2026 NBA draft thread

[Winter]

With my limited viewing, I would prefer Mullins.

I would too. Just on the off chance that he might be the next Klay Thompson.

[Winter]

These are the top 5 lottery picks by almost every recent mock draft. The top 3 are frequently re-arranged, but they remain the top 5.

Dybasanta - F Brigham Young
Peterson - PG Kansas
Boozer - F Duke
Caleb Wilson - F North Carolina
K. Flemings - PG Houston

Number 5-12 are wildly mixed up. They most commonly include the following:

Yaxel Lindeborg - F Michigan
Jaden Quaintance (still playing himself into shape at Kentucky)
Mikel Brown - PG - Louisville
Koa Peat - F - Arizona
Labaron Philon- PG - Alabama
Hannes Steinbach - C - Washington
Darius Acuff PG - Arkansas
Cameron Carr - G -Baylor
Thomas Haugh- F -Florida
Keaton Wagler - G - Illinois
Nate Ament - Tennesee
Braylon Mullins G - Conn
Chris Cenac C- Houston
Patrick Ngongba C- Duke

[khaled1987]

These are the top 5 lottery picks by almost every recent mock draft. The top 3 are frequently re-arranged, but they remain the top 5.

Dybasanta - F Brigham Young
Peterson - PG Kansas
Boozer - F Duke
Caleb Wilson - F North Carolina
K. Flemings - PG Houston

Number 5-12 are wildly mixed up. They most commonly include the following:

Yaxel Lindeborg - F Michigan
Jaden Quaintance (still playing himself into shape at Kentucky)
Mikel Brown - PG - Louisville
Koa Peat - F - Arizona
Labaron Philon- PG - Alabama
Hannes Steinbach - C - Washington
Darius Acuff PG - Arkansas
Cameron Carr - G -Baylor
Thomas Haugh- F -Florida
Keaton Wagler - G - Illinois
Nate Ament - Tennesee
Braylon Mullins G - Conn
Chris Cenac C- Houston
Patrick Ngongba C- Duke

I think Ament and Peat will be out of the top 10 and possibly out of the lottery unless they improve a lot during the rest of the season. Ament best case is to be another MPJ but health was a big factor of MPJ fall and it took him sometime to figure things out. 

Outside of the top 5 I am not sure there is a guy I fully believe in as a potential All-Star player to be Flagg's sidekick. Wagler, Acuff and Mullins I feel has the potential to be a good winning starters,  Steinbach is a bit of wild card. I need to know more about Quaintance

[Winter]

I think Ament and Peat will be out of the top 10 and possibly out of the lottery unless they improve a lot during the rest of the season. Ament best case is to be another MPJ but health was a big factor of MPJ fall and it took him sometime to figure things out. 

Outside of the top 5 I am not sure there is a guy I fully believe in as a potential All-Star player to be Flagg's sidekick. Wagler, Acuff and Mullins I feel has the potential to be a good winning starters,  Steinbach is a bit of wild card. I need to know more about Quaintance

I think Peat still has a good chance to be there in the top 10-12, especially if #1 Arizona goes deep in the playoffs, but I think you're right about Ament.

Quaintance had some injuries, but damn! What a defensive nightmare under the basket. If he stays healthy, he might make the top 10. Also Yaxel Lendenborg could make the top 10 if Michigan gets more exposure or manages to make the final 4. 

Agree with Acuff, Wagler, and Mullins. I went and looked at Klay Thompson's stats in college. Braylon Mullins has almost identical stats. height, weight, 3-point percentage all very similar. Darius Acuff looks like a young Stephon Marbury clone - dominant offensive PG and scorer, but built like a slightly larger Nembhard. And Wagler has gotten so good at passing that he's taken on some PG duties for Illinois as well as shooting lights out as a SG. All those guys are moving up. I'd like to see Mikel Brown get his outside shooting straightened out. Everything else he does looks good.

[Chicagojk]

I think Peat still has a good chance to be there in the top 10-12, especially if #1 Arizona goes deep in the playoffs, but I think you're right about Ament.

Quaintance had some injuries, but damn! What a defensive nightmare under the basket. If he stays healthy, he might make the top 10. Also Yaxel Lendenborg could make the top 10 if Michigan gets more exposure or manages to make the final 4. 

Agree with Acuff, Wagler, and Mullins. I went and looked at Klay Thompson's stats in college. Braylon Mullins has almost identical stats. height, weight, 3-point percentage all very similar. Darius Acuff looks like a young Stephon Marbury clone - dominant offensive PG and scorer, but built like a slightly larger Nembhard. And Wagler has gotten so good at passing that he's taken on some PG duties for Illinois as well as shooting lights out as a SG. All those guys are moving up. I'd like to see Mikel Brown get his outside shooting straightened out. Everything else he does looks good.

I have not watched Flemings yet, but the initial list you posted I consider tier 3/and some in tier 4 for me.    I think this group is similar to the range in most drafts.  You have guys with the traits and potential, but also some risk.   I love watching the highlights of Peat. Although less so when I see him take a perimeter jump shot.  He is more explosive than Boozer but doesn't have Boozer's skill yet.   He scares me some, but after a little bit of a freshman wall he has been playing better recently.   Quaintance scares me.  Ideally,  I hope someone picks him before the Mavs pick if we are in the 8-12 range.    You see Ament skill, but he is going to need time.  I can see him working out, but I can also see him not getting a second contract.

[Winter]

I have not watched Flemings yet, but the initial list you posted I consider tier 3/and some in tier 4 for me.    I think this group is similar to the range in most drafts.  You have guys with the traits and potential, but also some risk.   I love watching the highlights of Peat. Although less so when I see him take a perimeter jump shot.  He is more explosive than Boozer but doesn't have Boozer's skill yet.   He scares me some, but after a little bit of a freshman wall he has been playing better recently.   Quaintance scares me.  Ideally,  I hope someone picks him before the Mavs pick if we are in the 8-12 range.    You see Ament skill, but he is going to need time.  I can see him working out, but I can also see him not getting a second contract.

Quaintance scares you because all Mavs fans have center-injury phobia (assuming that's what you meant). He scares me too that way.

Just watched Peat today. Pretty good, but not all-star good. I watched Flemings play once about a month ago. He looks the most well-rounded. 

It's going to be interesting watching the PG selections Flemings, Brown, Acuff, Peterson and Philon as rookies. Place your bets.

Is Peterson healthy?
Is Flemings really a starter in this league
Can Acuff play adequate defense?
Will Brown fix his perimeter problem?
Has Philon really matured as a PG?

[GATA]

Mullins is going to shoot up the draft board. Wouldn’t be surprised if by the end of the season he was a legitimate candidate to go first

[Winter]

Mullins is going to shoot up the draft board.    Wouldn’t be surprised if by the end of the season he was a legitimate candidate to go first

The top 5 have been pretty secure since pre-season, so it's unlikely he breaks through those picks.

He may very well be in the 5-10 bracket though (although he's not slotted there currently). Let see how exposure he gets when the tournament rolls around.