The NBA regular season has ended, prompting teams to focus on the 2026 NBA Draft. With many collegiate players declaring for the draft, scouts are evaluating potential prospects ahead of the draft lottery on May 10 in Chicago.
The NBA regular season is over, which means many teams are shifting their focus entirely to the 2026 NBA Draft.
With nearly half of the teams done with games for the season, their scouts and front office executives will soon determine which future pros they may add to their roster for next year. After an exciting March Madness tournament won by the Michigan Wolverines, several prospects showed exactly what they can offer in the league.
As many collegiate players announce their intention to declare early entry to the 2026 NBA Draft, we can start to develop a more clear picture of what this class may look like.
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine the order of picks one through fourteen, will be held May 10 in Chicago, followed immediately that week by the draft combine, also in Chicago.
Here's how USA TODAY currently projects the No. 12 pick will play out with Oklahoma City Thunder making the selection.
Our draft order is based on Tankathon.com and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
After winning the 2025 NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder could add even more lottery-caliber talent, like Michigan center Aday Mara, in the 2026 NBA Draft. While leading his team to win the NCAA championship, Mara became one of the prospects who helped himself the most during March Madness. The 7-foot-3 big man, who transferred from UCLA, is a fantastic rim protector. Opponents only attempted 20.4 percent of their field goals at the rim when the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year was on the court, per CBB Analytics, which ranks near lowest among all NCAA players. He can also pass well, finding some awesome outlet looks in transition and at the rim.
See USA TODAY's full mock draft 10.0 here
(all stats as of April 8)
Kalbrosky's Analysis:
The Thunder have drafted multiple players from Australia's NBL and could dip into this well again by selecting Karim LĆ³pez with their pick from the Philadelphia 76ers. While the Mexican-born forward still needs some development, he is physically gifted and widely seen as the top prospect from this class currently playing overseas. He exploded for 32 points (11-of-13 FG) with eight rebounds, two blocks and one steal against Melbourne on Jan. 30. Even if he is a draft-and-stash player, that is ideal for a team with a rotation as crowded as the Thunder.
See USA TODAY's full mock draft 10.0 here
(all stats as of April 8)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oklahoma City Thunder NBA mock draft: latest predictions before 2026 playoffs
The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 10 in Chicago.
The Michigan Wolverines won the March Madness tournament before the 2026 NBA Draft.
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Following the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, the draft combine will take place in Chicago that same week.
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