The NBA Mock Draft 2026 predicts Aday Mara will be selected by the Bulls and Bennett Stirtz by the Thunder. Several top prospects have opted to return to school, impacting the draft order.
With the draft lottery just around the corner, the first round is becoming much clearer. Several high-profile picks have elected to go back to school, including Patrick Ngongba, Braylon Mullins, Thomas Haugh, and Motiejus Krivas. That has thinned out the back of the first round, but this is still set up to be a generational draft.
AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer all remain in consideration for the No. 1 pick. The possibility of Caleb Wilson breaking into that top three is becoming more realistic day by day. And the rest of the first round has shifted slightly since the last time we did this at the end of the regular season.
Here's the most recent version of our 2026 mock draft, with predictions for all 60 picks.
Dybantsa has First Team All-NBA potential. He showed that as a freshman at BYU, leading the nation in scoring with 25.5 points per game. The 6-9 wing has rare fluidity and a complete scoring package, giving him the highest ceiling in this deep draft.
Despite missing significant time with cramping and lower leg issues, Peterson should be ready to fit into the Pacers' fast-paced offense. He's an effortless scorer and a potentially capable defender. He should be able to operate as a primary or secondary playmaker alongside Tyrese Haliburton.
Boozer is the analytical darling of this class. He put up better numbers than last year's No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, dominating college basketball with his size, playmaking, post touch, and shooting. While he might not be the highest jumper or the fastest, he's the safest pick in this draft and could easily be the best player 10 years from now.
Wilson is a special two-way prospect. Standing at 6-10, he's a defensive Swiss Army knife that gets excited about locking down opponents. Offensively, he's a terror in transition and hard to stop with a head of steam. He'll have good spacing around him playing alongside Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Acuff is the closest thing to Stephon Marbury that the league has seen since 2009. The silky-smooth guard knows how to get buckets, using a killer pull-up jumper alongside a shifty handle. Sacramento can reset their franchise around his talent.
Burries is the quintessential Grizzlies target. He's an analytically-friendly guard who hits their internal thresholds for defensive rebounding, playmaking, steals, and efficient scoring. He can play on or off the ball, giving them flexibility on what to do with Ja Morant.
The Hawks are an up-and-coming team that relies on an offensive system with multiple ballhandlers who can all pass, dribble, and shoot. Wagler certainly fits that bill. The 6-6 guard is tall enough to see all of the angles, and he's a great shooter that can spread the floor or easily create for others. He can fix some of Atlanta's halfcourt creation issues that cropped up in the playoffs.
The Mavericks need a point guard, and they'd prefer one that can defend. There are a lot of explosive offensive guards to choose from in this class. Flemings offers the best blend of tough defense, playmaking, and offensive shot creation. His blazing speed in the open floor should pair perfectly with Cooper Flagg.
The Bulls don't have any high-level center prospects on their roster. They've struggled with rim protection for years, and they need someone who can compensate for Josh Giddey's weak perimeter defense.
Mara fixes a lot of their issues. He's a great outlet passer who will fit into Chicago's transition-based offense. He's their best shot blocker since Joakim Noah was roaming the floor. And his great passing fits the egalitarian approach of the team.
Whether trying to convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to stay or setting up the next iteration of their team, Lendeborg can fit whatever the Bucks need. The talented forward was one of the best players in college basketball last season, contributing versatile defense, playmaking, and shooting to the Wolverines. He's a high-motor forward who could start over Kyle Kuzma immediately.
Brown's creative passing is a natural fit for the motion-based offense that has defined the Warriors with Steph Curry. He didn't shoot a great percentage from 3 in college, but he was an elite gunner in high school and goes into a system that knows how to highlight those strengths.
Steinbach is a cost-effective big man for the Thunder, who are going to be facing tough decisions on how to spend in the future. He blends some of the best aspects of the bigs already on the team, providing the shooting touch of Chet Holmgren and the rebounding of Isaiah Hartenstein.
Ament is a developmental swing for a Heat team that has been stuck in the middle for too long. He's a fluid 6-10 forward who has shown flashes of two-way brilliance but remains one of the more raw prospects that will go in the lottery. Miami has had success with these types of toolsy players before.
Despite lingering effects from knee surgery that stunted his sophomore year, Quaintance is one of the most talented big men in this class. He's an All-Defensive talent who can help the Hornets take that next step into a perennial playoff team. While he's unpolished on offense, his lob-catching skills should make LaMelo Ball an even more dangerous player.
15. Chicago Bulls (from Blazers):Â Labaron Philon Jr., PG, Alabama
The Bulls shouldn't be locked into anyone on their roster after firing their executive team. This is a best player available selection for them, and they should take advantage of the incredible point guard depth in this class to grab whoever falls.
In this case, that's Philon, whose terrific handle and shiftiness makes him an automatic paint touch. He proved in his sophomore year that he could reliably hit 3's, and he has the talent to be a starter at the position for a long time.
Peat is a bowling ball who fits the old grit-and-grind culture of the Grizzlies. He's got a great motor and a big frame that allows him to finish through contact and guard multiple positions. He will need to develop a more reliable 3-pointer to fulfill his potential.
Stirtz is a lights-out spot-up shooter who should get way easier looks than the ones that he had to create for himself as the main weapon at Iowa. His high feel and passing should give the Thunder offense a little bit more punch, while their otherworldly defenders can mask some of his defensive limitations.
18. Charlotte Hornets (from Suns):Â Cameron Carr, SG, Baylor
Everyone's looking for athletic two-way wings who can shoot. Carr can jump out of the gym, and he's got good tools to defend. The Hornets could use some depth at the position along with someone who can run alongside LaMelo Ball.
The Raptors are building a hard hat defense under Darko Rajakovic. Johnson should fit right in. The versatile forward is tough as nails, and he's got touch near the rim as a play finisher.
20. San Antonio Spurs (from Hawks): Karim Lopez, SF, New Zealand Breakers (NBL)
Lopez has great size and tools to slot in as a high-level role player next to the Spurs' more dynamic advantage creators. He's going to get a lot of open catch-and-shoot 3's playing next to Victor Wembanyama. His projection as a 3-and-D wing is perfect for the Spurs.
Swain is a good defender with good size at 6-8 who can put pressure on the rim. He's a great complementary playmaker next to Cade Cunningham and fits into the team's elite defense.
22. Philadelphia 76ers (from Rockets): Chris Cenac Jr., PF/C, Houston
The Sixers have needed to draft a competent big man for several years now. Joel Embiid can't be counted upon to play the whole season.
Cenac has plenty of upside. He's mostly a play finisher and doesn't have a polished offensive game yet, but he's got a great defensive motor, and he'd be a nice athletic addition to a core of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
23. Atlanta Hawks (from Cavaliers):Â Allen Graves, PF, Santa Clara
Graves pops out in the advanced statistics due to his strong 3-point shooting, event generation on defense, and rebounding. He's a two-way high-end role player hiding in plain sight.
The Knicks have championship aspirations, so adding an older player who can contribute right away makes sense. Jefferson is a good fit. The 22-year-old is a jack-of-all-trades who can figure out ways to fit in with his size, defense, and excellent passing skills.
The Lakers need to upgrade their center position. Deandre Ayton doesn't have a good motor, and his defensive intensity isn't good enough. Reed will put some pressure on him, and the senior is as NBA-ready as anyone in this draft. He's a good finisher who has a rugged playstyle and can add some toughness to the roster.
The Nuggets have shot the ball well from 3, but they haven't gotten up a ton of attempts. Evans can certainly fix that. The movement shooter out of Duke has hit 38 percent of his 3's in college and has the tools to defend capably.
Tanner is an analytical stud who should pop in the Celtics braintrusts' draft models. The 6-0 guard is a surprisingly great athlete, throwing down some vicious dunks. He has a great feel for the game and figures out ways to compete defensively to make up for his size. If there's any coach that can downplay that one weakness, it's Joe Mazzulla.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Pistons): Christian Anderson, PG, Texas Tech
Anderson could be the Mike Conley replacement. He can play alongside Anthony Edwards, spacing the floor with his deadly 3-point shot. And he's a good playmaker who can set up teammates well. He's a good insurance policy in case Ayo Dosunmu gets a huge deal somewhere else in free agency.
Allen gives the Cavs more options at the wing, which has been their weakest spot with Max Strus' injury issues over the past year.
Allen is a big wing who is a capable shooter and defender. He's a connective passer who should be a solid role player in the league.
30. Dallas Mavericks (from Thunder): Alex Karaban, UConn
Klay Thompson is rapidly declining. Alex Karaban can step in and play that same type of role. The UConn shooter isn't a creator and may have some defensive limitations. He's a winner though, and his 3-point stroke will certainly translate to help spread the floor for a Mavericks offense that ranked 29th in 3-pointers made last season.
