{"id":756192,"date":"2026-06-24T01:07:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T01:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/756192\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T01:07:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T01:07:20","slug":"nba-draft-tracker-2026-live-updates-picks-trades-and-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/756192\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Draft tracker 2026 live updates: Picks, trades and analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Round 1 of the 2026 NBA Draft tips off at 8 p.m. ET at Barclays Center.<\/p>\n

AJ Dybantsa is favored to be selected No. 1 by the Wizards, with more parity expected for picks No. 2 and 3, where Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer are likely to be picked.<\/p>\n

The Knicks hold the No. 24 pick, while the Nets pick at No. 6.<\/p>\n

Follow The Post\u2019s live updates for the latest 2026 NBA Draft picks, trades and reaction.<\/p>\n

9. Dallas Mavericks — Morez Johnson Jr., Forward (Michigan)
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tKevin Doan\t\t<\/a>\"MichiganGetty Images<\/p>\n

Morez Johnson Jr. averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 62.3 percent from the field at Michigan. He gives the Mavericks a physical frontcourt piece who can rebound, defend and bring energy around the rim.<\/p>\n

8. Atlanta Hawks — Kingston Flemings, Guard (Houston)
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tRob Reese\t\t<\/a>\"HoustonKingston Flemings had a strong freshman year for Houston. NCAA Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n

A relentless on-ball defender who plays with signature Houston toughness, Flemings is a lightning-fast transition engine. The Hawks get a top-tier defender here with steals upside. Can score too.<\/p>\n

7. Sacramento Kings — Darius Acuff Jr., Guard (Arkansas)
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tKevin Doan\t\t<\/a>\"DariusDarius Acuff Jr. (5) could make Arkansas the fourth different school John Calipari has taken to a Final Four. Getty Images<\/p>\n

An aggressive, downhill scorer who plays with a fierce competitive edge, Acuff is built to manipulate pick-and-rolls and generate instant offense. Acuff Jr. gives the Kings a guard who can attack the rim and create offense.<\/p>\n

6. Brooklyn Nets — Mikel Brown Jr., Guard (Louisville)
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tRob Reese\t\t<\/a>\"MikelMikel Brown Jr. #0 of the Louisville Cardinals brings the ball up court during the game against the NC State Wolfpack at KFC YUM! Center on February 9, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. Getty Images<\/p>\n

One of the purest point guards in the class, Brown boasts an elite handle and deep shooting range that forces defenses to pick their poison. Top-end scoring upside that can transform the Nets offense.<\/p>\n

5. LA Clippers — Keaton Wagler, Guard (Illinois)
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tKevin Doan\t\t<\/a>\"KeatonKeaton Wagler believes his ability to read defenses and handle the ball can make him a success in the NBA despite his modest athleticism. NCAA Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n

A smooth, highly intelligent guard who handles pressure beautifully and acts as an elite floor-spacer and secondary playmaker. Keaton Wagler gives the Clippers another backcourt option who can space the floor and provide reliable guard depth behind their starters. <\/p>\n

4. Chicago Bulls — Caleb Wilson, Forward (North Carolina)
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tRob Reese\t\t<\/a>\"NorthNorth Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) shoots before an NCAA college basketball game against Syracuse, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. AP<\/p>\n

A long, athletic modern forward who thrives as a weak-side rim protector and shows immense potential as a coast-to-coast transition threat. This pick screams upside for the Bulls.<\/p>\n

3. Memphis Grizzlies — Cameron Boozer, Forward (Duke)
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tKevin Doan\t\t<\/a>\"DukeDuke forward Cameron Boozer. Getty Images<\/p>\n

The son of NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, Cam is arguably the most fundamentally sound player in the draft, offering elite rebounding, interior scoring, and high-IQ passing. Memphis will use his feel for the game to keep the offense moving while adding size, toughness and reliability on the glass. <\/p>\n

2. Utah Jazz — Darryn Peterson, Guard (Kansas)
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tRob Reese\t\t<\/a>\"DarrynDarryn Peterson #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks. Charles Wenzelberg\/New York Post<\/p>\n

A physically imposing guard with a hyper-polished midrange game, Peterson combines elite shot-making with the vision to play as a primary playmaker. The Jazz rebuild gets a lot smoother now.<\/p>\n

1. Washington Wizards — AJ Dybantsa, Forward (Brigham Young)
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tRob Reese\t\t<\/a>\"AJAJ Dybantsa thrived in his one season at BYU JASON SZENES\/ NY POST<\/p>\n

The consensus top prize of the draft, Dybantsa is a dynamic three-level scorer with an elite 6’10” frame who can create his own shot against anyone. The Wizards get an immediate impact player.<\/p>\n

Darryn Peterson with Kansas assistant coach Kurtis Townsend<\/p>\n

Darryn Peterson shared a moment with his former assistant coach Kurtis Townsend ahead of NBA Draft.<\/p>\n

It’s draft time!
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tRob Reese\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Here we go.<\/p>\n

Sit back, relax, occasionally yell at your tv.<\/p>\n

The Wizards are on the clock!<\/p>\n

AJ Dybantsa shares moment with Oscar Robertson minutes before NBA Draft
\n\tBy \t\t
\n\t\t\tKevin Doan\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

AJ Dybantsa shared a special moment with NBA legend Oscar Robertson ahead of the draft, greeting the Hall of Famer before the first round takes place. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Round 1 of the 2026 NBA Draft tips off at 8 p.m. ET at Barclays Center. AJ Dybantsa…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":756193,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[64,63,10954,590,12301,361930,1666,85],"class_list":["post-756192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-live-blogs","tag-nba","tag-nba-draft","tag-nba-draft-2026","tag-new-york-knicks","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/756192","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=756192"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/756192\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/756193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=756192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=756192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=756192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}