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Late 2nd round projected as Nate Bittle's landing spot in 2026 draft
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- Late 2nd round projected as Nate Bittle's landing spot in 2026 draft
Night one of the 2026 NBA Draft came and went on Tuesday, with Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle not hearing his name called. That was the expectation, as Bittle wasn't invited to the NBA Scouting Combine and would be drafted, if at all, on Wednesday night during the second round.
USA TODAY's Bryan Kalbrosky released his updated second round mock draft having taken into the account the happenings of Round 1, with Bittle finding a home with the Atlanta Hawks at pick No. 57. That would mean that Bittle would have to wait rather deep into the night, as only three picks would remain after Bittle.
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The Hawks serve as an intriguing spot for the former Duck, as they have an undersized starting center in Onyeka Okongwu . They had two picks in the first round, selecting Houston point guard Kingston Flemings at No. 8 and St. John's center Zuby Ejiofor at No. 23. While Ejjofor and Bittle play the same position, the St. John's product is undersized as well, coming in at 6-foot-9.
Bittle brings a different kind of size at 7-foot to the position that could be beneficial to Atlanta on both ends of the court, as he can stretch the floor on offense (98 career three-pointers in college) and provide rim protection on defense (1.8 blocks per game as a fifth-year senior).
Last year, Bittle tested the NBA draft waters before opting to return to Eugene for his final season of eligibility. Everything went wrong for the Ducks, as they won just 12 games while Bittle missed seven contests due to a lower leg injury. Despite that, he's still revealed himself as a player worthy of a late-round flier due to his outside shooting ability and shot-blocking presence down low.
The second round of the 2026 NBA Draft begins at 5:00 p.m. PST.
This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Late 2nd round projected as Nate Bittle's landing spot in 2026 draft
