With one day until the 2026 NBA Draft, the entire league is still waiting for the Milwaukee Bucks to make a decision on Giannis Antetokounmpo. Other trades on the table are being held up and the draft order will change depending on which deal Milwaukee takes.
The Boston Celtics and Miami Heat remain the favorites to land Antetokounmpo, though I would bet on the Celtics to ultimately land the two-time MVP. Why? Milwaukee’s objective in a post-Giannis world. League sources say the Bucks want to remain competitive next season. They don’t outright own any of their firsts until 2031, and even if they did, the flattened draft odds don’t incentivize teams to bottom out. And the best player on the table is, by far, Jaylen Brown.
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With Jayson Tatum in a suit for most of last season, Brown averaged 29/7/5, finished sixth in MVP voting, and led the Celtics to the two seed. Hand him the keys in Milwaukee and the Bucks have a play-in team floor with a top-six seed ceiling.
The Miami offer features a bigger pile of individual assets, and it’d give Milwaukee a second lottery pick. Miami is offering the 13th pick, Jaime Jaquez, Kel’el Ware, and Tyler Herro, which has been widely reported at this point. The Bucks want future firsts too, per league sources, and Miami can move as many as three firsts and three swaps on draft day.
(Bruno Rouby/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
But a stack of future firsts doesn’t get the Bucks back in the playoff race. Brown could. Plus, Brown has three years left on his contract, so there’d always be time for the Bucks to flip him into parts if they wanted — and possibly at an even higher value if he takes another leap next season.
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League sources say the Bucks and Celtics have haggled over what pieces would be attached to Brown: the 27th pick? How many future firsts? Hugo Gonzalez? Payton Pritchard? The Celtics have been reluctant to give up that much more than Brown. To land Giannis, though, they might have to.
Bucks general manager Jon Horst’s career will be defined by which deal he takes. That’s why he’s trying to extract as much as he can in return for a franchise legend. Every other GM is just waiting for him to get it over with.
Keeping in mind that the order could change depending on where Giannis goes, here’s my full two-round mock draft with analysis for every choice based on all the latest intel.
A.J. Dybantsa, 6-9, BYU freshman forward
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 veterans 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.
At 6-8 and 253 pounds, Boozer is the most polished player in the class. He 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 award. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen are both more perimeter-based players, so Boozer can play inside with them. Walker Kessler, who could be re-signed, is an interior player, so Boozer can create. The Jazz would be massive across positions, especially since this group could even move Ace Bailey to shooting guard. Jackson and Kessler could both support Boozer on defense, alleviating concerns about his explosiveness and size to protect the rim full-time and his lateral quickness to switch onto guards. With the bloodline of two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer, the team that drafts him is betting that skill, adaptability, and a track record of winning at every level all lead to superstardom. And the Jazz have the right pieces to make that future a reality for Boozer.
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Darryn Peterson, 6-5, Kansas freshman guard
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. Even when he isn’t scoring, he’s a high-impact defender who causes chaos off-ball and has the 6-11 wingspan to switch screens. The concern isn’t his game. It’s his body, which is why he slipped to third in this mock. Peterson missed 11 of 35 games and pulled himself out of others due to cramping, capping off one of the weirdest freshman seasons in recent memory. Questions about his burst, his availability, and what exactly is going on under the hood are going to define how NBA front offices feel about him at the top of this draft. But maybe that could work to the benefit of the Grizzlies given the need for a guard, his fit as a big guard alongside Cedric Coward and the two-man actions that could develop with a skilled center like Zach Edey.
Caleb Wilson, 6-9, North Carolina freshman big
Wilson is 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.
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Brayden Burries, 6-4, Arizona freshman guard
Burries has not scheduled many workouts, and it appears his range starts with the Clippers with the fifth pick, as I reported the week of the lottery, and ends with the Warriors at the 11th pick. If the Clippers really want him, they could trade down and still grab him. But for this mock, the Clippers stay put. Burries arrived at Arizona as a top-10 recruit, started slow, and then erupted once conference play began, helping lead his team to the Final Four. He’s a physical, versatile scorer who can beat you from all three levels, rebounds like a forward, and competes hard on defense. With only two seasons remaining on Darius Garland’s contract, he should not be a factor in their choice here. But Burries has the type of versatile game that can fit perfectly next to a smaller primary initiator like Garland. This isn’t to say that Burries will only project as a role player, but he’s a methodical creator rather than an explosive one, and his shooting history before Arizona gives scouts reason to wonder whether the efficiency is real or a blip. In Los Angeles, he’d have time to develop at his own pace.
Mikel Brown Jr., 6-4, Louisville freshman guard
There is a sense in opposing front offices that Brooklyn could trade down from this spot, whether it’s with a team trying to leap way up the board or even up just one spot in the Kings or two spots in the Hawks. Brown is the choice here, though. When Brown is in the zone, he 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.
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Darius Acuff, 6-2, Arkansas freshman guard
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.
8. Atlanta Hawks
Keaton Wagler, 6-5, Illinois freshman guard
The Hawks re-signed CJ McCollum to a one-year, $21 million contract on Sunday, and they could find their successor in this draft. Wagler falling here could be a best-case scenario. 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.
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Kingston Flemings, 6-3, Houston freshman guard
If the Mavericks don’t have a big guard on the table here, it’s probably a stronger likelihood that we see them trade down. But for this mock, the Mavericks find a point guard of the future to pair with Cooper 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.
10. Milwaukee Bucks
Nate Ament, 6-10, Tennessee freshman forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo remains a Buck, as the saga keeps dragging on with just one day until the draft. Depending on what Milwaukee receives, the front office could look to move up from this choice. But if they stay put, 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.
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11. Golden State Warriors
Karim López, 6-8, New Zealand Breakers international forward
López is the best basketball prospect Mexico has ever produced. He left Hermosillo at 14 to play professionally in Barcelona, then at 17 moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where he shined for two years in the NBL Next Stars program. He checks a lot of boxes with his excellent physical tools, a hard-nosed approach, a well-rounded ability to defend multiple positions and handle the ball, and a blossoming shot. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr might even see reason to give him minutes early in his career. But he’s thus far more of a jack of all trades since his jumper runs hot and cold and he lacks the burst to blow by defenders off the bounce. Regardless, not every player is drafted with stardom in mind. And López has all the requisite skills to enhance Stephen Curry as a key piece on a winning team.
Aday Mara, 7-3, Michigan junior big
League sources continue to cite the Thunder as a team looking to move up in the draft using the 12th and 17th picks. The Thunder could use a mammoth center like Mara to tweak the roster for another Finals run next year. There is no better option in this range than 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. 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.
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13. Miami Heat
Christian Anderson, 6-1, Texas Tech sophomore guard
It could be the Bucks picking here if Giannis ends up in Miami. Anderson showed up at Texas Tech as the 101st-ranked recruit and has played his way into the first-round conversation behind dynamic pick-and-roll creation and knockdown perimeter shooting. He does a good job of creating easier shots for his teammates, but at his small stature he hasn’t shown a consistent ability to get to the rim with any regularity. And any small guard will always be a target on defense, so there’s a lot of pressure on his shot translating to the next level.
Morez Johnson Jr., 6-9, Michigan sophomore forward
You know the guy on a championship team who never gets enough credit nationally? The one who sets the bone-crushing screen that springs the star, then immediately sprints to the rim for the lob, then turns around and blows up the other team’s pick-and-roll on the other end all in one sequence? That’s Morez Johnson. He transferred from Illinois to Michigan and became the connective tissue of the national champions as a 251-pound wrecking ball with surprisingly soft hands and the defensive IQ to guard 1 through 5 in a switch-heavy scheme. And the Hornets are in need of someone with Johnson’s multi-position versatility since Miles Bridges, Josh Green, and Grant Williams all have just one more season on their contracts. The issue with Johnson is he’s not quite big enough to be a true center and not yet proven enough as a shooter to guarantee he spaces the floor. But even without a jumper, Johnson has a long future ahead of him at the next level – and that is why league sources say his stock is on the rise into the mid-late lottery range.
15. Chicago Bulls
Cameron Carr, 6-5, Baylor sophomore wing
Carr transferred to Baylor, and led the team in scoring, shot nearly 40% from 3 on high volume, and looked like a 3-and-D role player who also has blossoming skills off the dribble. With NBA genes in his blood, as the son of former player Chris Carr, Cameron has the skills to make it in the NBA. The Bulls could use a player with this type of skill-set after trading away Coby White. But at 184 pounds with not a ton of games under his belt, he’s going to get introduced to the NBA’s physicality in a way college basketball never did.
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16. Memphis Grizzlies
Chris Cenac Jr., 6-10, Houston freshman big
After landing Peterson with the third pick, the Grizzlies land a frontcourt partner for Edey here. Cenac is a superb athlete who moves like a wing, has the length to alter shots, and shoots from the perimeter. Houston handed him a starting role with national title aspirations and trusted him with heavy minutes. But the Cougars fell short again, in part because Cenac struggled to stay out of foul trouble, couldn’t score efficiently, and was overeager to play on the perimeter despite having the body of a bruiser. He arrived in college with lottery expectations, and he still could become that player in the future. But the NBA team drafting him is taking a project.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder traded away a rotation wing in Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks on Sunday evening, opening up a roster spot which could mean they keep both of their first-round picks. Lendeborg could end up being even better for OKC in short time. He fills the stat sheet, can play multiple positions, and has a 7-foot-4 wingspan at 241 pounds with a genuine handle. But he’ll be 24 as a rookie. The arc is a great story. Whether it ends with NBA stardom is still up for debate.
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18. Charlotte Hornets
Hannes Steinbach, 6-10, Washington freshman big
The Hornets continue reshaping their frontcourt with this pick. Steinbach will enter the NBA with some readymade skills as an interior scorer and rebounder. He has massive hands that he uses to grab every possible rebound and finish effectively around the basket. He also showed legitimate touch on 3-pointers in flashes, which would turn him into a very different player if it becomes real. But he’s not quite a true 7-footer, and there are specific matchups where he gets targeted in space. It’s encouraging, though, that he bulked up from 220 to 248 pounds from the start of his freshman year at Washington until now. He was already strong, and now he’s making the case that he can be a true center for any team.
Labaron Philon, 6-3, Alabama sophomore guard
The Raptors clearly needed two things after their Game 7 loss to the Cavaliers: A point guard and a center. Here, they get a point guard. Philon is a shifty, score-first point guard who blossomed into one of the best guards in college basketball as a sophomore. He doubled his scoring output with buttery floaters, a deceptive handle, and a feel for running an offense, while also beginning to shore up the shooting questions that once clouded his projection. But Philon is also a below-the-rim athlete and listed under 180 pounds, so his slight frame remains the one thing standing between him and stardom.
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Allen Graves, 6-8, Santa Clara freshman forward
The Spurs could use a big forward like Graves, who could grow alongside Carter Bryant. Graves was a point guard before a late growth spurt, and the floor skills carried over when he sprouted to 6-8. He came off the bench at Santa Clara as a redshirt freshman and quietly became one of the most efficient producers in college basketball. While he lacks great athleticism, and had some struggles against the limited top competition that he faced, the analytics love him, and he passes the eye test with his elite feel for the game.
The Pistons need more creation alongside Cade Cunningham and Stirtz could be the perfect fit. Stirtz feels the game at a different frequency than everyone else on the floor, and yet still makes scouts squint because he doesn’t look the part athletically. The question isn’t whether he can play, though. After transferring from Drake to Iowa, he kept cooking with bullseye passes, pump-fakes, and shooting touch off the dribble from NBA range. If he adjusts to the physicality and speed of the NBA, he could thrive as both a floor general and off-ball connector.
Henri Veesaar, 6-11, North Carolina junior big
Finding a center to play behind Joel Embiid needs to be prioritized. Embiid simply cannot be trusted to stay on the floor. Veesaar is an agile big with real shooting touch, connective playmaking, and baseline big skills with the ability to set screens and catch lobs. He also offers rim protection and is a locked-in help defender. He could even play next to Embiid. In all three of his collegiate seasons, he made a massive leap in production each year. The Sixers would need that ascent to continue.
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23. Atlanta Hawks
Tarris Reed, 6-10, UConn senior center
After selecting Wagler in the lottery, the Hawks found their center here. Reed is a throwback center who played at his best on the biggest stage on UConn’s way to the national title game. He does all the dirty work inside the paint as a finisher and rebounder and shot-blocker. But beyond his ability to screen and pass, he isn’t all too comfortable on the perimeter as a shooter or defender. So there are questions about his upside, especially since he’ll be 23 as a rookie.
24. New York Knicks
Koa Peat, 6-7, Arizona freshman forward
Congratulations to Knicks fans for winning the championship! Mitchell Robinson grabbed a clutch offensive rebound in the closing moments of the game, but he’s a free agent this offseason so the Knicks may need to replace him. Peat’s bloodline is so loaded with offensive linemen that it’s almost funny he ended up playing basketball. His father played nine NFL seasons. His uncle was a Pro Bowl tackle. Two brothers played college ball on the line. And you can absolutely see it in how he plays: powerful, physical, relentless, and it genuinely takes something special to stop him from getting to where he wants to go. He opened the season with a 30-point game against defending champion Florida and backed it up as one of Arizona’s best players all year on its way to the Final Four. Since Peat can’t shoot yet, it’ll be important that he’s paired with a floor-spacing center like Karl-Anthony Towns. Or he could serve as a small-ball center in switchable lineups. So even though Peat entered the year with top-10 hopes, it might be a blessing in disguise for him to fall to the end of the first round.
25. Los Angeles Lakers
Dailyn Swain, 6-7, Texas junior wing
What type of support does Luka Dončić need by his side? Versatile wing defenders who can serve as connectors on offense. Swain is relentless getting to the rim, creative as a finisher, and active enough defensively to project as a switchable wing. But the reason he lives at the rim is because his jump shot is genuinely terrible. He has stiff mechanics, bad percentages, and a reluctance to even attempt it that goes all the way back to high school. He made improvements at Texas, though, so there’s hope his soft touch at the line and from the paint will eventually translate.
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26. Denver Nuggets
Ebuka Okorie, 6-1, Stanford freshman guard
The Nuggets need some variety to their half-court offense aside from having Nikola Jokić initiate everything. Well, here’s a guy who could help. Okorie is the best driving guard in the class, a 6-1 jitterbug who manipulates defenders with a tight handle, sudden changes of speed, and an advanced feel for the game. He’s not an above-the-rim athlete, though, and not long ago he was a kid from New Hampshire who ranked outside the top 100 and committed to Harvard. Then Stanford found him, he flipped his commitment, and he proceeded to lead the ACC in scoring with eight 30-point games and a habit for hitting clutch shots. NBA teams will have to decide whether what carved up the ACC will survive against bigger, longer defenders.
27. Boston Celtics
Jayden Quaintance, 6-9, Kentucky sophomore big
Quaintance is going to get drafted based almost entirely on what he looked like before his knee exploded. As a freshman at Arizona State, he was blocking everything in sight, showing defensive instincts and mobility that players his size aren’t supposed to have, and he was 17 years old doing it. Then came the ACL, the meniscus, the fractured knee, the transfer to Kentucky, persistent swelling, a shutdown for the remainder of his sophomore season, and an inability to fully workout for teams during the pre-draft phase. At some point, someone is gonna take a swing on him though and it’d be hard to fault the Celtics for swinging for the fences here.
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28. Minnesota Timberwolves
Meleek Thomas, 6-3, Arkansas freshman wing
Just look at how crucial Mike Conley still was to the Timberwolves in these playoffs. But he’s 38. And Ayo Dosunmu and Bones Hyland will both be upcoming free agents. That’s where Thomas could help. Thomas has the confidence to “run for president,” according to Arkansas head coach John Calipari. You could see that on the court the way he never hesitated to fire, stepped right into the lead role when Darius Acuff was sidelined at Missouri to close the regular season, and willed Arkansas to the SEC championship game with 29 against Ole Miss. He’s a legit NBA shooter with deep range, a quick release, and creation juice off the bounce. But he doesn’t get to the rim, his shot selection drifts into hero-ball, and there are questions about how he’ll deal with NBA physicality.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers
Sergio De Larrea, 6-5, Valencia international wing
Keon Ellis and Dean Wade will be free agents this summer, and Max Strus will be in one year. It may be time for the Cavaliers to get a wing — one with more skill — in the developmental pipeline alongside Jaylon Tyson. De Larrea is a tall playmaking guard with major feel and a knockdown jumper who thrives within team concepts. He suffered a dislocated shoulder that ended his 2024-25 season and removed him from draft boards, but it ended up a blessing in disguise since he returned with a bigger role and stronger production for a great team in the EuroLeague. With size, smarts, and defensive versatility, he could carve out a role in the NBA if his international skill can translate.
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30. Dallas Mavericks
Isaiah Evans, 6-6, Duke sophomore wing
Evans is the kind of shooter that defenses guard and think they’ve got him contained, then he uses a screen and catches it off a full sprint, moving away from the rim, and somehow manages to rise into a perfect 3-pointer. He’s a legitimate sharpshooter with the off-ball chops to thrive without even running any offense for himself, and he also has a developing handle that could unlock more creation chances. But he’s still a perimeter-based player who needs to add more layers to his game to become a complete offensive talent.
SECOND ROUND
31. New York Knicks
Richie Saunders, 6-5, BYU senior wing
Saunders is a hard-nosed, two-way wing who plays with manic energy, hustling around the floor hunting for steals on defense and jumpers on offense. The team that gets him knows exactly what they’re gonna get out of him. He’s also skilled, though, with a quick-trigger jumper, soft touch on floaters, and a feel for moving the ball. With less than ideal size and athleticism, he more likely projects as a solid role player. But he’s not a guarantee to succeed at age 25 after tearing his ACL in February, ending his four-year career at BYU.
32. Memphis Grizzlies
Jack Kayil, 6-4, Alba Berlin international guard
Kayil is a combo guard with a strong frame, a feel for the game that exceeds his youth, and the grit to become a high-level defender. He just became one of the youngest players to ever win the German League’s Under-22 Player of the Year, joining Franz Wagner and Dennis Schröder on a list that bodes well for his NBA prospects. He committed to Gonzaga back in October, but has decided to stay in the draft — a decision that surprised some scouts since he has yet to prove he can shoot consistently or run an offense full-time.
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33. Brooklyn Nets
Zuby Ejiofor, 6-8, St. John’s senior forward
After Ejiofor’s freshman year at Kansas, Bill Self told him he wasn’t good enough to play major minutes on any Big 12 team. Three years later, he became the unanimous Big East Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Tournament MVP, and Scholar-Athlete of the Year — the first player in the league’s history to sweep all four in a single season — and he helped St. John’s bounce his former team in the Round of 32 on the way to the program’s first Sweet 16 in 25 years. Ejiofor found success with foundational skills: motor, length, and defensive versatility. The question with Ejiofor is the fact he’s undersized for a center and his jumper is still a work in progress. But he’s developed enough to deserve a chance to figure it out in the league.
34. Sacramento Kings
Alex Karaban, 6-7, UConn senior forward
Karaban makes defenses pay the moment they relax on him. He relocates for a 3, cuts when nobody’s watching, and does everything efficiently. He’s a similarly high-effort, high-IQ player on the defensive end, which helps him overcome his average athleticism. But he’ll be 24 as a rookie, and hasn’t shown much upside. He rarely shoots off the dribble because of his funky mechanics. So if his role-player skills are slow to translate, his margin for error is narrower than for most.
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35. San Antonio Spurs
Joshua Jefferson, 6-8, Iowa State senior forward
Some players are drafted for their ceilings. Others for their floor. Jefferson lands in the latter category as a 22-year-old senior who spent four years in college getting better at everything to the point he’s a steady, high-feel forward. He can pass out of the post, make connective reads, and guard multiple positions. He just needs his shooting progress to prove to be real, and right now there’s not enough of a sample to be sure it is.
36. Los Angeles Clippers
Baba Miller, 6-11, Cincinnati senior forward
Miller is a fluid athlete who grew up playing guard before a late growth spurt. He retained his perimeter skills given the way he can handle in the open floor and make advanced moves. He’s also an equally compelling defensive player who can switch across positions. The big issue, and the main reason why he has spent four years in college, is that he still can’t shoot.
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37. Oklahoma City Thunder
Dillon Mitchell, 6-7, St. John’s senior forward
Mitchell showed up at Texas as a McDonald’s All-American, and back then it looked like a jump shot was the only thing standing between him and stardom. Four years and three schools later, the jumper is still nonexistent. And yet, he’s played his way onto boards anyway as a left-handed power player who finishes everything around the rim, wrecks games on defense, and blossomed into a high-feel passer as a senior at St. John’s. The non-shooting is a problem, but on the right team his athleticism on offense and defensive versatility could allow him to carve out a long career.
38. Chicago Bulls
Ryan Conwell, 6-2, Louisville senior guard
Conwell’s college career took him from South Florida to Indiana State to Xavier, and then to Louisville, and he got better at every stop. By the end of his senior year he was the leading scorer for the Cardinals at 18.8 points per game. He’s a stocky 6-2 lefty with broad shoulders, no real first step, and exactly one dunk in four years of college basketball. But he’s a knockdown shooter with deep range and a bruiser at the rim who absorbs contact like a fullback. The question is whether the climb continues at the next level, when he can’t muscle his way to the cup or shoot over the top of smaller defenders the way he could in college.
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39. Houston Rockets
Bruce Thornton, 6-0, Ohio State senior guard
Thornton is a three-level scorer with playmaking feel and the competitive fire that lifts a locker room. But he’s short and not a bursty athlete, which means he projects as a reserve point guard. Players with his intangibles can prove to be important to winning teams, though. He was a four-year captain at Ohio State, and improved every year on his way to becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer.
40. Boston Celtics
Tyler Bilodeau, 6-7, UCLA senior forward
Bilodeau was one of the most efficient stretch-4s in college basketball. With his 6-7 frame, he could bring real value with his size and spacing ability at the next level. But no one should mistake Bilodeau for Tyler, The Creator, since he rarely takes shots off the dribble or serves as a playmaker for teammates. He also struggles as a defender, which is truly the big question about his ability to make it in the modern NBA.
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41. Miami Heat
Ugonna Onyenso, 6-11, Virginia senior big
Onyenso has bounced from Kentucky to Kansas State to Virginia, finally finding a home in Charlottesville where he turned into one of the most feared shot-blockers in college basketball. He had 21 blocks across three ACC tournament games, including nine against Cam Boozer and Duke in the championship. He lays a brick wall around the basket, though he has heavy feet when guarding on the perimeter and is still developing his offensive skill set.
42. San Antonio Spurs
Maliq Brown, 6-8, Duke senior forward
Brown guards all five positions and has both the length and IQ to anchor the defense when he’s on the floor. As a 6-8 senior, he was named ACC Sixth Man of the Year and won the Lefty Driesell Award as the nation’s top defender. But he struggles to shoot the ball, which will make his offensive fit a difficult one. Regardless though, his defense could be that special that his team can’t help but put him on the floor.
43. Brooklyn Nets
Braden Smith, 5-10, Purdue senior guard
Smith left Purdue as the NCAA’s all-time assists leader, breaking a 33-year-old record. He’s arguably the highest-IQ player in the draft who could orchestrate an offense at the college level while also providing scoring off the bounce. But the issue is the one every 5-10 guard faces: he isn’t a plus athlete, and bigger guards are going to hunt him the moment he steps on an NBA floor. That’s precisely why he is a projected second-rounder and will need to work his way up.
44. San Antonio Spurs
Tyler Nickel, 6-6, Vanderbilt senior forward
Nickel has a flamethrower jump shot that Vanderbilt used in a wide array of actions to consistent success all season long. The questions about him are the ones every specialist faces: Does he offer enough other than shooting? Will he survive defensively? But anyone who shoots like Nickel and stands at 6-6 will get a shot to make it in the NBA.
45. Sacramento Kings
Jaden Bradley, 6-3, Arizona senior guard
Bradley is a combo guard with a strong frame, a calm demeanor, and a knack for clutch moments. After arriving in college as a McDonald’s All-American, he lost his starting spot as a freshman at Alabama then transferred to Arizona, where he got better every year and became the team’s trusted leader. As a senior, he won Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Tournament MVP, and led the Wildcats to their first Final Four since 2001. There are questions about whether he can be a lead guard at the next level, but his connective passing, improved shooting, and gritty defense all give him the potential to play big minutes.
46. Orlando Magic
Emanuel Sharp, 6-3, Houston senior guard
Sharp’s calling card is his shooting ability. He can catch fire from 3-point range and be utilized as a weapon off screens. He plays with a high IQ even though he isn’t a primary shot creator as well. On defense, he plays extremely hard to help compensate for the fact he’s on the smaller side at only 6-3.
47. Phoenix Suns
Felix Okpara, 6-10, Tennessee senior big
Okpara knows his role as a player who protects the paint, runs the floor, finishes lobs, sets screens, and doesn’t try to be more than that. He spent two years at Ohio State, transferred to Tennessee, and helped take the Vols to the Elite Eight as their defensive backbone. He had four blocks in the Round of 32 with clutch defense down the stretch, then a 12 and 10 double-double in the Sweet 16.
48. Dallas Mavericks
Trevon Brazile, 6-10, Arkansas senior big
Brazile was a projected first-rounder before tearing his ACL nine games into his sophomore year at Arkansas, and the next two years were spent rebuilding the explosiveness that made him a prospect in the first place. He finally put it together as a fifth-year senior with a career year by anchoring Arkansas’ defense. His long wingspan, explosive vertical, switchability, and perimeter jumper, all give him the potential to have a long NBA career. But at this point, he’s already 23 and still projects only as a role player.
49. Denver Nuggets
Tobe Awaka, 6-8, Arizona senior forward
Awaka was college basketball’s best rebounder and helped energize Arizona’s bully-ball style over the past two years. At 6-8 with a brickhouse frame and an unrelenting style of play, he set a tone off the bench and earned Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year. The problem is everything else. He doesn’t shoot. He doesn’t pass. And he doesn’t have a clearly defined position on defense. The team that drafts him is betting it can find enough of a defensive role to keep that elite rebounding and relentless motor on the floor.
50. Toronto Raptors
Noam Yaacov, 6-1, Filou Oostende guard
Yaacov is a talented shot creator with deep shooting range off the dribble, a creative playmaking feel, and a manipulative handle with shifty movements that he uses to break ankles. But he’s only 6-foot-1, and at the overseas level he still had a hard time making things look easy, so there’s a real question whether his style will translate to the NBA.
51. Washington Wizards
Ja’Kobi Gillespie, 6-0, Tennessee senior guard
Gillespie spent two seasons at Belmont, transferred to Maryland for a year, then came home to Tennessee as a senior and helped lead the Volunteers to the Elite Eight. In the NBA, he projects as less of a lead guard and more of a spark plug who comes off the bench and fires jumpers and reliably runs the offense. The NBA’s track record with guards his size is the obvious concern, but anyone who shoots like Gillespie and processes the game at his level deserves a real chance.
52. Los Angeles Clippers
Nick Martinelli, 6-7, Northwestern senior forward
Martinelli is a lefty who hunts mismatches in the post, uses footwork and physicality to compensate for his average athletic profile, and plays with a fire in his belly. He arrived at Northwestern as a three-star recruit, got notably better in each season, and proceeded to become the back-to-back Big Ten scoring champion. There are no questions about his work ethic. The real concern is about whether he can adapt at the next level when he can’t feast on smaller players, and when he’ll be targeted on defense. But he’s beaten the odds so far and will receive chances to prove he belongs in the NBA.
53. Houston Rockets
Otega Oweh, 6-4, Kentucky senior wing
As a 6-4 wing with a strong frame, Oweh became one of the best slashing wings in college basketball and had one of the great games of the season with 35/8/7 against Santa Clara in the opening round of March Madness with a buzzer-beater to force overtime. At the next level, though, he doesn’t project to be a primary creator because of his shaky handle and jumper, so the odds are he’ll need to adapt as a role player. Fortunately, he has a ton of those skills as a cutter, connective passer, and versatile defender.
54. Golden State Warriors
Jaden Henley, 6-6, Grand Canyon senior wing
Henley is an explosive wing who can dunk over opponents while also switching across positions on defense. But he severely struggles as a shooter, and since he isn’t a primary creator it’s vital he figures out how to make shots fall with greater regularity.
55. New York Knicks
Bryce Hopkins, 6-6, St. John’s senior forward
Hopkins is a big wing who bullies smaller defenders with hard drives to the rim. But he’s not a one-trick pony. He also passes with feel, rebounds, and offers highly versatility defense. He’s a do-it-all player who could’ve been in the NBA by now if it weren’t for injuries. He was a first-team All-Big East talent at Providence before a torn ACL ended one season and a bone bruise in the same knee wiped out most of the next, limiting him to 17 games over two years. He finally got a full, healthy run at St. John’s, regained his explosiveness, and became a pivotal piece on a team that won the Big East title and made a tournament run.
56. Chicago Bulls
Izaiyah Nelson, 6-8, South Florida senior big
Nelson is a 6-8 athlete with a 7-3 wingspan who feasts on lobs, rebounds in traffic, and disrupts everywhere on defense. He sets a tone any time he’s on the floor. After three years at Arkansas State, he followed his coach to USF and proceeded to put up one of the most decorated mid-major seasons in recent memory by becoming the first player in American Conference history to win Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year. Even though he lacks creation and shooting abilities, he made jaw-dropping plays at the Portsmouth Invitational, then earned an NBA Draft Combine invite, and now has a chance to go in the second round.
57. Atlanta Hawks
Nick Boyd, 6-1, Wisconsin senior guard
Boyd is a polished combo guard who runs the offense like a veteran, scores off the bounce, and simply has a natural feel for the game. But he is already 25, lacks great athleticism, and has a slight frame so he’ll be a target on defense.
58. New Orleans Pelicans
Michael Ajayi, 6-6, Butler senior forward
Ajayi brings role player qualities the way he rebounds at an elite level, passes within the flow of the offense, and defends multiple positions. After a strong year there, he transferred to Gonzaga but struggled, then went to Butler and earned an All-Big East performance by displaying the same qualities that made him an appealing prospect in the first place.
59. Minnesota Timberwolves
Trey Kaufman-Renn, 6-8, Purdue senior big
Kaufman-Renn is a throwback post hub who bullies smalls, finesses bigs, and passes like a point center. But he’s a ground-bound tweener who can’t shoot and barely blocks shots — he logged only 39 in 147 career college games.
60. Washington Wizards
Aaron Nkrumah, 6-5, Tennessee State senior wing
Nkrumah is a 6-5 wing with a 6-10 wingspan and has the motor to cause havoc on defense. His jumper is still developing, but it was quite a journey to even get to this point. He started his college career at Division III Nichols College, transferred to Division III Worcester State and won MASCAC Player of the Year, then jumped to Tennessee State and became the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year while leading the Tigers to the NCAA tournament as a 15-seed. He got a late invite to the G League Combine, dropped 33 points across two scrimmages to earn a call-up to the NBA Combine, and kept producing once he got there. He still needs to add muscle and tighten up his jumper, but nothing has stopped him yet.
