For the second time in the past three seasons, the NBA Draft Lottery is what Grizzlies fans are looking most forward to post-trade deadline.
Memphis finished 25-57, which was the sixth-worst record in the NBA. With the 2026 draft class being one of the most anticipated groups of prospects of all time due to an all-time freshman class, this year’s lottery could completely change the direction of the Grizzlies’ franchise.
Advertisement
Odds the Grizzlies land each lottery pick
|
Pick |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
Top 4 Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Odds |
9% |
9.2% |
9.4% |
9.61% |
0% |
8.65% |
29.75% |
20.56% |
3.7% |
0.15% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
37.2% |
Prospects Memphis could target in each range
Picks 1-3
BYU F AJ Dybantsa
Dybantsa is the most popular No.1 overall pick in most mock drafts. The 19-year-old freshman averaged 25.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the Cougars. He shot 51 percent from the field on very high volume at 17.3 field goal attempts per game. He was named first-team All-American by every outlet.
The Brockton, MA native was the No. 1 overall prospect in the high school class of 2025 and has long been regarded as the probable top pick in this draft.
Kansas G Darryn Peterson
Peterson has arguably the most upside of any prospect in the draft. He is regarded as one of the top two-guard prospects of all time.
Advertisement
The 6-foot-5 Peterson averaged 20 points per game, shooting 38 percent from three on seven attempts per contest.
The major catch with Peterson is that he regularly took himself out of games and missed time due to chronic cramping. He has since attributed the cramps to creatine intake.
Duke F Cameron Boozer
Boozer could be the safest prospect in the 2026 class. At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, he profiles as a player that can do about everything on the floor.
He had hyper-efficient shooting splits at 56/39/79 en route to winning national player of the year as a 19-year-old freshman.
The caveat with Boozer is his true upside. Scouts worry about his lack of above-the-rim athleticism, which could cause him to fall into a tweener role between a 4 and 5 man as a pro.
Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) shoots the ball over UConn Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. (2) in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Picks 4, 6-8
North Carolina F Caleb Wilson
Wilson is the first player in the second tier of prospects behind Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer, according to big boards.
Advertisement
Wilson’s season was cut short due to a wrist injury, but he was sensational when he played. The freshman averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, which was good to be named second-team All-American.
Arkansas G Darius Acuff Jr.
Acuff probably sounds exciting to fans a potential selection, due to his outburst in the SEC Tournament. Outside of the March he had, the freshman was incredible the entire season.
He also carries the pedigree of being a John Calipari-coached guard, a title that holds a high hit-rate in the NBA.
The potential drawback of Acuff is that he was a defensive liability. Building a team around a small guard creates a smaller margin of error at other positions, and the Grizzlies might be careful going in that direction following the teardown of the Ja Morant-led Grizzlies.
Advertisement
Houston G Kingston Flemings
Flemings is another freshman point guard in the class that scouts concensusly project to be drafted in this range. He was named a second-team All-American playing for Kelvin Sampson.
The 6’4” 19-year-old had 48/39/85 shooting splits, averaging 16.1 points and 5.2 assists per game.
Mar 21, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) drives to the hoop past Texas A&M Aggies guard Ali Dibba (6) during the second half of a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Illinois G Keaton Wagler
Wagler’s rise since his high school recruitment was one of the best stories of the 2025-26 college basketball season. A former three-star recruit, the 6-foot-6 inch Wagler led Illinois to the Final Four as a freshman.
He was named second-team All-America, averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
Advertisement
Scouts question Wagler’s athleticism. He is not an above-the-rim player and lacks elite burst, but he is clearly a skilled pass-dribble-shoot prospect that projects as an efficient scorer.
Picks 8-10
Arizona G Brayden Burries
The 6-foot-4 freshman averaged 16.1 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on an Arizona team that made the Final Four.
Louisville G Mikel Brown Jr.
Brown’s stock was hurt due to a back injury, but when on the floor, he served as the lead guard for Louisville, averaging 18.2 points and 4.7 assists per game. He possesses good positional size at 6-foot-5 at the point guard position.
Advertisement
Alabama G Labaron Philon Jr.
Philon is the best sophomore in the class, and the first non-freshman on this list. He could have gone in the first round of the 2025 draft, but decided to come back to school. The decision proved to be the right one.
The 6-foot-4 Philon improved his scoring average by 12 points per game and more importantly, raised his three-point percentage from 31.5 to 39.9 percent.
Tennessee F Nate Ament
Ament is maybe the prospect scouts are most split on. Some big boards have him in the top 10, , while others have him just inside of the top 20.
The upside is clear: he is a 6’10” combo forward capable of handling the ball. However, he struggled at times with efficiency, shooting 39.9 percent from the field.
Advertisement
Michigan F Yaxel Lendeborg
Lendeborg is the only senior on this list. The case for him is clear: he was the best player on the best team in the country in Michigan.
The first-team All-American is a do-it-all combo forward that will most likely turn out to be a contributor on a good NBA team. The drawback is that he is 23 years old and lacks the upside of many of the freshmen in the class.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/grizzlies/onsi as Memphis Grizzlies 2026 draft lottery primer.
