NBA · 2 hours ago

The Ringer’s 2026 NBA Mock Draft: Post-Lottery 1st-Round Projections & Stats

Joe Cervenka

Host · Writer

You Tell Us! How Does the 2026 NBA Draft Play Out?
Who Rules the 2026 Draft Board?

The lottery order is officially set, and the debate over how these front offices should deploy their assets is hitting an absolute fever pitch. If you’re playing GM this summer, how are you navigating this board?
- The No. 1 Dilemma: Did the Wizards make the absolute right call by locking in AJ Dybantsa at the top, or is Darryn Peterson's sheer superstar ceiling too high to pass up despite his clunky, injury-riddled year at Kansas?
- The Presti Plan: With Oklahoma City holding multiple picks in the 10-20 range, do they actually stand pat and draft physical anomalies like Hannes Steinbach, or are they packaging those chips to hunt for a massive blockbuster trade?
- The Late-First Steal: Who is your ultimate sleeper in the back half of the round? Can a late-emerging analytics darling like Allen Graves or a high-IQ pick-and-roll technician like Bennett Stirtz hijack a playoff rotation right away?
Sound off in the comments section: Which franchise will land the ultimate steal of the first round, and who is cruising toward a massive draft-night reach?
The Ringer's 2026 NBA Mock Draft
Projecting a Loaded 2026 NBA Draft Class

The lottery balls have officially hopped, the first-round order is locked in, and the NBA draft cycle is about to descend into beautiful, pure chaos. If you thought the league was experiencing wild parity over the last few seasons, wait until this incoming rookie class hits active rosters. This isn't your standard, top-heavy draft where front offices tank for one lone savior and completely punt on the rest of the board. The talent pool this year is absolutely swimming with franchise-altering wings, elite perimeter shot-creators, and mountain-sized centers who can actually step out and space the floor.

We are digging directly into The Ringer's J. Kyle Mann’s post-lottery mock draft to project how the entire first round shakes out now that teams know exactly where they’re picking. From the Washington Wizards sitting pretty at number one with a franchise-altering decision on their hands, to Sam Presti and the Thunder out here hoarding first-round selections like classic cars, this board is built for pure drama.

Let's pull back the curtain on the first round before Adam Silver takes the stage in late June.
1. AJ Dybantsa | SF | BYU
Washington Wizards

Look, this is an absolute home run of a pick for the Wizards. Dybantsa gives them a jumbo-sized wing who can flat-out get buckets from day one, pairing a legit 6-foot-9 frame with the kind of smooth guard coordination you rarely see at his size. Adding him to a young core of Bub Carrington and up-and-comer Alex Sarr makes Washington incredibly fun for the future, plus they still have established veterans like Trae Young and Anthony Davis to either flip for a king's ransom or use to make a surprise playoff push.

"Scoring is the central premise of Dybantsa’s game, and his methods are fairly unique for a player his size. Typically, when a big forward moves and handles the ball beyond the arc the way he does, he falls into one of two extremes: He’s either a downhill battering ram with a worrisome jumper or a less physical, quick-triggered shooting stretch 4. AJ falls somewhere in between, which makes it tricky to find a great comparison for him."

2025-26 Stats: 25.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.7 APG, 61.7% TS, 33.1% 3PT
2. Darryn Peterson | PG/SG | Kansas
Utah Jazz

It doesn't matter how clunky his freshman year at Kansas looked due to some nagging lower-body injuries, if we're being completely honest, Peterson is still the most talented player in this entire draft class. His frame is essentially carved out of marble, and his silky smooth jumper is so pure the ball regularly splashes right into the dead center of the net. Putting his elite shot-creation and speed next to Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen gives Utah an offensive wagon that is going to be a blast to watch.

"Purely in the basketball sense, Peterson is the better fit with the Jazz’s existing roster. Adding the Kansas guard’s shot creation, movement shooting, and speed to the core of Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, and Jaren Jackson Jr. … folks, that is an offensive wagon that can really shoot. I wonder about that group getting to the rim consistently or effectively, but that would be the most fun Jazz team in a long, long time."

2025-26 Stats: 20.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 60.1% TS, 38.2% 3PT
3. Cameron Boozer | PF/C | Duke
Memphis Grizzlies

It’s still wild to think that the Grizzlies are back in asset-hoarding mode after their previous core faded so quickly, but landing Boozer here is a massive win for their timeline. The son of Carlos Boozer is a complete dirt-shoveler at the rim who rebounds with hands like absolute bear traps and displays a redwood-strong lower body. He doesn't have crazy vertical pop, but his elite passing instincts and high basketball IQ make him the perfect low-worry interior anchor to stabilize Memphis for the next decade.

"Boozer might not be the kind of superstar to single-handedly bring the Grizzlies back to prominence, but he is the kind of rock-solid all-around talent that could help bring about stability with his skill and immovability. He’ll slot in brilliantly with their in-house talent, spacing for Cedric Coward while also shouldering some facilitator reps to ease the burden on last year’s no. 11 pick. He lacks razzle-dazzle in how he goes about his business, but Boozer’s passing is what separates him from the rest of the top of this class."

2025-26 Stats: 22.5 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 66.8% TS, 39.1% 3PT
4. Caleb Wilson | PF/C | North Carolina
Chicago Bulls

Bulls fans finally have a real reason to smile after moving on from the previous front-office regime and jumping all the way up to the fourth spot in the lottery. Wilson is a rocket-powered athlete who plays with a beautiful, chaotic energy that translates into wild blocks and high-point defensive rebounds. He wants to dunk on absolutely everything in sight, and pairing him with Matas Buzelis gives Chicago a modern, switchable front line with a terrifyingly high ceiling.

"If you were to watch Wilson casually moving around the court, you might think he was a raw athlete just getting into basketball. But keep your eyes on him because you’re bound to see an eruption of physical talent: a sudden breakaway from a clutter of bodies in the half court for a seismic dunk, followed by a high-point block of a midrange shot from the weakside on the other end. There’s a chaos to Wilson’s capability, as if he himself doesn’t totally know where the boundaries are."

2025-26 Stats: 19.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 62.6% TS, 25.9% 3PT
5. Brayden Burries | G | Arizona
Los Angeles Clippers (from Indiana)

Steve Ballmer is somewhere celebrating after watching the lottery luck fall his way, landing a lock-down, two-way winner who knows exactly how to make winning plays. Burries is built like a literal tank, rebounds like crazy for his position, and brings a relentless defensive motor out of Arizona. He can seamlessly toggle between lead and secondary ball-handler duties, making him a dynamic partner to run next to Darius Garland while cross-switching onto the opponent's toughest scoring guard.

"Burries is a winner, plain and simple, and he would hit the ground running for the Clippers. His role in the Wildcats’ system is likely what he’ll do at the next level: He was a secondary or tertiary ball handler and a strong, switchable defender. Burries has a stable floor given his motor and shooting ability, but as with NAW, all of his quality ancillary skills can add up to borderline stardom in the right context."

2025-26 Stats: 16.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.4 APG, 60.6% TS, 39.1% 3PT
6. Darius Acuff Jr. | PG | Arkansas
Brooklyn Nets

Falling out of the top five stings for Brooklyn, but nabbing a rock-solid, steady-as-a-metronome point guard like Acuff is a massive step in the right direction. Built sturdy like a running back, he carried a massive offensive burden at Arkansas while posting a spectacular assist-to-turnover ratio. He is an absolute 44% sniper from three on catch-and-shoot looks, giving the Nets a high-IQ game manager who will instantly bring order and a competitive personality to the floor.

"Carried a gigantic burden for Arkansas—in fact, his 28.3 usage percentage, while playing just under 35 minutes per game, is one of the highest rates that a John Calipari point guard has ever shouldered. He’s a big-time shooter both off the catch and off the dribble, and he’s one of the higher-IQ players in the class. All in all, he’s the kind of hyper-skilled game manager who will bring some order and a competitive personality to an organization that sorely needs it."

2025-26 Stats: 23.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 6.4 APG, 60.3% TS, 44.0% 3PT
7. Mikel Brown Jr. | G | Louisville
Sacramento Kings

"It’s hard to know what the Kings are doing" is basically a sentence you can keep permanently pasted to your clipboard, but taking a swing at Brown’s electric live-dribble skill set makes a ton of sense for Sacramento here. He had a bit of a rocky, up-and-down freshman run at Louisville due to a nagging back injury, but his upside as a deep, self-creating perimeter shot-maker is absolutely undeniable. If his consistency catches up to his raw talent, he has true star potential.

"In a deep and supremely talented point guard crop, Brown might have the highest upside. There isn’t another player in the class more confident pulling up from 28 feet out than Brown, who is launching 3s at a rate comparable to Trae Young in his lone season at Oklahoma. More than half of Brown’s 3-point attempts and makes have come off the dribble."

2025-26 Stats: 18.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.7 APG, 57.7% TS, 34.4% 3PT
8. Kingston Flemings | G | Houston
Atlanta Hawks (from New Orleans)

Atlanta capitalizes beautifully on that highly criticized Pelicans trade from last year by scooping up the absolute fastest player in this draft class. Flemings was the engine for a powerhouse Houston squad that went all the way to the national title game, weaponizing his blistering open-court speed and an uncommonly sharp playmaking mind. He loves a heavy diet of midrange pull-ups, but his elite transition motor is going to fit Atlanta's script perfectly.

"Kingston was able to assert himself alongside such seasoned, successful guards because of his elevated problem-solving skills... He wisely varies the velocity of his cross-court passes and times them well to single steps into the lane by help defenders. All that velocity accentuates the suddenness of his passing reads, which can seemingly come out of nowhere off a live dribble or when he’s hanging in midair."

2025-26 Stats: 16.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 5.2 APG, 57.5% TS, 38.7% 3PT
9. Keaton Wagler | G | Illinois
Dallas Mavericks

The dream of pairing Wagler's elite floor-spacing gravity and fantastic positional size with Cooper Flagg is something Mavs fans should be drooling over. He is one of the few prospects in this class who can completely torch defenses from beyond the arc while smoothly shifting gears to operate as a secondary facilitator to keep the offense humming.

"There aren’t many (if any) players in this class who can provide the shooting gravity that Wagler can while also being able to take the reins as a facilitator. I think he’d make Cooper’s life easier by supporting him when they share the court and also spelling him."

2025-26 Stats: 17.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.2 APG, 61.7% TS, 39.7% 3PT
10. Nate Ament | F | Tennessee
Milwaukee Bucks

With the Bucks' future draft choices frozen until 2031, Milwaukee desperately needs to chase high-upside home runs, especially with the looming existential dread around Giannis Antetokounmpo's long-term future. Ament slid from top-five consideration after a clunky, finesse-heavy freshman run at Tennessee, but a 6-foot-10 wing who can fluidly handle the ball and hit movement threes is a gamble absolutely worth taking for a talent-starved roster.

"Ament fell short of expectations this past season, and he slid from top-five consideration as a result, but the jumbo-sized, smooth-moving ball handler is still a worthy bet here. Handling the ball at 6-foot-10 is an intriguing enough skill to instill some belief that he could develop into a quality asset. And the Bucks can take the risk given their circumstances."

2025-26 Stats: 16.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 54.4% TS, 33.3% 3PT
11. Labaron Philon Jr. | G | Alabama
Golden State Warriors

Keeping Philon heading to the Bay just feels right given his ready-now grit and high basketball IQ. He completely transformed his trajectory at Alabama, stepping into a massive role to become a highly efficient pick-and-roll master while knocking down nearly 40% of his triples. His wiry frame desperately needs some muscle, but his defensive tenacity will fit right in with the Warriors' veteran core.

"His toughness and savvy would allow him to blend in with the absurd amount of experience on this team, and even though he feels like less of a star bet than some of the other highly regarded guards in the class, I don’t expect him to stagnate after getting to the league. Philon grew immensely at Alabama after taking on a significantly bigger role in year two—he was one of the more prolific pick-and-roll operators in all of college basketball and sported impressive efficiency."

2025-26 Stats: 22.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 62.4% TS, 39.9% 3PT
12. Aday Mara | C | Michigan
Oklahoma City Thunder (from LA Clippers)

This pick will likely be on the move considering how deep OKC's asset chest is, but if they stand pat, Mara is a ridiculous luxury. With Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren’s max extensions fast approaching, the 7-foot-3 center gives the Thunder an elite, cheap rim-protecting solution who also flashes some of the best passing vision we’ve seen from a big prospect in a decade.

"Mara is so large, his presence alone repels would-be drivers or finishers, chewing up the opponent’s shot clock as a result... Considering the shots he affects, he kept his foul rate relatively low and did a nice job of staying vertical and coming straight back down. He’s not just a mammoth shot blocker but also a thought eraser—imposing enough to force players to reconsider challenging him in the paint."

2025-26 Stats: 12.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 65.3% TS, 30.0% 3PT
13. Dailyn Swain | G | Texas
Miami Heat

This is a classic Miami Heat developmental project with an insanely high ceiling. Swain is an elastic 6-foot-8 slasher who emerged from the portal at Texas with a vastly improved handle, turning into an absolute paint-touch machine with a sky-high steal percentage. His jump shot has a notoriously slow release, but his elite downhill force makes him a fascinating target for the Heat infrastructure.

"I expect Swain to gain momentum as the draft process continues because we just don’t see a ton of 6-foot-8 players who can attack open space with a live dribble the way he can. If these playoffs have shown us anything, it’s that rim pressure is still very much invaluable. As a driver, Swain was like electricity finding the ground this past season for Texas..."

2025-26 Stats: 17.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 64.1% TS, 34.4% 3PT
14. Yaxel Lendeborg | F | Michigan
Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets score a major floor-raiser here with Lendeborg, who might be old by prospect standards but is completely ready to contribute to a winning team. At 6-foot-9 with a gargantuan 7-foot-4 wingspan, he is a Swiss Army knife switch-defender who can lock down guards or guard bigs without fouling, while serving as a highly polished connective passer on the other end.

"Yaxel would accomplish both goals. He’s the kind of connective passer who would thrive next to Charlotte’s shooters, and his own ability to shoot has improved. He’s also one of the more defensively versatile forwards in the draft. His ceiling might not be astronomically high compared to some of the players that’ll go ahead of him, but Lendeborg’s floor makes him worth this pick."

2025-26 Stats: 15.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 62.1% TS, 37.2% 3PT
15. Cameron Carr | G | Baylor
Chicago Bulls (from Portland

Chicago desperately needs a dynamic perimeter wing after shipping away Ayo Dosunmu at the deadline, and Carr fits the bill perfectly. He’s a long-limbed, athletic movement shooter from Baylor who can explode off the floor to block jumpshots with ease. He’s still incredibly raw in pick-and-roll decision-making, but his defensive length and deep range give the Bulls an excellent piece to mold.

"Carr is the type of athletic two-way wing who can fit in anywhere. He can get out and finish on the run, hit movement 3s to space the floor, and create deflections and blocks on defense... Carr wouldn’t erase the memory of dealing Dosunmu for second-rounders, but he’d at least be aloe for the burn."

2025-26 Stats: 18.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 63.2% TS, 37.4% 3PT
16. Ebuka Okorie | G | Stanford
Memphis Grizzlies (from Phoenix via Orlando)

Since the Grizzlies already secured Cam Boozer with their earlier pick, they can afford to take a wild swing on an incendiary 19-year-old athlete like Okorie. He plays point guard like an elite NFL kick returner, utilizing a terrifying second-gear acceleration to effortlessly penetrate the paint. His outside shot has a flat arc, but his finishing touch and body control around the rim are pure poetry.

"Okorie was one of the tougher one-on-one covers in all of college basketball this past season... His in-air body control and off-glass finishing package around the rim are vintage Rod Strickland, while his competitive spirit mirrors Collin Sexton’s in that one game he had to play 3-on-5 as a freshman at Alabama."

2025-26 Stats: 23.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 58.2% TS, 35.4% 3PT
17. Hannes Steinbach | F | Washington
Oklahoma City Thunder (from Philadelphia)

Sam Presti is out here hoarding first-round picks like he's trying to collect every classic car on the planet. If the Thunder don't trade this asset, Steinbach is a brilliant physical match for them, a mountainous, old-school bruiser who led the country in rebounding at Washington.

"Steinbach is the most dominant rebounder to come through college basketball in a while, and it seems apt for the team that unleashed Steven Adams’s sharp elbow and tractor-beam hands on the league to draft Adams’s clone. He is the elite board man of the class, boasting the best rebounding season for a high-major freshman since Oscar Tshiebwe, arguably the best rebounder in the world."

2025-26 Stats: 18.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 1.6 APG, 62.9% TS, 34.0% 3PT
18. Jayden Quaintance | F/C | Kentucky
Charlotte Hornets (from Orlando via Phoenix)

The Hornets take a highly calculated gamble on Quaintance, an absolute physical marvel who only slid this far due to a 2025 ACL tear that cut into his freshman sample at Kentucky. When healthy, his raw power, massive wingspan, and elite vertical pop give him true defensive anchor potential. If his medical checks clear, Charlotte just landed a lottery-level talent at a massive discount.

"Quaintance is a real talent who would project higher than 18 if he had a cleaner health record, so the Hornets would get great value by nabbing him here. He’d inject some much-needed nastiness as a defensive presence, a screener/roller on offense, and an all-encompassing funnel that gobbles up rebounds and punches them back over opponents."

2025-26 Stats: 5.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 0.5 APG, 49.6% TS, 0.0% 3PT (4 games)
19. Bennett Stirtz | G | Iowa
Toronto Raptors

The Raptors desperately need a high-IQ pick-and-roll technician who can reliably run the half-court offense, and Stirtz is an absolute master of operating in slow motion. He took an unconventional path from Division II all the way to Iowa, but his elite shooting gravity—hitting a blistering 52% on catch-and-shoot looks, and Nash-like patience will make everyone else's life in Toronto infinitely easier.

"Stirtz is a pick-and-roll technician. He’s Borg-like in his process and effectiveness, and he’s one of the only players in this class who can provide ball-screen acumen while also shifting into movement-shooter mode, which would do wonders for a team like Toronto that can already get to the rim and finish."

2025-26 Stats: 19.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, 64.2% TS, 35.8% 3PT
20. Allen Graves | F | Santa Clara
San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta)

San Antonio adds yet another elite defensive brain to their roster by grabbing Graves, a certified analytics darling out of Santa Clara. He plays with the old soul of a veteran, utilizing an unbelievable knack for jumping passing lanes to register an eye-popping steal and block rate. He’s a below-the-rim offensive connector, but his elite defensive IQ fits right into the Spurs' master plan.

"Victor Wembanyama creates a terror dome around the painted area for opposing offenses, which has emboldened his backcourt to play relentless pressure defense. Why not extend that to the frontcourt, too? Graves is one of the most aggressive defensive playmakers in the draft, and plays that side of the ball as if he has a sixth sense for when exactly to jump a pass or make a snap rotation to protect the weak side."

2025-26 Stats: 11.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 60.8% TS, 41.3% 3PT
21. Christian Anderson | G | Texas Tech
Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota)

Detroit is completely desperate for perimeter shooting depth, and Anderson is a pistol-quick sniper who can flat-out light it up out of the pick-and-roll. He knocked down an incredible 42.8% of his deep looks off the bounce at Texas Tech, giving the Pistons a dynamic, Garland-esque shooter to prevent defenses from completely packing the paint against Cade Cunningham.

"Whether he’s spelling Cade Cunningham or flying next to him, Anderson would add a sigh of relief when teams default to packing the paint to slow down Detroit’s assault on the rim. He’s a mostly evasive game at this point and will likely be forced to become a more physical driver."

2025-26 Stats: 18.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 7.4 APG, 64.5% TS, 41.5% 3PT
22. Joshua Jefferson | F | Iowa State
Philadelphia 76ers (from Houston via OKC)

This is an absolute match made in heaven for Philly. Jefferson is arguably the most gifted passer in the entire class regardless of position, operating as a sturdy, burly 4 who can throw pinpoint live-dribble dimes with either hand. His elite vision and deflection-heavy defense will perfectly feed the speed advantage of the Sixers' high-scoring guards.

"His long track record of setting up perimeter scorers fits perfectly with the Sixers’ two incendiary scoring guards... Jefferson is the kind of connective 4 that no bench would be complete without. He has an NBA-ready build; has quick, strong hands on defense; and is one of the most adept passers in the class, position be damned."

2025-26 Stats: 16.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.8 APG, 56.7% TS, 34.5% 3PT
23. Henri Veesaar | C | North Carolina
Atlanta Hawks (from Cleveland)

The Hawks land a highly coveted floor-spacing big who can give them a modern, dual-threat offensive look. Veesaar put together a massive breakout year at North Carolina after transferring from Arizona, hitting a ridiculous 42.6% from three while showing a major uptick in his physical interior presence. He won't be a dominant rim protector, but his pick-and-pop game is a massive luxury.

"He had excellent 3-point shooting at high volume for a big man, which might be Veesaar’s main draw at the next level, but it was his increase in physicality on both sides of the ball that made him a viable first-round-caliber prospect."

2025-26 Stats: 17.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.1 APG, 66.4% TS, 42.6% 3PT
24. Amari Allen | F | Alabama
New York Knicks

Mike Brown is going to love the pure restraint and situational awareness Allen brings to the table. He is a high-feel perimeter connector wing who handles hyper-processing on the court with zero ego, regularly hitting the open man and moving without the ball. He’s far from a defensive liability and brings excellent wing size to New York’s bench depth.

"For a team like New York, which is already functioning at a playoff level, it’s critical that any newcomer has situational awareness and a solid understanding of timing. Allen is that kind of player... Allen is one of the best playmaking wings in the class, and he has a pristine assist-to-turnover ratio—all at a relatively low usage rate more befitting for a rim-running center."

2025-26 Stats: 11.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 57.0% TS, 34.1% 3PT
25. Chris Cenac Jr. | F | Houston
Los Angeles Lakers

Cenac is a classic "I can fix him" project for a Lakers front office willing to look past his inconsistent production to gamble on his raw physical tools. Standing at 6-foot-11 with a massive 7-foot-5 wingspan, he has the fluid coordination of a wing but a frustrating tendency to settle for bad midrange jumpers instead of crashing the paint. In a structured system surrounded by veteran leaders, his upside could explode.

"Cenac is more of a “shows flashes” than “shows consistency” prospect. Optimists see this less as a question of aptitude and more as him simply needing time to develop a clear identity... A bet on Cenac is a bet on upside at this point, but there are obvious physical tools to work with. His success will rely on his new team having a strong veteran presence, a simplified role for him (for now), and a proven player development infrastructure."

2025-26 Stats: 9.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 0.7 APG, 54.6% TS, 33.3% 3PT
26. Morez Johnson | F | Michigan
Denver Nuggets

While Denver has already thrown assets at frontcourt depth, none of them possess the sheer multipropositional defensive versatility that Johnson brings to the table. He is an old-school bruising energy big who plays with a relentless motor, capable of switching onto perimeter wings or banging with physical centers. If his developing three-point shot becomes legitimate, Denver lands a massive weapon.

"The best the Nuggets can hope for if they decide to try to injury-proof themselves (or, God help us, move on from Gordon) this offseason is a serviceable imitation. And on the defensive end, Johnson, who can capably switch onto anyone from a handling wing to a bruising 5, could give Denver some depth."

2025-26 Stats: 13.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.2 APG, 69.8% TS, 34.3% 3PT
27. Karim Lopez | F | New Zealand Breakers
Boston Celtics

López is a long-term developmental bet who lands in the absolutely perfect organizational structure to refine his raw talent. At 19 years old, he already boasts a broad, physically imposing 6-foot-9 frame with excellent on-glass tenacity. His off-ball defensive focus and slow perimeter shot need work, but Boston has a proven track record of squeezing elite production out of depth wings.

"The ability to pinpoint useful skills and maximize them is an advantage that some organizations have and some don’t. We’ve seen what Boston has done with Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Sam Hauser, and I think that López—a power wing whose rim pressure makes him an intriguing prospect—would similarly benefit from the time and structure that the Celtics could give him."

2025-26 Stats: 11.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 58.6% TS, 32.2% 3PT
28. Isaiah Evans | G/F | Duke
Minnesota Timberwolves (from Detroit)

Minnesota breaks away from the traditional guard trends of this range to secure a lanky, hyper-confident volume movement shooter with ideal wing size. Evans was deployed much like Klay Thompson at Duke, launching a high volume of triples to open up the floor, and he isn't afraid to use his long arms to create vertical disruption on the defensive end.

"Evans fits the Minnesota brand in that he’s lanky, exceedingly confident, and more than willing to get his nose dirty as a help defender around the basket. He’s also a player archetype that the Wolves don’t really have on their roster at this point: a versatile floor spacer with ideal size for a wing."

2025-26 Stats: 15.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, 59.0% TS, 36.1% 3PT
29. Koa Peat | F | Arizona
Cleveland Cavaliers (from San Antonio via Atlanta)

Cleveland's postseason run clearly exposed their need for physicality, and Peat brings that in spades, along with impressive movement. He's an exceptionally skilled passing and connective 4 who excels at making the right play in four-on-three advantages, giving the Cavs a highly versatile frontcourt tool.

"You gotta play the teams that are in front of you, and for Cleveland, these playoffs have articulated the need for an imposing “big boy” personality inside the arc... He blends brute strength and nimble feet, some handling chops and legitimate passing feel."

2025-26 Stats: 14.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.6 APG, 55.7% TS, 35.0% 3PT
30. Meleek Thomas | G | Arkansas
Dallas Mavericks (from OKC via Washington and Philadelphia)

Dallas grabs an absolute bucket-getter here to serve as a dynamic perimeter spacing weapon to run alongside Cooper Flagg. Thomas is a high-motor scoring guard with some of the absolute best natural shooting touch in the draft, flashing blistering efficiency from the corners and unshakeable confidence on the move.

"Thomas is one of the spackliest spacklers in this draft, and he profiles as someone who could be a dynamic floor spacer and transition target for Cooper Flagg and whatever talent the Mavs add with their lottery pick... Thomas is a bet on pure, unfiltered shotmaking potential."

2025-26 Stats: 15.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 55.8% TS, 41.6% 3PT
You Tell Us! How Does the 2026 NBA Draft Play Out?
Who Rules the 2026 Draft Board?

The lottery order is officially set, and the debate over how these front offices should deploy their assets is hitting an absolute fever pitch. If you’re playing GM this summer, how are you navigating this board?
- The No. 1 Dilemma: Did the Wizards make the absolute right call by locking in AJ Dybantsa at the top, or is Darryn Peterson's sheer superstar ceiling too high to pass up despite his clunky, injury-riddled year at Kansas?
- The Presti Plan: With Oklahoma City holding multiple picks in the 10-20 range, do they actually stand pat and draft physical anomalies like Hannes Steinbach, or are they packaging those chips to hunt for a massive blockbuster trade?
- The Late-First Steal: Who is your ultimate sleeper in the back half of the round? Can a late-emerging analytics darling like Allen Graves or a high-IQ pick-and-roll technician like Bennett Stirtz hijack a playoff rotation right away?
Sound off in the comments section: Which franchise will land the ultimate steal of the first round, and who is cruising toward a massive draft-night reach?
The Ringer's 2026 NBA Mock Draft
Projecting a Loaded 2026 NBA Draft Class

The lottery balls have officially hopped, the first-round order is locked in, and the NBA draft cycle is about to descend into beautiful, pure chaos. If you thought the league was experiencing wild parity over the last few seasons, wait until this incoming rookie class hits active rosters. This isn't your standard, top-heavy draft where front offices tank for one lone savior and completely punt on the rest of the board. The talent pool this year is absolutely swimming with franchise-altering wings, elite perimeter shot-creators, and mountain-sized centers who can actually step out and space the floor.

We are digging directly into The Ringer's J. Kyle Mann’s post-lottery mock draft to project how the entire first round shakes out now that teams know exactly where they’re picking. From the Washington Wizards sitting pretty at number one with a franchise-altering decision on their hands, to Sam Presti and the Thunder out here hoarding first-round selections like classic cars, this board is built for pure drama.

Let's pull back the curtain on the first round before Adam Silver takes the stage in late June.