2026 NBA Mock Draft - Projected Lottery Picks and Player Analysis

June 3, 2026

2026 NBA mock draft by senior NBA analyst Thunder Dan Palyo. Read his predictions on how the first half of the NBA Draft will play out with a mock draft covering the first 14 picks.

The NBA Finals are ready to tip off tonight, and it should be a compelling series, as we are guaranteed a new NBA champion after the Spurs eliminated the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.

For those of us who aren't Knicks or Spurs fans, perhaps it's time to start looking ahead to the 2026 NBA Draft, which is now only three weeks away! We already know where the lottery teams are picking, so we can go ahead and speculate on how these teams will address their needs with a pick in the first half of the first round.

Let's get into it already! This has the potential to be one of the most loaded drafts in years, and there's a good chance we see a lot of impactful players taken with these lottery picks. Without being too predictable, here's how I see things possibly shaking out on draft night.

1) Utah Jazz (from Washington): A.J. Dybantsa, BYU

This trade just makes entirely too much sense. The Wizards have to be shopping this pick to at least see what they can get, and if they move down one slot, they can still end up with Darryn Peterson, who is viewed by some as the 1B in this draft to Dybantsa's 1A.

Dybantsa played at BYU, where some of the NIL money he received came via Utah Jazz owner and BYU alumnus Ryan Smith.

I think he could be a better fit in Utah, too, where he could play the three or the four. Dybantsa is not an elite outsider shooter (31% from three), but has the size and athleticism that are making scouts drool. He can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim at 6-foot-9, and he averaged 25.5 points per game last year to lead the NCAA.

2) Washington Wizards (from Utah): Darryn Peterson, Kansas

If the Wizards can pick up an asset or two and move down only one spot, they can still nab a player who, before some concerns with his flippant attitude about finishing games at Kansas, was widely viewed as the top prospect in the draft.

Peterson would be a great fit at shooting guard alongside Trae Young. A Washington starting five of Young, Peterson, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr, and Anthony Davis next season would be pretty compelling.

Peterson offers some very good three-point shooting (38%) and free-throw shooting (82.6%), and the ability to score with ease. Plus, here he doesn't have to be "the guy" and could ease into the league as the second or third option on offense most nights.

3) Memphis Grizzlies: Caleb Wilson, UNC

Most scouts have Cameron Boozer rated as a top-three prospect, and he's the consensus pick here at number three. However, he's also viewed as somewhat "boring" with a very high floor and maybe not such a high ceiling.

Caleb Wilson conducted his Pro Day today with Klutch Sports at the Lakers’ practice facility.

Wilson turned heads with his impressive workout, which included the Grizzlies and Bulls’ front offices in attendance. pic.twitter.com/tIbORkpb31

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) May 22, 2026

Wilson, however, is the guy who oozes upside with his athleticism and size. It's a riskier pick than the safer option in Boozer, but drafting Wilson would be one way to make a pretty big splash and give Memphis a dynamic young big man to rebuild around.

4) Chicago Bulls: Cameron Boozer, Duke

Chicago is in a pretty good spot here. I think they'll be happy to take whichever big man falls to them at four. There's just no way they let Boozer or Wilson slip past them here, as the draft will shift towards guards with the next handful of picks.

Cameron Boozer has been LIGHTING the nets up in preparation for the NBA draft

People are going to be amazed at where his skill set is a year from now

WORKER pic.twitter.com/LuZpEqYBi1

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) May 17, 2026

Boozer might be the most polarizing player in the top group. He's fundamentally sound and ready to contribute on day one, but critics point out that he's more limited physically than someone like Wilson. He certainly won't be outworked, that's for sure, and I'm confident he will be a really productive pro. Chicago can't lose here.

5) Oklahoma City Thunder (from Clippers): Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Let's get crazy! Will the Thunder try to make a big splash by packaging the #12 and #17 picks to move up into the top five and draft an impact player? Or will they focus on making deals to acquire veteran players that can help them win now? Heck, they might do both as OKC has assets galore at their disposal that they can use to reload for the next few years.

I have them trading up to five here and snagging who I see as the best point guard in the draft, Acuff Jr. Other than his size, there's no other red flags in his scouting report and the Thunder, while they have a lot of combo guards on the roster with Jared McCain, Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Isaiah Joe, lack a true point guard (Nikola Topic is the closest thing).

6) Brooklyn Nets: Brayden Burries, Arizona

The Nets are in a tough spot here because the next three players on a lot of scouts' big boards are all point guards, and Brooklyn already drafted three of them last season (Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, and Ben Saraf).

What sets Burries apart from the others is that he can play off the ball at shooting guard and is being viewed as a player who could be a difference-maker on defense, too.

Brooklyn needs someone like Burries who can play multiple positions and both ends of the floor. I think he'd be a great fit for them here. There have been some rumors that Brooklyn is interested in Nate Ament, too, but I'm leaning toward them taking Burries here.

7) Sacramento Kings: Keaton Wagler, Illinois

The Kings are most certainly eyeing one of the remaining point guards here with the seventh pick. While I am sure we could shuffle them up a few different ways over the next three picks, I think Wagler is the top prospect of the bunch.

He has excellent size at six-foot-five and has shown the ability to get buckets in a variety of different ways, including a smooth stroke from behind the arc. The one knock on him is his athleticism, but he more than makes up for a lack of "bounce" (no dunks last year) with his basketball IQ and solid fundamentals.

8) Atlanta Hawks: Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville

I think the Hawks are going to invest in a point guard, too. None of CJ McCollum, Dyson Daniels, or Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a true point guard, and Brown Jr. is a player who is perfectly comfortable with the ball in his hands.

He averaged nearly five assists per game in his freshman season, while also scoring 18.2 points per contest. He was limited to just 21 games with a back injury, so there's less tape on him than on other prospects, but he impressed at the combine with his performance. He's drawn some comparisons to LaMelo Ball, which is pretty high praise, and looks like he could be a dynamic playmaker who will need to improve his offensive arsenal over time.

9) Dallas Mavericks: Kingston Flemings, Houston

Some scouts like Flemings ahead of the other point guards, but there are some holes in his offensive game that you won't find in Acuff's or Wagler's. He measured in at only six-foot-two at the combine, but has active hands on defense that led to 1.5 steals per game last year in Houston.

Houston guard Kingston Flemings on how he would feel playing next to Cooper Flagg & Kyrie Irving:

“Everyone knows who Cooper Flagg is. Rookie of the Year. Kyrie didn’t get to play this year, but everyone knows who he is...Being somewhere like Dallas would definitely be great.” pic.twitter.com/RBjhLbvRdZ

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) May 13, 2026

Dallas badly needs a point guard for the future, as it's pretty clear that Cooper Flagg is best used as a point forward at times, but isn't a long-term solution as a full-time ball-handler. Who knows if Kyrie Irving starts the season in Dallas, but he almost certainly won't finish the year there, so there could be a big opportunity for Flemings to see a lot of run in his rookie season.

10) Milwaukee Bucks: Aday Mara, Michigan

Here's where things get interesting, because I think picks 10 through 14 could go several different ways. I have the Bucks taking the seven-foot-three Michigan big man Mara, as he's likely the best available on the board at this point.

Mara was a big part of the Wolverines' championship run. His size offers the traditional rebounding and shot-blocking appeal, but he has also been praised for his passing and averaged 2.4 assists per game last season.

He will need to develop a consistent jump shot to stay on the floor in the NBA, but the size and skills are there. With the Bucks trending towards a full rebuild if Giannis Antetokounmpo is traded, it makes sense for them to invest in a big man for the future.

11) Golden State Warriors: Nate Ament, Tennessee

Ament has been projected anywhere from 6 to 12 in a lot of mock drafts, and that reflects the uncertainty that surrounds him as a prospect. He has the size and athleticism to play the three or the four at the NBA level, but doesn't have one skill that stands out. He's more of a well-rounded player who projects to be a solid rotational player than a superstar, but that's still plenty valuable, and I think he has a pretty high floor as a prospect.

Spent time with Nate Ament in NYC as he prepares for NBA Draft workouts. At 6’10 with a projectable frame, fluidity, and a versatile skill set, it’s easy to see why he’s a projected top-10 pick and the type of big wing NBA teams covet. pic.twitter.com/49rcgMyww3

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 8, 2026

The Warriors badly need some size and youth on this roster, so rolling with Ament here makes plenty of sense.

12) L.A. Clippers (from OKC): Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

If the Clippers do trade down, they must be comfortable with Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard leading the way on offense, and are more likely to draft a big man to help replace the loss of Ivica Zubac. While Lendeborg projects more as a power forward than a center, he oozes potential with a well-rounded skill set on both ends of the floor.

Lendeborg was dominant at UAB for two seasons before transferring to Michigan and helping them win the title. He will be 24 years old as a rookie, but reminds me a bit of Toronto's Collin Murray-Boyles as an undersized big man who can do a little of everything.

He averaged more than a block and a steal per game last year on defense, while also chipping in 3.2 assists and shooting 51.5% from the floor. He strikes me as the type of high-motor guy who will succeed at the next level and carve out a solid role with his elite work ethic.

13) Miami Heat: Karim Lopez, International

Lopez is the only international prospect being projected to be taken in the lottery picks. At six-foot-eight, he could play the three or a small-ball four and possesses elite athleticism. The 19-year old Mexican hooper has two years of experience playing overseas for New Zealand and averaged a block and a steal per game last season in just 26 minutes per game.

He'll make for a really good glue guy in the NBA and reminds me a bit of Noah Penda from last year's draft.

14) Charlotte Hornets: Cameron Carr, Baylor

Some scouts have Carr ranked outside the lottery picks, but I just think he has too much natural scoring ability for teams to pass on. Charlotte has Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller on the wings already, but you can never have enough offense in this league, and Carr could slide in as a shooting guard if the Hornets wanted to play small, or come off the bench as a high-usage gunner.

Baylor's Cameron Carr went OFF in the NBA draft combine scrimmage:

30 PTS | 9-18 FG | 6-12 3PT | 7 REB pic.twitter.com/nFc3R4H9Bq

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) May 13, 2026

He averaged nearly 19 points a game at Baylor last year and knocked down over 37% of his three-point shots. Having another solid outside shooter to pair with Knueppel would give the Hornets some serious depth on the wing.

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