The 2026 NBA Draft is only days away, and the waves of intrigue are still pounding against the shore. Who will go first overall? Which players will disrupt the conga line of point guards waiting in the top ten? Who is going to fall unexpectedly?
Here is our latest mock draft for Hoops Habit, breaking down one specific scenario where a couple of teams reach down the "consensus" draft board and throw things into chaos. This is not the most likely outcome, but a realistic one that is not being discussed elsewhere.
Each pick will be accompanied by a brief blurb on the player and team fit. For a more in-depth discussion of each prospect, check out the excellent Fansided Big Board.
No. 1: Washington Wizards select Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
Darryn Peterson is picking up speed with an excellent pre-draft cycle, making up for a weird freshman season. He can handle, he can shoot, and he can defend, and the Washington Wizards could use such a player alongside and eventually in place of Trae Young.
No. 2: Utah Jazz select AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU
Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith will be overjoyed to land his guy AJ Dybantsa at No. 2, one of the purest scorers in modern college basketball history. He and Ace Bailey will combine to give the Jazz some real offensive firepower on the wing.
No. 3: Memphis Grizzlies select Cam Boozer, F, Duke
The Memphis Grizzlies land Cam Boozer at No. 3, and he is the top prospect on many teams' draft boards. He and Zach Edey would form a powerful combination, and Boozer's elite skill level fits the Grizzlies' draft philosophy perfectly.
No. 4: Chicago Bulls select Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville
Here is where the chaos begins. The Chicago Bulls already have Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue at forward and have a strong need at guard, and Mikel Brown has all of the traits that their new front office is looking for (to be fair, so does Caleb Wilson). They reach into the pool of guards at No. 4 after not being able to secure a trade-down package.
No. 5: LA Clippers select Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina
The LA Clippers reap the reward from the Bulls' surprise pick, taking an athletic marvel at No. 5 who would be in the mix at No. 1 in many drafts. His energy would be a great complement to Kawhi Leonard's deliberate nature at the forward positions.
No. 6: Brooklyn Nets select Darius Acuff Jr., G, Arkansas
The Brooklyn Nets scoop up Darius Acuff a pick before the Sacramento Kings, securing an incredible combination of scoring, ball-handling and passing vision at point guard. They can deal with his defensive deficiencies down the road.
No. 7: Sacramento Kings select Kingston Flemings, G, Houston
With beloved prospect Acuff off the board, the Kings stay focused on finding their point guard of the future and draft Kingston Flemings out of Houston. His shot mechanics are funky and he is small, but he plays bigger and was wildly productive last year.
No. 8: Atlanta Hawks select Dailyn Swain, G, Texas
Our second major break from consensus, and this is an even bigger one. The Atlanta Hawks don't want to introduce small guards into their rotation any more than they have to, and that leads them to take a jumbo guard in Dailyn Swain. His versatile skill set and size could propel him up the draft board to a surprising degree.
No. 9: Dallas Mavericks select Brayden Burries, G, Arizona
The Dallas Mavericks now have the chance to take Keaton Wagler, but instead they stick to their plan and draft combo guard Brayden Burries out of Arizona. His competitive fire and defensive chops fit like a glove with Cooper Flagg.
No. 10: Milwaukee Bucks select Nate Ament, F, Tennessee
The Milwaukee Bucks love to draft forwards, and Nate Ament has all the tools of a two-way forward in the NBA. Can he break free and become an All-Star? The Bucks take the swing here.
No. 11: Golden State Warriors select Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois
The chaos in the Top 10 serves up an elite prospect on a silver platter to the Golden State Warriors. Without trading up, they land a player who could have easily gone No. 5, sending memories of Tyrese Haliburton's slide years ago. He is strong, smart and deliberate, and would be an excellent fit behind and beside Steph Curry over the next few seasons.
No. 12: Oklahoma City Thunder select Aday Mara, C, Michigan
The Oklahoma City Thunder get their pick of the three Michigan Wolverines, and they pull the trigger on Aday Mara to add size as they stare down at the alien occupying The Alamo. He and Thomas Sorber can compete as the heirs apparent to Isaiah Hartenstein.
No. 13: Miami Heat select Morez Johnson Jr., F/C, Michigan
The Miami Heat get a player in Morez Johnson who is steadily rising on draft boards, as every team in the NBA wants a player with this motor, physicality and leadership. No team prizes those traits like the Heat.
No. 14: Charlotte Hornets select Hannes Steinbach, C, Washington
The Charlotte Hornets need to continue building out their frontcourt, and Hannes Steinbach is the second-best rebounder in the draft class behind Cam Boozer. He has some flaws, but they can afford to take multiple bites at the apple.
No. 15: Chicago Bulls select Cameron Carr, G, Baylor
The Bulls double down on athletic guards by taking Baylor wing Cameron Carr. He can shoot and dunk, and the Bulls hope to help him add strength and clean up his defense. There is plenty of potential here.
No. 16: Memphis Grizzlies select Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara
The Grizzlies love to draft players undervalued by the "eye test" but built up in draft models. That is Allen Graves, who is a player without a position who was a backup on a mid-major last season. He also generates extra possessions on both ends of the court beautifully and would be a mind-boggling fit with Cam Boozer.
No. 17: Oklahoma City Thunder select Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
The Thunder pass on Lendeborg at No. 12 and he is still on the board at 17, dropping because of concerns about his age and demeanor. He could be a rotation forward from day one for a championship contender.
No. 18: Charlotte Hornets select Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers
The Hornets add size in the 6'8" Karim Lopez, who has a lot of skill but hasn't figured out how to move like a professional basketball player yet.
No. 19: Toronto Raptors select Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa
The Toronto Raptors land a versatile guard to build out their backcourt, a different flavor to Jamal Shead and insurance in case of an Immanuel Quickley trade.
No. 20: San Antonio Spurs select Koa Peat, F, Arizona
The San Antonio Spurs take a flier on Koa Peat, who has a sharp basketball mind and a dull basketball shot. Victor Wembanyama is an excellent teammate to help Peat unlock his upside. And if the Spurs can teach him to shoot? Watch out NBA.
No. 21: Detroit Pistons select Christian Anderson Jr., G, Texas Tech
The Detroit Pistons need to take swings at a secondary playmaker and shot-creator beside Cade Cunningham. Christian Anderson has a shot to be that player, and his shot makes him valuable even if he doesn't hit his ceiling.
No. 22: Philadelphia 76ers select Tarris Reed Jr., C, UConn
The Philadelphia 76ers have loved deploying a bruising rebounder behind Joel Embiid in recent years, and Tarris Reed is the best version of that on the board.
No. 23: Atlanta Hawks select Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky
The Hawks need center help, and waiting on it until this point in the draft works out fine. Jayden Quaintance could be a perennial All-Defense selection, or his body could continue to fail him and he could flame out. This is a fine time for the Hawks to take that swing.
No. 24: New York Knicks select Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina
The New York Knicks sound like they will need to replace Mitchell Robinson, so here they take the best center left on the board. Henri Veesaar is skilled but has room to grow as a defender.
No. 25: Los Angeles Lakers select Chris Cenac Jr., F/C, Houston
The Los Angeles Lakers have not proven very adept at drafting in recent years, but they need frontcourt size and Chris Cenac has a lot of upside; could the Lakers get one right and land a future starter?
No. 26: Denver Nuggets select Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford
The Denver Nuggets have massive needs on their bench, and they can only address one with this pick. Ebuka Okorie has a wide range of outcomes, and his ability to pressure the rim should translate immediately.
No. 27: Boston Celtics select Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa St
The Boston Celtics could be in line for a massive shakeup this summer, so a more acute need could open up. Otherwise, Joshua Jefferson has the basketball IQ Joe Mazzulla prizes, and the Celtics are a perfect team to maximize his lack of athleticism.
No. 28: Minnesota Timberwolves select Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
Labaron Philon has the profile of an All-Star point guard, except for the fact that he weighs just 175 pounds and is not an overpowering athlete. The Minnesota Timberwolves need shot creation enough that they will take the gamble.
No. 29: Cleveland Cavaliers select Zuby Ejiofor, F/C, St. John's
The Cleveland Cavaliers want a backup big from this draft pick, whether they stay at 29 or trade back into the second round. Zuby Ejiofor has the edge this roster needs and a constant motor, helping to make up for his lack of size.
No. 30: Dallas Mavericks select Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke
Cooper Flagg is reunited with his old teammate in Isaiah Evans, who will bring movement shooting and length to their wing rotation as the Dallas Mavericks look to move on from Klay Thompson.
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