I reworked my Big Board, so now is a good time for a new, fresh mock draft with analysis.
Draft order and lottery courtesy of http://www.tankathon.com.
1. Chicago Bulls (24-36)
PF/C Cameron Boozer, Fr, Duke
6’9, 250 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 22.7 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 4.0 apg
The Bulls shuffled around their roster during the trade deadline, and picked a lane. That lane has resulted in 11 straight losses, but if they can land a top three pick, the decision to move on from most of its players would be worth it. There remains a three man race for the top overall pick. You can make a case for any one of Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. I give Boozer the slight edge right now, especially considering Chicago’s current roster makeup. Boozer is an elite offensive talent. He can score down low, knocks down three point shots, and can be the focal point of your offense. His defense is developing, though he may never be more than passable there. Still, you are drafting him for his low bust potential and strong leadership and scoring qualities.
2. Dallas Mavericks (21-38)
SG/SF AJ Dybantsa, Fr, BYU
6’9, 210 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 24.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.8 apg
This is Cooper Flagg’s team now. Dallas should just draft the best player available in hopes of surrounding him with the best talent possible. AJ Dybantsa might be the best scorer in this class. Scoring is not the only thing, but in today’s NBA, especially when the playoffs roll around, you want a guy who can put his team on the back offensively. Dybantsa can score from all three levels, either as a slasher or a shooter. He does not always remain an interested defender, but his ability to score is special. With Flagg and Dybantsa, Dallas would have quite the intriguing forward duo.
3. Sacramento Kings (14-47)
PG/SG Darryn Peterson, Fr, Kansas
6’6, 205 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 19.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.5 apg
No team in the NBA has as bleak of an outlook as the Sacramento Kings. They are old, expensive and bad. In order to hopefully get back on track, landing in the top three is almost a necessity. Darryn Peterson continues to mystify the draft community with his constant “will he, won’t he” on the court. That could be a nagging injury, or he could be protecting his draft stock. Whatever the issue, I do not think we will be talking about it in a few years. Peterson remains a special scorer, able to break down the defense like a poor man’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He has not showed much point guard ability during his limited run at Kansas, but I think he could play point in the NBA. He is a lead scoring guard, something the Kings do not have.
4. Atlanta Hawks (from NOP (19-42))
PG/SG Keaton Wagler, Fr, Illinois
6’6, 180 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 18.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.3 apg
The Pelicans better be glad that Derik Queen looks like a good player, because what they gave up to get him could wind up being massive. Atlanta could use a long term option at point guard, and fortunately, there are a lot of good guards in this class. Keaton Wagler’s historic rise continues. He was a sub-100 recruit according to all publications, but is a legitimate top five pick. His game is tailor made for the NBA. He has drawn Tyrese Haliburton comparisons, for his ability to score as a lead guard, take care of the basketball, and lead an offense. He is not a top notch athlete, but his cerebral game more than makes up for his slight physical limitations.
5. Los Angeles Clippers (from IND (15-45))
PF/C Caleb Wilson, Fr, North Carolina
6’10, 215 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 19.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.7 apg
Indiana must feel great about their ability to get back to the NBA Finals next year, because they traded what could be a very valuable protected pick to the Clippers for Ivica Zubac. If this pick lands in the 5-9 range, it heads to Los Angeles. This would be the Clippers highest pick since selecting Blake Griffin first overall almost 20 years ago. Caleb Wilson is currently out with a broken hand, but showed enough to be considered in the top five once the draft rolls around. He may not be able to create his own offense, but he has strong finishing ability, can hit mid-range jump shots, and has knocked down 31% of his threes, on limited attempts. He was a double double machine as a scorer and rebounder, and is a plus defender as well. While he may be more of a super-charged energy guy than an offensive hub, he would be an instant starter for the Clippers.
6. Brooklyn Nets (15-44)
PG Kingston Flemings, Fr, Houston
6’4, 190 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 16.4 ppg, 5.3 apg, 3.6 rpg
The Nets are still bad, but most of their five first round picks have shown serious potential. The guard duo of Egor Demin and Nolan Traore look like keepers. Taking another point guard here could be redundant, but the Nets are not in position to pass on the best talent available. Kingston Flemings has cooled off a bit since his 42 point explosion against Texas Tech, at least offensively. He is still a good shooter and scorer, and is probably the best pure point guard in a draft class full of score first combo guards.
7. Washington Wizards (16-43)
PG Darius Acuff Jr., Fr, Arkansas
6’3, 190 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 22.2 ppg, 6.2 apg, 3.1 rpg
With the trades for Anthony Davis and Trae Young, Washington has signaled that they are ready to enter the next phase of its rebuild. Falling this far would be tough, especially since the franchise failed to land an elite talent during its years of losing. Even though Young is on the roster, Darius Acuff Jr. is by far the best prospect available here. He has been a consistent scorer all year for Arkansas, and is one of the best floor generals in college basketball. He may be a bit undersized and could be picked on defensively, but his offensive game has a chance to be special.
8. Utah Jazz (18-42)
PG/SG Labaron Philon Jr., So, Alabama
6’4, 185 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 21.3 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.3 rpg
The Jazz chose to both tank and give their fans a taste of the future, by playing their starters less than 30 minutes per game. Of course, now that the league is in bed with gambling, that was not ideal, so they got fined, and are now ruling all of their players out for the year. As long as gamblers are happy, I suppose. This pick goes to the Thunder if it is not in the top eight, so Utah gets lucky here, although they would love to draft higher. Utah seems to have its point guard and front court of the future set, and with Ace Bailey and Isaiah Collier fighting for the shooting guard spot, the starting lineup could be filled, so this would be a best player available scenario. Labaron Philon Jr. has been the most consistent non-freshman in this class. He has shot the ball well and has showed the ability to play point guard. He may be a bit too similar to Keyonte George, but Utah needs players.
9. Memphis Grizzlies (22-36)
PG/SG Brayden Burries, Fr, Arizona
6’4, 205 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 15.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.8 apg
Once-again retooling Memphis hopes that Zach Edey and Cedric Coward can lead the next generation of Grizzlies. Both have dealt with injuries, especially Edey, and the roster is young and shallow, so Memphis needs to take the best available talent. Arizona may be the best team in the country, and a huge reason is Brayden Burries. He continues to impress as a three level scorer, and has more defensive potential than a lot of other combo guards in this class. He may not be a true point guard, but he has the potential to be a 3-and-D difference maker.
10. Milwaukee Bucks (26-32)
PF/C Hannes Steinbach, Fr, Washington
6’11, 225 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 18.0 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 1.6 apg
Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors will continue to swirl, at least until the piranha’s over at ESPN have had their fill, but Milwaukee has a good chance to land a solid future piece to the team, even though they cannot wind up with the first overall pick. While Steinbach is not a shooter, he is athletic for his size, can score from mid-range, rebound and play defense. His numbers could be even better if he was not stuck on a terrible team full of guys who can not get him the ball. It might take him a bit of time, but he has the look of a solid starting center in the NBA.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder (from LAC (27-31))
SF/PF Nate Ament, Fr, Tennessee
6’10, 207 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 17.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.6 apg
The Thunder might be the deepest team in the NBA, and even though they will have decisions to make on several players, will continue to draft the best player available with its remaining picks. It has been a tough go at times for Nate Ament, but he has shown the ability to be a strong shooter who could average 20 points per game in the NBA. He is also a solid rebounder and willing defender. It will be a work in progress, but he has Michael Porter Jr. ability as a scorer, and Oklahoma City can afford to bring him along slowly.
12. Portland Trail Blazers (29-32)
SG/SF Braylon Mullins, Fr, Connecticut
6’6, 196 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 12.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.3 apg
Portland is in good shape going forward. They continue to hold on as a play-in team, and will welcome Damian Lillard back next year. They have several young intriguing guards, but Brayden Mullins is the type of player that would fit in with any scheme. He has not been high usage at Connecticut, but his archetype as a tall shooter with defensive potential always rises during the draft. Every team is looking for versatile shooters.
13. San Antonio Spurs (from ATL (30-31))
SF/PF Thomas Haugh, Jr, Florida
6’9, 215 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 16.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.0 apg
The Spurs are as good as they are, thanks to quite a bit of lottery luck. They once again have another lottery pick coming up, even though they have one of the best records in the NBA. Thomas Haugh would be a tremendous player for a playoff team to add to its roster. He is not elite in any one area, but is a good athlete and shooter, a solid rebounder and has quite a bit of experience. He reminds me of Tristan da Silva. Nothing stands out, but he is just a quality player who can do a bit of everything.
14. Charlotte Hornets (30-31)
SF/PF Koa Peat, Fr, Arizona
6’8, 235 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 13.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.6 apg
The Hornets are suddenly an unstoppable juggernaut. They are healthy, scoring at an amazing clip, and blowing out teams routinely. This would be a good spot for a player like Koa Peat. I struggle to figure out what his NBA role would be, but he could chip in as a scorer off of putbacks and a pesky, aggressive rebounder. Charlotte is full of players who need the ball in their hands, and Peat could be a solid glue guy.
15. Golden State Warriors (31-29)
PG/SG Mikel Brown Jr., Fr, Louisville
6’5, 190 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 18.2 ppg, 4.7 apg, 3.3 rpg
Even though the Warriors continue to kick the can down the road, eventually they will have to rebuild. Mikel Brown Jr. has lottery talent, but the consistency is just not there. If you are a combo guard, you better be able to play point guard at least most of the time, or shoot the cover off the ball, and Brown r. has struggled to accomplish either. Still, he showed what he is capable of during a ridiculous three game stretch where he scored 45, 29 and 29 points. He just needs to be more consistent.
16. Miami Heat (32-29)
PF/C Yaxel Lendeborg, Sr, Michigan
6’9, 240 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.3 apg
Miami has struggled to adjust to life without Jimmy Butler. “Heat Culture” can only take you so far. Eventually, a lack of talent will rear its ugly head. No one drafted here will make a huge difference, but Miami can still find a bench contributor. Nikola Jovic has struggled mightily, and Yaxel Lendeborg could immediately push him. Lendeborg has been in college forever, and has probably already reached his physical peak, but he could come in and contribute up and down the stat sheet as a rookie. He is a good shooter, playmaker, rebounder and defender.
17. Memphis Grizzlies (from ORL (31-27))
SG Cameron Carr, rSo, Baylor
6’5, 175 lbs
2025;2026 Stats: 219.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.8 apg
This is the first of many first round picks that are coming the Grizzlies way, via the Desmond Bane to Orlando trade. Memphis doubles up on wing scorers with Cameron Carr. After two seasons as a bit player, Carr has held strong shooting percentages, despite high usage. He is a good shooter, solid athlete and developing defender who is averaging 1.4 blocks per game, as a 6’5 guard.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder (from PHI (33-25))
PF/C Patrick Ngongba II, So, Duke
6’11, 250 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 10.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.0 apg
The Thunder are extremely deep, and should welcome Thomas Sorber back next year, but with Isaiah Hartenstein possibly becoming too expensive to retain, there could be a few front court minutes available. While Patrick Ngongba II’s numbers do not jump off the page, he is a favorite amongst the analytics crowd. He is a good “garbage type” scorer, takes good care of the ball and can play passable defense. He will not wow anybody, but should become a very solid backup center with starting potential.
19. Charlotte Hornets (from PHX (34-26))
PG/SG Bennett Stirtz, Sr, Iowa
6’5, 190 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 20.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2.3 rpg
Before the season, Charlotte fans thought they would have two top ten picks, but both their team and the Suns have overachieved. Still, building off an outstanding 2025 draft, they get to add two more rookies. Bennett Stirtz would be a perfect backup point guard to LaMelo Ball. He is a great shooter, underrated defender and very steady presence. He is also a better athlete than you would expect at first glance.
20. Toronto Raptors (35-25)
SG/SF Tounde Yessoufou, Fr, Baylor
6’5, 215 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 17.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.5 apg
Toronto may not have a superstar on its roster (Scottie Barnes is almost there), but have a deep starting five, and, unlike most of the East, have stayed healthy all year. The bench is led by rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, and not a lot else. Tounde Yessoufou’s counting stats look fine, but a peek under the hood shows a player who has struggled to both shoot and get to the rim with consistency. He may need to make his living as a pesky defender who scores on the fast break and put backs, like a Christian Braun, but at some point, the potential rewards outweigh the risks.
21. Los Angeles Lakers (35-24)
PF/C Henri Veesaar, Jr, North Carolina
7’0, 225 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 16.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.9 apg
The fact that the Lakers are eleven games over .500 with such a flawed roster is actually somewhat impressive. This team lacks size and shooting, and Henri Veesaar could help out both areas. Obviously, you are not expecting much from a player drafted in the 20’s, but Veesaar is a good scorer with stretch ability on offense. He can also rebound and block the occasional shot. Not a high upside pick, but he has starting potential.
22. Atlanta Hawks (from CLE (37-24))
SF/PF Karim Lopez, Mexico
6’8, 220 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 11.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.5 apg
With more and more foreign prospects attending American universities, scouts will have to search harder to land those true overseas prospects. Karim Lopez is probably the best of the bunch. Lopez plays a bit like a poor man’s Jalen Johnson, so this fit could make sense. Lopez may not have the shooting or playmaking ability to be a lottery pick, but he is a talented scorer with good size. He is also a good defender, averaging over 2 stocks per game.
23. Denver Nuggets (37-23)
PF/C Jayden Quaintance, So, Kentucky
6’10, 255 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 5.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.8 bpg
The Nuggets may lose Jonas Valanciunas this offseason, and could be on the lookout for a backup for Nikola Jokic. Jayden Quaintance is an NBA ready rebounder and defender, but he really could have used this season to work on his offense, but it looks like it will be over after only 5 games. I struggle to keep him in the first round, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt for now.
24. Detroit Pistons (from MIN (37-23))
SG Isaiah Evans, So, Duke
6’6, 180 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 14.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.3 apg
The Pistons are a fantastic team, but could use additional shooting and bench production. Isaiah Evans has shown gradual improvement from his freshman season. With Carlos Boozer dominating touches, he has been productive as a shooter and secondary scorer. He is not much of a playmaker or defender, but his ability to knock down jump shots is always a welcome addition to any teams bench.
25. Philadelphia 76ers (from HOU (37-22))
SF Amari Allen, Fr, Alabama
6’8, 205 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 12.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 3.3 apg
Amari Allen is the newest edition to my 2026 draft class. He has been a fantastic running mate for Labaron Philon Jr. at Alabama. He is a good shooter, rebounder and ball handler. He has good size with the ability to become a decent defender as well. A nice, do-it-all type with the potential to improve.
26. New York Knicks (38-22)
SF/PF Dailyn Swain, Jr, Texas
6’8, 220 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 17.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.1 apg
New York is, once again, a top heavy roster team. Its recent first round picks have not made much of a dent at the NBA level. Dailyn Swain is an upperclassmen who could be an instant contributor for a playoff team. He is a good scorer, rebounder and passer, an an on the ball menace defensively. He has worked to improve his three point shot, and could be a poor man’s DeAndre Hunter at the next level.
27. Boston Celtics (35-19)
C Aday Mara, Jr, Michigan
7’3, 255 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 11.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.4 apg
The Celtics added Nikola Vucevic to the roster, and even if he resigns with the team, he is more of a finesse big. Aday Mara, even as a junior, remains a long term project. Sometimes, it just takes big men a long time to develop. He has become a great shot blocker and decent scorer with a bit of range on his jump shot. He may lack the stamina to be a long term starter, but should be a quality defender and rebounder off the bench.
28. Cleveland Cavaliers (from SA (43-16))
PG Christian Anderson, So, Texas Tech
6’3, 178 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 19.4 ppg, 7.7 apg, 3.8 rpg
The Cavaliers have been searching for a steady backup point guard for a few years now. Christian Anderson has been a revelation for Texas Tech as a sophomore. He is small and may struggle to hold up for 30 minutes a game, but has Bones Hyland ability as a scorer and distributor, and could be a solid change of pace backup.
29. Dallas Mavericks (from OKC (46-15))
PG/SG Meleek Thomas, Fr, Arkansas
6’0, 173 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 15.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.5 apg
This is one of two first round picks the Mavericks received from Washington in the Anthony Davis trade. Coming from the Thunder, it is likely to be at the very end of the first round. Dallas needs young scorers, and Meleek Thomas has done enough to work his way back into the first round. Playing next to Darius Acuff Jr., he has not been able to show his point guard ability, but he is up to 40% from deep,and is an active defender as well.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (from DET (44-14))
PG Tyler Tanner, So, Vanderbilt
6’0, 173 lbs
2025-2026 Stats: 18.5 ppg, 5.2 apg, 3.5 rpg
The Timberwolves have a very solid starting five, but the bench leaves a bit to be desired. Tyler Tanner is a tough prospect to evaluate. Players his size struggle to stay relevant in today’s NBA, but his ability to score and play point guard should get him plenty of first round looks. As long as the team drafting him does not expect too much, he could be a solid source of offense off the bench.
Leave a Reply