The 2026 NBA Draft is going to be a really exciting one. I say that because of how talented this crop of prospects is, which is something a million people have pointed out a billion times, but I also say that on a personal level. This is the most knowledgeable I’ve ever felt about a class. I watched more college hoops this past season than any previous year (I’m so locked into the NBA it can be hard to make time for other leagues), and I even had the incredible opportunity to attend the Draft Combine in Chicago as credentialed media.
So, it’s my pleasure to present my annual “what I would do” mock draft! This is based solely on my opinions and board— predictions and general consensus are not in play. You may find that my first round doesn’t have many hot takes, but I genuinely believe the hype on a lot of these guys, so that just is what it is.
Let’s get started!
- Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa (Forward, BYU)
Dybantsa has the most obvious superstar potential in this class. The BYU phenom is a few improvements away from being the prototypical NBA wing star. He’s an unbelievable athlete. He’s really comfortable as an on-ball creator for himself and others, even against heavy pressure. He should be able to develop the versatility to contribute in every aspect of the game, not just scoring. The concerns with the three-point shot and the defensive results are there, but it feels like the kid is going to figure everything out.
The Wizards have the bases loaded right now with two All-Star veterans (Trae Young and Anthony Davis, if the latter sticks around) and some promising young talent (Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Will Riley, etc.). Drafting Dybantsa could easily be the grand slam that sends everyone home and propels Washington out of their rebuild.
- Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson (Guard, Kansas)
This feels like the perfect match for both Utah and Peterson. As much as the Jazz may be enamored with Dybantsa, Peterson is the smoother fit for what they’re building. He’s going to be a lethal scoring weapon in the league both on and off the ball, and it’s the latter area where he’d be able to shine from day one in Utah within Will Hardy’s creative offensive schemes.
Like the Wizards, the Jazz are very close to exiting their tanking phase, especially after the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade. If Peterson reaches his sky-high ceiling, this team could ascend to contention. Even his median outcome would give the franchise a big boost.
- Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer (Big, Duke)
As of right now, today, Cam Boozer is the best basketball player in this class. His production, feel, and impact are undeniable. He’s going to translate to the NBA seamlessly and make a difference. However, it’s tough for guys of his archetype (post-oriented bigs who are tweeners defensively) to be top dogs on successful teams, so an All-NBA First Team future feels less possible for him than it does for Dybantsa and Peterson. Still, the Grizzlies would be landing a true cornerstone here who they could lean on regardless of how the rest of their roster shapes up in the coming years.
- Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson (Forward, North Carolina)
Wilson could be the superhero that swoops in and finally saves Chicago from mediocrity. He’s treated as more of a consolation prize, the next best thing after the “big three,” but the UNC forward is very much a transcendent talent in his own right. He’s probably the most otherworldly all-around athlete amongst his peers, and he’s teeming with tools on both sides of the ball. If the Bulls land Wilson, the duo of him and Matas Buzelis would give Windy City faithful something to believe in for the first time in a long time.
- Los Angeles Clippers (via Indiana): Aday Mara (Center, Michigan)
The Clippers are in a fascinating position here. They’re not in desperate need of a franchise-altering youngster like some of the teams below them are, which leaves them with some room to get creative. Selling high on Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline left them with a gaping hole at center, so instead of bringing in another point guard when they already have Darius Garland, they should strongly consider Aday Mara. Mara is the best true five in the class, a giant of a man with a high floor supported by his elite rim protection and passing. His intersection of size and skill will serve him well in a league that covets exactly that (see: Wemby, Chet Holmgren, Karl-Anthony Towns, Evan Mobley, Isaiah Hartenstein, Donovan Clingan, Onyeka Okongwu, and more in the 2026 playoffs).
- Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr. (Guard, Louisville)
Out of all the lottery-tier guards, Brown is the most built for stardom in today’s NBA. At nearly 6’5” in shoes with a 6’7” wingspan, he’s a real combo guard in stature, and he’s one in practice, too. Brown is a bomber from deep, an advanced playmaker, and just an overall offensive stud. Lingering back injuries are the only serious obstacle standing between him and returning borderline top-five value. Yes, Brooklyn drafted Egor Demin, Ben Saraf, and Nolan Traore last year, but those guys aren’t nearly good enough to justify passing up on a prospect of Brown’s caliber.
- Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr. (Point guard, Arkansas)
Sacramento has to be beyond bummed about missing out on a top four pick, and who can blame them? Outside of their unfortunately fluky 2022-23 campaign, their fans have been deprived of excitement for too long. Adding Darius Acuff, who they’re rumored to love, could be the move that shifts the direction and narrative for the Kings. Simply put, Acuff has that “it” factor. Everything about his game, his freshman season at Arkansas, and the way he carries himself screams star. He’ll have to fight hard to overcome his size and defensive deficiencies, but his gifts on offense shine too bright to overlook. If any “little” guard is going to succeed, it’ll be Acuff.
- Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans): Ebuka Okorie (Guard, Stanford)
Okorie is being slept on in a major way. His offensive engine potential is nothing to be scoffed at, and it all starts with his relentless downhill game. The Stanford guard pressures the rim as well as anyone in the draft. He can get buckets from outside, too. His playmaking isn’t up there with Brown’s or Acuff’s, but with all the advantages he creates, he still generates plenty of easy kickout and dumpoff looks for teammates. When the Hawks moved on from Trae Young, the absence of a legitimate point guard on the team was noticeable right away. Okorie could fill that spot while being less ball dominant than Young, allowing Jalen Johnson to maintain All-NBA form.
- Dallas Mavericks: Keaton Wagler (Guard, Illinois)
Wagler took the Big Ten by storm as a freshman at Illinois, emerging as one of the best bucket getters in the entire country. He’s a smooth operator, a fluid scorer, and an excellent shooter who makes up for lacking athleticism with nuance, craft, wiggle, and finesse. Unlike Brown, Acuff, and Okorie, he projects to be more of a secondary option, but that’s no issue for Dallas, who already has Cooper Flagg. Flagg’s downhill dynamism paired with Wagler’s perimeter prowess would give defenses headaches for the next decade.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Labaron Philon (Guard, Alabama)
Milwaukee should take a swing at 10, Giannis or not. Their only cemented core piece right now is Ryan Rollins, and this is a rare opportunity for them to add standout talent via the draft as a team without many picks in their cabinet. Alabama’s Labaron Philon is the best star bet left here. He radiates confidence offensively, using his wizardly handle and trusty pullup jumper to torch defenders of all sizes. Philon stands closer to 6’4” with a 6’6” wingspan, and that frame, along with his steady catch-and-shoot ability and capacity to ramp up defensively, equip him to play alongside Rollins or even the Greek Freak in an off-ball role as well.
- Golden State Warriors: Morez Johnson Jr. (Big, Michigan)
Johnson is one of the biggest physical anomalies in the draft. He’s 6’10” with a nearly 7’4” wingspan, freakish mobility and quickness, and a burly, more than NBA-ready body. We’re talking about arguably a top-three defender on the board here with his size, switchability, and toughness all influencing his immense impact on that end of the floor. He’s not the most skilled offensive player, but the Warriors don’t need more shooting. They need guys who do the dirty work, like Johnson.
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers): Yaxel Lendeborg (Forward, Michigan)
Giving OKC a polished prospect like Yaxel Lendeborg feels unfair for the rest of the league. The 2026 Consensus All-American would be able to step in and play meaningful minutes for the Thunder from day one, further strengthening their all-time defense and stopping gaps on offense. Lendeborg is the ultimate connector and the ultimate winner, too. It’s only right that he lands with a team with a championship pedigree.
- Miami Heat: Kingston Flemings (Point guard, Houston)
Despite his impressive freshman year at Houston, Flemings has more question marks surrounding him than the other guards in this range. He’s 6’3.5” in shoes with a 6’3.5” wingspan and he’s super slender, making lack of size a real concern for him. On top of that, his mid-range volume significantly exceeds his three-point rate, so his comfort spots on the floor will have to shift at least a tad for him to thrive. Still, his blinding quickness and sharp P&R play would make him the type of ball handler/table setter Miami is missing in their backcourt.
- Charlotte Hornets: Nate Ament (Forward, Tennessee)
Charlotte going with another raw project might feel scary with how Tidjane Saluan’s career has panned out so far, but Ament makes sneaky sense for this team. The Hornets have plenty of perimeter-programmed scorers, but they need more physicality and defense on the wing. Ament, while generally a theoretical commodity, is already built to handle some contact and compete on D and on the glass. If he puts on some muscle and straightens out his shot, he could be the ideal forward to pair with LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, and Brandon Miller.
- Chicago Bulls (via Portland): Brayden Burries (Guard, Arizona)
Burries is as complete of a guard as you’ll find in this class. From strength, to role versatility, to IQ, to winning experience, he’s got it all. The odds of him translating to the pros are pretty high. He’s a bit limited athletically, and his on-ball scoring isn’t as electric as that of Brown, Philon, or even Flemings, so a star outcome might not be on the table. Still, he would be a great backcourt complement to the (hypothetical) duo of Caleb Wilson and Matas Buzelis in Chi-Town.
- Memphis Grizzlies (via Orlando): Cameron Carr (Wing, Baylor)
One of the Draft Combine’s hottest names, Carr is the picture-perfect wing prospect. It’s difficult to imagine him failing in the NBA with his combination of length, shooting, athleticism, defense, and fearlessness. The Grizzlies already have several guys in his mold (Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson), but why not add one more? You can never have too many versatile small forwards in today’s league. If this mock became reality, this pick could go down as a steal for Memphis, as Carr’s range starts as high as 10 with the Bucks.
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via Philadelphia): Hannes Steinbach (Big, Washington)
OKC could be parting ways with Isaiah Hartenstein this summer for cost-cutting reasons, which would leave a big hole in their frontcourt, because Chet Holmgren just proved he can’t be a full-time center. Steinbach would be good insurance for the Thunder. He’s a double-double machine; a glass cleaner with soft touch as a paint scorer and some solid interior defensive chops as well. Even if Oklahoma City didn’t need significant minutes from the big fella year one (which could be the case, especially if Thomas Sorber breaks out), this would be an ideal long-term developmental situation for Steinbach.
- Charlotte Hornets (via Phoenix): Chris Cenac Jr. (Big, Houston)
Another project pick for Charlotte, Cenac possesses some fun tools that the team could use to build him into the optimal combo big for their system. The kid’s mobility, finishing ability, and shooting potential are legit, he just needs time to iron everything out and grow into his frame. He won’t be ready for action as a rookie, but the Hornets can afford to be patient with Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner on board already.
- Toronto Raptors: Christian Anderson (Point guard, Texas Tech)
Toronto has size, defense, and tenacity in spades up and down their lineup. They’re short on shooting, though, which was extra clear in the playoffs when Immanuel Quickley was injured. Anderson is one of the three to five best pure shooters in the draft, a flamethrower off the dribble and the catch who can also make stuff happen out of the pick-and-roll. He’s pretty small, but the Raptors have more than enough enormity to cover up his modest stature at least partially.
- San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta): Jayden Quaintance (Big, Kentucky)
Quaintance was a consensus lottery guy for a large part of this cycle, but his injury problems have sent his stock plummeting as draft night approaches. It also doesn’t help his case that his offensive skillset is elementary. Still, if he stays healthy, the big man might hit All-Defensive heights in his prime. San Antonio nabbing Quaintance as their Wemby backup could be terrifying for the rest of the league.
- Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota): Bennett Stirtz (Point guard, Iowa)
Detroit’s roster is devoid of shot creation outside of Cade Cunningham (with a nod to Marcus Sasser and Daniss Jenkins), a blaring red flag that has to be addressed for the team to achieve true contender status. Stirtz proved himself time and time again in college as an offense unto himself, an ultra steady and heady floor general with inhuman stamina. Either off the bench or as a starter next to Cade, Stirtz would stir up the drink for the Pistons and add a healthy dose of flavor.
- Philadelphia 76ers (via Oklahoma City): Dailyn Swain (Wing, Texas)
Philly has a backcourt for the future in Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, and, for now, at least, they still have Joel Embiid manning the middle. Swain would complement that crew on the wing nicely. The Texas product could be a souped-up Kelly Oubre Jr. for the Sixers, slashing the paint and grinding on defense while also keeping the offense connected with his passing. Figuring out his jumper would make Swain a virtually impeccable role player.
- Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland): Luigi Suigo (Center, Italy)
Aday Mara heard his name called before Atlanta’s first bite at the apple in this mock, but now they’re getting another massive foreign center in Luigi Suigo. The Italian, like Mara, is a plus passer for his position who can also work in the post and protect the rim from a standstill. Suigo is raw, but he has the makings of a funky difference maker at the five spot.
- New York Knicks: Meleek Thomas (Guard, Arkansas)
New York has done well to surround their supernova Jalen Brunson with top-notch off-ball players, and Meleek Thomas would be another drop in that bucket. Thomas is an uber-confident shooter who uses his unorthodox form to drill shots many players wouldn’t even think of attempting. He has a fiery motor, too, and could take on some of the point-of-attack matchups Brunson can’t handle.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Henri Veesaar (Big, North Carolina)
Veesaar’s towering presence on both ends is exactly what Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves need behind them. The Estonian can execute drop coverage effectively while doubling as an efficient roll and pop man. The only worry with this fit would be that Veesaar sometimes struggles with physicality, a flaw shared with Deandre Ayton, who drove JJ Redick and Lakers fans crazy this past season.
- Denver Nuggets: Koa Peat (Forward, Arizona)
Peat is built like an NBA player in every sense. He’s a truck of a man who can plow his way to the rim and jump out of the gym. His skills are a bit rudimentary, though, so he’s reliant on others setting the table for him. That said, there’s not a better playmaker he could join forces with than Nikola Jokic. It’s safe to say Peat and the Joker would link up for countless lob plays, similar to what Jokic and Aaron Gordon have done for years now.
- Boston Celtics: Tarris Reed Jr. (Center, UConn)
The gap between Neemias Queta and Nikola Vucevic in terms of playability in the playoffs for the Celtics was chasmic, so much so that the team would be smart to double down on ruggedness at center. Tarris Reed is an established winner with a definite understanding of his job on the court. His excellence as a traditional big would help him earn real minutes in year one for Boston.
- Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit): Sergio de Larrea (Guard, Spain)
With retirement on the horizon for Mike Conley, and the Rob Dillingham experiment having backfired, Minnesota needs to find a point guard that can take some burden off of Anthony Edwards’ back. Sergio de Larrea is a cerebral P&R director who knows his spots and how to find his teammates in theirs. His insufficient burst and strength will make his learning curve steep, but he has the IQ to rise the ranks.
- Cleveland Cavaliers (via Atlanta): Karim Lopez (Forward, Mexico)
Lopez is the biggest wildcard in the class. On one hand, he doesn’t have even one NBA trait right now, and everything from his jumper, to his handle, to his defense require incubation that could take two or three seasons. On the other hand, he has the foundation of a helpful utility forward with his blend of height, power, and budding ball skills. Maybe Cleveland isn’t a favorable spot for his development, but at the same time, they could really use a player like the conjectural version of Lopez alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley.
- Dallas Mavericks (via Washington): Isaiah Evans (Wing, Duke)
The more spacing around Cooper Flagg, the better. Evans is a lethal movement shooter with endless confidence and a knack for the moment. His NBA role is obvious, and it’s one that would allow him to fit into any system. Here, he’d be reuniting with his former Duke brother Flagg as the Mavs look to regain their bearings post-Luka.
- New York Knicks (via Oklahoma City): Zuby Ejiofor (Big, St. John’s)
- Memphis Grizzlies (via Milwaukee): Allen Graves (Big, Santa Clara)
- Brooklyn Nets: Joshua Jefferson (Forward, Iowa State)
- Sacramento Kings: Trevon Brazile (Power forward, Arkansas)
- San Antonio Spurs (via Minnesota): Tyler Bilodeau (Power forward, UCLA)
- Los Angeles Clippers (via Atlanta): Quadir Copeland (Guard, NC State)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via Dallas): Richie Saunders (Wing, BYU)
- Chicago Bulls (via Boston): Nate Bittle (Center, Oregon)
- Houston Rockets (via Washington): Jack Kayil (Guard, Germany)
- Boston Celtics (via Orlando): Ryan Conwell (Guard, Louisville)
- Miami Heat (via Charlotte): Maliq Brown (Big, Duke)
- San Antonio Spurs (via New Orleans): Nick Boyd (Point guard, Wisconsin)
- Brooklyn Nets (via Houston): Rafael Castro (Center, George Washington)
- San Antonio Spurs (via Indiana): Ugonna Onyenso (Center, Virginia)
- Sacramento Kings (via San Antonio): Baba Miller (Forward, Cincinnati)
- Orlando Magic: Emanuel Sharp (Wing, Houston)
- Phoenix Suns (via Houston): Keyshawn Hall (Wing, Auburn)
- Dallas Mavericks (via Washington): Noam Yaacov (Point guard, Denmark)
- Denver Nuggets (via Brooklyn): Braden Smith (Point guard, Purdue)
- Toronto Raptors: Alex Karaban (Forward, UConn)
- Washington Wizards (via Detroit): Ernest Udeh Jr. (Center, Miami)
- Los Angeles Clippers (via Cleveland): Tyler Nickel (Forward, Vanderbilt)
- Houston Rockets: Jaden Bradley (Guard, Arizona)
- Golden State Warriors (via Toronto): Graham Ike (Big, Gonzaga)
- New York Knicks: Aaron Nkrumah (Wing, Tennessee State)
- Chicago Bulls (via Minnesota): Chase Ross (Wing, Marquette)
- Atlanta Hawks (via Boston): William Kyle III (Big, Syracuse)
- New Orleans Pelicans (via New York): Izaiyah Nelson (Big, South Florida)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (via Indiana): Bruce Thornton (Guard, Ohio State)
- Washington Wizards (via San Antonio): Nick Martinelli (Forward, Northwestern)
Priority UDFAs: Felix Okpara (Center, Tennessee), Tre Carroll (Power forward, Xavier), Cade Tyson (Forward, Minnesota), Jalen Washington (Big, Vanderbilt), Donovan Atwell (Wing, Texas Tech), Dillon Mitchell (Forward, St. John’s), Milos Uzan (Guard, Houston), Bryce Hopkins (Forward, St. John’s), Jordan Riley (Guard, East Carolina), Kylan Boswell (Guard, Illinois)
The Bench Mob Blog 