{"id":699177,"date":"2026-05-28T03:19:20","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T03:19:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/699177\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T03:19:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T03:19:20","slug":"nba-mock-draft-2026-perfect-picks-for-every-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/699177\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA mock draft 2026: Perfect picks for every team"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder in the NBA Draft. It wasn\u2019t long ago James Wiseman looked like an obvious bust in the 2020 class<\/a>, but the Golden State Warriors still used the No. 2 overall pick on him. Some bozo at this website wasn\u2019t sold on the Pelicans taking Trey Murphy III just outside of the lottery<\/a> the next year, and that worked out just fine for New Orleans.<\/p>\n

The 2026 NBA Draft is quickly approaching, and the playoffs always have a way of revealing what\u2019s actually most important in high leverage games. Our instant mock draft immediately following the lottery<\/a> tried to take a stab at how the picks will actually come off the board when the first-round begins on June 23.<\/p>\n

Now, here\u2019s a mock draft based on what I would do with every pick.<\/p>\n

What are my qualifications? I\u2019ve been covering the NBA Draft since 2013, when Rudy Gobert was bending at the waist to talk to me at the combine<\/a>. I have a long list of both hits and misses on my resume like any other draft evaluator, but it never stops me from giving my unbiased opinion on the next year\u2019s class. These picks are made in combination my personal board (which hasn\u2019t been publicly updated since mid-season<\/a>) and team fit. Let\u2019s get into it.<\/p>\n

1. Washington Wizards – Cameron Boozer, F, Duke<\/p>\n

Boozer is the top player on my draft board<\/a>, and in my estimation he\u2019s the obvious No. 1 pick. I\u2019ve been chronicling Boozer\u2019s brilliance since he was in high school<\/a>, and all he did as a freshman was win national player of the year in a nearly unanimous vote (59 out of 61). The Wizards should not be making team-building decisions with Anthony Davis in mind. Boozer was only four years old when AD was drafted. Washington needs shot-creation, shooting, and rebounding, and Boozer provides all of that at a high level. Alex Sarr should be a nice defensive complement to him in the frontcourt. This really shouldn\u2019t be that hard.<\/p>\n

2. Utah Jazz – Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas<\/p>\n

I had Peterson over Dybantsa on my preseason board<\/a> and my midseason board, and while I thought about moving off that take at times during Peterson\u2019s bizarre freshman year, I\u2019m sticking with it now. Peterson is just a better fit for what the Jazz need, and I do think Utah is potentially good enough for next season to be thinking about fit. Keyonte George needs a defensive-minded off-guard with volume three-point shooting next to him, and that can be Peterson. Of course, Peterson can also be so much more than that if he fully recovers from the strange soft tissue and cramping injuries<\/a> that plagued his time at Kansas. Dybantsa would have some overlap with Ace Bailey if he\u2019s the pick here. I like a lineup of George-Peterson-Bailey-Lauri Markkanen-Jaren Jackson Jr. with Walker Kessler off the bench. That feels like a playoff team with some real upside to me.<\/p>\n

3. Memphis Grizzlies – AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU<\/p>\n

Dybantsa probably won\u2019t still be on the board at No. 3 on draft night, but if he is it would set up a fascinating decision between him and Caleb Wilson for Memphis. I give Dybantsa the edge simply because of his shot-creation ability. There just aren\u2019t many players in the world this size \u2014 6\u20198.5 barefoot, 217 pounds, with a 7-foot wingspan \u2014 who can create shots for themselves and others like Dybantsa. I\u2019d love to see him take a little more pride in his defense and up his three-point volume, but he\u2019d be a wonderful addition to Memphis\u2019 rebuild.<\/p>\n

4. Chicago Bulls – Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina<\/p>\n

Wilson is the obvious \u2018best player available\u2019 choice for the Bulls here. This draft has been defined by a \u2018big three\u2019 since these players were in high school<\/a>, but Wilson was so good at North Carolina that it can now credibly be called a \u2018big four.\u2019 Wilson is a bit of an odd fit on the Bulls\u2019 current roster with some overlap with Matas Buzelis, Noa Essengue, and Leonard Miller \u2014 the team\u2019s three most appealing young players. Ultimately, that doesn\u2019t matter. There\u2019s a strong chance that Wilson is better than any of them, and Buzelis has developed as a shooter enough to play the three. Take Wilson and figure out the rest later.<\/p>\n

5. Los Angeles Clippers – Aday Mara, C, Michigan<\/p>\n

This is the first big decision of the draft. I\u2019m torn between Mikel Brown Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg, and Mara, but ultimately it\u2019s harder to find a 7\u20193 center with a 7\u20197 wingspan than point guards or forwards. Mara was the single biggest riser of March Madness<\/a>, but I\u2019ve been on him as a potential top-10 pick since he was entering UCLA<\/a> out of Spain. His size is a game-changer in the middle, and he also has ridiculous passing feel for someone so big. I know the Clippers drafted Yanic Konan Niederh\u00e4user at the end of the first-round last year, but I was never too high on him. After trading Ivica Zubac to the Pacers for this pick, the Clippers find their center of the future.<\/p>\n

6. Brooklyn Nets – Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville<\/p>\n

Yeah, the Nets took four pseudo point guards in the first-round last year, but that can\u2019t stop one of the league\u2019s worst rosters from drafting the best available player. Brown fits that description to me as the highest-upside prospect still on the board. The Louisville guard brings super-high volume three-point shooting, creative passing, and some downhill attacking ability to an offense desperately in need of juice. Brown\u2019s frame is very thin and he doesn\u2019t even have hair on his face yet, but the Nets need to be thinking long-term, and Brown is oozing with potential over time.<\/p>\n

7. Sacramento Kings – Kingston Flemings, G, Houston<\/p>\n

The Kings falling to No. 7 in the lottery is a huge bummer, but the upside is that the team really wanted a point guard, and there will be multiple great ones to choose from here. There\u2019s already rumors that Sacramento has a preference for Darius Acuff, and that would be fine, but I like Flemings more. The Houston guard is a lot more disruptive defensively off the ball, and I give him a slight edge as a live-dribble playmaker. KINGSton Flemings to the Kings would be a very good fit for both the player and team.<\/p>\n

8. Atlanta Hawks – Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois<\/p>\n

The key to modern basketball is the intersection of positional size, shooting touch, and IQ. Wagler checks all three boxes while also having worst in class explosion and length for a point guard. How does a 6\u20196, one-and-done lottery pick finish the season with zero dunks? This will be the first time it\u2019s ever happened, at least for as far back as the statistics go. The Hawks have had some trouble with smaller guards, so Wagler is at least tall while having the ability to play on or off the ball. His pull-up shooting would be really good next to Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Jalen Johnson, and the first two guys there could help insulate him defensively. He\u2019ll probably go higher than this, but I like the fit in Atlanta.<\/p>\n

9. Dallas Mavericks – Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan<\/p>\n

I will have Lendeborg higher than No. 9 on my personal board<\/a>, and I seriously considered him at No. 5 for the Clippers. I didn\u2019t love his fit in Brooklyn, Sacramento, or Atlanta, but I do think he makes plenty of sense for the Mavs. Dallas should be ready to accelerate this thing around Cooper Flagg pretty quickly, in part because they don\u2019t control their first-round pick from 2027-2030. Lendeborg will be a 24-year-old rookie, but he has unique strengths as a massive wing who can play on the perimeter or bang down low for some small ball five minutes. Critics of this pick will say Dallas already has PJ Washington, but he can be traded. Yaxel is four years younger, would be on a cost controlled deal, and in my opinion should be better pretty quickly. I like the idea of pairing Flagg with a defensive-minded forward who can stretch the floor and give the Mavs positional versatility.<\/p>\n

10. Milwaukee Bucks – Jayden Quaintance, F\/C, Kentucky<\/p>\n

I thought Quaintance would be a top-5 pick coming into the season. Instead, he rushed back from a torn ACL, and shut it down after only four underwhelming games at Kentucky. Quaintance explained his decision to end his season early to me at the combine<\/a>. If he\u2019s healthy, he has a case as the best defensive player in the class. While he\u2019s a tad short for an NBA five at 6\u20199 barefoot, JQ measured well with a hulking 253-pound frame and 7\u20195+ wingspan. His offense is a huge question mark, but his defense should be bankable if he can stay healthy. Assuming the Bucks finally trade Giannis this summer, they will need a new identity long-term, and Quaintance can help that start on the defensive end.<\/p>\n

11. Golden State Warriors – Hannes Steinbach, F\/C, Washington<\/p>\n

The Warriors could really go in any direction here, and I remain intrigued by the Mara fit from my instant mock if he\u2019s still on the board. Given the way this draft goes, Steinbach feels like he would be a good choice to add some physicality and rebounding to the frontcourt. Steinbach\u2019s offensive rebounding is potentially the single best skill in this draft class (behind Cameron Boozer\u2019s brain), and he could feast off misses from Steph Curry and Brandin Podziemski to generate extra possessions.<\/p>\n

12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Morez Johnson Jr., F\/C, Michigan<\/p>\n

Johnson is the best kind of tweener with the ability to be additive on both ends at either the four or the five. The 6\u20199 big man has a hulking 250-pound frame with 7\u20193.5 wingspan and boundless athleticism. He\u2019s one of the best defenders in the class with the strength to wall up inside, the quickness to switch some screens, and outstanding ability to patrol the backline as a low man. I think he\u2019s going to be shoot long-term, and if you agree, he has to be a lottery pick.<\/p>\n

13. Miami Heat – Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas<\/p>\n

I have questions about Acuff\u2019s scoring process and worry that he might be the worst defensive player in the NBA, but at a certain point he\u2019s too productive to continue passing on. This pick would absolutely be in play in a potential Giannis trade.<\/p>\n

14. Charlotte Hornets – Dailyn Swain, F, Texas<\/p>\n

The Hornets really need some beef inside, but this class just isn\u2019t very deep in big men after Motiejus Krvias and Patrick Ngongba pulled out. I\u2019ve liked Swain for a while as a bouncy wing stopper who made big offensive strides as a slasher and shooter during his junior season at Texas, but he wasn\u2019t too impressive with his measurements or play at the combine. Still, this feels like a plug-and-play rotation piece for what should be an excellent team in the East next season.<\/p>\n

15. Chicago Bulls – Brayden Burries, G, Arizona<\/p>\n

I\u2019d prefer Morez Johnson or possibly Jayden Quaintance here, but both are off the board in this mock. Burries will likely be long gone by the time Chicago comes on the clock at No. 15, but he would add two-way physicality to the backcourt with good shooting projection. I don\u2019t think Burries has the shot-creation or the playmaking to be in an on-ball role that would give him star upside, but he checks a lot of boxes as a role player. He\u2019s a player who feels like he\u2019s pretty good everywhere but without a signature skill to fall back on.<\/p>\n

16. Memphis Grizzlies – Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa<\/p>\n

Stirtz is a high-volume creator who doesn\u2019t turn the ball over and also offers floor spacing potential with a quick and accurate trigger from three-point range. He\u2019s not the biggest lead guard and he\u2019s likely to have some issues defending at the point of attack, but he\u2019s such an additive player offensively that he can work in a variety of roles. I\u2019m curious what Stirtz would look like in a faster system and more scaled down role after creating every advantage and playing nearly every minute for Iowa during his senior season.<\/p>\n

17. Oklahoma City Thunder – Nate Ament, F, Tennessee<\/p>\n

Ament couldn\u2019t live up to the top-5 hype in the preseason he as struggled with physicality and failed to score efficiently from any part of the floor. Still, there\u2019s a reason he was so highly touted entering the year, and it\u2019s easy to see the outline of an athletic, two-way four man who can still impact the game in a more scaled down offensive role. Ament\u2019s 29 percent usage rate was tops on Tennessee, and giving him that much offensive responsibility on a team without great spacing was always too much to ask. I\u2019d like to see what he looks like as a more of a fourth option on offense who can space the floor and attack closeouts while using his 6\u201910 frame to alter shots defensively.<\/p>\n

18. Charlotte Hornets – Chris Cenac Jr., C, Houston<\/p>\n

The Hornets have to come away with a big, and Cenac is the best available at this slot. While he\u2019s likely a couple years away from making an impact, Cenac has elite physical tools at 6\u201910+, 240 pounds with a 7\u20195 wingspan. He has a confident shooting stroke from deep, and could be a valuable stretch five (or a four in bigger lineups) who also crushes the defensive glass down the line. He\u2019s a bit raw right now and can struggle with his feel for the game, but the idealized version of Cenac would be a great piece for Charlotte as it continues to build a contender in the East.<\/p>\n

19. Toronto Raptors – Labaron Philon, G, Alabama<\/p>\n

Philon could inject some much needed juice into the Raptors\u2019 halfcourt offense, which ranked No. 13 in efficiency during the regular season but struggled badly in the playoffs. The Alabama guard is super shifty off the bounce and will thrive in an NBA drive-and-kick game, and he offers scoring ability inside the arc with his floater. His three-point shot made a big leap this season (from 31.5 percent to 40 percent from deep while nearly doubling his volume), but there are some questions about how sustainable that is with a lower release point. Philon is very skinny and will probably never be a good defender, but this would be a very good value at this slot for a potential high-octane creator.<\/p>\n

20. San Antonio Spurs – Cameron Carr, G, Baylor<\/p>\n

For a 6\u20195 wing, Carr is extremely long (7\u20191 wingspan), highly explosive (44 dunks), and a really good spot-up shooter who hit 37.6 percent behind the arc on 205 attempts. There\u2019s a case for him to go much higher than this, but his limited creation ability, shaky passing vision, and thin frame gives me some pause.<\/p>\n

21. Detroit Pistons – Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford<\/p>\n

No one expected Okorie to be a one-and-done entering the year as a recruit ranked outside the top-100, but his creation flashes made it undeniable while playing for a middling Stanford team. Okorie has the best first-step in the class and the acceleration to separate once he gains the initial advantage. He\u2019s more of a scorer than a playmaker right now, which isn\u2019t ideal for a 6\u20192 guard. Still, his ability to create his own offense while limiting turnovers and showing a solid three-point stroke gives him real upside in this part of the draft. I\u2019d like to see what Cade Cunningham looks like in a more off-ball role at times, and Okorie can get him there.<\/p>\n

22. Philadelphia 76ers – Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara<\/p>\n

Graves would fill a position of need for the Sixers at power forward while also offering two-way upside if he can cut down on fouling. The redshirt freshman from Santa Clara forced turnovers at an incredible rate this season while also shooting 40 percent from three, but his aggressive play led to a lot of hacking that kept him in a sixth man role. Graves isn\u2019t the best athlete, but this area of the draft feels right for an analytics darling who measured well at the combine (7-foot wingspan and 225-pound frame) and has some real skill flashes.<\/p>\n

23. Atlanta Hawks – Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers<\/p>\n

Lopez is a big forward who can play with the ball in his hands, but there are questions about his shooting and off-ball defense. He can look good attacking in a straight line as a driver, but he\u2019s a bit stiff athletically when he\u2019s in need of counters. His frame and downhill ability are worth betting on at this point, and he could offer quite a bit of upside if he figures out his spot-up three-pointer.<\/p>\n

24. New York Knicks – Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State<\/p>\n

Jefferson\u2019s ability to play with physicality on both ends while also bringing connective offensive traits makes him one of the best seniors in this year\u2019s draft. I had Jefferson as the third best player in college basketball this year<\/a>. While I doubt he\u2019ll have quite as much creation equity at the next level, his reps in a high usage, more on-ball role at ISU will serve him well in the NBA when the ball swings to him. It feels like he fits the Knicks\u2019 ethos well,.<\/p>\n

25. Los Angeles Lakers – Henri Veesar, C, North Carolina<\/p>\n

Veesar is one of the only stretch five options in this class, but he does a lot more offensively than just shoot. The 7-footer thrived in a high-low game with Caleb Wilson by showing good passing touch and efficient scoring inside the arc. He won\u2019t be a plus defensively at center, but giving Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves a pick-and-pop big man with good feel offensively would be a nice choice after this range of the draft was thinned out by NIL.<\/p>\n

26. Denver Nuggets – Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to find a place for all the small guards in this draft given the way the league is trending, and that means someone like Anderson could be a major steal. The Texas Tech point guard is one of the very best shooters in this draft class, and also a solid playmaker who won\u2019t rack up turnovers. While he measured pretty small at the combine<\/a>, he does have a 6\u20196+ wingspan that at least gives him a chance defensively.<\/p>\n

27. Boston Celtics – Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt<\/p>\n

Tanner might be destined to return to college after being one of the most divisive players in this year\u2019s class. He was one of the very best players in college basketball as a sophomore, but he\u2019s just so small at a tick under 5\u201911 barefoot and 167 pounds with a 6\u20194.25 wingspan. He definitely plays bigger than his size on both ends with a sixth sense for forcing turnovers and a rare ability to dunk on your head for such a tiny guard. I have questions about his three-point shooting and creation ability at the next level. He\u2019d be a great flier in this range.<\/p>\n

28. Minnesota Timberwolves – Koa Peat, F, Arizona<\/p>\n

The NBA seems to think Peat should return for his sophomore year, and it\u2019s hard to blame them. He looks more like a run-stopping defensive end than an NBA power forward, but there\u2019s still some potential here for a defensive wing stopper with short-roll playmaking and some play-finishing ability. His outside shot is broken and he lacks lateral quickness or agility, but he would be a fine flier in this range.<\/p>\n

29. Cleveland Cavaliers – Zuby Ejiofor, C, St. John\u2019s<\/p>\n

Ejiofor is a rugged big man who can help wall off the paint defensively while adding some impressive connective passing traits in the frontcourt. He\u2019s a disruptive defender who plays with a high motor and does all the little things good role players need to do. He\u2019s a tad small for a five at 6\u20197.5 barefoot with a 7\u20192 wingspan and 245 pound frame, but he\u2019ll find a way to make it work with an impressive combo of physicality and feel.<\/p>\n

30. Dallas Mavericks – Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas<\/p>\n

Thomas can fill it up from outside as a microwave scorer while also not making stupid decisions with the ball. He should be able to defend a little bit better than most players in his archetype. The Mavs could stand to add some off-ball offensive firepower off the bench in this slot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder in the NBA Draft. It wasn\u2019t long ago James…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":699178,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,590,85],"class_list":["post-699177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=699177"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/699177\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/699178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=699177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=699177"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=699177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}