Arizona Wildcats player's 2026 NBA Draft stock rising in mock drafts

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Arizona Wildcats player's 2026 NBA Draft stock rising in mock drafts

Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic · AZCentral | The Arizona Republic

Wed, May 20, 2026 ·

4 min read

CBS Sports : Brayden Burries picked by Miami Heat at No. 13

Isaac Trotter writes: "If this is how the draft board shakes out, Miami would continue its pattern of just scooping up the best player available who somehow slips into its range. This time, it's Burries. The potential top-10 pick has plus positional size, and he can play drive-and-kick basketball as well as any guard in this range. Burries' motor is revving at all times. He plays hard every single game, and he sticks his face in the fan on the glass without fail. Burries can toggle between so many different roles, but he might be at his best as a light-it-up transition bucket-getter. There's defense, a little creation, some three-level scoring habits and a whole lot of hustle plays in this portfolio. What's not to love? Burries being on the board at No. 13 would be an outstanding draft night development for the Heat."

ESPN : Brayden Burries selected by Golden State Warriors at No. 11

Jeremy Woo writes: "Steve Kerr's decision to return to the Warriors is a fair indicator that Golden State doesn't plan to rebuild in the near future, but this pick gives it a chance to get younger and deeper. Long-term injuries to Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody mean the Warriors will be extremely light on the perimeter to open next season, which could be a consideration here. GM Mike Dunleavy also told reporters this week that Golden State would consider moving around in the draft. Burries is drawing looks inside the top 10 but could also end up being the guard who falls. He would be a solid fit for the Warriors in this scenario. His dimensions will play up better on the ball than at the two, but his sturdy build should also help him defend wings. The fact he's a year older than some of the other freshmen and somewhat caught between positions based on tools makes him more of a back-half lottery option."

NBC Sports : Brayden Burries taken by Dallas Mavericks at No. 9

Kurt Helin writes: "It's easy to see where Burries fits in with the Mavericks. He can either be the backup point guard, who can get downhill and create shots but has a good pull-up jumper, or he can play next to Kyrie Irving , where he will be a solid catch-and-shoot option and a good defender. Burries could be a long-term running mate with Cooper Flagg in Dallas."

USA TODAY Sports : Brayden Burries drafted by Atlanta Hawks with No. 8 pick

Bryan Kalbrosky writes: "With the pick the Hawks received from New Orleans , one potential target is Arizona freshman Brayden Burries. He was an exciting prospect to watch during the Big Dance, making it all the way to the Final Four and dropping 23 points against Arkansas. He had two breakout games in January, which helped solidify his draft stock. But the All-Big 12 guard continued to display his tantalizing talent, scoring 31 points with seven rebounds and five steals against Colorado on March 7 and 20 points with 12 rebounds and five assists during a victory against No. 14 Kansas on Feb. 28. He has proven productivity, and he is able to defend, relocate, move the ball and make 3-pointers off the dribble."

Could Arizona' Brayden Burries be a Top 10 NBA draft pick in the 2026 NBA draft? One recent NBA mock draft projection has him going in the Top 5.

On3 : Brayden Burries chosen by Los Angeles Clippers with No. 5 pick

Thomas Goldkamp writes: "The Arizona shooting guard is one of the best pure shooters in the class, and the Clippers land a quality piece in this mock draft at pick No. 5. Because the Wildcats reached the Final Four, Burries also got some high-quality experience. Can he turn that into production at the NBA level? He averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He also shot 39.1% from 3-point range during his freshman season with the Wildcats."

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