Here’s my final mock ahead of the NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, ABC), when the final draft order will be determined. Be sure to check out our 2026 NBA Draft Guide, which features full scouting reports on all 60 of these prospects, player comparisons, and multiple big boards.
NBA mock drafts: 4.0 • 3.0 • 2.0 • 1.0
AJ Dybantsa, 6-9, BYU freshman forward
Dybantsa could become one of the NBA’s most unstoppable shot-creators. At 6-foot-9, he has a special blend of athletic tools with the way he bends, shifts, and explodes with the ball in his hands. Dybantsa led the nation with 25.5 points per game while breaking Danny Ainge’s 48-year-old BYU freshman scoring record with a 43-point eruption. He gets to the rim at will, cooks in the midrange, draws fouls at a high rate, and displays point-forward potential. With these scoring skills, he’d be a perfect complement to Alex Sarr in Washington’s frontcourt and likely elevate the existing talented ball-handlers like Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson. But what will determine Dybantsa’s upside is whether he can become a knockdown 3-point shooter, as well as a more impactful defender to take full advantage of his physical tools. But the native of Brockton, Massachusetts, has a tremendously high floor with his scoring skill alone.
At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, Boozer is the most polished player in the class. He scores from the post with both footwork and power, hits 40% of his 3s on high volume, and has enough handle to run offense as a point forward. He shifts between those modes based on what the defense gives him, and that adaptability led to a 35-win season at Duke and the Naismith Player of the Year. That’s why he would be so appealing to the Pacers. He could play with Ivica Zubac and Pascal Siakam, or with just one of them by sliding to center in certain lineups. The worry is that he’s not a vertical athlete and the foundation of all that production — overpowering smaller defenders — gets diminished against NBA length. Plus, he’s a modern tweener on defense, lacking the explosiveness and size to protect the rim full-time and the lateral quickness to switch onto guards. But Rick Carlislie is a tremendous coach — both at building winning systems, and tanking teams too — so Boozer would be in good hands with him at coach, and Tyrese Haliburton at point guard. With the bloodline of two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer, the team that drafts him is betting that skill, adaptability, and a track record of winning at every level all lead to superstardom.
(Bruno Rouby/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
Caleb Wilson, 6-10, North Carolina freshman big
Wilson is the most gifted athlete in the draft class. He’s 6-foot-10 with springs for legs. When he’s flying above the rim, finishing through contact, and chasing down every shot in his area code, he looks like a future franchise cornerstone. That’s exactly what the Nets need. They drafted a ton of guards last year, and they still hope one of them will pan out — which plays into the decision to put Wilson ahead of Kansas guard Darryn Peterson in this mock. Having a guy like Wilson could help, but he still needs to figure out his jumper, and he hasn’t shown any consistency as a shooter at any level. Still, even without the jumper, his athleticism alone gives him star upside.
Darryn Peterson, 6-6, Kansas freshman guard
Peterson is a buttery smooth scorer with a blend of fluid body control and positional size that gives him the ingredients to become an elite NBA player. At the high school level, he was a dynamic playmaker who used his burst to get into the teeth of defenses and generate buckets for himself and his teammates, while also showing off the kind of shot-making that draws comparisons to Hall of Famers. At Kansas, he thrived in an off-ball role, stroking jumpers out of movement actions and showing he can scale up or down depending on what a roster needs. Even when he isn’t scoring, he’s a high-impact defender who causes chaos off-ball and has the 6-foot-11 wingspan to switch screens. If he falls to the fourth pick because of concerns over his body — cramping, 11 of 35 missed games, and other strange issues — there’s a chance it will turn out to be a mistake. That’s why the Jazz, in this slot, can afford to take a big swing. Just like they did one year ago for Ace Bailey even though he didn’t want to go to Utah. And that sure is looking smart.
Darius Acuff, 6-3, Arkansas freshman guard
The Kings just need a superstar, man. Someone who can be the face of the franchise and lead this team to more wins. And they definitely need a point guard. Acuff checks all those boxes. He is not the biggest guard or the most explosive athlete, but he reads defenses like someone who’s been in the league for a decade. He emerged as a freshman as a skilled, low-turnover playmaker. And that’s not even what he’s best at. Acuff is a wiry scorer who can get a bucket from anywhere on the floor with a quick trigger, slippery handle, and a feel for manipulating defenses. He has a knack for clutch moments too. The question that follows every undersized guard into the draft is whether the brilliance survives contact with bigger, longer, faster defenders.
Keaton Wagler, 6-6, Illinois freshman guard
Wagler showed up at Illinois as a four-star recruit with no expectations of becoming a one-and-done. But he became the orchestrator of a high-powered Illinois offense with his high-IQ playmaking and crafty scoring, leading the team to the Final Four. And now, he’s a top-10 lock that would look excellent as the replacement in the backcourt for Ja Morant — they are polar opposites, personality-wise, and game-wise. Prime Ja was a dunking machine. Wagler didn’t dunk once as a freshman. To become an NBA star, Wagler will need to overcome a lack of traditional athleticism. But the best case is that his feel for the game is enough for him to continue ascending.
Brayden Burries, 6-4, Arizona freshman guard
Hawks fans have to be pumped and jacked for Sunday. With a 9.8% chance of moving up to the top pick, thanks to the Pelicans/Bucks picks swap, they have the sixth-best odds of winning the lottery. But if they stay put, it would make sense to find someone who can fill in for CJ McCollum and someday take over for the 34-year-old guard. Burries arrived at Arizona as a top-10 recruit, started slow, and then erupted once conference play began, helping lead his team to the Final Four. He’s a physical, versatile scorer who can beat you from all three levels, rebounds like a forward, and competes hard on defense. But he’s a methodical creator rather than an explosive one, and his shooting history before Arizona gives scouts reason to wonder whether the efficiency is real or a blip.
Kingston Flemings, 6-4, Houston freshman guard
At age 7, Flemings chased a ball into the street and got hit by a car, and ended up in the hospital with a fractured hip, a punctured spleen, and road rash. He says it changed his outlook on life, and it sure looks like it given the incredible effort and passion he plays with. Flemings and Cooper Flagg might be twin flames given their approach to the game. Flemings plays with surgical midrange touch, an explosive first step, and passing vision of a true point guard who can run an offense. But Flemings is also 190 pounds, midrange-heavy in a 3-point league, and watched his efficiency crater against the stiffest competition late in the season. The question is whether his scoring package translates to NBA length and spacing, or whether opposing scouts figure him out the same way late-season defenses did. But with Flagg, he’d have a superstar teammate to help him along.
Aday Mara, 7-3, Michigan junior center
The Bulls badly need a big, and Mara is the best one on the board. Mara stepped on UCLA’s campus as a lottery-projected center from Spain. Then he fell off draft boards during two forgettable seasons there before transferring to Michigan and becoming one of the best true 5s in the country on his way to winning the national championship. He reads the floor like a guard, finishes with both hands, and swats shots with elite timing. The complication is he doesn’t shoot from outside, makes below 60% of his free throws, and opponents are going to attack him on the perimeter.
Karim Lopez, 6-8, New Zealand Breakers forward
Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam said if the Bucks are going to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, it’d ideally happen before the draft. That makes some sense. But the fact he isn’t going out there and saying “we want Giannis to be in Milwaukee for his entire career” seems to be an indicator that he’s on his way out. Which certainly makes draft night all the more interesting to see who moves up and could position themselves in the driver’s seat for a Giannis trade. Nonetheless, the Bucks could either look to take a big swing here or begin building a new foundation. Lopez would fall into the latter category. He checks a lot of boxes with his excellent physical tools, a hardnosed approach, and a well-rounded ability to defend multiple positions, handle the ball, and a blossoming shot. But he’s thus far more of a jack of all trades since his jumper runs hot and cold and he lacks the burst to blow by defenders off the bounce. But he has all the requisite skills to become a longtime pro on a winning team.
Nate Ament, 6-10, Tennessee freshman wing
Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-foot-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country. That’d be part of the appeal for the Warriors, a team that is seemingly looking to the future with Steve Kerr possibly leaving, and Stephen Curry and Draymond Green getting closer to the end.
Dailyn Swain, 6-8, Texas junior wing
Ask executives around the NBA about Swain and you get differing responses about his stock. Some see him in this range. Others say he belongs in the 20s. The truth is, next week at the NBA Draft Combine — and his pre-draft workouts — could matter a lot more for him than for other prospects. Swain played two competent seasons at Xavier, transferred to Texas, and somehow became the most efficient isolation scorer in the entire country. He’s relentless getting to the rim, creative as a finisher, and active enough defensively to project as a switchable wing. But the reason he lives at the rim is because his jump shot is genuinely terrible. He has stiff mechanics, bad percentages, and a reluctance to even attempt it that goes all the way back to high school. Until the shooting becomes a credible threat, defenses are going to pack the paint and dare him to beat them from the outside. That is precisely why the Thunder take him in this mock: They can afford to be patient, and if they miss, so be it. Because if they hit, he could become a star.
Mikel Brown, 6-5, Louisville freshman guard
When Brown is in the zone, he has an unstoppable pull-up jumper, an ambidextrous finishing ability, and the quick reads to rifle passes before the defense has time to react. He had a 45-point breakout performance in February after a back injury dogged him all freshman year and then ended his year later in the month. The absences murky the evaluation and leave real questions about his consistency that may not get answered until he’s fully healthy. But the Heat love to take swings, and it’s hard to imagine a bigger one here on a player who could transform their backcourt for years to come.
Lendeborg has a compelling story. Poor grades kept him off his high school varsity team. He went to a JUCO. Then UAB. Then he entered the draft, went through the combine, pulled his name back, and came back for one more year at Michigan and won a national championship. He just kept getting better every single time the competition got harder. He fills the stat sheet, he can play multiple positions, and he has a 7-foot-4 wingspan at 240 pounds with a genuine handle. But he’ll be 24 as a rookie. The arc is a great story. Whether it ends with NBA stardom is still up for debate. And that last point matters a little less for the Hornets given the emerging young stars on their team in LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel. With so many winning qualities, Yaxel can complement them. And if he happens to blossom, then the Hornets could be a force.
15. Chicago Bulls (via Portland)
Labaron Philon, 6-4, Alabama sophomore guard
After selecting Mara in the lottery, it’s time for the Bulls to find their actual point guard of the future — and not the filler that ended last season. Philon is a shifty, score-first point guard who blossomed into one of the best guards in college basketball as a sophomore. He doubled his scoring output with buttery floaters, a deceptive handle, and a feel for running an offense, while also beginning to shore up the shooting questions that once clouded his projection. But Philon is also a below-the-rim athlete and is listed under 180 pounds, so his slight frame remains the one thing standing between him and stardom.
16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Orlando)
Allen Graves, 6-9, Santa Clara freshman forward
The Grizzlies have an analytics-savvy front office and Graves is beloved by public numbers-based boards. Plus, he passes the eye test. Graves was a point guard before a late growth spurt, and the floor skills carried over when he sprouted to 6-foot-9. He came off the bench at Santa Clara as a redshirt freshman and quietly became one of the most efficient producers in college basketball. He stands as the top-ranked player still in the transfer portal, so he could return to college, which wouldn’t be a surprise given he came off the bench, lacks great athleticism, and had some struggles against the limited top competition that he faced.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Philadelphia)
Morez Johnson, 6-9, Michigan sophomore forward
The Thunder at some point are going to see roster turnover. Surrounding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will require the type of guys who don’t get the love nationally but are critical to playing championship basketball. That’s Morez Johnson. He transferred from Illinois to Michigan and became the connective tissue of the national champions as a 250-pound wrecking ball with surprisingly soft hands and the defensive IQ to guard 1 through 5 in a switch-heavy scheme. The catch is he’s not quite big enough to be a true center and not yet proven enough as a shooter to guarantee he spaces the floor. But even without a jumper, Johnson has a long future ahead of him at the next level.
18. Charlotte Hornets (via Orlando)
Cameron Carr, 6-5, Baylor redshirt sophomore wing
You could have watched every Tennessee game for two years and genuinely not known that Carr existed. Then he transferred to Baylor, and led the team in scoring, shot nearly 40% from 3 on high volume, and looked like a 3-and-D role player who also has blossoming skills off the dribble. With NBA genes in his blood, as the son of former player Chris Carr, Cameron has the skills to make it in the NBA. But at 175 pounds with not a ton of games under his belt, he’s going to get introduced to the NBA’s physicality in a way college basketball never did. The Hornets already have Kon playing a similar position, but it wouldn’t hurt to have another guy like Carr on the roster. In the years to come, they could be a dynamic duo.
Ebuka Okorie, 6-2, Stanford freshman guard
The Raptors clearly need two things after their Game 7 loss to the Cavaliers: A point guard and a center. Here, they get the guard. Okorie is the best driving guard in the class, a 6-foot-2 jitterbug who manipulates defenders with a tight handle, sudden changes of speed, and an advanced feel for the game. He’s not an above-the-rim athlete, though, and not long ago he was a kid from New Hampshire who ranked outside the top 100 and committed to Harvard. Then Stanford found him, he flipped his commitment, and he proceeded to lead the ACC in scoring with eight 30-point games and a habit for hitting clutch shots. NBA teams will have to decide whether what carved up the ACC will survive against bigger, longer defenders.
Koa Peat, 6-8, Arizona freshman forward
Peat opened the season with a 30-point game against defending champion Florida and backed it up as one of Arizona’s best players all year. The concern is that he doesn’t really shoot, doesn’t create for himself off the dribble without assistance, and he’s not going to wow anyone as a vertical athlete. But the Spurs already have a lot of creators, and they have the perfect center in Victor Wembanyama to pair with anyone, but especially for a shaky shooter like Peat. The Spurs could unlock Peat’s best qualities, as a powerful, physical, and relentless player.
Chris Cenac, 6-11, Houston freshman big
Cenac checks every box on paper as a superb athlete who moves like a wing, has the length to alter shots, and shoots from the perimeter. Houston handed him a starting role with national title aspirations and trusted him with heavy minutes. But the Cougars fell short again, in part because Cenac struggled to stay out of foul trouble, couldn’t score efficiently, and was overeager to play on the perimeter despite having the body of a bruiser. The Pistons may want to take the swing anyway. There isn’t an opportunity every year to get a lottery talent in the 20s, and if he pans out he could fit right in style-wise to Detroit’s gritty environment while offering some of the skills they’re missing.
Hannes Steinbach, 6-11, Washington freshman big
The Sixers had an epic 3-1 comeback and now trail 2-0 to the Knicks. What’s missing? Joel Embiid, of course. But better bigs to replace him would help. Steinbach played professionally in Germany before enrolling at Washington, and he’ll enter the NBA with some readymade skills as an interior scorer and rebounder. He has massive hands that he uses to grab every possible rebound and finish effectively around the basket. He also showed legitimate touch on 3-pointers in flashes, which would turn him into a very different player if it becomes real. But he’s a bit of a modern tweener. He’s not a true 7-footer, and there are specific matchups where he gets targeted in space. He needs to be the right kind of center for the right team, and for Philadelphia he could anchor bench units when Embiid is healthy, and potentially play a bigger role when he’s not. No matter what happens with Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are both young pieces who need a big man to support them. Steinbach has all the tools needed.
23. Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland)
Amari Allen, 6-7, Alabama freshman forward
After taking Burries in the lottery, here the Hawks land a wing with all the tools to support their stars. Allen landed at Alabama as the third scoring option, which is either a red flag about his limited ceiling or a positive preview of exactly how he’ll thrive in the NBA. As a 6-foot-7 wing, Allen does a little bit of everything without needing touches, rebounds like a big, and displays incredible defensive versatility. The concern is purely about his upside, since he hasn’t shown many star flashes.
24. New York Knicks
Malachi Moreno, 7-0, Kentucky freshman big
Moreno worked out for the Knicks this week, which is quite an intriguing storyline to monitor since he’s only testing the draft waters. But he’s also a hot name since he has an NBA frame at only 19 years old: 7-feet, 250 pounds. He does the baseline things as a big man with above-the-rim finishing, hard-nosed rebounding, and stout rim protection. He also adds a layer as a passer, showing an advanced feel for the game and for manipulating defenders. It’s important for him to improve his touch as a finisher and as a shooter, but he’s in a good place for his age with skills that should be translatable to the next level. There’s a strong chance that he works his way into the first round, and with Mitchell Robinson entering free agency this summer it would make sense for the Knicks to find a replacement.
25. Los Angeles Lakers
Meleek Thomas, Arkansas freshman guard
Thomas has the confidence to “run for president,” according to Arkansas head coach John Calipari. You could see that on the court the way he never hesitated to fire, stepped right into the lead role when Darius Acuff was sidelined at Missouri to close the regular season, and willed Arkansas to the SEC championship game with 29 against Ole Miss. He’s a legit NBA shooter with deep range, a quick release, and creation juice off the bounce. He’d be a perfect complement to Luka Dončić, and some insurance in case Austin Reaves does happen to walk.
26. Denver Nuggets
Bennett Stirtz, 6-4, Iowa senior guard
The Nuggets need some variety to their half-court offense aside from having Nikola Jokić initiate everything. Well, here’s a guy who could help. Stirtz feels the game at a different frequency than everyone else on the floor, and yet still makes scouts squint because he doesn’t look the part athletically. The question isn’t whether he can play though. After transferring from Drake to Iowa, he kept cooking with bullseye passes, pump-fakes, and shooting touch off the dribble from NBA range. If he adjusts to the physicality and speed of the NBA, he could thrive as both a floor general and off-ball connector.
27. Boston Celtics
Luigi Suigo, 7-3, Mega center
Suigo has said he wants to be the Italian Wemby and, at 7-foot-3 with passing feel and shooting touch, you can see why a teenager might put that out into the universe. Suigo lacks the handle and self-creation chops to ever be the best player on a team, but his dynamic skills as a passer, shooter, and lob threat layer cleanly on top of baseline center duties as a screener, finisher, and rim protector. Becoming the Italian Marc Gasol is a more realistic goal, and would still be an excellent outcome. Sounds like a perfect fit for the Celtics system.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit)
Christian Anderson, 6-3, Texas Tech sophomore guard
Just look at how crucial Mike Conley still is to the Timberwolves in these playoffs. But he’s 38. And Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland will both be upcoming free agents. The Wolves might need a guard. Anderson showed up at Texas Tech as the 101st-ranked recruit and has played his way into the first-round conversation behind dynamic pick-and-roll creation and knockdown perimeter shooting. He does a good job of creating easier shots for his teammates, but at his small stature he hasn’t shown a consistent ability to get to the rim with any regularity. And any small guard will always be a target on defense, so there’s a lot of pressure on his shot translating to the next level.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio)
Jayden Quaintance, 6-10, Kentucky sophomore big
The Cavaliers look absolutely done against the Pistons. They have no championship DNA. No heart. No toughness. No grit. There are still at least two games in Cleveland that need to be played, but it just seems over. It would make sense for the Cavaliers to use this pick on a player who could change that culture. Is that Quaintance? Well, as long as he stays on the floor. JQ is going to get drafted based almost entirely on what he looked like before his knee exploded. As a freshman at Arizona State, he was blocking everything in sight, showing defensive instincts and mobility that players with his 6-10 frame aren’t supposed to have, and he was 17 years old doing it. Then came the ACL, the meniscus, the fractured knee, the transfer to Kentucky, persistent swelling, and a shutdown for the remainder of his sophomore season. Now teams have to make a decision after 28 games of great defense and eyesore offense. He might not fall this far. But if he does, it’d make perfect sense for the Cavaliers to scoop him up since he could operate as the tough guy big to pair with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
30. Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City)
Henri Veesaar, North Carolina junior big
The Mavericks found Flagg his point guard of the future in Flemings with their lottery pick. Here, it’s time to find a big. Veesaar is an agile big with real shooting touch, connective playmaking, and baseline big skills with the ability to set screens and catch lobs. He also offers rim protection and is a locked-in help defender. In all three of his collegiate seasons, he made a massive leap in production each year. But he’s 225 pounds so his lanky frame can get pushed around, plus he still hasn’t fully defined his cornerstone skill. If Dereck Lively can stay healthy, problem solved.
SECOND ROUND
31. New York Knicks: Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor freshman wing
Yessoufou grew up in West Africa, moved to California at 15 speaking only French, and left four years later as the state’s all-time leading scorer, breaking a record that had stood since 2004. He entered Baylor as a projected lottery pick with freakish athleticism, a relentless motor, and the kind of physicality that makes scouts dream. But Baylor missed the tournament, and when quality opponents took away his drives, there wasn’t much left in his arsenal. He’s still a shaky shooter, and he needs to improve his passing feel, and defend at the level his physical tools suggest that he should.
32. Memphis Grizzlies: Isaiah Evans, Duke sophomore wing
Evans is the kind of shooter that defenses guard and think they’ve got him contained, then he uses a screen and catches it off a full sprint, moving away from the rim, and he somehow manages to rise into a perfect 3-pointer. He’s a legitimate sharpshooter with the off-ball chops to thrive without even running any offense for himself, and he also has a developing handle that could unlock more creation chances. But he’s still a perimeter-based player who needs to add more layers to his game to become a complete offensive talent.
33. Brooklyn Nets: Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt sophomore guard
Tanner enrolled at Vanderbilt as a three-star recruit, stayed off draft boards as a freshman, and then blew up as a sophomore. He became the kind of player where you’d watch him and think: How is nobody stopping this guy? He’s barely 6-feet tall, but he gets wherever he wants on the floor, makes reads before the defense has time to rotate, and then turns around and picks your pocket on the other end. His height is a concern, though, because the NBA has a poor track record with guards his size, especially when it comes to playoff basketball. But maybe Tanner can be one of the exceptions since he plays bigger than his body.
34. Sacramento Kings: Rueben Chinyelu, Florida junior big
Chinyelu picked up basketball as a teenager in Nigeria, worked his way up through the NBA Academy Africa pipeline in Senegal, spent a freshman year at Washington State, then transferred to Florida and became the muscle behind a national title team. As a junior, he swept every major defensive player of the year award. The role he projects for is crystal clear: rebound, anchor the paint, finish lobs, and set the tone.
35. San Antonio Spurs: Sergio De Larrea, Valencia guard
De Larrea is a tall playmaking guard with major feel and a knockdown jumper who thrives within team concepts. He suffered a dislocated shoulder that ended his 2024-25 season and removed him from draft boards, but it ended up a blessing in disguise since he returned with a bigger role and stronger production for a great team in the EuroLeague. With size, smarts, and defensive versatility, he could carve out a role in the NBA if his international skill can translate.
36. Los Angeles Clippers: Ryan Conwell, Louisville senior guard
Conwell’s college career took him from South Florida to Indiana State to Xavier, and then to Louisville, and he got better at every stop. By the end of his senior year he was the leading scorer for the Cardinals at 18.8 points per game. He’s a stocky 6-foot-4 lefty with broad shoulders, no real first step, and exactly one dunk in four years of college basketball. But he’s a knockdown shooter with deep range and a bruiser at the rim who absorbs contact like a fullback. The question is whether the climb continues at the next level, when he can’t muscle his way to the cup or shoot over the top of smaller defenders the way he could in college.
37. Oklahoma City Thunder: Tarris Reed, UConn senior center
Reed is a throwback center who played at his best on the biggest stage on UConn’s way to the national title game. He does all the dirty work inside the paint as a finisher and rebounder and shot-blocker. But beyond his ability to screen and pass, he isn’t all too comfortable on the perimeter as a shooter or defender. So there are questions about his upside, especially since he’ll be 23 as a rookie.
38. Chicago Bulls: Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State senior forward
Some players are drafted for their ceilings. Others for their floor. Jefferson lands in the latter category as a 22-year-old senior who spent four years in college getting better at everything to the point he’s a steady, high-feel forward. He can pass out of the post, make connective reads, and guard multiple positions. He just needs his shooting progress to prove to be real, and right now there’s not enough of a sample to be sure it is.
39. Houston Rockets: Darrion Williams, NC State senior forward
Williams is a broad-shouldered wing with the versatility to run point or do the dirty work as a power forward. A lack of top-end athleticism puts him in a role player bucket, but he brings winning qualities. During a stretch in which Williams was struggling to score, his college coach Will Wade said: “What’d he have? Six rebounds, four assists, zero turnovers. Everybody needs to shut the hell up about him. He’s a damn good player and the shot’s going to fall.”
40. Boston Celtics: Flory Bidunga, Kansas sophomore big
Bidunga is a 6-foot-9 vertical weapon with bouncy legs, soft hands, and the defensive instincts to anchor the paint. He also has some switchability, which could make him highly valuable on defense. But he lacks the size of a true center, and he lacks any perimeter skill on offense. As a player who was born in Kinshasa, and moved to the United States as a teenager, he’s still learning the nuances of high-level basketball. So there could be untapped potential for the long term.
41. Miami Heat: Alex Karaban, UConn senior forward
Karaban makes defenses pay the moment they relax on him. He relocates for a 3, cuts when nobody’s watching, and does everything efficiently. He’s a similarly high-effort, high-IQ player on the defensive end, which helps him overcome his average athleticism. But he’ll be 24 as a rookie, and hasn’t shown much upside. He rarely shoots off the dribble because of his funky mechanics. So if his role-player skills are slow to translate, his margin for error is narrower than for most.
42. San Antonio Spurs: Billy Richmond, Arkansas sophomore wing
Some of his in-game dunks are worthy of the Dunk Contest. He’s an explosive athlete who thrives at the basket and brings constant hustle as a multi-positional defender — he made the SEC All-Defensive Team as a sophomore. But in order to carve out a long NBA career, he needs to figure out his jumper. If he does, he could be a lottery pick. Richmond is currently testing the pre-draft process, so there’s a chance he returns to Arkansas.
43. Brooklyn Nets: Matt Able, NC State freshman wing
Able has a strong 6-foot-6 frame as a wing to pair with a smooth jumper and a good feel for passing the ball. Even though he was inconsistent coming off the bench for NC State, he looks the part of a role player who could blossom into something much greater given his blend of skills. If Able doesn’t stay in the draft class, he is committed to North Carolina.
44. San Antonio Spurs: Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s senior big
After Ejiofor’s freshman year at Kansas, Bill Self told him he wasn’t good enough to play major minutes on any Big 12 team. Three years later, he became the unanimous Big East Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Tournament MVP, and Scholar-Athlete of the Year — the first player in the league’s history to sweep all four in a single season — and he helped St. John’s bounce his former team in the Round of 32 on the way to the program’s first Sweet 16 in 25 years. Ejiofor found success with foundational skills: motor, length, and defensive versatility. The question with Ejiofor is the fact he’s undersized for a center and his jumper is still a work in progress. But he’s developed enough to deserve a chance to figure it out in the league.
45. Sacramento Kings: Andrej Stojaković, Illinois junior wing
Stojaković is the son of three-time NBA All-Star and 2011 champion Peja Stojaković, and he certainly has professional DNA with his slick footwork and feel for the game. But unlike his father, he shockingly has a clunky jumper that needs a lot of seasoning for him to thrive at the next level.
46. Phoenix Suns: Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State junior forward
Momcilovic just put together one of the most efficient shooting seasons in college basketball, draining nearly half of his 3s on over seven attempts per game. He also has soft touch attacking closeouts and the discipline to stay in his lane by keeping the ball moving and not trying to do too much. The only real concern is the fact he isn’t much of a shot creator, doesn’t rebound much for his size, and will be an average defender at best. He has one skill that is genuinely elite though, that happens to be the most important skill in the modern league.
47. Dallas Mavericks: Aiden Tobiason, Syracuse sophomore wing
Tobiason is a 6-foot-6 wing with a 7-foot-2 wingspan who finishes above the rim, racks up steals with his length, and shows the catch-and-shoot touch and connective feel to project as a 3-and-D wing. But his breakout sophomore year also featured a dip in scoring efficiency after playing a limited role as a freshman. He is testing the waters while transferring to Syracuse, so he could very well decide to spend one more year at school and build on the feedback he receives from NBA teams.
48. Orlando Magic: Braden Smith, Purdue senior point guard
Smith left Purdue as the NCAA’s all-time assists leader, breaking a 33-year-old record. He’s arguably the highest-IQ player in the draft who could orchestrate an offense at the college level while also providing scoring off the bounce. But the issue is the one every 6-foot guard faces: he isn’t a plus athlete, and bigger guards are going to hunt him the moment he steps on an NBA floor. That’s precisely why he is a projected second-rounder and will need to work his way up.
49. Toronto Raptors: Ugonna Onyenso, Virginia senior big
Onyenso has bounced from Kentucky to Kansas State to Virginia, and finally found a home in Charlottesville where he turned into one of the most feared shot-blockers in college basketball. He had 21 blocks across three ACC tournament games, including nine against Cam Boozer in the championship. He lays a brick wall around the basket, though he has heavy feet when guarding on the perimeter and is still developing his offensive skill set.
50. Denver Nuggets: Felix Okpara, Tennessee senior big
Okpara knows his role as a player who protects the paint, runs the floor, finishes lobs, sets screens, and doesn’t try to be more than that. He spent two years at Ohio State, transferred to Tennessee, and helped take the Vols to the Elite Eight as their defensive backbone. He had four blocks in the Round of 32 with clutch defense down the stretch, then a 12 and 10 double-double in the Sweet 16.
51. Washington Wizards: Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida big
Nelson is a 6-foot-10 athlete with a 7-foot-3 wingspan who feasts on lobs, rebounds in traffic, and disrupts everywhere on defense. He sets a tone any time he’s on the floor. After three years at Arkansas State, he followed his coach to USF and proceeded to put up one of the most decorated mid-major seasons in recent memory by becoming the first player in American Conference history to win Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year. Even though he lacks creation and shooting abilities, he made jaw-dropping plays at the Portsmouth Invitational, then earned an NBA Draft Combine invite, and now has a chance to go in the second round.
52. Houston Rockets: Richie Saunders, BYU senior wing
Saunders is a hard-nosed, two-way wing who plays with manic energy, hustling around the floor hunting for steals on defense and jumpers on offense. The team that gets him knows exactly what they’re gonna get out of him. He’s also skilled, though, with a quick-trigger jumper, soft touch on floaters, and a feel for moving the ball. With less than ideal size and athleticism, he more likely projects as a solid role player. But he’s not a guarantee to succeed at age 25 after tearing his ACL in February, ending his four-year career at BYU.
53. Los Angeles Clippers: Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt senior forward
Nickel has a flamethrower jump shot that Vanderbilt used in a wide array of actions to consistent success all season long. The questions about him are the ones every specialist faces: Does he offer enough other than shooting? Will he survive defensively? But anyone who shoots like Nickel and stands at 6-foot-7 will get a shot to make it in the NBA.
54. Golden State Warriors: Tobi Lawal, Virginia Tech senior forward
Lawal is a London-born forward with elite athleticism, but he didn’t start playing basketball until age 16 and it shows with his underdeveloped skills. He’s still figuring out his jumper and doesn’t do much off the dribble. But with NBA-ready hops and a strong frame, he has the tools to be a highly versatile defender who serves as a role player on offense.
55. New York Knicks: Keyshawn Hall, Auburn senior forward
Hall has been to UNLV, George Mason, UCF, and Auburn, and at every stop he just keeps scoring as a 6-foot-7, 225-pound lefty wing by knocking down 3s and overpowering smaller defenders inside. But everywhere he’s gone, his defense has been shaky and his decision-making has left a lot to be desired. After bouncing through four programs without seeing those flaws get resolved, he’ll need to figure it out in the NBA. There’s certainly a lot of talent worth betting on.
56. Chicago Bulls: Milos Uzan, Houston senior guard
Uzan is a high-IQ combo guard who knits teams together with his playmaking skills and defensive hustle. Those are the translatable skills that made him a fixture in Houston’s rotations for back-to-back 30-win seasons. But then there’s the nagging question about what he actually offers as a primary shot-creator and as a shooter. Uzan could’ve answered that question with a big senior season, but he didn’t take the leap that scouts hoped for.
57. Atlanta Hawks: Baba Miller, Cincinnati senior forward
Miller is a fluid athlete who grew up playing guard before a late growth spurt. He retained his perimeter skills given the way he can handle in the open floor and make advanced moves. He’s also an equally compelling defensive player who can switch across positions. The big issue, and the main reason why he has spent four years in college, is that he still can’t shoot.
58. New Orleans Pelicans: Trevon Brazile, Arkansas senior forward
Brazile was a projected first-rounder before tearing his ACL nine games into his sophomore year at Arkansas, and the next two years were spent rebuilding the explosiveness that made him a prospect in the first place. He finally put it together as a fifth-year senior with a career year by anchoring Arkansas’ defense. His long wingspan, explosive vertical, switchability, and perimeter jumper, all give him the potential to have a long NBA career. But at this point, he’s already 23 and still projects only as a role player.
59. Minnesota Timberwolves: Otega Oweh, Kentucky senior wing
As a 6-foot-5 wing with a strong frame, Oweh became one of the best slashing wings in college basketball and had one of the great games of the season with 35/8/7 against Santa Clara in the opening round of March Madness with a buzzer-beater to force overtime. At the next level, though, he doesn’t project to be a primary creator because of his shaky handle and jumper, so the odds are he’ll need to adapt as a role player. Fortunately, he has a ton of those skills as a cutter, connective passer, and versatile defender.
60. Washington Wizards: Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA senior forward
Bilodeau was one of the most efficient stretch-4s in college basketball. With his 6-foot-9 frame, he could bring real value with his size and spacing ability at the next level. But no one should mistake Bilodeau for Tyler The Creator, since he rarely takes shots off the dribble or serves as a playmaker for teammates. He also struggles as a defender, which is truly the big question about his ability to make it in the modern NBA.
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