NBA Mock Draft: Big Ten Standouts on the Rise? — March 30, 2026 ...Middle East

Thanks to a stunning 20-point swing, Cameron Boozer and Patrick Ngongba II’s Duke Blue Devils fell to the UConn Huskies at the last second of a very winnable Elite Eight clash. Now, all four projected top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft — AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson (although they were not our top four even last week) — are out of the running with the Final Four on deck for this coming weekend.

That said, a pair of Big Ten teams have advanced to the Final Four — and could improve their respective stars’ draft stock.

At 29-45, our officially-eliminated Chicago Bulls currently rank just 10th in the Tankathon reverse standings, with a 16.9 percent shot at a top-four pick and a 3.7 percent chance of nabbing the No. 1 pick. The 29-45 Milwaukee Bucks, 25-49 Memphis Grizzlies, and 25-51 New Orleans Pelicans (whose pick would land with the Atlanta Hawks) are all theoretically catchable.

Can the Bulls lose out? They’re certainly missing plenty of bodies. Jalen Smith, Jaden Ivey, Zach Collins, and Noa Essengue are all done for the year. Anfernee Simons has been sidelined for a month with that wrist fracture and seems likely to be ruled out for good any day now.

Here’s where everyone stands in our latest mock.

The Lottery

Why is Darius Acuff Jr. ranked so high yet again? He turned heads throughout the Razorbacks’ March Madness tear. Marc J. Spears of Andscape believes he’s the third-best prospect this year, behind only Dybantsa and Wilson (yes, ahead of Boozer and Peterson).

Arizona guard Brayden Burries (the new favorite men’s collegiate player for The Ringer‘s Bill Simmons) was a major riser thanks to his team’s run to the Final Four. His ability to play on and off the ball and his defensive upside are clear highlights, and could help him stand out amid a surprisingly lead guard-heavy first round. At 20, Burries is a bit older than a lot of these other guard prospects. Will that cut into his ceiling?

Freshman Illinois guard Keaton Wagler also benefitted from a surprise sprint to the Final Four, while senior Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg’s surprise late-game ball handling boosted him into our top ten.

Hard to overstate Yaxel Lendeborg’s impact in an absolute shellacking of Tennessee.27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal, 0 turnovers in a 30+ point Elite Eight win.Imposes his will on both ends while playing within his means, bringing competitive fire, and… t.co/2qqtXpcOrq pic.twitter.com/J9075GSVUB

When Kingston Flemings and Houston fell to Illinois’ defense in the Elite Eight, Flemings’ upside took a bit of a hit. Funnily enough, his defense and blue-collar ethos could make him a sneaky-good mid-lottery find for somebody.

Another Big Ten prospect, Iowa point guard Bennett Stirtz, snuck back into the end of our lottery prospects.

Among other risers, Koa Peat’s foul line jump shooting and Arizona’s Final Four sprint make him a fun possibility, too.

Mid-Round Picks

15. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Los Angeles Clippers): Thomas Haugh, PF, Florida16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Orlando Magic): Mikel Brown, Jr., PG, Louisville17. Charlotte Hornets (via Phoenix Suns): Labaron Philon, PG, Alabama18. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Philadelphia 76ers): Patrick Ngongba II, C, Duke 19. San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta Hawks): Dailyn Swain, F, Texas 20. Toronto Raptors: Morez Johnson Jr., PF, Michigan

Ngongba sat out the Blue Devils’ entire ACC Tournament run with a lingering foot injury, and played sparingly across Duke’s run to the Elite Eight. The center averaged just 4.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 0.7 blocks across 17.3 minutes per.

Late First-Rounders

21. Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota Timberwolves): Chris Cenac Jr., C, Houston 22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Houston Rockets): Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers23. Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland Cavaliers): Motiejus Krivas, C, Arizona24. Denver Nuggets: Christian Anderson Jr., G, Texas Tech 25. New York Knicks: Tounde Yessoufou, SG/SF, Baylor 26. Los Angeles Lakers: Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State 27. Boston Celtics: Amari Allen, SF, Alabama28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit Pistons): Isaiah Evans, SF, Duke29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio Spurs): Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt30. Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City Thunder): Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas

Vanderbilt sophomore Tyler Tanner may stick around in the NCAA another season ahead of more limited guard competition in the 2027 NBA Draft class. Acuff’s freshman backcourt teammate Meleek Thomas is another new late first-round addition this week. Thomas was a 41.6 percent shooter this season from long range, on a frequent 5.3 triple tries, and did a good job of holding onto the rock (just 1.0 turnovers against 2.5 dimes).

Arizona center Motiejunas Krivas also hops into the first round thanks to his strong NCAA Tournament play.

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