NBA Mock Draft 2026 - Yahoo Sports

RD1, PK1 Round 1, Pick 1

AJ Dybantsa

BYUFreshmanForward

6' 9"

Height

217

Weight

7' 1"

Wingspan

19.4

Age

Team Fit

Dybantsa could become one of the NBA’s most unstoppable shot-creators. At 6-9, he has a special blend of athletic tools with the way he bends, shifts, and explodes with the ball in his hands. He gets to the rim at will, cooks in the midrange, draws fouls at a high rate, and displays point-forward potential. In Washington, the pressure will be alleviated on him early in his career, now that he's teammates with Trae Young and Anthony Davis. In the longer term, Dybantsa fits: Alex Sarr already looks like an effective two-way big, while guards and wings like Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Will Riley, and Bilal Coulibaly have all shown flashes. But none of them project to be a superstar like Dybantsa, whose upside will be determined by whether he can become a knockdown 3-point shooter, as well as a more impactful defender to take full advantage of his physical tools. But even with those areas for improvement, Dybantsa has an MVP ceiling.

6' 9"

Height

217

Weight

7' 1"

Wingspan

19.4

Age

Team Fit

Dybantsa could become one of the NBA’s most unstoppable shot-creators. At 6-9, he has a special blend of athletic tools with the way he bends, shifts, and explodes with the ball in his hands. He gets to the rim at will, cooks in the midrange, draws fouls at a high rate, and displays point-forward potential. In Washington, the pressure will be alleviated on him early in his career, now that he's teammates with Trae Young and Anthony Davis. In the longer term, Dybantsa fits: Alex Sarr already looks like an effective two-way big, while guards and wings like Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Will Riley, and Bilal Coulibaly have all shown flashes. But none of them project to be a superstar like Dybantsa, whose upside will be determined by whether he can become a knockdown 3-point shooter, as well as a more impactful defender to take full advantage of his physical tools. But even with those areas for improvement, Dybantsa has an MVP ceiling.

Attributes

Shot Creator

Midrange Assassin

Downhill Attacker

Freakish Athlete

Comparisons

RD1, PK2 Round 1, Pick 2

Darryn Peterson

KansasFreshmanGuard

6' 5"

Height

199

Weight

6' 10"

Wingspan

19.4

Age

Team Fit

League sources expect Peterson to be the second pick in the draft with Peterson offering the highest upside on the board. But if Utah decides to shock the world, keep Caleb Wilson in mind here. Peterson is a buttery smooth scorer with a blend of fluid body control and positional size that gives him the ingredients to become an elite NBA player. At the high school level, he was a dynamic playmaker who used his burst to get into the teeth of defenses and generate buckets for himself and his teammates, while also showing off the kind of shot-making that draws comparisons to Hall of Famers. At Kansas, he thrived in an off-ball role, stroking jumpers out of movement actions and showing he can scale up or down depending on what a roster needs.

Peterson will join a talented young group featuring Ace Bailey, Cody Williams, Brice Sensabaugh, and Keyonte George, so his ability to shine with and without the ball will be highly valuable. The concern isn't his game. It's his body. He missed 11 of 35 games and pulled himself out of others due to cramping, which he claims are due to taking creatine. But it’s hard to imagine a better situation for Peterson. Even when he isn't scoring, he's a high-impact defender who causes chaos off-ball and has the 6-foot-11 wingspan to switch screens. Now he’ll have support around him with All-Stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the frontcourt, and the aforementioned blossoming young talents. The Jazz are actually pretty stacked on paper, especially if Walker Kessler re-signs and stays healthy next year. All this talent means that Peterson won’t have to play savior, and, like Bailey last year, can ease into his NBA routine as a rookie.

6' 5"

Height

199

Weight

6' 10"

Wingspan

19.4

Age

Team Fit

League sources expect Peterson to be the second pick in the draft with Peterson offering the highest upside on the board. But if Utah decides to shock the world, keep Caleb Wilson in mind here. Peterson is a buttery smooth scorer with a blend of fluid body control and positional size that gives him the ingredients to become an elite NBA player. At the high school level, he was a dynamic playmaker who used his burst to get into the teeth of defenses and generate buckets for himself and his teammates, while also showing off the kind of shot-making that draws comparisons to Hall of Famers. At Kansas, he thrived in an off-ball role, stroking jumpers out of movement actions and showing he can scale up or down depending on what a roster needs.

Peterson will join a talented young group featuring Ace Bailey, Cody Williams, Brice Sensabaugh, and Keyonte George, so his ability to shine with and without the ball will be highly valuable. The concern isn't his game. It's his body. He missed 11 of 35 games and pulled himself out of others due to cramping, which he claims are due to taking creatine. But it’s hard to imagine a better situation for Peterson. Even when he isn't scoring, he's a high-impact defender who causes chaos off-ball and has the 6-foot-11 wingspan to switch screens. Now he’ll have support around him with All-Stars Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the frontcourt, and the aforementioned blossoming young talents. The Jazz are actually pretty stacked on paper, especially if Walker Kessler re-signs and stays healthy next year. All this talent means that Peterson won’t have to play savior, and, like Bailey last year, can ease into his NBA routine as a rookie.

Attributes

Shot Creator

Off-Ball Mover

Midrange Assassin

Team Defender

Comparisons

RD1, PK3 Round 1, Pick 3

Cameron Boozer

DukeFreshmanForward

6' 8"

Height

253

Weight

7' 2"

Wingspan

18.9

Age

Team Fit

At 6-foot-8 and 253 pounds, Boozer scores from the post with both footwork and power, hits 40% of his 3s on high volume, and has enough handle to run offense as a point forward. He shifts between those modes based on what the defense gives him, and that adaptability led to a 35-win season at Duke and the Naismith Player of the Year. The worry is that he’s not a vertical athlete and the foundation of all that production — overpowering smaller defenders — gets diminished against NBA length. Plus, he’s a modern tweener on defense, lacking the explosiveness and size to protect the rim full-time and the lateral quickness to switch onto guards. But Boozer is at his best defensively when paired with a true center, and he’s got one by his side in Zach Edey. With Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, and the other young guys in Memphis — plus whatever pieces get dealt for Ja Morant, who league sources say remains likely to get traded — the Grizzlies now have one of the league’s best young cores. With the bloodline of two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer, the Grizzlies are betting that skill, adaptability, and a track record of winning at every level all lead to superstardom.

6' 8"

Height

253

Weight

7' 2"

Wingspan

18.9

Age

Team Fit

At 6-foot-8 and 253 pounds, Boozer scores from the post with both footwork and power, hits 40% of his 3s on high volume, and has enough handle to run offense as a point forward. He shifts between those modes based on what the defense gives him, and that adaptability led to a 35-win season at Duke and the Naismith Player of the Year. The worry is that he’s not a vertical athlete and the foundation of all that production — overpowering smaller defenders — gets diminished against NBA length. Plus, he’s a modern tweener on defense, lacking the explosiveness and size to protect the rim full-time and the lateral quickness to switch onto guards. But Boozer is at his best defensively when paired with a true center, and he’s got one by his side in Zach Edey. With Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, and the other young guys in Memphis — plus whatever pieces get dealt for Ja Morant, who league sources say remains likely to get traded — the Grizzlies now have one of the league’s best young cores. With the bloodline of two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer, the Grizzlies are betting that skill, adaptability, and a track record of winning at every level all lead to superstardom.

Attributes

Post Presence

Glass Cleaner

Basketball IQ

Got That Dawg In Him

Comparisons

RD1, PK4 Round 1, Pick 4

Caleb Wilson

North CarolinaFreshmanBig

6' 9"

Height

211

Weight

7' 0"

Wingspan

19.9

Age

Team Fit

The Bulls acquired Nic Claxton basically for free from the Nets on Monday night, and now they’ll get a chance to further bolster their frontcourt with Wilson, the most gifted athlete in the draft. He's 6-9 with springs for legs. When he's flying above the rim, finishing through contact, and chasing down every shot in his area code, he looks like a future franchise cornerstone. That's exactly what the Bulls need in the frontcourt. But Wilson isn't a sure thing. He made too many aloof rotations as an off-ball defender at North Carolina, and the speed of NBA offenses will test him even more. He also won't be sharing the floor with two bigs like he often did in college. On offense, Wilson has never shot jumpers with any consistency at any level, so it'd be a bonus if he can figure that out. And he might have to for Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis to be optimized. Still, even without the jumper, he has a star upside.

6' 9"

Height

211

Weight

7' 0"

Wingspan

19.9

Age

Team Fit

The Bulls acquired Nic Claxton basically for free from the Nets on Monday night, and now they’ll get a chance to further bolster their frontcourt with Wilson, the most gifted athlete in the draft. He's 6-9 with springs for legs. When he's flying above the rim, finishing through contact, and chasing down every shot in his area code, he looks like a future franchise cornerstone. That's exactly what the Bulls need in the frontcourt. But Wilson isn't a sure thing. He made too many aloof rotations as an off-ball defender at North Carolina, and the speed of NBA offenses will test him even more. He also won't be sharing the floor with two bigs like he often did in college. On offense, Wilson has never shot jumpers with any consistency at any level, so it'd be a bonus if he can figure that out. And he might have to for Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis to be optimized. Still, even without the jumper, he has a star upside.

Attributes

Freakish Athlete

Lob Threat

Paint Protector

Got That Dawg In Him

Comparisons

RD1, PK5 Round 1, Pick 5 (via Indiana)

Mikel Brown Jr.

LouisvilleFreshmanGuard

6' 5"

Height

180

Weight

6' 8"

Wingspan

20.2

Age

Team Fit

League sources say the Clippers are weighing Brown, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, and Arkansas guard Darius Acuff with this choice, but they could also trade down and instead target Arizona guard Brayden Burries.

Brown has an unstoppable pull-up jumper, an ambidextrous finishing ability, and the quick reads to rifle passes before the defense has time to react. He had a 45-point breakout performance in February after a back injury dogged him all freshman year and then ended his year later in the month. The absences muddy the evaluation and leave real questions about his consistency that may not get answered until he’s fully healthy. But he’s a massive upside swing to pair in the backcourt next to Darius Garland, who has only two seasons remaining on his contract and shouldn’t be a factor in the choice here. If Brown turns into a steal, then the Clippers can easily move on from Garland. And if not, they could still have the potential to share the backcourt for years to come.

6' 5"

Height

180

Weight

6' 8"

Wingspan

20.2

Age

Team Fit

League sources say the Clippers are weighing Brown, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, and Arkansas guard Darius Acuff with this choice, but they could also trade down and instead target Arizona guard Brayden Burries.

Brown has an unstoppable pull-up jumper, an ambidextrous finishing ability, and the quick reads to rifle passes before the defense has time to react. He had a 45-point breakout performance in February after a back injury dogged him all freshman year and then ended his year later in the month. The absences muddy the evaluation and leave real questions about his consistency that may not get answered until he’s fully healthy. But he’s a massive upside swing to pair in the backcourt next to Darius Garland, who has only two seasons remaining on his contract and shouldn’t be a factor in the choice here. If Brown turns into a steal, then the Clippers can easily move on from Garland. And if not, they could still have the potential to share the backcourt for years to come.

Attributes

Shot Creator

Crafty Finisher

3-Point Marksman

Dime Dropper

Comparisons

RD1, PK6 Round 1, Pick 6

Keaton Wagler

IllinoisFreshmanGuard

6' 5"

Height

188

Weight

6' 6"

Wingspan

19.4

Age

Team Fit

The Nets took four guard-ish players in last year’s draft, but Egor Dëmin looks like the only true keeper and that hit shouldn’t necessarily stop them from taking an even better guard prospect here. League sources expect Wagler and Mikel Brown to be the primary targets for Brooklyn. Wagler gets the nod in this mock. Wagler showed up at Illinois as a four-star recruit with no expectations of becoming a one-and-done. But he became the orchestrator of a high-powered Illinois offense with his high-IQ playmaking and crafty scoring, leading the team to the Final Four. And now, he’s a top-10 lock. To become an NBA star, Wagler needs to overcome a lack of traditional athleticism. But the best case is that his feel for the game is enough for him to continue ascending.

6' 5"

Height

188

Weight

6' 6"

Wingspan

19.4

Age

Team Fit

The Nets took four guard-ish players in last year’s draft, but Egor Dëmin looks like the only true keeper and that hit shouldn’t necessarily stop them from taking an even better guard prospect here. League sources expect Wagler and Mikel Brown to be the primary targets for Brooklyn. Wagler gets the nod in this mock. Wagler showed up at Illinois as a four-star recruit with no expectations of becoming a one-and-done. But he became the orchestrator of a high-powered Illinois offense with his high-IQ playmaking and crafty scoring, leading the team to the Final Four. And now, he’s a top-10 lock. To become an NBA star, Wagler needs to overcome a lack of traditional athleticism. But the best case is that his feel for the game is enough for him to continue ascending.

Attributes

3-Point Marksman

Basketball IQ

Shot Creator

Dime Dropper

Comparisons

RD1, PK7 Round 1, Pick 7

Darius Acuff Jr.

ArkansasFreshmanGuard

6' 2"

Height

186

Weight

6' 7"

Wingspan

19.6

Age

Team Fit

All indications are that the Kings front office will stay put here and hope that Acuff is on the board. Acuff is a wiry scorer who can get a bucket from anywhere on the floor with a quick trigger, slippery handle, and a feel for manipulating defenses. After entering college with the reputation of a ball hog, he changed that and emerged as a skilled, low-turnover playmaker who sprayed the ball around the floor and put in significant effort moving off-ball. So while he is not the biggest guard or the most explosive athlete, he reads defenses like someone who's been in the league for a decade. He still needs to make dramatic improvements on defense, though, as he was one of the worst defenders in college basketball last season.

6' 2"

Height

186

Weight

6' 7"

Wingspan

19.6

Age

Team Fit

All indications are that the Kings front office will stay put here and hope that Acuff is on the board. Acuff is a wiry scorer who can get a bucket from anywhere on the floor with a quick trigger, slippery handle, and a feel for manipulating defenses. After entering college with the reputation of a ball hog, he changed that and emerged as a skilled, low-turnover playmaker who sprayed the ball around the floor and put in significant effort moving off-ball. So while he is not the biggest guard or the most explosive athlete, he reads defenses like someone who's been in the league for a decade. He still needs to make dramatic improvements on defense, though, as he was one of the worst defenders in college basketball last season.

Attributes

Shot Creator

Ankle Breaker

Crafty Finisher

Basketball IQ

Comparisons

RD1, PK8 Round 1, Pick 8 (via New Orleans)

Aday Mara

MichiganJuniorBig

7' 3"

Height

260

Weight

7' 6"

Wingspan

21.2

Age

Team Fit

League sources say the Hawks want Illinois guard Keaton Wagler if he’s still on the board, and there’s always a possibility they could trade up for him. What’s unclear is who the target is if he’s not. Could it be another guard like Houston’s Kingston Flemings or Arizona’s Brayden Burries? Definitely. But the Hawks could use a true center and the best one in this class is Mara, who stepped on UCLA's campus as a lottery-projected center from Spain. Then he fell off draft boards during two forgettable seasons there before transferring to Michigan and becoming one of the best true 5s in the country on his way to winning the national championship. He reads the floor like a guard, finishes with both hands, and swats shots with elite timing. Quin Snyder will love using him as a facilitator from the wings and elbows, especially with the newly re-signed guard CJ McCollum. The complication is he doesn't shoot from outside, makes below 60% of his free throws, and opponents are going to attack him on the perimeter. But the Hawks are building a team littered with size, length and versatility. If there's anywhere that Mara could best reach his potential, it might be Atlanta.

7' 3"

Height

260

Weight

7' 6"

Wingspan

21.2

Age

Team Fit

League sources say the Hawks want Illinois guard Keaton Wagler if he’s still on the board, and there’s always a possibility they could trade up for him. What’s unclear is who the target is if he’s not. Could it be another guard like Houston’s Kingston Flemings or Arizona’s Brayden Burries? Definitely. But the Hawks could use a true center and the best one in this class is Mara, who stepped on UCLA's campus as a lottery-projected center from Spain. Then he fell off draft boards during two forgettable seasons there before transferring to Michigan and becoming one of the best true 5s in the country on his way to winning the national championship. He reads the floor like a guard, finishes with both hands, and swats shots with elite timing. Quin Snyder will love using him as a facilitator from the wings and elbows, especially with the newly re-signed guard CJ McCollum. The complication is he doesn't shoot from outside, makes below 60% of his free throws, and opponents are going to attack him on the perimeter. But the Hawks are building a team littered with size, length and versatility. If there's anywhere that Mara could best reach his potential, it might be Atlanta.

Attributes

Post Presence

Dime Dropper

Locksmith

Basketball IQ

Comparisons

RD1, PK9 Round 1, Pick 9

Kingston Flemings

HoustonFreshmanGuard

6' 3"

Height

183

Weight

6' 4"

Wingspan

19.5

Age

Team Fit

Dusty May leaving the defending champion Michigan Wolverines for Dallas is massive for the future of the Mavericks. May is one of the game's greatest coaches, both as a tactician and as a motivator. And now he'll get to coach Cooper Flagg for years to come. I’d imagine May going to Dallas increases the probability that we see the Mavs take a Michigan prospect with this ninth pick. However, Mara is off the board in this mock. Yaxel Lendeborg is old, and still immature. And Morez Johnson projects as more of a high-end role player, not a star. This could be the final chance in the lottery for Dallas to take a big swing. That’s why Flemings is the pick: The Mavericks find a point guard of the future to pair with Flagg here in Flemings, who plays with surgical midrange touch, an explosive first step and the passing vision of a true point guard who can run an offense. But Flemings is also 183 pounds and midrange-heavy in a 3-point league, and he watched his efficiency crater against the stiffest competition late in the season. The question is whether his scoring package translates against NBA length and spacing, or whether opposing scouts figure him out the same way late-season defenses did. Still, he brings incredible effort and passion to the floor and will likely maximize whatever he's going to become.

6' 3"

Height

183

Weight

6' 4"

Wingspan

19.5

Age

Team Fit

Dusty May leaving the defending champion Michigan Wolverines for Dallas is massive for the future of the Mavericks. May is one of the game's greatest coaches, both as a tactician and as a motivator. And now he'll get to coach Cooper Flagg for years to come. I’d imagine May going to Dallas increases the probability that we see the Mavs take a Michigan prospect with this ninth pick. However, Mara is off the board in this mock. Yaxel Lendeborg is old, and still immature. And Morez Johnson projects as more of a high-end role player, not a star. This could be the final chance in the lottery for Dallas to take a big swing. That’s why Flemings is the pick: The Mavericks find a point guard of the future to pair with Flagg here in Flemings, who plays with surgical midrange touch, an explosive first step and the passing vision of a true point guard who can run an offense. But Flemings is also 183 pounds and midrange-heavy in a 3-point league, and he watched his efficiency crater against the stiffest competition late in the season. The question is whether his scoring package translates against NBA length and spacing, or whether opposing scouts figure him out the same way late-season defenses did. Still, he brings incredible effort and passion to the floor and will likely maximize whatever he's going to become.

Attributes

Midrange Assassin

Dime Dropper

Locksmith

Basketball IQ

Comparisons

RD1, PK10 Round 1, Pick 10

Nate Ament

TennesseeFreshmanForward

6' 10"

Height

211

Weight

7' 0"

Wingspan

19.5

Age

Team Fit

Giannis Antetokounmpo is gone, and now the Bucks have two lottery picks after receiving the 13th pick as the headline asset in a trade package from the Heat. Now what? Ament is considered a likely target to start building the post-Giannis foundation. Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-foot-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country. Then he dealt with an ankle injury that ruined his momentum entering March and he severely struggled during the tournament.

6' 10"

Height

211

Weight

7' 0"

Wingspan

19.5

Age

Team Fit

Giannis Antetokounmpo is gone, and now the Bucks have two lottery picks after receiving the 13th pick as the headline asset in a trade package from the Heat. Now what? Ament is considered a likely target to start building the post-Giannis foundation. Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-foot-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country. Then he dealt with an ankle injury that ruined his momentum entering March and he severely struggled during the tournament.

Attributes

Shot Creator

Dime Dropper

Comparisons