near the top of the second round and lands in a great situation in Memphis. He joins an up and coming roster, bringing outstanding shooting and high energy play to the roster. |
| 33 | T-Wolves | Isaiah Evans – 6-7 – Duke – Evans slides only a few spots into round 2 and brings his offensive firepower to the Wolves. He’s a guy who made major improvements in his second season at Duke and did well stepping into a bigger role. A solid value here for Minnesota. |
| 34 | Cavs | Meleek Thomas – 6-5 – Arkansas – The Cavs get major value here with a guy who can light it up from outside, has a beautiful jumper and competes at a high level. He’s not the biggest guy but plays really hard and gives great effort on defense. We might look back on this in a few years and be stunned that he feel into the second round. |
| 35 | Nuggets | Trevon Brazile – 6-10 – Arkansas – The Nuggets get a very impressive athlete at the power forward position who should be really fun to watch playing off the Joker. Brazile is long, agile, can fly above the rim and can also space the floor. This is a really nice fit. |
| 36 | Clippers | Baba Miller – 6-11 – Cincinnati (Spain) – A really intriguing upside talent, Miller moves exceptionally well for a player his size and seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential. He needs to bulk up and figure out if he’s a big or a big wing but the tools are all there. |
| 37 | Heat | Ryan Conwell – 6-3 – Louisville – The Heat trade into this spot and get a good one. Conwell should be a great fit in their system and help build out the roster that was thinned out by the Giannis trade. I think he’ll be a fun piece for them to bring off the bench. |
| 38 | Indiana | Braden Smith – 6-0 – Purdue – An elite passer who thinks the game at a high level and competes relentlessly. He would’ve been a first rounder if he was two inches taller. I think he’s a back up guard who can play meaningful minutes off the bench. Decent value here but I had other guards rated a bit higher. The Pacers were really high on him throughout the process and trade in to get their guy. |
| 39 | Knicks | Jack Kayil – 6-5 – Germany – An upside swing type of player who could be out of the league soon or vastly outplay his draft position. I like how he moves on the court and the traits that he brings. The Knicks might have to stash him with a full roster but get a really interesting prospect here in the mid second round. |
| 40 | Celtics | Dillon Mitchell – 6-8 – St. John’s – Mitchell has special tools and should be able to come in and guard in the NBA from day one. Whether he can develop beyond that remains to be seen but he’s worth a swing in the mid second round. The Celtics can bring him along slowly, let him develop and take advantage of his outstanding defensive play. |
| 41 | Thunder | Otega Oweh – 6-5 – Kentucky – The Thunder love drafting guard and get a tough and physical one here at pick no.41. He needs to develop his shooting but should have plenty of time and elite level coaching to make that happen. |
| 42 | Spurs | Ja’kobi Gillespie – 6-1 – Tennessee – Undersized but plays with big heart and is a fearless driver. Gillespie had a strong draft season and moved up draft boards, all the way to the mid second round. He’s a gamer and a winner who can be trusted to handle backup guard minutes early on. A really solid pick here for the Spurs. |
| 43 | Nets | Tyler Bilodeau – 6-9 – UCLA – I’m intrigued. He’s got size and nice shooting form and plays with toughness. I think he could stick in the league and that would be a big win for a mid second round pick. Solid selection here for the Nets. I had Bilodeau mocked at no.38 in my mock and no.43 on my big board, so I’m a believer. |
| 44 | Spurs | Maliq Brown – 6-8 – Duke – An elite, elite defender with incredibly quick hands and feet. He reads the game at an incredibly high level and just knows exactly where to be at all times. He doesn’t have much of an offensive game but he knows his role and does all the dirty work well. This could be a rare second rounder who gets called on to play in some big moments for the quickly rising Spurs franchise. |
| 45 | Kings | Emanuel Sharpe – 6-3 – Houston – A gamer, a winner and a guy who competes at a high level. He’s a bit undersized for a shooting guard but has a strong frame and gets after it on defense. This is a solid pick for a Kings franchise that really, really needs to hit on draft picks. |
| 46 | Wizards | Felix Okpara – 6-11 – Tennessee – A defensive anchor who knows is role. I’m not sure he’ll be on a NBA roster next year but he could work is way there and end up as a solid back up center. He’s got really good tools and has improved every year to get to this point. |
| 47 | Knicks | Tyler Nickel – 6-7 – Vanderbilt – A big guard who can stroke the 3-ball. Not the most dynamic player but is a good floor spacer and a guy who can defend at a good level. I had a draftable grade on him and could see him carving out a role as a 3pt specialist. |
| 48 | Mavs | Tobi Lawal – 6-8 – Virginia Tech – He’s not NBA ready but is a the type of athlete that NBA teams love to develop and the Mavs should have some fun with this. He’s a long term prospect but one that could work out in a few years. |
| 49 | Nuggets | Bryce Hopkins – 6-7 – St. John’s – A physical and versatile forward who doesn’t really stand out in one particular way but has size and moves well. Could be an energy guy for the Nuggets but probably doesn’t move the needle for the team. |
| 50 | Raptors | Jaden Bradley – 6-2 – Arizona – A tough and aggressive lead guard that should be a valuable back up in the league. I had him rated a lot higher than this and think the Raptors got a steal at pick no.50. He’s a guy you can trust to run your second unit and play valuable minutes early on. Great pick. |
| 51 | Magic | Izaiyah Nelson – 6-10 – South Florida – A toolsy big man who showed well in the pre-draft process. He’s an impressive above the rim with great bounce and a lot of length. I think this could be a guy who makes it. Really nice pick here for the Magic, after acquiring this pick from the Wizards. |
| 52 | Hawks | Henri Veesaar – 7-0 – North Carolina (Estonia) – The big slide finally stops and the Hawks got an absolute steal. I had him ranked as my no.21 overall prospect in the draft. Veesaar is a guy who can guard at the rim, run the floor, pass the ball and hit 3’s. He should be a great fit in ATL and should vastly outplay this draft position. |
| 53 | Pistons | Ugonna Onyenso – 7-0 – Virginia – An impressive athlete for his size who is limited on the offensive end but can really defend at the rim. He’s a guy who can play his role and shouldn’t be asked to do too much. A developmental guy who brings upside on the defensive end. |
| 54 | Warriors | Lajae Jones – 6-7 – Florida State – A solid player but not a guy I had in my top 70. But as a closet Warriors fan I hope I’m way wrong. |
| 55 | Clippers | Nick Martinelli – 6-7 – Northwestern – He’s a weird player and I kind of love his game. He loves to operate in the mid range and scores some funky baskets but is very effective. One of my sleepers. I love this pick. |
| 56 | Mavericks | Vesvolod Ishchenko – 6-8 – Russia – This is a dude. He’s big, has a lot of length and can shoot the rock. He might not be making an impact anytime soon but keep an eye on him in the future. |
| 57 | Clippers | Narcisse Ngoy – 7-1 – France – A massive man with really impressive physical tools. He’s a far way off from being NBA ready but could be a steal if we look back in a few years. He’s probably a draft and stash guy. Auburn must be really disappointed. Ngoy had signed with the Tigers but instead stays in the draft and lands at the end of the second round. UPDATE: Reports are that he could stashed AT AUBURN NEXT YEAR. Weird. |
| 58 | Pelicans | Jaron Pierre Jr. – 6-5 – SMU – An athletic guard/wing who can hit shots from downtown and get to the cup. I didn’t think he’d get drafted but can’t complain about the Pelicans taking a shot this late in the draft. |
| 59 | T-Wolves | Trey Kaufman-Renn – 6-9 – Purdue – A steady older player who isn’t going to get a fan base excited but could be a sneaky bet to make a roster. He’s a really heady, smart player who knows how to put the ball in the basket. |
| 60 | Bucks | Malique Lewis – 6-8 – Melbourne, NBL – A big wing who can hit. the corner 3 and has all the tools to defend big guards and wings. Had some health concerns but should be good to go. I solid pick for the Bucks to close out the second round. |
Here’s a look ahead to next year’s class: 2027 NBA Mock Draft
Thanks for reading!
