With future stars and unusual depth to spread around, our NBA Draft model and roundtable mock who teams should be picking in the first round.
If you’re just tuning in to the 2026 NBA Draft, the names at the top should not come as a surprise as AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson have separated themselves from the rest of the class.
The exact order remains up for debate, but those four have emerged as the clear top tier.
This year’s prospects form a deep class. Boozer finished his freshman season at Duke leading Division I in our DRIP metric, and he held the top WAR spot for most of the season until Yaxel Lendeborg, a 23-year-old transfer at Michigan, edged him late in the NCAA Tournament en route to the Wolverines’ national championship.
Bennett Stirtz, a 22-year-old senior who powered Iowa to its first Elite Eight appearance since 1987, was third in WAR. In fact, five of the top 10 in WAR were juniors or older, and several project to the kind of immediate contributors that win-now teams are usually forced to find in free agency.
NBA Draft TV/Streaming
When: June 23-24 at Barclays Center (Brooklyn, New York) Time: 8 p.m. ET Coverage: Round 1 (June 23, ABC, ESPN and Fubo), Round 2 (June 24, ESPN and Fubo)At the same time, the freshman class is unusually top-heavy. Dybantsa, from BYU, leads the group in the consensus No. 1 projections, while Boozer, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler and Arizona’s Brayden Burries all ranked among the 10 most-productive players in both the WAR and DRIP rankings. Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. joins them in the top 15 of WAR and Wilson, from North Carolina, the top 20 of DRIP – all part of a remarkable showing for first-year players. Hannes Steinbach, a 6-foot 11 Washington freshman, led D-I in rebounds per game.
There’s also international intrigue in the NBA Draft class. Karim Lopez is on track to become the first Mexican-born player ever selected in the first round, and Sergio de Larrea and Jack Kayil could hear their names called later in the round.
The result is a class with a well-defined top four, unusual depth throughout the first round, and enough disagreement in the middle to make every pick after No. 4 a genuine conversation.
The picks for our 2026 NBA mock draft are based on predictions from our draft model, which projects a player’s NBA DRIP by using college DRIP and other factors, and what the roundtable of Matt Scott, Finn Shaughnessy and Lucas Haupt think teams should do in the first round, not necessarily what they will do.
2026 NBA Mock Draft
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, BYU, 6-9 Wing
The Wizards are set with Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis in the frontcourt (assuming Anthony Davis can stay healthy) and are in desperate need of a wing who can spread the floor. Dybantsa ranked No. 1 in scoring (25.5 PPG) in his only college season and possesses a dynamic ability to create his own shot off the dribble, which gives the Wizards an immediate offensive threat. Many evaluators view him as having the highest ceiling in the draft class.
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, Kansas, 6-5 Guard
Given the Jazz already have a glut of big men with Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler, the pick is Peterson. Despite his up-and-down freshman season at Kansas, our draft model projects Peterson to have the top offensive DRIP in the class by the end of his four-year rookie contract.
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, Duke, 6-8 Forward
One of the best freshmen we’ve seen based on DRIP and WAR, Boozer will slide nicely into the Grizzlies’ starting lineup, regardless of whether Ja Morant remains on the team. Boozer provides secondary playmaking and floor spacing from the power forward position, while also offering the flexibility to play center in small-ball lineups. He’s the highest-rated player by our draft model.
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, North Carolina, 6-9 Forward
With Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer off the board, Wilson presents himself as the best player available for the Bulls. Given they’re a more guard-heavy team with Josh Giddey and all their trade acquisitions from last season, the Bulls are in need of size and versatility. At 6-foot-9 and as a two-way forward with defensive ability, he fits their needs.
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas, 6-2 Guard
Of the remaining players on the board, our draft model projects Acuff as having the highest probability of turning into an All-Star during his rookie contract. Acuff had the fifth-highest O-DRIP (third highest among freshmen) in his lone season at Arkansas, and he gives the Clippers their future backcourt mate for Darius Garland.
6. Brooklyn Nets: Keaton Wagler, Illinois, 6-5 Guard
One of the stars of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Wagler will be a great addition to the Nets, who need a little bit of everything. This combo guard shot just under 40.0% on 3-pointers (on high volume) in his one college season and could be a much-needed offensive engine for the Nets’ future.
7. Sacramento Kings: Kingston Flemings, Houston, 6-3 Guard
The Kings are still searching for a long-term answer in the backcourt, and Flemings gives them a player capable of both creating his own shot and running an offense. He posted 42 points on the road at Texas Tech and averaged 16.1 points and 5.2 assists for the season. He finished 26th in WAR, or sixth in the freshman class, and projects as a player who can make an immediate impact.
8. Atlanta Hawks: Brayden Burries, Arizona, 6-4 Guard
While Burries projects more as a combo guard than a true point to replace Trae Young, his upside makes him a welcome addition to the Hawks’ backcourt rotation of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels and a potentially re-signed CJ McCollum. Brayden ranked 10th in WAR in his lone season at Arizona.
9. Dallas Mavericks: Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville, 6-4 Guard
To pair with their budding superstar Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks get their future lead guard in Brown. He still has work to do on his 3-point shooting, but his 84.4% free throw shooting suggests he has the touch to improve it. He’s a taller PG who provides solid playmaking on both sides of the ball.
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament, Tennessee, 6-10 Wing
As they prepare for potential life without Giannis Antetokounmpo, and with a $27M cap hit already tied up in Myles Turner up front, wing development has become a pressing need for the Bucks. Ament gives them a young player with length and shot creation – the kind of scoring wing to pair with a growing Ryan Rollins or anchor a rebuild if Giannis is moved.
11. Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan 6-9 Forward
With the Warriors likely to stay in win-now mode as long as Steph Curry is still on the team, a pick like Lendeborg gives them someone who can step in and be an immediate contributor. Ranked No. 1 in WAR last season, he will be 24 years old when the NBA season tips off, so his age may limit his upside. But Lendeborg’s well-rounded game and ability to contribute right away make him a great fit for the Warriors.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara, Michigan, 7-3 Center
A team with few weaknesses and in the title-contention window adds a solid rotational big. At 7-3, Mara will be one of the few players in the league who is at eye level with OKC’s generational rival in San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama. Like his former teammate and previous pick Lendeborg, Mara is an older prospect, so the upside is limited. But he should be a plug-and-play rotational big.
13. Miami Heat: Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama, 6-3 Guard
A savvy two-way guard, Philon ranked 19th in in DRIP (7.0), but with the fourth-highest O-DRIP (6.1). He more than doubled his scoring average as a sophomore at Alabama, finishing at 22.0 with 50/40/80 shooting splits, along with 5.0 assists per game. He gives the Heat a potential future starting point guard.
14. Charlotte Hornets: Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky, 6-9 Forward
A sleeper prospect, Quaintance also is one of the bigger mysteries of the draft class. He was a defensive monster as a freshman at Arizona State despite being only 17 when it began, but he played only four games as a sophomore at Kentucky because of knee issues. If he stays healthy, he’s the best defensive player in the class, according to our draft model. That the Hornets pair a young big with the core of LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller is a worthwhile gamble.
15. Chicago Bulls: Hannes Steinbach, Washington, 6-10 Forward
With a roster heavy on guards and center Nikola Vucevic dealt away at the NBA trade deadline, the Bulls go for a long-term big man in Steinbach. As a freshman, his 11.8 rebounds per game led Division I. He also ranked eighth in the freshman class in WAR.
16. Memphis Grizzlies: Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers, 6-8 Forward
After drafting Boozer and his high floor with the third pick, the Grizzlies opt to use this one on a wild card. Making history as the first Mexican-born first-round pick, Lopez’s physical tools are what make him a good project. He has a 7-foot wingspan, with the size to play the 4 and the agility of a larger 3. While he has to improve from long range, he projects as a solid slasher and defender who could become a good starter in the league.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Dailyn Swain, Texas, 6-7 Wing
Swain finished his junior season with a 7.4 DRIP, ranking 16th nationally. Our draft model believes in him on both sides of the ball, as he’s projected to have above-average offensive and defensive DRIP ratings by the end of his rookie contract. For the Thunder, he can add depth at the wing if they decline Lou Dort’s team option or pick it up but allow him to leave after next season.
18. Charlotte Hornets: Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan, 6-9 Forward
Johnson is a big, physical defender who will give the Hornets strong rim protection without sacrificing the speed they so heavily rely on. Offensively, he has the makings of a solid finisher and could be a great lob target for LaMelo Ball.
19. Toronto Raptors: Christian Anderson Jr., Texas Tech, 6-1 Guard
Anderson finished his sophomore season ranked 16th in O-DRIP. With Toronto’s long-term guard rotation uncertain, he can be a contributor to a potential playoff run next season, as well as a long-term replacement for their current backcourt.
20. San Antonio Spurs: Allen Graves, Santa Clara, 6-8 Forward
Graves is an analytics darling despite coming off the bench for a non-Power 4 team. He finished ninth among freshmen in DRIP and shot 41.3% on 3s. He might not turn into an All-Star, but he has a very high floor and a higher probability of becoming a rotation player than other prospects in this range of the first round. The Spurs already have star power, so a well-rounded player fits in well.
21. Detroit Pistons: Cameron Carr, Baylor, 6-5 Wing
Carr fills one of the Pistons’ bigger needs: spacing at the wing. He shot 37.4% on 3s with high volume in his final college season. Additionally, he’s one of the best athletes in the draft class, so he has solid upside as an offensive off-ball talent. Though there’s work to do defensively, his 7-1 wingspan gives him length to disrupt passing lanes and develop as a help-side defender.
22. Philadelphia 76ers: Chris Cenac Jr., Houston, 6-10 Forward
While the Sixers are set in the backcourt with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, they’re in need of quality young big men to develop as Joel Embiid ages, and to fill in when the center is frequently sidelined. Cenac is the best remaining big on the board and projects to be a quality rebounder at the NBA level. Rebounding has been a struggle for the Sixers over the last few seasons.
23. Atlanta Hawks: Henri Veesaar, North Carolina, 6-11 Center
With Burries already addressing their backcourt at No. 8, the Hawks turn to their biggest remaining need with this pick: a long-term center behind Onyeka Okongwu. The junior Veesaar gives Atlanta a stretch 5 as he shot 42.6% from 3-point range last season.
24. New York Knicks: Tarris Reed Jr., UConn, 6-10 Center
With the Knicks coming off their first NBA title in 53 years, most of their rotation is under contract for 2026-27. Mitchell Robinson is set to be a free agent, so they may look to replace him here with Reed. He fits with rim protection and rebounding on both ends of the floor. A quality finisher, he led the Big East in field goal percentage (60.7) as a senior.
25. Los Angeles Lakers: Isaiah Evans, Duke, 6-6 Wing
Given that LeBron James is 41, and that the Lakers have a top-heavy roster that includes aging veterans, they need a young off-ball shooter to grow next to Luka Doncic. The 6-6 sophomore averaged 15.0 points on 7.4 3-point attempts per game last season, finishing with the third-most made 3s (101) in the ACC.
26. Denver Nuggets: Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State, 6-8 Wing
Jefferson finished third in defensive DRIP (fifth in overall DRIP) last season, and the Nuggets really need help on the defensive side of the ball after ranking 21st in the NBA (conversely, they were No. 1 in O-DRIP). As a 22-year-old senior, Jefferson should be able to step in immediately and help them improve defensively.
27. Boston Celtics: Bennett Stirtz, Iowa, 6-3 Guard
Stirtz is the best remaining player on the board in O-DRIP last season, and he led D-I in minutes played. At 22, he should be close to his peak from the get-go. The Celtics could be looking at him as playmaker who can lead bench units, and he’s a more-than-capable 3-point shooter who fits well in their spaced-out offense.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Meleek Thomas, Arkansas, 6-3 Guard
With Ayo Dosunmu acquired at the trade deadline and Terrance Shannon Jr. emerging as a real rotation piece, another scoring option for the second unit could be vital when Anthony Edwards sits. Thomas brings exactly that – a combo guard with shot creation skills who can carry a bench unit without stepping on Ant’s touches. Thomas ranked 10th among freshmen in WAR and shot 41.6% on 3s while averaging 15.6 points.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers: Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s, 6-9 Forward
Ejiofor adds needed frontcourt depth to the Cavaliers. He finished his senior season with the eighth-highest DRIP and 13th-highest WAR. Of the players still on the board, our draft model has him as the most likely to develop into a potential starter.
30. Dallas Mavericks: Sergio de Larrea, Valencia, 6-6 Guard
The strategy for the Mavs here is to pick a player with a wide range of outcomes. As for de Larrea, he’s shown oversees to be a proficient playmaker while also being something of a quality 3-point shooter. A shot in the dark for now, this is the kind of move for a rebuilding team to make to close out the first round.
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