By NBA mock drafts 2026: Compare Jeremy Woo, Sam Vecenie, and other expert opinions for this summer’s 2026 NBA Draft
NBA mock drafts 2026: Compare Jeremy Woo, Sam Vecenie, and other expert opinions for this summer’s 2026 NBA Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After Sunday’s NBA Lottery concluded, basketball fans now have their first look at where the draft’s best talents may land.
The Washington Wizards were the event’s biggest winners, as they won the lottery sweepstakes at the No. 1 pick. The Utah Jazz obtained the No. 2 spot, while the Memphis Grizzlies will be drafting third overall.
Although the Wizards had a lottery-best 14% chance to win the lottery, it was far from a given among the three worst teams in the league. The Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets also had 14% chances to win, but walked away with the Nos. 5 and 6 picks. To make matters worse for Indiana, they actually lost their pick due to the No. 5 spot being outside of their pick protections; the pick was given to the Los Angeles Clippers as a term for the Ivica Zubac trade.
With Washington trading for both Trae Young and Anthony Davis this past deadline, there leaves an opening in their forward spot to close out a potential “Big Three” for the upcoming season. BYU’s AJ Dybantsa should fit perfectly in that spot, and the notion that his name will be the first called on June 23 has grown increasingly more popular.
After Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer will most likely round out the top three. There is a slight dropoff from there, but Caleb Wilson, Keaton Wagler, and Darius Acuff are all quite intriguing prospects after stellar collegiate seasons.
Here’s a look at how the experts believe the first round will play out now that the order is set in stone, barring a trade.
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Sporting News Mock Draft (Steph Noh)
|
Pick |
Team |
Player |
Position |
College/Previous team |
|
1. |
Wizards |
AJ Dybantsa |
SF |
BYU |
|
2. |
Jazz |
Darryn Peterson |
G |
Kansas |
|
3. |
Grizzlies |
Cameron Boozer |
PF |
Duke |
|
4. |
Bulls |
Caleb Wilson |
SF/PF |
North Carolina |
|
5. |
Clippers |
Keaton Wagler |
G |
Illinois |
|
6. |
Nets |
Darius Acuff |
G |
Arkansas |
|
7. |
Kings |
Kingston Flemings |
PG |
|
|
8. |
Brayden Burries |
G |
Arizona |
|
|
9. |
PF |
Michigan |
||
|
10. |
Bucks |
Mikel Brown Jr. |
G |
Louisville |
|
11. |
Aday Mara |
PF |
Michigan |
|
|
12. |
Thunder |
Hannes Steinbach |
PF/C |
Washington |
|
13. |
Heat |
SF |
Tennessee |
|
|
14. |
Hornets |
PF/C |
Kentucky |
|
|
15. |
Bulls |
PG |
Alabama |
|
|
16. |
Grizzlies |
Cameron Carr |
SG |
Baylor |
|
17. |
Thunder |
PG |
Iowa |
|
|
18. |
Hornets |
Koa Peat |
PF |
Arizona |
|
19. |
Raptors |
PF |
Michigan |
|
|
20. |
Karim Lopez |
SF |
New Zealand Breakers |
|
|
21. |
Dailyn Swain |
SG/SF |
Texas |
|
|
22. |
Chris Cenac Jr. |
PF/C |
Houston |
|
|
23. |
Hawks |
Allen Graves |
PF |
Santa Clara |
|
24. |
PF |
Iowa State |
||
|
25. |
Tarris Reed Jr. |
C |
UConn |
|
|
26. |
SF |
Duke |
||
|
27. |
Tyler Tanner |
PG |
Vanderbilt |
|
|
28. |
Christian Anderson |
PG |
Texas Tech |
|
|
29. |
Cavaliers |
Amari Allen |
SF |
Alabama |
|
30. |
Mavericks |
SG |
UConn |
SN NBA AWARDS:POY (Victor Wembanyama)| ROY (Kon Knueppel) | COY (Joe Mazzulla)
ESPN Mock Draft (Jeremy Woo)
|
Pick |
Team |
Player |
Position |
College/Previous team |
|
1. |
Wizards |
AJ Dybantsa |
SF |
BYU |
|
2. |
Jazz |
Darryn Peterson |
G |
Kansas |
|
3. |
Grizzlies |
Cameron Boozer |
PF |
Duke |
|
4. |
Bulls |
Caleb Wilson |
SF/PF |
North Carolina |
|
5. |
Clippers |
Keaton Wagler |
G |
Illinois |
|
6. |
Nets |
Darius Acuff |
G |
Arkansas |
|
7. |
Kings |
Kingston Flemings |
PG |
Houston |
|
8. |
Hawks |
Mikel Brown Jr. |
G |
Louisville |
|
9. |
Mavericks |
Brayden Burries |
SG |
Arizona |
|
10. |
Bucks |
Nate Ament |
SF |
Tennessee |
|
11. |
Warriors |
Karim Lopez |
SF |
New Zealand Breakers |
|
12. |
Thunder |
Yaxel Lendeborg |
PF |
Michigan |
|
13. |
Heat |
Labaron Philon Jr. |
PG |
Alabama |
|
14. |
Hornets |
Aday Mara |
C |
Michigan |
|
15. |
Bulls |
Jayden Quaintance |
PF/C |
Kentucky |
|
16. |
Grizzlies |
Christian Anderson |
PG |
Texas Tech |
|
17. |
Thunder |
Hannes Steinbach |
PF/C |
Washington |
|
18. |
Hornets |
Cameron Carr |
SG/SF |
Baylor |
|
19. |
Raptors |
Chris Cenac Jr. |
PF/C |
Houston |
|
20. |
Spurs |
Morez Johnson |
PF |
Michigan |
|
21. |
Pistons |
Bennett Stirtz |
PG |
Iowa |
|
22. |
76ers |
Allen Graves |
PF |
Santa Clara |
|
23. |
Hawks |
Isaiah Evans |
SF |
Duke |
|
24. |
Knicks |
Koa Peat |
PF/SG |
Arizona |
|
25. |
Lakers |
C |
North Carolina |
|
|
26. |
Nuggets |
Dailyn Swain |
SG/SF |
Texas |
|
27. |
Celtics |
Amari Allen |
SF |
Alabama |
|
28. |
Timberwolves |
Ebuka Okorie |
PG |
Stanford |
|
29. |
Cavaliers |
Meleek Thomas |
PG/SG |
Arkansas |
|
30. |
Mavericks |
Joshua Jefferson |
PF |
Iowa State |
MORE: Who were the biggest winners and losers at the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery?
The Athletic Mock Draft (Sam Vecenie)
|
Pick |
Team |
Player |
Position |
College/Previous team |
|
1. |
Wizards |
AJ Dybantsa |
SF |
BYU |
|
2. |
Jazz |
Darryn Peterson |
G |
Kansas |
|
3. |
Grizzlies |
Cameron Boozer |
PF |
Duke |
|
4. |
Bulls |
Caleb Wilson |
SF/PF |
North Carolina |
|
5. |
Clippers |
Keaton Wagler |
G |
Illinois |
|
6. |
Nets |
Darius Acuff |
G |
Arkansas |
|
7. |
Kings |
Kingston Flemings |
PG |
Houston |
|
8. |
Hawks |
Mikel Brown Jr. |
G |
Louisville |
|
9. |
Mavericks |
Brayden Burries |
G |
Arizona |
|
10. |
Bucks |
Nate Ament |
SF |
Tennessee |
|
11. |
Warriors |
Aday Mara |
C |
Michigan |
|
12. |
Thunder |
Yaxel Lendeborg |
PF |
Michigan |
|
13. |
Heat |
Labaron Philon Jr. |
PG |
Alabama |
|
14. |
Hornets |
Hannes Steinbach |
PF/C |
Washington |
|
15. |
Bulls |
Cameron Carr |
SG |
Baylor |
|
16. |
Grizzlies |
Koa Peat |
PF |
Arizona |
|
17. |
Thunder |
Morez Johnson |
PF |
Michigan |
|
18. |
Hornets |
Christian Anderson |
PG |
Texas Tech |
|
19. |
Raptors |
Jayden Quaintance |
PF/C |
Kentucky |
|
20. |
Spurs |
Karim Lopez |
SF |
New Zealand Breakers |
|
21. |
Pistons |
Dailyn Swain |
SG/SF |
Texas |
|
22. |
76ers |
Amari Allen |
SF |
Alabama |
|
23. |
Hawks |
Chris Cenac Jr. |
PF/C |
Houston |
|
24. |
Knicks |
Tarris Reed Jr. |
C |
UConn |
|
25. |
Lakers |
Henri Veesaar |
C |
North Carolina |
|
26. |
Nuggets |
Bennett Stirtz |
PG |
Iowa |
|
27. |
Celtics |
Isaiah Evans |
SF |
Duke |
|
28. |
Timberwolves |
Ebuka Okorie |
PG |
Stanford |
|
29. |
Cavaliers |
Meleek Thomas |
PG/SG |
Arkansas |
|
30. |
Mavericks |
Tounde Yessoufou |
G |
Baylor |
MORE: How the new lottery rules would have affected NBA history
Yahoo Sports Mock Draft (Kevin O’Connor)
|
Pick |
Team |
Player |
Position |
College/Previous team |
|
1. |
Wizards |
AJ Dybantsa |
SF |
BYU |
|
2. |
Jazz |
Darryn Peterson |
G |
Kansas |
|
3. |
Grizzlies |
Cameron Boozer |
PF |
Duke |
|
4. |
Bulls |
Caleb Wilson |
SF/PF |
North Carolina |
|
5. |
Clippers |
Keaton Wagler |
G |
Illinois |
|
6. |
Nets |
Kingston Flemings |
PG |
Houston |
|
7. |
Kings |
Darius Acuff |
G |
Arkansas |
|
8. |
Hawks |
Aday Mara |
C |
Michigan |
|
9. |
Mavericks |
Mikel Brown Jr. |
G |
Louisville |
|
10. |
Bucks |
Nate Ament |
SF |
Tennessee |
|
11. |
Warriors |
Karim Lopez |
SF |
New Zealand Breakers |
|
12. |
Thunder |
Yaxel Lendeborg |
PF |
Michigan |
|
13. |
Heat |
Dailyn Swain |
SG/SF |
Texas |
|
14. |
Hornets |
Brayden Burries |
PG |
Arizona |
|
15. |
Bulls |
Labaron Philon Jr. |
PG |
Alabama |
|
16. |
Grizzlies |
Allen Graves |
PF |
Santa Clara |
|
17. |
Thunder |
Morez Johnson |
PF |
Michigan |
|
18. |
Hornets |
Chris Cenac Jr. |
PF/C |
Houston |
|
19. |
Raptors |
Hannes Steinbach |
C |
Washington |
|
20. |
Spurs |
Amari Allen |
SF |
Alabama |
|
21. |
Pistons |
Cameron Carr |
SG |
Baylor |
|
22. |
76ers |
Henri Veesaar |
C |
North Carolina |
|
23. |
Hawks |
Meleek Thomas |
PG/SG |
Arkansas |
|
24. |
Knicks |
Luigi Suigo |
C |
Mega Superbet (Serbia) |
|
25. |
Lakers |
Jayden Quaintance |
PF/C |
Kentucky |
|
26. |
Nuggets |
Bennett Stirtz |
PG |
Iowa |
|
27. |
Celtics |
Tounde Yessoufou |
G |
Baylor |
|
28. |
Timberwolves |
Christian Anderson |
PG |
Texas Tech |
|
29. |
Cavaliers |
Koa Peat |
PF |
Arizona |
|
30. |
Mavericks |
Isaiah Evans |
SF |
Duke |
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Source: sports.yahoo.com