The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery is in the books, and we know every team that jumped up and fell down. While we don't know who will go No. 1 in June, we can begin to narrow it down.
Here is a mock draft immediately after the lottery was finalized, slotting the top prospects to the teams in their official slots. We begin in
No. 1: Washington Wizards select AJ Dybantsa
If you want the best scorer in the draft, then you want AJ Dybantsa. At 6’9” he has the size to get off his shot over any contest, and his form is smooth and his demeanor cool as a cucumber. Could he benefit from locking in on defense? Absolutely, but those are first-world problems with a prospect like this.
No. 2: Utah Jazz select Cameron Boozer, Duke
The son of former Utah Jazz star Carlos Boozer, Cam Boozer has won at every level of basketball. His combination of scoring, playmaking and rebounding will fit anywhere, and his drive to win is exactly what you want from a star.
No. 3: Memphis Grizzles select Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Few players enter the NBA Draft with as much pure talent as Darryn Peterson. He can score, he can pass, he is a ballhawk on defense and an exceptional shooter on high volume. Yet at the same time, questions abound after a weird season at Kansas and will cause him to slip on some teams’ boards. Can Peterson replace Ja Morant?
No. 4: Chicago Bulls select Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
Incredible motor? Check. Elite athleticism? Double check. Eye-popping highlight plays? All the checks. It’s not the highs that keep Wilson from being the No. 1 player in this class, but rather the lows; he has not proven himself to be even an average shooter, and he doesn’t always make the right defensive play. Still, Wilson is an excellent prospect.
No. 5: Los Angeles Clippers select Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Coming out of nowhere to be a Top 10 pick, Keaton Wagler has a fantastic story. He also has a fantastic bag of tricks born out of his insane basketball IQ. Will his lack of athleticism hold him back? Perhaps, but it hasn’t yet.
No. 6: Brooklyn Nets select Darius Acuff, Arkansas
Flashes of Trae Young are sure to occur when studying Darius Acuff, but he isn’t doomed to the same fate. He is a walking bucket and never turns the ball over, and he dimes up his teammates with impunity. Defense? Nonexistent. It makes for a polarizing package.
No. 7: Sacramento Kings select Kingston Flemings, Houston
No one attacks the paint with as much courage as Kingston Flemings, and he can score in every way once he gets there, no matter how many defenders he has to elude and score over. His passing vision is top-notch. Yet he is much more comfortable in the midrange and lacks elite size, so he may not be for everyone.
No. 8: Atlanta Hawks select Mikel Brown, Louisville
The talent is all there for Mikel Brown to be a perennial All-Star point guard. He can stop and pop anywhere on the court, finishes with either hand, and has defensive tools. Injuries and weird bouts of ineffectiveness colored an inconsistent freshman season; can he overcome them as an NBA rookie?
No. 9: Dallas Mavericks select Brayden Burries, Arizona
Defense, shooting, scoring, passing - everything is there for Brayden Burries. He doesn’t pop off the screen, but he fills in every hold and looks like a starter for the next 15 years. Does a team take him for his high floor, or avoid him for his lower ceiling?
No. 10: Milwaukee Bucks select Nate Ament, Tennessee
To find Nate Ament’s collection of skills in a 6’10” frame is a coup, especially at this point in the draft. Yet scouts continue to doubt whether he will put it all together to become a star, and a late-season ankle injury prevented him from showing them for sure.
No. 11: Golden State Warriors select Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
A late-bloomer, Yaxel Lendeborg was one of the very best players in basketball last season and led the Wolverines to the National Championship. He continues to improve as a do-it-all multi-positional forward; will the growth continue? Even if it doesn’t, he will help the Warriors from day one
No. 12: Oklahoma City Thunder select Aday Mara, Michigan
A monster in the paint due to his gigantic size and veteran anticipation, Aday Mara is far from a one-trick pony. He can finish inside, is a gifted passer and sets crushing screens. The Thunder will be happy to have him on board.
No. 13: Miami Heat select Labaron Philon, Alabama
Lost in a sea of freshman guards, sophomore Labaron Philon was a stud this season for Alabama. He has soft touch everywhere on the court and a tight handle, and competes on defense. His slight frame holds him back and will turn him into a target in the NBA, but the Heat have the defensive back line to support him.
No. 14: Charlotte Hornets select Karim Lopez, NZ
Mexico has never produced a prospect this good, with Karim Lopez taking his prodigious tools and defensive impact to New Zealand this past season. He needs to find polish and a consistent shot, but at 6’8” it makes sense for the Hornets to take a shot on him here.
No. 15: Chicago Bulls select Hannes Steinbach, Washington
Hannes Steinbach has bulk, strength and excellent hands, and he will defend the paint on defense and dominate it on ofense.
No. 16: Memphis Grizzlies select Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
Jayden Quaintance was ineffective and absent last season due to an ACL tear, but as a freshman the year before he was a defensive monster. The Grizzlies gamble that the monster is lurking.
No. 17: Oklahoma City Thunder select Morez Johnson, Michigan
Morez Johnson doesn't have the size or shooting to be a future star, but he does everything on the basketball court. Screens, steals, rebounds, blocks, running, jumping, finishing. Every coach wants a Morez Johnson.
No. 18: Charlotte Hornets select Koa Peat, Arizona
Koa Peat is a powerhouse with size, strength and power. The Charlotte Hornets need some of that, and they will hope to develop the skills.
No. 19: Toronto Raptors select Dailyn Swain, Texas
Dailyn Swain was a brilliant scorer at Texas, but his version of isolation basketball may not translate to the NBA against better and bigger athletes.
No. 20: San Antonio Spurs select Chris Cenac Jr., Houston
On paper, Chris Cenac is a steal at No. 20: fluid athlete, excellent size, shooting touch. Unfortunately, his freshman season showed scouts he may not be able to match the theoretical version of his game.
No. 21: Detroit Pistons select Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
Bennett Stirtz maps the court in his mind like few others, and his bag of tricks is as deep as Santa's. He's not an elite athlete, and that limits his upside, but the floor is sublime.
No. 22: Philadelphia 76ers select Cameron Carr, Baylor
Cameron Carr looks like a 3-and-D wing ready to pair with a dynamic guard such as Tyrese Maxey, and there is a hint of upside to become something more.
No. 23: Atlanta Hawks select Allen Graves, Santa Clara
Allen Graves has point guard skills in a power forward body, and his combination of defense, offensive rebounding and a lack of turnovers make him a possession-generating machine.
No. 24: New York Knicks select Joshua Jefferson, Iowa St
The New York Knicks need frontcourt depth, especially with OG Anunoby's fragile hamstrings in the starting lineup. Joshua Jefferson isn't going to be an All-Star, but he should absolutely be a useful rotation forward.
No. 25: Los Angeles Lakers select Henri Veesaar, UNC
The Lakers need a versatile offensive big to pair with Luka Doncic, and Henri Veesaar is excellent as a roller. Defensively he is thin but proved to be a strong rim protector even so.
No. 26: Denver Nuggets select Isaiah Evans, Duke
Isaiah Evans has an incredibly smooth shooting stroke and would be automatic catching passes from Nikola Jokic.
No. 27: Boston Celtics select Amari Allen, Alabama
Amari Allen plays bigger than his 6'7" frame, and he matches the archetype the Boston Celtics have leaned into in the draft over the past few seasons.
No. 28: Minnesota Timberwolves select Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
He's small, but he can score, he can shoot and he can pass. He's the consummate pick-and-roll point guard, and he can be the long-term successor to Mike Conley in Minnesota.
No. 29: Cleveland Cavaliers select Meleek Thomas, Arkansas
You want 3-and-D? You get Meleek Thomas, who shoots with confidence. Do you want literally anything else? Probably don't ask for Thomas.
No. 30: Dallas Mavericks select Ebuka Okorie, Stanford
While small, Ebuka Okorie can get into the paint with a tight handle and electric quickness - the Mavericks can take another swing at building out their backcourt.
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