The 2026 NBA Draft cycle has officially begun.
The draft order has been set and the annual scouting combine is underway in Chicago. Below is a complete first-round mock draft for all 30 selections.
Some players mentioned below may decide to pull out of the draft and return to college basketball given the current NIL landscape. Early entries who have maintained their college eligibility through the pre-draft process have until May 27 to withdraw from the draft.
For now, I’m projecting 7 former SEC stars to be picked in the first round of the draft on June 23.
2026 NBA Mock Draft
Without further adieu, let’s dive in:
1. Washington Wizards | AJ Dybantsa | BYU
AJ Dybantsa is a great fit for this Wizards core in addition to being the top prospect in this draft according to most prognosticators. He should be able to score efficiently and pressure the rim from Day 1 in the NBA, which is a skillset Washington currently lacks in its blue-chip prospects.
2. Utah Jazz | Darryn Peterson | Kansas
Darryn Peterson entered the season as the favorite to go No. 1 overall but a weird year at Kansas has him slipping from the top spot here. Peterson is still among the most explosive guard prospects in recent memory and would be an enticing fit next to Keyonte George in Utah.
Here’s the current Kalshi market for the No. 1 overall pick:
Prediction Markets NBA Draft No. 1 Pick? Learn more about Prediction Markets Kalshi AJ Dybantsa 75% Darryn Peterson 19% Cameron Boozer 6% Caleb Wilson 2% Predict3. Memphis Grizzlies | Cam Boozer | Duke
Cam Boozer is strangely polarizing given how productive he was at Duke. He’s an efficient scorer, a strong rebounder and an excellent passer for his size. By all accounts, his basketball IQ is off the charts. The problem will be finding a spot for him in an NBA front court on the defensive end of the floor given his lack of requisite size to protect the rim and his underwhelming foot speed to guard the perimeter. Despite those concerns, he’s too productive to get out of the top 3 and would be a seamless fit in Memphis next to up-and-comers like Cedric Coward and Zach Edey.
4. Chicago Bulls | Caleb Wilson | North Carolina
This is the easiest pick to project in the draft, should the board play out this way. Caleb Wilson has the potential to be the best player in this draft and Chicago offers a clean slate — with a new front office — to help him reach his ceiling. At worst, he should be a highly-competitive wing who defends the perimeter very well and is explosive on offense.
5. Los Angeles Clippers | Keaton Wagler | Illinois
This is where the draft really begins. I thought about taking Darius Acuff here, but pairing him with Darius Garland would be detrimental for the Clippers on the defensive end of the floor. Keaton Wagler’s offensive ceiling is lower than Acuff’s, but he could still be a productive secondary option while providing a solid floor on defense, too.
Here’s what the Kalshi marketplace looks like for top-5 picks:
Prediction Markets Who will be drafted in the top 5 of the 2026 NBA Draft? Learn more about Prediction Markets Kalshi Caleb Wilson 99% AJ Dybantsa 97% Cameron Boozer 96% Darryn Peterson 83% Keaton Wagler 41% Darius Acuff Jr. 39% Nate Ament 17% Kingston Flemings 15% Mikel Brown Jr. 9% Brayden Burries 5% Predict6. Brooklyn Nets | Darius Acuff Jr. | Arkansas
Brooklyn has perhaps the worst roster in the NBA — slipping to No. 6 in this draft is a catastrophe for the franchise. The Nets took 5 first-round picks last year and none of them flashed as rookies. Darius Acuff is a potential face-of-the-franchise on offense in the way that Trae Young was for so many years in Atlanta.
7. Sacramento Kings | Mikel Brown | Louisville
The Kings have very little to be excited about with regards to players on their roster under 25 years old. They should strongly look at trading back in this draft in order to acquire more assets. But failing that, Mikel Brown is a combo guard who would make sense for the Kings. His decision making will need to be refined, but Brown has the highest ceiling of any of the remaining offense-first guards on the board.
8. Atlanta Hawks | Aday Mara | Michigan
I certainly thought about going guard here — Kingston Flemings is the top one available despite poor measurables at the combine — but I think the Hawks want to build around size a bit more in this era. Mara was measured at a massive 7-foot-3 without shoes and posted a 9-foot-9 standing reach at the combine. He’s also an excellent passer for his size and is quick enough with his feet to step into space on occasion. He should be the first true center off the board in this class.
9. Dallas Mavericks | Kingston Flemings | Houston
Flemings measured at 6-foot-2.5 with a 6-foot-3.5 wingspan. That hurts. But he’s a very explosive guard who could have a long-term impact in Dallas with Kyrie Irving coming off a torn ACL in his mid-30s. Brayden Burries is another player who would make sense for the Mavs as they build around Cooper Flagg.
10. Milwaukee Bucks | Nate Ament | Tennessee
Milwaukee is presumably going into full-rebuild mode this offseason, a path that would be cemented by a Giannis trade. If that does indeed happen, Nate Ament would make sense as a high-upside project who could be the first building block of Milwaukee’s next era. Ament needs to add strength and get more explosive, but he scored 19 points per game as a freshman in SEC play.
11. Golden State Warriors | Yaxel Lendeborg | Michigan
Yaxel Lendeborg is a polarizing prospect because of his age. It took a long, winding journey to get to Michigan and become a national champion. But Lendeborg is big, long and can shoot, so he’s going to have an opportunity to be an impactful NBA player from Day 1. He’d be a good fit with the aging Steph Curry/Jimmy Butler/Draymond Green core.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder | Jayden Quaintance | Kentucky
OKC has long been linked to Lendeborg and are potentially disappointed to see him go off the board just one pick before their selection at No. 12. However, Jayden Quaintance is hardly a consolation prize. Quaintance is young and one of the best athletes in the draft with a ridiculous 7-foot-5 wingspan. He’s a little raw offensively, but the Thunder can afford to bring him along slowly on that end of the floor while they leverage his elite defensive tools.
13. Miami Heat | Brayden Burries | Arizona
The Heat have enough team needs that going with Best Player Available is the only responsible choice. Brayden Burries is a potential long-term starter in Miami’s back court alongside Tyler Herro. He can shoot, dribble and defend at a higher level than most of the combo guards in this class.
14. Charlotte Hornets | Hannes Steinbach | Washington
The Hornets were one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season, nearly making the playoffs thanks to a historic rookie year from Kon Knueppel. He’s joined by LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller as franchise cornerstones. I think Hannes Steinbach fills a key need here as Charlotte does need to get better in the front court moving forward.
15. Chicago Bulls | Labaron Philon Jr. | Alabama
The Bulls are up again at No. 15 after landing Caleb Wilson earlier in the draft. Labaron Philon is the best player left on the board at this point and is an interesting back court partner for Josh Giddey. Philon can play on or off the ball as he showcased excellent shooting numbers and decision-making skills during his sophomore season in Tuscaloosa. A haul that includes Wilson and Philon would make the Bulls a very intriguing team for the future as their new front office hits the ground running.
16. Memphis Grizzlies | Bennett Stirtz | Iowa
Memphis is picking again after selecting Cam Boozer at No. 3 overall. With Ja Morant likely to be dealt this offseason, the Grizzlies’ long-term core at this point consists of Coward, Edey and Boozer. They’ll need a point guard who can operate in the pick-and-roll and get the offense organized. Stirtz is a great fit and also flashed potential to be an elite 3-point shooter during his time with the Hawkeyes.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder | Cameron Carr | Baylor
As discussed earlier when analyzing OKC’s No. 12 pick, this front office loves to target decision-making skill and wingspan. Cameron Carr has a wingspan north of 7-foot, which is elite for an NBA forward. Carr is also an awesome shooter who took more than 6 3-pointers per game during his lone season at Baylor. A salary cap crunch is coming for the Thunder, who could move on from Lu Dort this offseason. Dort and Carr are very different players, but Carr has the tools to be an impactful defender long-term and would offer the Thunder a better offensive profile than what Dort provides.
18. Charlotte Hornets | Karim Lopez | New Zealand
I gave the Hornets a big with their other first-round pick so I’ll go with another forward here. Karim Lopez has been an NBL standout this season and is the top international prospect in this class. Lopez is a highly-skilled wing who could be a versatile and powerful defender in the NBA. His 3-point shot will be a swing skill moving forward.
19. Toronto Raptors | Chris Cenac Jr. | Houston
Toronto could use another center in the pipeline with Jakob Poertl seemingly entering his decline. Cenac checked into the NBA combine with an impressive 7-foot-5 wingspan, suggesting he has the length to protect the rim at the next level. Cenac will need to be more explosive vertically, though, as he only averaged 0.5 blocks per game despite his size. He didn’t shoot the ball well at Houston as a freshman, but he was a willing shooter at nearly 2.5 attempts per game — suggesting there may be some untapped upside with his outside shot.
20. San Antonio Spurs | Morez Johnson | Michigan
The Spurs’ focus is relatively simple — who can best help maximize Victor Wembanyama and, to a lesser extent, the emerging back court of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. Outside of Wemby, the Spurs don’t have much size. Morez Johnson would be able to step in on Day 1 as a legit power forward who could also play some small-ball 5 in the non-Wemby minutes thanks to his 7-foot-4 wingspan.
21. Detroit Pistons | Isaiah Evans | Duke
The Pistons badly need to add some offensive talent this offseason to help make life easier on Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren. Isaiah Evans is an excellent 3-point shooter (36% on over 7 attempts per game) and has good size for an NBA wing. This might be a little bit of a reach at pick 21, but the Pistons need shooting and there aren’t many other options at this point in the draft.
22. Philadelphia 76ers | Koa Peat | Arizona
The 76ers have their back court of the future locked down with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. The rest of the roster is in flux, though it’s probably safe to assume Joel Embiid will be back next season as well. That roster construction has me thinking about wings in this class. Koa Peat is the best available option on the board despite his shaky 3-point shooting. He’s a powerful athlete with good size and has the ability to score in the paint. He’s a potential lottery pick who slides to No. 22 in this scenario — something Daryl Morey likely wouldn’t pass up.
23. Atlanta Hawks | Ebuka Okorie | Stanford
This is Atlanta’s second pick in this draft after they took Aday Mara in the top 10. Ebuka Okorie is not a household name but he’s coming off of an awesome season at Stanford where he was able to get into the paint at will. The knock on Okorie has been his size, but he measured in at 6-foot-1 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan at the combine. That will play just fine as a late first-round pick given his level of burst and offensive skill. On the Hawks, he fits as an understudy for CJ McCollum and a key bench guard as early as next season.
24. New York Knicks | Tarris Reed Jr. | UConn
I would expect the Knicks to take calls on this pick but they could use someone on a rookie-scale deal, too. Tarris Reed Jr. would give the Knicks a backup center option should Mitchell Robinson leave in free agency. Even if they retain Robinson, Reed could provide value in New York’s frontcourt as a defender and rebounder. He also improved as a scorer during his senior season with the Huskies, averaging a career-best 14.7 points per game.
25. Los Angeles Lakers | Amari Allen | Alabama
The Lakers need to be acquiring talent that fits around Luka Doncic. That starts with getting a center who can protect the rim and catch lobs, but that player may have to be acquired via free agency. Assuming Austin Reaves is retained, adding a 3&D wing makes the most sense. Amari Allen fits the bill. He was maybe the biggest loser from the combine measurement process, checking in at 6-foot-5 without shoes after Alabama listed him at 6-foot-8. Still, he’s skilled enough to help the Lakers off the ball on offense and guard 1 through 3 next to Doncic and Reaves.
26. Denver Nuggets | Henri Veesaar | North Carolina
The Nuggets have an interesting offseason ahead after getting ousted in Round 1 by the Timberwolves. If Jamal Murray is available, Denver should look at drafting someone like Christian Anderson. In this instance, I’ve given Henri Veesaar to the Nuggets. He could step in as Nikola Jokic’s backup center but he’s also a good enough shooter to play at the 4 with Jokic in some matchups.
27. Boston Celtics | Dailyn Swain | Texas
Boston had a shocking first-round exit despite acquitting itself as one of the best teams in the league during the regular season. There are enough variables to Boston’s offseason that I’m just going to project Best Player Available here. I think that’s Texas wing Dailyn Swain, who had a breakout season for the Longhorns as a scorer and slasher while also averaging over 3.5 assists per game.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves | Christian Anderson | Texas Tech
With Donte DiVincenzo likely to miss all of next season with a ruptured Achilles, Minnesota could use some back court help — especially with Ayo Dosunmu a threat to leave in free agency. Christian Anderson is a different type of guard, but he’s one of the best 3-point shooters in this class. He’s a bit undersized, but we know Minnesota’s front office doesn’t mind taking shots on small guards after they traded up for Rob Dillingham in an ill-fated move a couple of drafts ago.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers | Joshua Jefferson | Iowa State
I think Joshua Jefferson would be an excellent win-now piece for the Cavs to add at the end of the first round. Cleveland has wings like Dean Wade and Max Strus who can shoot the ball, but lack some athleticism and defensive toughness that Jefferson can bring to the table. Jefferson is also an excellent passer and a good interior scorer.
30. Dallas Mavericks | Meleek Thomas | Arkansas
I gave Kingston Flemings to the Mavs earlier in this mock. For this pick, I’m looking for the best-available wing. There are a few options, but I like Meleek Thomas the most. Dallas needs an influx of young talent in the back court to go along with Max Christie and Kyrie Irving (for as long as he’s there). Flemings and Thomas would be quite the haul.
2026 NBA Mock Draft 1.0: Where will Darius Acuff Jr., Nate Ament be picked? Saturday Down South.
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