Who’s Hot And Who’s Not? My latest 2026 mock draft has plenty of movement with some big name prospects regaining momentum and rising up the board, a few underrated risers, and a few well known names tumbling down. Here’s a look at all the latest action:
Prospects Rising Up The Mock Draft
Mikel Brown – PG – Louisville – The wiry 6-5 guard has broken out of an early season slump in a very big way. After missing much of January with a back injury Brown looks to be back in top form, showing the blazing speed and shifty handles that made him a preseason top 5 projected pick. He’s capable of getting red hot from downtown and scoring the ball in bunches, as witnessed on February 9th when he scored a cool 45 points vs. NC State. Then he followed that up with back to back 29 point games. I had him outside the top 10 on my mock draft for a brief period of time but now he’s right back in the top 10 coming in at no.8 on my latest update.
Nate Ament – SF – Tennessee – Ament is another preseason darling who had a rough start to the season and fell out of the top 10. The smooth 6-10 wing has really found his rhythm in recent weeks and is playing with a ton of confidence. After falling all the way into the early twenties Ament is back in the top 10 landing at no.9 in my latest mock draft update.
Dailyn Swain – SF – Texas – Swain is one of the more underrated players in the country, both for what he’s doing as a college basketball player and his NBA projection. He’s a toolsy 6-8 athlete on the wing who is just starting to put it all together and show the world just how good he can be. He was a late second rounder for me to start the season but has been in my first round for the past two months. Now he’s making another move up the draft board, landing at no.22 in my latest mock draft. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he rises even higher.
Rueben Chinyelu – C – Florida – I’m such a huge Chinyelu fan! I think he’s awesome and just scratching the surface of his potential. He’s a physical force with insane wingspan and great movement skills for such a powerfully built big man. His offensive game is still raw and will probably be so for a while but I think he provides plenty of value right now as a rebounder, defender and enforcer to warrant NBA minutes. I’d take him late first or early second and have him listed at no.32 in my current mock.
Darius Acuff Jr. – PG – Arkansas – I feel like I’m. burying the lead here. Acuff Jr. has been sensational this season, especially in league play and just put up a performance for the ages pouring in 49 points and making big play after big play in a tough double overtime loss to Alabama. The sturdy 6-2-ish point guard is looking like a top 10 lock and is making a strong case for the top 5 or 6.
Quadir Copeland – PG – NC State – the 6-6 senior guard has been so good for the Wolfpack this season and is gaining momentum as a possible second round pick. I love the way he controls the pace of play and operates at his own speed. I could see him as a valuable contributor off a NBA bench.
Prospects Falling Down The Mock Draft
Jayden Quiantance – PF/C – Kentucky – At this point I’m not even sure if he’s a this year guy or if staying in school for another year makes the most sense for him. Jayden is a big time talent and when healthy is a major difference maker on the court. But so far he’s been sidelined in each of his two college seasons and at this point we have no timetable for his return. ACL injuries usually are pretty well healed within a year but as we approach the one year mark from his injury he’s still not fully healthy. If he does decide to stay in school for another year he’d be one of the most intriguing big men prospects in the underwhelming 2027 draft class.
Labaron Philon – PG – Alabama – Philon has been great this season and him falling a bit on my mock has more to do with me ranking him too high (as high as no.7 at one point) rather than him playing poorly. It also has to do with some other prospects (see above) regaining draft momentum and bumping Philon out of the top 10.
Neoklis Avdalas – SF – Virginia Tech (Greece) – A bought into the Neo hype early in the year, and he really did have some impressive showings, but man, he’s been atrocious recently and has looked really far from NBA ready. At this point, being projected as a mid to late second rounder, we could be looking at a returning player rather than a this year guy.
New Additions To The Mock Draft
Alijah Arenas – SG – USC – Alijah was ranked in the top 4 of my 2027 mock draft but after returning from injury earlier than expected and having some nice showings to start his college career I’ve moved him to the 2026 mock. He’s a major talent who is just shaking off the rust and getting his legs back under him.
Injuries Suck
A few big names prospects suffered season-ending injuries this past week. Both JT Toppin of Texas Tech and Richie Saunders of BYU are out with ACL injuries. Both were late first to early/mid second round projected picks. The injuries might tank their draft stock a little but they’ve both done enough in their careers that NBA scouts have a clear idea of who they are. Toppin still has eligibility and there’s a chance he could return.
Here’s my latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft.
Thank you for reading my work! Please give it a share if you enjoyed it. Cheers.