The NBA Draft is on the horizon as the final hours tick away before Adam Silver steps to the podium and opens the festivities. Now that the offseason is fully underway, expect plenty rumors to fly about the draft and surrounding trades through the night.
The NBA mock draft has taken several turns since the early projections entering the 2025-26 college basketball season, but the top prospects have continued to separate themselves in a top tier. Now, it is time to learn how the 30 franchises value each prospect over two days and two rounds.
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Here are the latest projections for what the 2026 NBA Draft could look like without projected trades. This includes all 60 selections based on team needs and draft board rankings.
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, BYU
The Washington Wizards were rewarded with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft just before they ramp up efforts to become competitive. While they brought in Trae Young and Anthony Davis to compete immediately, their presence should have no impact on where they go with the future of the franchise.
AJ Dybantsa brings the ideal jumbo wing mold to the NBA, combining a fluid game on the ball with improving flashes of facilitation as on-ball reps increased at BYU,” my scouting report reads. “He has the physical build and tools to become a plus defender as his usage rate drops at the next level. Meanwhile, the basketball world waits to see if the 3-point shot will unlock the full extent of his superstar potential.
The Utah Jazz join the Washington Wizards among the tanking teams that have already loaded the deck for next season. The frontcourt is stuffed full after selling off multiple assets for Jaren Jackson Jr, hoping to place him between Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler.
Darryn Peterson is a high-level scorer at every level, bringing instant offense to whatever team he joins. After reports that he views himself as a point guard in the NBA, he still has another step to achieve as a playmaker, which could elevate him into the category of the league’s top initiators with size. Health questions will also linger after the cramping concerns at Kansas, but teams have gotten a full look at his medicals and spoken with him.
The Memphis Grizzlies opted to blow up the former era, trading Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. over the past year. As they look to rebuild with Zach Edey and Cedric Coward in mind, their options are open depending on who falls among the top-tier prospects.
Cameron Boozer is the most accomplished player in the NBA Draft class, winning National Player of the Year, following up on youth basketball successes. There are questions about his ability to assert physical dominance against larger players on both ends of the floor, but his shooting ability and perimeter playmaking add another element to his overall value.
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
The Chicago Bulls jump into the top four of the draft while entering a new era, clearing out the front office and looking for a new head coach this offseason. With a roster in flux, they will gladly move forward with any of the top-tier prospects in this class as they find a new model.
Caleb Wilson brings an athletic burst that jumps off the screen, catching eyes on both ends of the floor as he dominates the area around the rim. His ability to use that skill set for more than physical dominance, beating defenders to the midrange and covering ground on defense, leaves him with limitless potential. He must continue to develop into a shooter in order to maximize his perimeter potential, while becoming more engaged on the defensive end to reach his peak.
5. Los Angeles Clippers*: Keaton Wagler, Illinois
The Los Angeles Clippers land the No. 5 pick in the draft after a unique trade with the Indiana Pacers at the trade deadline. They now get a rare opportunity to spark the next era while looking to get the most out of their remaining core.
Keaton Wagler burst onto the scene as a guard with the ability to score and create. Overlooked at the high school level, he played on and off the ball at Illinois on his way to building real hype to land in the NBA Draft’s lottery. Athleticism is his biggest question, along with length, but his overall size and pace-of-play fit into the mold of many stars across the league.
6. Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown, Louisville
The Brooklyn Nets have started the rebuild process with hopes of eventually luring stars back to the franchise. They have plenty of cap space, but after falling in the lottery, could be forced to settle for a Tier 2 draft prospect.
Mikel Brown is an electric offensive talent who showed real flashes of his potential in the high school ranks before an up-and-down, injury-hampered season at Louisville complicated his evaluation. He has the ability to score at all three levels, with room to grow as a playmaker for others and the physical tools to become an improved defender if placed in the right system.
7. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff, Arkansas
The Sacramento Kings drop in the draft lottery, falling to the No. 7 pick, where they should still be in the mix for a point guard. Without much direction on their plans for the rest of the roster, it feels like the safest position to begin building.
Darius Acuff went on a dominant run at the end of the college basketball season, knocking down clutch shots throughout the postseason for Arkansas. His ability to create space at multiple levels is undeniable, making him an extremely valuable player despite a lack of defensive contributions. The largest question facing his star potential is his size, as many teams look to get bigger across the board, especially with their No. 1 option.
The Atlanta Hawks reap the benefit of a 2025 trade with the New Orleans Pelicans, landing the No. 8 selection in this year’s draft. They have already successfully kicked off the post-Trae Young era with a clear vision, but could look to fill the point guard spot.
Kingston Flemings fits the build of a Houston point guard, bringing toughness and physicality to the position. He showed great ability to read multiple levels of the defense, also demonstrating improved 3-point shooting, which will ultimately determine his offensive value. Despite a small wingspan measurement at the combine, his tape speaks for itself at a position that lacks defensive difference-makers in the class.
9. Dallas Mavericks: Nate Ament, Tennessee
The Dallas Mavericks made a complete change to the franchise over the last year, eventually handing the keys to 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. With a new vision and GM in the door, it is time to fill out the roster around the future cornerstone.
Nate Ament possesses great potential with a long frame and fluid mechanics at multiple levels, but concerns over his strength and inconsistency in games raise questions that will leave a sizable gap between ceiling and floor.
The Milwaukee Bucks now move into the post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era this summer, helping guide what they do with their first round pick. With that, this front office has continually bet on upside, which makes sense in this situation.
Brayden Burries put together a strong season at Arizona, filling a role as the secondary playmaker and taking on the scoring role when needed. He also displayed a strong defensive base, which could provide him with a solid set of skills to start his career in the rotation.
11. Golden State Warriors: Aday Mara, Michigan
The Golden State Warriors failed to perfect the two-timelines era, but now turn their attention to maximizing the final years of Steph Curry’s career. After retaining Steve Kerr, it appears evident that they will focus on building the best team possible to compete in the NBA Playoffs.
Aday Mara brings elite size to the table; that’s clear no matter what tape you watch. He also rebounds and protects the paint, creating additional value with his ability to facilitate from the center position. Like many Michigan bigs under Dusty May, he also added value by playing alongside other bigs in a successful offensive scheme.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder*: Morez Johnson, Michigan
The Oklahoma City Thunder get the luxury of another lottery pick as a result of the same trade that brought them Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Without any glaring holes, they can focus on the best fit on the board as they look toward future roster moves.
Morez Johnson is a valuable architype in the NBA, bringing a level of fight and determination to the big position which will keep him on the floor for big defensive moments. Playing alongside two bigs at Michigan helped him showcased his ability to guard in space and play alongside a big on offense.
13. Milwaukee Bucks*: Hannes Steinbach, Washington
The Milwaukee Bucks acquire this pick from the Miami Heat as part of the blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo trade on Monday night. It provides a second opportunity to kickstart the rebuild after using their own pick at No. 10.
Hannes Steinbach grew into his role at Washington, hitting a growth spurt which made him a more interesting prospect. Moving fluidly on both ends with real size, he is already a high-level rebounder with some creation skills and a projectable shot. Despite concerns, he started to show defensive growth late in the season.
14. Charlotte Hornets: Karim Lopez, Mexico
The Charlotte Hornets made a leap toward competitiveness this season, watching LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller mesh well with rookie Kon Knueppel. They now possess two first-round picks with the ability to fill out the rotation with difference-makers.
Karim Lopez took a leap forward in his development playing in the NBL, becoming a more consistent player in the rotation with his size and physicality. There is immediate translation with those tools, along with solid upside if he can unlock more tools offensively while refining his consistency on defense.
Picks 15-30
© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
15. Chicago Bulls*: Cameron Carr, Baylor
16. Memphis Grizzlies*: Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
17. Oklahoma City Thunder*: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
18. Charlotte Hornets*: Dailyn Swain, Texas
19. Toronto Raptors: Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
20. San Antonio Spurs*: Allen Graves, Santa Clara
21. Detroit Pistons*: Labaron Philon, Alabama
22. Philadelphia 76ers*: Koa Peat, Arizona
23. Atlanta Hawks*: Isaiah Evans, Duke
24. New York Knicks: Meleek Thomas, Arkansas
25. Los Angeles Lakers: Tarris Reed, UConn
26. Denver Nuggets: Ebuka Okorie, Stanford
27. Boston Celtics: Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
28. Brooklyn Nets*: Chris Cenac, Houston
29. Cleveland Cavaliers*: Henri Veesaar, North Carolina
30. Dallas Mavericks*: Baba Miller, Cincinnati
2nd Round
NBA Draft Night at the Barclays Center, via Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
31. New York Knicks*: Sergio De Larrea, Spain
32. Memphis Grizzlies*: Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s
33. Minnesota Timberwolves: Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
34. Sacramento Kings: Richie Saunders, BYU
35. San Antonio Spurs*: Jack Kayil, Germany
36. Los Angeles Clippers*: Ryan Conwell, Louisville
37. Oklahoma City Thunder*: Noam Yaacov, Israel
38. Chicago Bulls*: Jaden Bradley, Arizona
39. Houston Rockets*: Alex Karaban, UConn
40. Boston Celtics*: Tobias Jensen, Denmark
41. Miami Heat*: Emanuel Sharp, Houston
42. San Antonio Spurs*: Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA
43. Brooklyn Nets*: Otega Oweh, Kentucky
44. San Antonio Spurs*: Ugonna Onyenso, Virginia
45. Sacramento Kings*: Trevon Brazile, Arkansas
46. Orlando Magic: Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
47. Phoenix Suns*: Braden Smith, Purdue
48. Dallas Mavericks*: Vsevolod Ishchenko, Russia
49. Denver Nuggets*: Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
50. Toronto Raptors: Felix Okpara, Tennessee
51. Washington Wizards*: Aaron Nkrumah, Tennessee State
52. Los Angeles Clippers*: Dillon Mitchell, St. John’s
53. Houston Rockets: Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
54. Golden State Warriors*: Maliq Brown, Duke
55. New York Knicks: Tre White, Kansas
56. Chicago Bulls*: Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt
57. Atlanta Hawks*: Reynan dos Santos, G-League
58. New Orleans Pelicans*: Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida
59. Minnesota Timberwolves*: Oscar Cluff, Purdue
60. Washington Wizards*: Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee