With the withdrawal date passing, the 2026 NBA draft field is set, and every team’s draft board is being finalized. We also locked in our top 75 prospects and created rankings if we were evaluating each prospect in a vacuum.
Just as every team thinks differently, so do we, so the following rankings differ from our mock draft projections.
Differences between rankings mean more at the top of the board, when you’re really focused on drafting the best player available. Depending on team fit and who’s on the clock, it’s possible we’d select a lower-ranked player over a high-ranked one. Tiers become more important than specific numbers the further down the board.
NIL convincing players to return to college has led to thinner draft classes and made it more difficult for teams to find value in the mid-to-late second round. Still, every team will have a list of players at least 75 names long so they can add to summer league, training camp rosters and G League rosters.
Lottery
Slotting Boozer No. 1 means buying and putting real stock in his production and winning across all settings, from 15 years old straight through to Duke. The impact of his frontcourt shooting, passing IQ, physicality, decision-making and poise should far outweigh the occasional issues that stem from athletic limitations. An unteachable knack for making the right reads with the skill set to handle, use strength and rise into jumpers turns Boozer into a threat from every spot in all situations. The poor optics around Boozer getting his shot blocked create some unnecessary worrying about his ability to create and score with enough ease. At over 6’8″ barefoot with more functional ball-handling and driving efficiency than Caleb Wilson, better three-point and assist numbers than Dybantsa, and the second-highest box plus-minus on record at 18 years old (behind Zion Williamson, ahead of Anthony Davis), Boozer is my No. 1 prospect.
Peterson and Dybantsa aren’t far behind. Dybantsa’s positional size, self-creation and three-level shotmaking point to All-Star scoring potential. It’s the lack of off-ball skill that could limit his versatility. Meanwhile, Peterson was outstanding shooting off the ball and movement. And there is enough high school tape that shows a healthier, more explosive creator and playmaker than we saw at Kansas. His Jayhawk teammates only shot 22.2 percent from three on his ball-screen passes, impacting his assist rate. Relying too much on tough shots could just affect his efficiency.
Okorie was my biggest April/May riser after going back through film. His 23.2 points per game felt overlooked due to his size for the pros, Stanford’s record and 3.6 assists per game, which seem underwhelming for a 6’2″ ball-handler. But he also had no choice but to lock in on scoring for his particular lineup. His ability to create offense was almost always a far better option for the lineup. Okorie’s handle and quickness for creativity and attacking look too special. He wound up with 250 rim attempts. In comparison, projected top-20 pick Christian Anderson had 95. And Okorie still shot fine from outside on plenty of volume (35.4 percent, 178 3PTA) while demonstrating touch on floaters (51.6 percent) and far more finishing craft than the numbers suggest.
Quaintance may be the draft’s biggest wildcard with ridiculous defensive tools, sporadic offensive flashes, lack of production and knee injury history. He’s totaled 25 games over the past two seasons, but he’s also still 18 years old with a special physical profile that doesn’t require a ton of skill for Quaintance to impact games. Ranking him without having direct access to medicals or personal doctor opinions requires some guesswork.
Late First-Rounders
15. Cameron Carr (Baylor, SG/SF, 22 years old)
16. Morez Johnson (Michigan, PF, 20 years old)
17. Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan, PF, 23 years old)
18. Nate Ament (Tennessee, SF, 19 years old)
19. Koa Peat (Arizona, PF, 19 years old)
20. Christian Anderson (Texas Tech, PG, 20 years old)
21. Karim Lopez (New Zealand Breakers, PF, 19 years old)
22. Meleek Thomas (Arkansas, PG/SG, 19 years old)
23. Allen Graves (Santa Clara, PF, 19 years old)
24. Hannes Steinbach (Washington, C, 20 years old)
25. Sergio de Larrea (Valencia, PG, 20 years old)
26. Dailyn Swain (Texas, SF, 20 years old)
27. Zuby Ejiofor (St. John’s, PF, 22 years old)
28. Chris Cenac (Houston, PF, 19 years old)
29. Isaiah Evans (Duke, SF, 20 years old)
30. Henri Veesaar (North Carolina, C, 22 years old)
Johnson has become a popular first-round name whose outstanding measurements, motor and defensive movement create a high floor and potentially valued archetype, depending on the team. There’s a high-end starter outcome if the 12 three-point makes and 78.2 free-throw percentage indicate some untapped shooting potential.
Wings who aren’t playmakers lack of margin for error, but for certain teams, Carr looks too projectable as a plug-and-play athlete and shotmaker 77 threes, 45 blocks, 47 dunks and incredible NBA combine performance.
Lendeborg has a chance to go in the lottery, and there’s no question the safe-pick label seems valid. National championship aside, improved shooting and defense this year are behind his rise after he was considered a borderline first-rounder one year ago. History just continues reminding teams not to reach too high on 23-year-olds.
In the Lopez-Cenac-Steinbach tier of 4s and 5s, Lopez’s age (just turned 19), pro-league production and flashes of versatility suggests he’s the better bet. But he also doesn’t excel at any one specific skill. Steinbach looks like a surefire rotation player with his 6’11” size, inside skill level and feel, though it’s difficult to expect a high-upside outcome for a big who doesn’t handle, shoot reliably or add much defensive value from center position. Cenac will make admirable hustle plays and have games where he’s able to connect from three. There just isn’t enough skill, feel or versatility to picture high-upside outcomes.
Thomas may be higher on my board than most. Playing with Darius Acuff Jr. made it difficult him to showcase or improve his ball-screen offense and ball-handling. In the meantime, he proved to be a very adaptable player with shooting versatility playing on and off the ball. And he demonstrated promising defensive traits with his speed and activity.
I’d give Zuby Ejiofor a first-round grade for certain teams, depending who I was drafting for. If there is an open role for an energizer or glue guy, he should excel in it quickly with his 245-pound frame, 7’2″ wingspan, defensive coverage, motor, passing IQ and improved complementary scoring skills.
Second-Rounders
31. Luigi Suigo (Mega, C, 19 years old)
32. Tarris Reed (Connecticut, C, 22 years old)
33. Alex Karaban (Connecticut, SF, 23 years old)
34. Ugonna Onyenso (Virginia, C, 21 years old)
35. Izaiyah Nelson (South Florida, PF, 22 years old)
36. Richie Saunders (BYU, SG, 24 years old)
37. Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State, F, 22 years old)
38. Baba Miller (Cincinnati, PF, 22 years old)
39. Wyatt Fricks (Marshall, PF/C, 23 years old)
40. Braden Smith (Purdue, PG, 22 years old)
41. Jack Kayil (Germany, PG, 20 years old)
42. Trevon Brazile (Arkansas, PF, 23 years old)
43. Emanuel Sharp (Houston, SG, 22 years old)
44. Duke Miles (Vanderbilt, PG, 23 years old)
45. Jaden Bradley (Arizona, PG, 22 years old)
46. Nick Martinelli (Northwestern, F, 22 years old)
47. Ryan Conwell (Louisville, SG, 21 years old)
48. Aaron Nkrumah (Tennessee State, SF, 24 years old)
49. Malik Reneau (Miami, PF, 23 years old)
50. Dillon Mitchell (St. John’s, PF, 22 years old)
51. Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee, PG, 22 years old)
52. Bruce Thornton (Ohio State, SG, 22 years old)
53. Otega Oweh (Kentucky, SG/SF, 22 years old)
54. Milos Uzan (Houston, PG/SG, 23 years old)
55. Felix Okpara (Tennessee, C, 22 years old)
56. Lajae Jones (Florida State, SF, 22 years old)
57. Lamar Wilkerson (Indiana, SG/SF, 24 years old)
58. Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue, PF, 23 years old)
59. Donovan Atwell (Texas Tech, SG, 23 years old)
60. Maliq Brown (Duke, C, 22 years old)
Reed is a name I’d want in the second round after he became the only player on record to ever have a season with 9.0 block percentage, 13.0 offensive rebounding percentage and a 15.0 assist percentage.. Throw in the strong post skill and finishing tools/coordination at 6’10” barefoot with a 7’4″ wingspan, and there are too many translatable and compelling traits, even if he plays more of an old-school game offensively.
Jack Kayil is still playing in June after leading ALBA Berlin to the semis of the German BBL playoffs. Though not a flashy athlete, his 6’5″ size, shotmaking and playmaking production might be worth looking into in the late 20s of a draft that’s thinned out.
A torn ACL may have helped turn Saunders into a second-round value pick. He’s one of the class’ more efficient off-ball scorers with his standstill and movement catch-and-shoot game.
Conwell, Sharp, Wilkerson and Atwell are potential shooting specialists to start considering midway through Round 2. Duke Miles and Jaden Bradley are smaller guards but possesses the type of defensive toughness and energy that could translate to a Jose Alverado-type role.
Kaufman-Renn is one of those unconventional producers who lacks a modernized game. He might be more of a situational player, but it’s worth bringing him in to find out if he can continue to provide value as a post scorer, play-finisher and rebounder with great hands and instincts. Fricks is a deeper sleeper earning workouts with an attractive mix of shotmaking, finishing and defensive flashes for a 6’10” big.
61. Rafael Castro (George Washington, C, 23 years old)
62. Tobi Lawal (Virginia Tech, F, 23 years old)
63. Kylan Boswell (Illinois, PG, 21 years old)
64. Tyler Bilodeau (UCLA, SF, 22 years old)
65. Quadir Copeland (North Carolina State, PG, 22 years old)
66. Keyshawn Hall (Auburn, SF, 23 years old)
67. Tyler Nickel (Vanderbilt, SF, 22 years old)
68. Jaden Henley (Grand Canyon, SF, 22 years old)
69. William Kyle II (Syracuse, C, 22 years old)
70. Nate Bittle (Oregon, C, 22 years old)
71. Jaylin Sellers (Providence, SG, 22 years old)
72. Darrion Williams (North Carolina State, 23 years old)
73 . Tre White (Kansas, SG/SF, 23 years old)
74. Jaron Pierre Jr. (SMU, SG, 23 years old)
75. Cade Tyson (Minnesota, SF, 22 years old)
Lawal registered historic verticals at the NBA combine, and for a player with his wing size, that outlier leaping ability alone may be enough for him to offer value as a finisher and defensive playmaker.
Williams was on draft boards during his time at Texas Tech, and an underwhelming year at NC State may allow a team to pick him up without using a pick. He’s a big, strong wing that can shoot and pass, creator connector potential.
Thornton should get two-way contract offers with outlier strength and one of the most complete scoring skill sets in the country. Per Synergy Sports, he graded in the 90th percentile or better in pick-and-roll ball-handling, transition, spot-ups, off-screen offense and isolation possessions.
Brown led the nation in defensive box plus-minus and deserves late-draft looks for his unique instincts. Kyle could also have a chance at center with the type of tools and athleticism for a finishing/shot-blocking role.
