Now that the scouting combine is in the rearview mirror, we have a much better understanding of how the prospects in the 2026 Draft Class will look when they take the court as NBAers. Some guys, like Michigan's Aday Mara and Baylor's Cameron Carr, really improved their draft stock. Then again, other players, such as Arizona's Koa Peat, might see their draft position fall after tough outings. Let's take a look at the first round and predict where the top prospects will go.
1. Washington Wizards: Forward, AJ Dybantsa. BYU.
There's no change amongst the first four picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. AJ Dybantsa tested well at the combine, which further indicates that he will inevitably go number-one overall. Things could obviously change over the next few weeks, but all signs point to Washington taking Dybantsa. After all, they need a forward more than a guard like Kansas' Darryn Peterson.
2. Utah Jazz: Guard, Darryn Peterson. Kansas.
Peterson remains the consensus number-two pick if he doesn't go first overall. One could argue that he is more talented and has a higher upside than Dybantsa. As a projected point guard, his +5.5-inch wingspan indicates that he will be a good ballhandler. There are rumors that Utah wants to move up to the number-one spot to take Dybantsa. Assuming that doesn't happen, then Peterson is the pick.
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Forward/Center, Cameron Boozer. Duke.
Boozer fits the mold of Memphis' historically good big men like Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. He possesses a strong basketball IQ and also outperformed fellow big man Caleb Wilson in agility drills at the scouting combine. With Zach Edey already playing the five-spot, Boozer will be the Grizzlies' power forward, which is his natural position. Though I like Wilson more, it's hard to imagine Memphis NOT taking Cameron Boozer.
4. Chicago Bulls: Forward/Center, Caleb Wilson. UNC.
There's an unspoken agreement that Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, and Wilson are the four best players in this draft. With three of them already off the board, the Bulls don't have to make any hard decisions because they'll almost certainly end up with the last of those four guys. After weighing in at just 211 lbs., it seems Wilson is more likely to be a power forward than a center. He has a ton of upside and tested well at the combine, so Wilson will still go fourth overall.
5. LA Clippers (from IND): Guard, Keaton Wagler. Illinois.
It wouldn't be shocking if they decided to go after a center, but the Clippers just used a first-round pick on Yanic Konan Niederhauser last year, so it makes more sense that they address their backcourt. Though Darius Acuff Jr. is a slightly better prospect, Wagler fits LA's need for a shooting guard, while Acuff is a pure point guard. The Clippers need somebody to pair with Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard. Wagler is a better fit in that regard.
6. Brooklyn Nets: Guard, Darius Acuff Jr. Arkansas.
I view Darius Acuff Jr. as a better NBA prospect than Keaton Wagler, so this is a steal for the Nets. He is a pure point guard who demonstrated more speed than Wagler at the combine. Acuff also fills the starpower void that has plagued Brooklyn ever since Kevin Durant left the team. More importantly, he is incredibly talented as a scorer and a passer. Darisu Acuff Jr. is exactly what the Nets are looking for.
7. TRADE: Dallas Mavericks: Center, Aday Mara. Michigan.
The Sacramento Kings trade the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to the Dallas Mavericks for the ninth overall pick and the 30th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, as well as a second-round pick in the 2030 NBA Draft.
We are all seeing the quick ascension of San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, who towers over most centers at 7'4". Considering the Mavs will have to face Wemby four times a year for the next decade, they need a big man who can challenge him at the rim. After testing incredibly well and measuring in at 7'3", Aday Mara could be a meaningful addition that helps Dallas in its future battles with the Spurs. His defensive upside could be the key to limiting Victor Wembanyama's effectiveness. There will be plenty of teams in the West who consider moving up to take Mara.
8. Atlanta Hawks (from NOP): Guard, Mikel Brown Jr. Louisville.
The pick could be Brown or Houston's Kingston Felmings. But after measuring poorly at the combine, Flemings might fall a spot or two. On top of that, Mikel Brown's stock could've been much higher if we had gotten to see him play in the NCAA Tournament. At just 20 years old, Brown's game needs a little bit of work, but he can be eased into the lineup since CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are manning the backcourt. That will give him more time to come into his own as a player.
9. Sacramento Kings (from DAL): Guard, Kingston Flemings. Houston.
After trading back with the Mavs, the Kings added another first-round pick while still landing the guard that we originally projected them to take. Though Flemings didn't measure well, he still showed impressive athleticism in combine drills. He also apparently interviewed well, which shows he has the leadership needed to be an effective floor general. Since Russell Westbrook is bound to retire in the next few years, Sacramento needs to start planning for the future at the point guard spot.
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Forward, Nate Ament. Tennessee.
Since we're allowed to make trades in this mock draft, the Bucks use their first pick to find a replacement for Giannis Antetokounmpo (which we'll get to shortly). When Giannis leaves Milwaukee, the Bucks will need to find a new athletic wing to replace his immense production. Ament has all the measurements to be the next Greek Freak. He's tall and athletic, with a +2-inch wingspan. It'll take time for him to become a meaningful contributor, but if Milwaukee can help him develop the way Giannis did, then he'll become the NBA’s next great wing player. It's a gamble worth taking since the Bucks will have two first-round picks.
11. Golden State Warriors: Forward, Yaxel Lendeborg. Michigan.
The Warriors' championship window is quickly closing. They must capitalize and take a win-now approach with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler all on the tail-end of their careers. Lendeborg might be older, but he can be a good contributor on a team looking to make a championship run right now. He’ll be an improvement over backup forwards Gui Santos and De'Anthony Melton. He'll also be able to make up for some of the lost production expected from Jimmy Butler as he works his way back from a knee injury.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from LAC): Center, Jayden Quaintance. Kentucky.
The Thunder know that they are going to have to spend the next decade going against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. They need as much rim protection help as they can get, so they take a gamble on Quaintance. He has excellent length and is still very young. Though there are injury concerns, the Thunder won't have to rush him onto the court. They can stash him away and let him get healthy. If the pick doesn't work out, OKC will still have a good frontcourt. However, if Quaintance emerges as a starter, the Thunder will have another guy who can make Wembanyama's life difficult.
13. TRADE: Milwaukee Bucks (from MIA): Forward/Center, Hannes Steinbach. Washington.
The Miami Heat trade the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez, Kel'el Ware, and three future first-round picks to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks move on from Giannis Antetokounmpo by trading him to the Miami Heat. This will leave a void in the backcourt, so Milwaukee uses the pick on Steinbach, who can be a power forward or a center. He's already an excellent rebounder and shows some potential as a three-point scorer, which will create more spacing in the Bucks' offense. With Myles Turner already on the roster, Steinbach will probably fill in at the four-spot or be a backup to Bobby Portis Jr. Either way, he'll provide Milwaukee with valuable minutes.
14. Charlotte Hornets: Forward/Center, Morez Johnson Jr. Michigan.
The Hornets probably wanted to take Steinbach since they lack size in the frontcourt. But after he was drafted by the Bucks, Charlotte will choose Johnson, who's no slouch. He's a ferocious defender and rebounder who would still be one of the tallest players on the Hornets' roster. He can be a backup power forward and a small-ball center, which gives Charlotte some much-needed depth down low. They could risk waiting to take him later, but with the Thunder picking one spot ahead of them at 17, they pull the trigger on Morez Johnson Jr. at 14.
15. Chicago Bulls (from POR): Guard, Brayden Burries. Arizona.
As a guy who has often been looked at as a lottery pick, the Bulls get a steal with Burries falling to them at the 15 spot. They already addressed their frontcourt, so they use their next pick to add another backcourt contributor. Burries can make an impact right away as a role player. He isn't the most dynamic scorer, but he makes up for it as a defender and a rebounder. With Anfernee Simons and Collin Sexton both scheduled to become free agents, Chicago needs to add guard depth.
16. TRADE: Toronto Raptors (from MEM): Guard, Cameron Carr. Baylor.
The Memphis Grizzlies trade the 16th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to the Toronto Raptors for the 19th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and Ja'Kobe Walter.
The Raps may need to add one more asset to this trade package, but if Cameron Carr is available, Toronto should make this move. They need to find another guard who can create their own scoring opportunities, and Carr demonstrated those abilities at the combine as one of the biggest risers amongst all prospects. More importantly, the Raptors have big decisions to make next summer with Grady Dick, Brandon Ingram, and R.J. Barrett all scheduled to become free agents. They'll definitely keep Ingram, but if they let either Dick or Barrett go, then Carr can step in and become a new starter.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder (from PHI): Forward, Karim Lopez. Mexico.
Even though they won't keep every player currently on their active roster, the Thunder still have the most depth of any team in the NBA. With that in mind, they can take a flyer on a low-risk, high-reward player like Lopez, who's the best international prospect in this class. He has fantastic measurables and showed a ton of potential in the NBL. OKC will take him and stash him on their bench, allowing Lopez to work his way into the lineup slowly. This will maximize his potential while allowing him to continue developing his offensive skillset. With basically no pressure on him to perform right away, Lopez can continue to improve as a ball player, which will make him much more polished whenever he does take an NBA court for the first time.
18. Charlotte Hornets (from ORL): Forward/Center, Chris Cenac Jr. Houston.
They might have already taken a big man with the 14th pick, but there's no harm in doubling up and reinforcing your frontcourt even more. As we know, Morez Johnson Jr. is an undersized big man. But at 6'11", Chris Cenac has the ideal size to be a center. The Hornets don't need to do much work at the guard or small forward spots. With the additions of Cenac and Johnson, they round out a good rotation in the frontcourt that will allow them to move on from Xavier Tillman this year or Grant Williams next summer.
19. Memphis Grizzlies (from TOR): Guard, Christian Anderson. Texas Tech.
A case could be made that Anderson is the most promising pure point guard in the 2026 NBA Draft. He's only 20 years old, but was still one of the most prolific passers in college basketball last season, averaging 7.4 assists per game. To put that into perspective, Purdue's Braden Smith, the NCAA's all-time assists leader, averaged 8.8 assists per game at 22 years of age. Anderson is also a 40% career three-point shooter, so he has scoring to go with excellent passing. Considering Ja Morant's future with the Grizzlies is murky to say the least, Anderson could be a really good backup or maybe even a solid starter down the line. Anderson and Cameron Boozer will get along swimmingly in Memphis.
20. San Antonio Spurs (from ATL): Center, Henri Veesaar. UNC.
Obviously, Victor Wembanyama is the face of the franchise, and the Spurs have an incredibly deep rotation of guards. Now, they just need to get a little bit younger down low. Luke Kornet turns 31 next month. Bismack Biyombo is 33, and Mason Plumlee is 36. San Antonio needs to find another young guy who can come in and provide minutes when Wemby isn't on the court. As the fourth-tallest prospect in this class, Veesaar fits the mold that the Spurs are looking for. He'll be a reliable rebounder and an efficient scorer off the bench since he finished last season with the 19th-best field goal percentage in the nation (60.8%).
21. Detroit Pistons (from MIN): Guard, Labaron Philon Jr. Alabama.
It's no secret that the Pistons had scoring issues in the playoffs, since they’re ranked tenth in points per game (104.9) this postseason. They need to find a way to generate offense when Cade Cunningham isn't on the floor, so Detroit will be salivating when it sees Philon fall to them with the 21st pick. This guy was the 11th-best scorer in the country last year, averaging 22 points per game. He was also efficient, making over 50% of his shots. Philon will be a fantastic addition to Detroit's offense. He’ll help maintain offensive production when Cade Cunningham is on the bench.
22. Philadelphia 76ers (from HOU via OKC): Forward, Allen Graves. Santa Clara.
This is turning out to be one of those perfect match picks we see later on in the first round of the draft every year. The Sixers are still going to be leaning on Joel Embiid and Paul George to play most of the team's frontcourt minutes, but Philly has to get younger down low. Graves is an unfinished product that will need time to continue developing his skills before making an impact at the NBA level. That's why this pick makes so much sense. He can come in and play limited minutes while getting a feel for NBA competition. He'll be Paul George's successor before he hits the free agent market in 2028. That should be more than enough time for Graves to develop into a productive role player or maybe even a starter.
23. TRADE: Los Angeles Lakers (from ATL): Forward/Center, Tarris Reed Jr. UConn.
The Atlanta Hawks trade the 23rd overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to the Los Angeles Lakers for the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and Jake LaRavia.
Nobody needs a center more than the Lakers after Deandre Ayton looked practically unplayable in LA's second-round playoff loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Enter Tarris Reed Jr., who elevated his play on the biggest stage by averaging 19.5 points and 13.2 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament, when the lights shone the brightest. He's incredibly tough and should split minutes with Ayton before he hits free agency next summer. One pick ahead of the Knicks, who also need to add a center, the Lakers take one of the best big men still available off the board.
24. New York Knicks: Forward/Center, Zuby Ejiofor. St. John's.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Mitchell Robinson test out free agency this summer, so the Knicks will need to find a backup center. In case they can't sign somebody in free agency, they take Ejiofor, who can be a small-ball center. He's a tenacious defender and a good rebounder who has a ton of experience after playing four years of college ball. Best-case scenario, he becomes a valuable rotational player down low. At the worst, Ejiofor will be a decent backup power forward. New York fans will love that he is a hometown kid who played at St. John's.
25. Atlanta Hawks (from LAL): Center, Luigi Suigo. Italy.
A project player who measured in as the second-tallest player at the 2026 combine, the Hawks can afford to take a gamble on Suigo. With three Atlanta centers currently scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, the Hawks need to add more bodies to their frontcourt. They'll likely re-sign Jock Landale to be their backup center, which will give Suigo more time to hone his skills and take pressure off of him to contribute right away. At 7'3", Suigo has the measurables you want in a center. He just needs more time to become a polished NBA-level player. You're rarely going to find All-Stars or immediate starters with the 25th overall pick, but Suigo has a lot of upside and could eventually become a starter if he goes to the right team.
26. Denver Nuggets: Guard, Bennett Stirtz. Iowa.
The Nuggets' window to win a championship is beginning to close. The team is getting older and will have to make some hard financial decisions this summer. Plus, Denver has to deal with the emergence of the Spurs and Thunder. They need to add more players who can generate offense when opponents are focused on stopping Nikola Jokić. Stirtz can do just that. He's an NBA-ready player who can make plays as a passer and a shooter. He has a limited ceiling, but the Nuggets are taking him because he can contribute right away offensively. He will provide a spark off the bench as a backup point guard.
27. Boston Celtics: Forward, Koa Peat. Arizona.
Peat takes a tumble after a weak showing at the combine. However, when you watch the tape, you see a kid who can play after he averaged 17.2 points and 7.6 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament. Based on the disappointing performance of Nikola Vucevic, the Celtics are bound to shake things up in the frontcourt. They'll probably add some players in free agency, but taking Peat, who recently turned 19 years old, is a no-brainer because he shows a lot of promise as a tweener forward. This could end up being a steal for Boston because he might've been a lottery pick had he performed just a little better at the combine.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (from DET): Guard, Ebuka Okorie. Stanford.
After we saw Anthony Edwards, Ayo Dosunmu, and Donte DiVincenzo all miss time in the 2026 NBA Playoffs due to injury, it's clear that the T-wolves need to add more bodies to the backcourt. Since Okorie told reporters that he plans to stay in the NBA Draft, it could be viewed as a huge win for him to fall to Minnesota at pick 28. This is a smart move in the short-term and the long-term. Short-term, he can fill in for DiVincenzo, who will likely miss the entire 2026-27 season. In the long term, he could develop into a good point guard and be the successor to Mike Conley, who turns 39 this coming season.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (from SAS via ATL): Guard, Meleek Thomas. Arkansas.
The Cavs' backcourt is old. James Harden, Dennis Schröder, and Sam Merrill are all over 30 years old, and Donovan Mitchell will be turning 30 in the Fall. Cleveland needs more youth at the guard spots and a replacement plan for whenever James Harden decides to retire, which could be sooner rather than later. Thomas will be 20 when the season begins and fits the mold of Cavs guards who are good at shooting the ball from beyond the arc (he shot 41.6% from three in college). He'll benefit from a lot of open looks playing alongside Harden and Mitchell.
30. Sacramento Kings (from DAL): Guard/Forward, Dailyn Swain. Texas.
Swain will be turning 21 years old soon and has some questions regarding his ability to score, but his athleticism and defensive prowess should warrant a team taking him in the first round. Sacramento has DeMar DeRozan, and it just used a first-round pick on Nique Clifford last year. Swain can provide some defensive minutes while getting time as a third-string forward to expand his offensive skillset. He probably won't evolve into a starter, but he can be a really good rotational piece if he can find a jumpshot.
