Feature photo credit: Charlie Perlman, Daily Northwestern
The 2026 NBA Draft was a tale of two rounds. The first round was stacked, and almost every team walked away with a genuinely exciting prospect. It was also a largely unchaotic night, as the class thinned out at the withdrawal deadline, leaving the T30 virtually set in stone. The second round had less flash, but was more unpredictable, with only razor-thin differences separating what ended up being mostly a group of seniors that heard their names called that night.
So many of the prospects in this class seem destined to succeed, and it will be so interesting to see who ultimately walks away as winners. Here are my initial grades for how each team performed in the 2026 draft.
Atlanta Hawks
Draftees: Kingston Flemings (8th), Zuby Ejiofor (23rd), Henri Veesaar (52nd)
The Trae Young trade left a gaping hole at point guard in Atlanta, and it was only a matter of time before they made a move to patch it. Kingston Flemings could be the Hawks’ new backcourt commander, a lightning quick and slithery ball handler who can run the pick-and-roll and hit pullups from anywhere. He will amplify the uptempo style of play the Hawks have adopted while also improving their halfcourt offense.
Ironically, though, like Young, Flemings has some serious size concerns as a shorter guard with underdeveloped strength and a barely positive wingspan. He gives a lot more effort on defense than Trae, but could cause similar headaches if teams start hunting him because he’s far from physically imposing.
Ejiofor and Veesaar will both boost Atlanta’s interior game, but in different ways. Ejiofor is a slightly undersized center, but he’s a defensive beast with supreme versatility. In some ways, he’s a stronger Onyeka Okongwu (on defense only). Veesaar, who was a shocking faller, could go down as one of the biggest steals of the draft if his rim protecting stretch five potential materializes.
Grade: A-
Boston Celtics
Draftees: Chris Cenac Jr. (27th), Dillon Mitchell (40th)
The Celtics bought one of the draft’s true lottery tickets in the first round. Chris Cenac has enticing upside in many areas with plenty of routes to success, but he’s also so raw. There’s a world where Boston turns him into a two-way weapon that extends their era of Eastern Conference dominance, but there’s also a world where he can’t keep up with the team as they chase championships and gets lost in the shadows. How much emphasis Joe Mazzulla and the rest of his staff place on Cenac’s development will determine how much they get out of this pick.
Mitchell has some makings of an instant-impact rookie with his standout athleticism and defensive tools. However, his complete lack of a go-to way to score puts a hard ceiling on how much he’ll be able to contribute in meaningful games.
Grade: B-
Brooklyn Nets
Draftees: Mikel Brown Jr. (6th), Joshua Jefferson (28th), Tyler Bilodeau (43rd)
It’s good that Brooklyn chose to ignore the fact that they drafted three PGs last year, because they landed a potential franchise star in Mikel Brown Jr. with the sixth pick. In a class with several backcourt star bets, Brown stands out as the one who most clearly fits the mold of the modern All-Star guard. Brooklyn is a superb situation for him because he’ll be able to take the reins of the offense early on, but he’ll also have Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. to relieve some pressure from him, plus an elite coach in Jordi Fernandez guiding his way.
Getting some adults in the room later in the draft is smart business for the Nets. Jefferson and Bilodeau should both be at least somewhat playable in year one as two guys with defined roles and the ability to produce steadily within them.
Grade: A
Charlotte Hornets
Draftees: Hannes Steinbach (14th), Christian Anderson (18th)
The outlook of these picks for Charlotte looked a little different in the moment than it does after the LaMelo trade. While most of the team’s core and identity are still in place, they’re now missing their engine, and the lack of playmakers still on the team could hurt Steinbach specifically. The Washington big man’s value is offensively tilted, but he’s reliant on others creating for him, so the type of synergy he builds with Coby White and Kon Knueppel will be something to monitor. Playing time may also have to be earned for Steinbach, as he’ll be sharing the frontcourt with Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner.
As for Anderson, he may find himself as the backup point guard from day one. Being thrown into the fire like that could do wonders for his development, but could also have him looking like a minnow in a pool of sharks. After all, rookie point guards usually struggle. If he eventually achieves a high-end outcome, he could be something like a miniature LaMelo for the Hornets.
Grade: B-
Chicago Bulls
Draftees: Caleb Wilson (4th), Dailyn Swain (15th)
Bulls fans have been in desperate need of reasons to get excited for too long. Now, they have a blue chip guy to rally behind in Caleb Wilson. While Wilson has some refinement to do, his potential is as high as anyone’s in this class. The cherry on top is he seems genuinely excited to be in Chicago. Together, Wilson and Matas Buzelis could bring the Windy City into a new golden age.
Swain is a bit of a confusing pick. Not because of the value, but because of the roster context. The shooting in Chicago’s projected starting lineup of Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Caleb Wilson, Nic Claxton, and (shooting guard TBD) is pretty poor, so if Swain is going to share the floor with those guys, someone is going to have to make some outlier developments from beyond the arc.
Grade: A-
Cleveland Cavaliers
Draftee: Meleek Thomas (34th)
Rumors said he could go as high as 15th, but Meleek Thomas surprisingly fell all the way to the second round. This pick has heist written all over it. At the very least, Thomas will be a sparky off-guard who can get buckets off the bench and will compete on defense. His 3&D chops and scoring versatility will be welcomed on a Cleveland team that has a bunch of specialist role players (Sam Merrill: shooter, Dean Wade: defender, etc.).
Grade: A-
Dallas Mavericks
Draftees: Morez Johnson Jr. (9th), Sergio de Larrea (25th), Tobi Lawal (48th), Vsevolod Ishchenko (56th)
Morez Johnson being the first Wolverine off the board was a pleasant surprise. He spent most of the season in the shadow of Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara, but his name has been on fire since the combine in May. His athleticism and defense are both off the charts, and there’s no world where he fails in the league, especially with his Michigan coach Dusty May now behind the clipboard in Dallas.
Cooper Flagg took on a huge creation load as a rookie, but if Sergio de Larrea pans out, he could assume some of that burden. The Spaniard’s combination of handling and shooting at 6’7” is quite intriguing.
The second round haul for the Mavs is underwhelming. Tobi Lawal is an insane athlete and, by all accounts, a hard worker, but his NBA role is very much up in the air. Ishchenko is fun, but he could be one of those stash guys who never comes over.
Grade: B
Denver Nuggets
Draftees: Trevon Brazile (35th), Bryce Hopkins (49th)
Brazile in Denver is the best fit to come out of the second round. Every one of Brazile’s strengths— athleticism, mobility, floor spacing, above-the-rim finishing, defensive versatility— will be amplified when he’s playing in the Nuggets’ Jokic-centric system. Hopkins, a rugged interior-oriented forward, could see a similar boost. Sharp work from Denver here to add cheap talent that matches their ethos as they try to extend their contention window.
Grade: A-
Detroit Pistons
Draftee: Ebuka Okorie (17th), Ugonna Onyenso (53rd)
Ebuka Okorie is a stud hiding in plain sight. He’s rarely mentioned in the same conversations as this draft’s headliner guards, but he should be. Okorie is an electric downhill engine who carried insane responsibility as a freshman at Stanford and produced like a superstar. Everyone and their momma knows how badly Detroit needs more creators, and they just got a guy who could be an on-ball All-Star. Even if he doesn’t hit that absolute ceiling, he could be the ideal sixth man behind Cade Cunningham in the backcourt.
The Isaiah Stewart trade was tough news for Pistons fans, but the addition of Onyenso, one of college basketball’s premier shot blockers, should cheer them up a bit.
Grade: A
Golden State Warriors
Draftees: Yaxel Lendeborg (11th), Lajae Jones (54th)
In past drafts, Golden State has made the unfortunate mistake of drafting prospects that can’t play Warriors basketball, like James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga, for example. Yaxel Lendeborg and Lajae Jones are the opposite of that. Both are do-it-all forwards who can connect lineups on both sides of the ball (to different degrees, of course, because Yax is much better than Jones). There’s limited upside in these picks, but in the short term, these two guys should be able to help maximize the twilight of Steph Curry’s career.
Grade: B
Houston Rockets
Draftee: Bruce Thornton (31st)
As much of a hooper as Bruce Thornton is, all of his physical limitations are kinda scary. But, Houston has the right infrastructure in place to cover up his weaknesses. They also need a guy with his strengths— their halfcourt offense can be a rough watch. Thornton might only see the floor for long stretches when other guys get injured, because playing him next to Fred VanVleet or Reed Sheppard doesn’t feel too plausible. Still, he and the Rockets could quickly establish a healthy symbiotic relationship.
Grade: B-
Indiana Pacers
Draftee: Braden Smith (38th)
The Pacers have a type when it comes to their point guards, and Braden Smith fits it. He’s like the long lost son of Tyrese Haliburton and TJ McConnell, or, even better, a Target discount rack Chris Paul. As much as the Purdue legend has mastered his craft, he and his 5’11” self will be facing a steep uphill battle in a league that is becoming more and more unfriendly to little guards.
Grade: C+
Los Angeles Clippers
Draftees: Keaton Wagler (5th), Baba Miller (36th), Nick Martinelli (55th), Narcisse Ngoy (57th)
There are no nits to pick with the Keaton Wagler selection. He should be a core piece for LA moving forward regardless of what direction they choose this offseason. The other new Clippers are a mixed bag. Baba Miller and Nick Martinelli are two of the funkiest players in the class. They don’t fit cleanly into any preexisting role player molds, which could be a blessing or a curse for them.
As for Ngoy, he’s going to be an NCAA stash guy, making him the single most out-of-left-field choice of the night. He didn’t even formally go through the draft process. Bit of a head-scratcher from the Clips, not sure what the value there is.
Grade: B
Los Angeles Lakers
Draftee: Cameron Carr (24th)
The “steal of the night” award may go to the Lakers. Carr was getting some tangible lottery buzz leading up to the big night, but he somehow slipped way past that range. He feels like the picture-perfect complementary wing prospect, and his bouncy 3&D skillset should pop when he plays alongside Luka Doncic under the brightest spotlight in basketball.
Grade: A
Memphis Grizzlies
Draftees: Cameron Boozer (3rd), Karim Lopez (21st), Richie Saunders (32nd)
Memphis’ collapse from being one of the most exciting young teams in basketball to a bottom feeder has been kinda crazy to witness, but Cam Boozer should have them right back on the upswing soon. There’s a very real chance he goes down as the best player in the draft, and even if he doesn’t, he’s still going to be a cornerstone type of guy. The kid wins everywhere he goes.
Lopez was always going to be a sketchy pick no matter where he ended up. He’s that raw. This is a much better spot for him than if he would’ve gone near the lottery though. The Grizzlies haven’t had the most success developing unrefined forwards (see David Roddy, Ziaire Williams, and even, to some degree, GG Jackson and Jake LaRavia), so that’s something to keep an eye on.
Unless his ACL injury seriously dampens his ability, Saunders will make Memphis’ already deep wing room even stronger with his plug-and-play offensive skillset. The trio of Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, and Saunders could all be playoff contributors in the near future.
Grade: A-
Miami Heat
Draftee: Ryan Conwell (37th)
There’s one main reason to play Conwell: he bombs threes. We’re talking about 9.6 attempts per game last season at Louisville. That’s nuts for the college level. Conwell’s shooting could end up being quite important for the Giannis-and-Bam-led Heat.
Grade: B-
Milwaukee Bucks
Draftees: Brayden Burries (10th), Nate Ament (13th), Malique Lewis (60th)
A new era for the Bucks is beginning, one where their only solidified core piece is Ryan Rollins. Brayden Burries and Nate Ament could both become faces of the rebuild in due time.
Burries isn’t the typical Jon Horst pick, but that’s a good thing. His combination of strength, defensive solidness, on and off ball ability offensively, and past winning experience with Arizona suggests he’ll be at least a steady role player. If he taps more into his off-the-dribble scoring and playmaking, he could be the perfect two guard to pair with Rollins.
Ament is a fascinating player, and this is the type of pick that won’t be able to be graded properly until five years from now. The foundation for him to be elite in this league is there, but it’s going to be a long, twisty road for him to reach that pinnacle. Milwaukee will need to find the right balance for his development, because too much pressure on him could make him fold, but if he doesn’t get enough reps, he’ll drown.
Lewis is a tough defender and an improving shooter, but he has little to no juice off the bounce, and the NBA is starting to move away from guys who can’t do anything offensively but shoot standstill jumpers or cut to the hoop. Still, a fine bet at 60.
Grade: B
Minnesota Timberwolves
Draftees: Isaiah Evans (33rd), Trey Kaufman-Renn (59th)
Isaiah Evans is going to love playing with Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. They’ll get him so many open looks. Only streakiness and a slight lack of muscle will hinder Evans as an immediate contributor, and if he hops those hurdles, he could play a meaningful part for the Wolves as they look to make another deep playoff run next year.
Kaufman-Renn was a late riser who saw his stock spike at the combine in May. He’ll have to shake off athletic and tweener concerns, but he was undeniably productive at Purdue, and sometimes, guys who are just good at basketball figure it out.
Grade: B
New Orleans Pelicans
Draftee: Jaron Pierre Jr. (58th)
The Pels are pretty stacked on the wing, at least, as long as Trey Murphy and Herb Jones are still on the team. Those two, plus Saddiq Bey, Jordan Hawkins, and Micah Peavy will all be ahead of Pierre on the depth chart at the beginning of his career. He has the versatility and offensive talent to play real minutes as a rookie, but New Orleans may not be the best spot for him to find his footing.
Grade: C
New York Knicks
Draftees: Jack Kayil (39th), Tyler Nickel (47th)
New York plays Brunson ball, but the level of heliocentrism they’ve embraced may not be sustainable for a dynasty. Kayil is a project, but his shotmaking and passing feel are part of his sell. In a couple years, he could be leading bench units for the Knicks. But, although the Mike Brown regime is different from the Tom Thibodeau regime, this is a team that hasn’t invested much into young players in recent years, so that’s something to keep an eye on. As for Tyler Nickel, he has one job (shoot the ball) and will be a cheap, quality reserve.
Grade: C+
Oklahoma City Thunder
Draftees: Aday Mara (12th), Bennett Stirtz (16th), Otega Oweh (41st)
This is the most Thunder-coded draft the Thunder could’ve had. They checked all their favorite boxes. Mara’s intersection of size and feel is special, and the concept of him teaming up with the frontcourt with Chet Holmgren is terrifying. Stirtz is entering a loaded backcourt, which may hurt him in the short term, but if/when Ajay Mitchell or Jared McCain become too expensive, the Iowa guard can take their spot. Oweh is a sparky POA defender and athletic finisher who will bolster an already ridiculous perimeter fortification for OKC.
Grade: A
Orlando Magic
Draftee: Izaiyah Nelson (51st)
The fit of Nelson in Orlando isn’t much to write home about. He doesn’t address any of their biggest needs. But, we’re talking about an inconsequential slot in the draft here, and Nelson is by no means a poor prospect. If Mo Wagner leaves the Magic, the USF big man could be his replacement.
Grade: C
Philadelphia 76ers
Draftee: Labaron Philon (22nd)
If Cameron Carr isn’t the steal of the draft, Labaron Philon is. The NBA Twitterverse was utterly shocked by the tumble he took, especially because he would’ve been an awesome fit for teams like Detroit, Toronto, and even Charlotte, who picked ahead of Philadelphia. But, Philon is a Sixer, and Philly faithful should be ecstatic about it. Of course, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe already being in place as the backcourt of the future is the elephant in the room, but Philon is such a gifted player that the opportunity to get him this late in the round couldn’t be refused. This kid is a stud.
Grade: A
Phoenix Suns
Draftee: Koa Peat (30th)
Peat went from a polarizing prospect to a forgotten one pretty quickly in draft conversations. There are obvious red flags in his profile, but getting a standout athlete freshman who played a key role on a winning team at the college level at 30 is a very worthwhile swing for the Suns. Phoenix isn’t rich with on-ball playmakers, something Peat requires to hit his ceiling offensively, but at the same time, they’ll have plenty of spacing around him, which will help hide his shooting woes.
Grade: B
Sacramento Kings
Draftees: Darius Acuff Jr. (7th), Alex Karaban (29th), Emanuel Sharp (45th)
Outside of this class’ big four, Acuff gives off the most “franchise guy” vibes, so it’s clear why Sacramento, who is in such a dark place as an organization, coveted him. So much has been made about Acuff’s archetype and how it’s valued in the league today, but there is still room for small guards to become stars if they’re special enough. Acuff might just be special enough.
Trading up to get Alex Karaban at 29 felt unnecessary, frankly. Sure, he has a winning pedigree, but he’s not some lock to be a reliable role player. There’s a non-zero chance he’s a UConn system merchant, and he’s also behind the NBA curve athletically. Parting ways with an extra SRP to move up for him when he very likely could’ve been available at 34 is sorta silly. Oh well.
Emanuel Sharp is the type of competitor and character guy who can help build a culture in Sactown. Fun get at 45.
Grade: A-
San Antonio Spurs
Draftees: Jayden Quaintance (20th), Tarris Reed Jr. (26th), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (42nd), Maliq Brown (44th)
San Antonio saw Luke Kornet get fried in the playoffs and immediately drafted three bigs to replace him.
In all seriousness, this team was missing some extra edge and physicality in the frontcourt specifically, and now they have some. Tarris Reed and Maliq Brown are both ultimate hard hat superheroes, the kind of guys who do whatever it takes to get ‘er done. They both radiate year one contributor vibes, although Brown will need to find a way to make himself a threat offensively.
Quaintance is such a wildcard. He’s been regarded as a top-ten-caliber talent, but his injury history is so murky that his future is nearly impossible to project. The Spurs can afford to be patient with him, and if he eventually becomes the defensive monster he has the potential to be, then he and Wemby would turn the paint into an impenetrable prison defensively. The NBA should be petrified of Quaintance blossoming in Alamo City.
Inconsistent shooting was one of San Antonio’s few weaknesses, something the Gillespie pickup will help clean up.
Grade: A-
Toronto Raptors
Draftees: Allen Graves (19th), Jaden Bradley (50th)
Redundancy is the headline for Toronto’s haul here. Allen Graves is a variant of Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles. That’s not a bad thing inherently, because Barnes and Murray-Boyles are both great, but there’s going to be an odd man out there, and it’s also just not an archetype the Raptors needed more of when they have so many flaws in their offense that need fixing. Jaden Bradley, although he’s a better pullup shotmaker than Jamal Shead, still isn’t much of a scorer overall.
Graves and Bradley both have winning role player upside, and there’s certainly an argument that just adding good players matters more than considering fit in the draft. It’s also true that Toronto won’t win a playoff series until they revamp their halfcourt attack, and Graves and Bradley aren’t going to help much there.
Grade: C+
Utah Jazz
Draftee: Darryn Peterson (2nd)
The Jazz were always going to be the overarching winners here. If AJ Dybantsa would’ve fallen to them, then they would’ve walked away with the best player of the draft. But, instead, they got a guy who is only a hair worse than Dybantsa and is also a phenomenal fit for them. Peterson has perimeter superstar plastered on his chest like Superman’s logo. He’s exactly what Utah needed to complete the legitimately formidable core they’ve assembled. Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and (assuming he returns) Walker Kessler will easily be a playoff-caliber lineup as soon as next year.
For the first time in a minute, it’s time to get excited about the Jazz.
Grade: A+
Washington Wizards
Draftees: AJ Dybantsa (1st), Felix Okpara (46th)
Washington is finally going to be relevant again. AJ Dybantsa could be their next franchise icon, the savior that drags them out of the pits of the standings. Peterson and Boozer both would have been more than fair options here, but the Wizards the right guy for them.
If the Warriors pry Anthony Davis away to form their dream 2K-esque big four, then Okpara could find himself in the rotation early on, which he should be ready for.
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