The UConn Huskies and Michigan Wolverines have fought their way through the NCAA Tournament, making it to the National Championship game. Both teams have tremendously talented rosters that are headlined by several high-level prospects who can go in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft. Now, on the precipice of the championship game, let’s dive into the top NBA Draft prospects on both teams participating in the 2026 NCAA Championship game.
Top NBA Draft Prospects In The 2026 NCAA Championship Game
UConn Huskies
Braylon Mullins
UConn guard Braylon Mullins has had an up-and-down season, but he has shown impressive flashes throughout the season and tournament. Standing at six-foot-six, Mullins is a bigger guard who has the upside to be an elite shooter and impactful defender. While the shooting numbers haven’t reflected his upside, Mullins has flashed great potential as a shooter, both in high school and with the Huskies. In particular, Mullins can be deployed in various shooting contexts, such as a spot-up floor spacer or an off-ball movement shooter. He has a quick and clean shooting form, which he used to full effect against Duke in their Elite Eight matchup.
He isn’t just a shooter, though, as Mullins has enough athleticism to put the ball on the floor and attack closeouts. Furthermore, Mullins is even capable of playing above the rim. Mullins is also a solid connective passer who knows where to move the ball. Defensively, his size and motor help him be a solid defender who can defend bigger guards and be disruptive in the passing lanes. With his combination of size and shooting upside, Mullins is unquestionably a prospect who can become an impactful NBA player.
Tarris Reed Jr.
In addition to Mullins, UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. is another NBA prospect playing for UConn. The six-foot-ten big man is a strong-bodied center who uses his physicality and length to be an impressive two-way force. Reed is undoubtedly a strong interior scorer who can operate in the post and as a screener. He knows how to leverage his size and strength to carve out great positioning for himself in the paint. He has great touch around the rim, using skilled footwork to create separation for him to score. Plus, Reed effectively uses his physicality and length to create second-chance opportunities off of offensive rebounds. To be sure, Reed isn’t a high-flying dunker or someone who can space the floor. However, he can provide the reliable interior scoring expected from a big man.
He is also a solid passer for his position, being able to find open teammates and getting them the ball. As a defender, Reed uses his size and length well to be a stout interior defender and rim protector. He knows how to perfectly time his contests to block or alter shots at the rim. Reed is also more mobile than one can expect of his size and skill set, allowing him to defend better in space. His lack of vertical pop may limit his overall defensive capabilities. However, Reed is an intelligent defender who knows how to use his tools to their fullest extent. His consistent play at center will certainly get him looks from NBA teams in need of a talented center.
Alex Karaban
One familiar prospect on UConn’s roster is the veteran forward and two-time NCAA champion, Alex Karaban. The six-foot-eight Karaban is a talented offensive forward who can provide elite floor spacing and off-ball movement for his team. He is certainly efficient as a three-point shooter, being able to consistently light it up from deep. Furthermore, Karaban is great at being an off-ball cutter. He is also great at being a connective passer within an offense, knowing how to keep the ball moving. Karaban isn’t someone who can create shots for himself, but he operates well as a complementary player.
The biggest issue for Karaban as a prospect is his lack of athleticism, which rears its ugly head on defense. He lacks the explosiveness and lateral quickness to defend effectively. His size and basketball IQ help, but Karaban can be exploited on defense. Nevertheless, Karaban will be a name to look for in the second round due to his impressive off-ball skill set.
Michigan Wolverines
Yaxel Lendeborg
Despite the ankle injury he suffered against the Arizona Wildcats during the Final Four, Yaxel Lendeborg will be the overall top prospect out on the court during the championship game for either team. Standing at six-foot-nine, the Michigan forward possesses a versatile skill set that allows him to provide elite two-way impact. He is a talented interior scorer who utilizes his athleticism, strength, and touch to be a threat in the paint. Those aspects also make him a real threat in transition, throwing down powerful dunks. While his three-point shooting can be inconsistent, Lendeborg has shown that he is capable of spacing the floor. Apart from his scoring, Lendeborg is also an effective passer for his position. He is a low-turnover playmaker who possesses the vision, processing, and passing ability to make impressive reads against opposing defenses.
Defensively, Lendeborg is equally impressive as he is on offense. His combination of athleticism, length, and size allows him to be a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions. He has the physicality, length, and size to hang with bigger forwards and even smaller bigs. Not only that, but he is able to guard the perimeter and be switchable defensively. He uses his length well to be disruptive in the passing lanes and protect the rim. Plus, his length also helps him be a major presence on the boards. His sheer versatility as a prospect and the excellence he’s shown this season will undoubtedly get him the attention of NBA teams drafting in the first round, regardless of his age.
Aday Mara
Alongside Lendeborg, Michigan possesses one of the best bigs in college basketball and in the tournament with Aday Mara. The massive seven-foot-three Spanish center is certainly someone who makes his presence known in the paint on both ends of the floor. Defensively, Mara’s giant frame and long wingspan allow him to be a tremendous rim protector and shot blocker. He can make the paint a no-fly zone, fully utilizing his length to alter shots and using his basketball IQ to know exactly when to rotate. Mara isn’t an explosive rim protector, but his overwhelming size and length make him capable of blocking shots, even with minimal lift. His size also helps him be a great post defender against opposing big men and be an impactful rebounder.
Offensively, Mara possesses an intriguing skill set. He is a skilled finisher at the rim, operating well as a roller and post scorer. Mara is certainly an impressive play-finisher and overall interior scorer, but what sets him apart from other bigs is his passing skills. He is a highly talented passer for his position, fully utilizing his size to gain a full view of the floor. Mara can throw some incredible passes, treading the needle against opposing defenses to get it to an open man. He also knows how to use his scoring gravity to collapse defenses and spray it out to open shooters. Mara needs to clean up his turnovers, but his passing is truly a major asset for him. At his size and skill level, Mara will be one of the more intriguing big men who have a chance to be drafted in the first round.
Morez Johnson Jr.
Of the three-headed monster that makes up Michigan’s starting frontcourt, Morez Johnson Jr. has risen up this season as a skilled two-way forward. Standing at six-foot-nine, Johnson is a powerfully built forward who uses his athleticism and length to impact both ends of the floor. He is truly a versatile defender who can legitimately defend one through five. He has the right blend of size, strength, and athleticism to handle all sorts of opposing offensive players. Johnson can be deployed in various defensive coverages and excels in those roles. He uses his length well to be disruptive as a rim protector and impactful as a rebounder.
Johnson is currently quite limited offensively, but he is still effective as a play-finisher. He has also shown flashes of becoming a threat from distance, which would massively raise his ceiling. His defensive abilities, paired with his offensive upside, would make him a tantalizing pick-up in the first round.
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