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    Seth Fisher | Sat, May 23rd 2026, 6:56am EDT

2026 NBA Mock Draft: First Round Picks & Predictions

As we sit less than one week out from the NCAA withdrawal deadline on May 27th, now feels like an appropriate time to tackle what’s shaping up to be an unpredictable draft with our first 2026 NBA mock draft.

Unlike many recent classes, where a firm stance on the top player emerged, 2026 is mostly without one. If anything, the only consensus opinion about the best prospects this year is that there isn’t a consensus selection at number one.

While BYU’s AJ Dybantsa has become the popular choice to go first overall, many feel he is only the third-best player in the class. Darryn Peterson of Kansas spent the majority of the collegiate season as the projected top pick before cramping issues regularly disrupted his availability, and Duke’s Cameron Boozer won the John R. Wooden Award as the nation’s best player as a freshman.

This class is oozing with talent throughout, making it an especially fun year to follow and, of course, mock. Let’s dive into this first predictive 2026 NBA mock draft.

2026 NBA Mock Draft

Round 1: Picks 1-14

1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa (F – BYU)

After acquiring Anthony Davis and Trae Young during the regular season, the Wizards drawing first overall almost certainly signals that the team is ready to make a playoff push for the first time in years. From a positional need standpoint, AJ Dybantsa is a seamless fit. The BYU product would join Davis and Young in the starting lineup along with Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George.

2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson (G – Kansas)

Like AJ Dybantsa to Washington, Darryn Peterson is a perfect match for a Utah team eyeing an ascent from rock bottom. The emergence of Keyonte George, the acquisition of Jaren Jackson Jr. and some lottery luck have expedited what once seemed like a lengthy rebuild.

Peterson would provide the Jazz with its first blue-chip prospect since tearing down the roster nearly four years ago.

3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer (F – Duke)

Cameron Boozer joining Zach Edey in Memphis would instantly make for the best young frontcourt in the NBA. Throw in two All-Rookie First-Team forwards in Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells, and you have quite the young stable in Memphis.

Questions surrounding Ja Morant will swirl into the summer, but that shouldn’t overshadow the player that Boozer is. Statistically, the 6-foot-10 forward is one of the best prospects of all time.

4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson (F – UNC)

Sure, the last time the Bulls picked a forward at four, things didn’t go very well, but it’ll be different this time. Probably.

Caleb Wilson is as good as you can get at this point in any draft, full stop. The athletic 6-foot-10 wing possesses an unbelievably high motor and punishes the rim at an astounding rate. Now under new guidance from vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham, Chicago has a golden opportunity to build a cultural foundation with Wilson.

5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler (G – Illinois)

The Clippers will be able to stomach the failure of the Paul George and Kawhi Leonard era much more easily now that they’ve retained this selection.

Los Angeles can go in any number of directions here, but why not shoot for upside and pick Illinois’ Keaton Wagler? Concerns about Wagler’s frame and athleticism are valid, but his feel and perimeter shooting are undeniable. The latter of which makes it easy to envision Wagler playing well next to Darius Garland. Things could get messy defensively, but Garland has just two years left on his max extension.

6. Brooklyn Nets: Kingston Flemings (G – Houston)

If there is any year to finish 20-62 and drop to the sixth pick, it’s this one. While there’s a clear tier break between the top four prospects and the field, Brooklyn being in the position to add a player like Kingston Flemings at six is nothing to be disappointed with.

While Flemings’ combine measurements left a bit to be desired, it’s his intangibles that make the Houston Cougar such an intriguing prospect. Flemings is a hard-nosed, twitchy guard with an encouraging mid-range game and some real vertical pop. There’s plenty of reason to think he and Egor Demin would work well together.

7. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr. (G – Arkansas)

Again, falling to pick seven as a squad that went 22-60 and coming away with Darius Acuff Jr. is pretty difficult to be that upset about. The Arkansas product is, however, the most polarizing player in the class.

Acuff’s small frame and frequent defensive lapses give many pause when imagining how he’d fit in with modern NBA guards. On the other hand, Acuff is coming off of an all-time scoring season for a freshman, and the best part is that he did so efficiently.

If you’re the Kings, you’re probably as interested in reinvigorating your fanbase and regaining its faith as in anything else. Bringing in Acuff would be a good way to do both.

8. Atlanta Hawks: Mikel Brown Jr. (G – Louisville)

Trading Trae Young to Washington left Atlanta without a true point guard, and it’s hard to imagine the your-turn, my-turn motion offense with Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and CJ McCollum, who’s an impending free agent, is sustainable.

Enter Mikel Brown Jr., the sharpshooting guard out of Louisville who carried the Cardinals’ offense on his back as a freshman all season long. Atlanta could easily mask Brown’s rebounding and defensive deficiencies with its incumbent wing core.

9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries (G – Arizona)

The overwhelming sentiment from Dallas’ newly named president, Masai Ujiri, is that every move the team makes will be made with Cooper Flagg top of mind. A 34-year-old Kyrie Irving coming off a torn ACL is no reason not to add a guard of the future to pair with the Rookie of the Year.

Advanced metrics are a big fan of Arizona’s Brayden Burries, who competes defensively and finished his freshman year with shooting splits of 49.1/39.1/80.5. If Dallas envisions Flagg as its lead ball-handler down the road, selecting Burries to operate off the ball and take pressure off Flagg makes too much sense.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Labaron Philon Jr. (G – Alabama)

So long as the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors keep churning, predicting this pick is futile. Does Milwaukee select Aday Mara or Hannes Steinbach to eventually replace Myles Turner? Or add Yaxel Lendeborg to play with Antetokounmpo if he stays? For now, let’s give the Bucks a potential lead guard in Labaron Philon Jr.

The first non-freshman off the board, Philon proved to be an excellent three-level scorer during his second collegiate season. Few players in the class have his blend of rim penetration, rim finishing, and overall scoring acumen. A slight frame and defense are big areas of improvement for Philon.

11. Golden State Warriors: Aday Mara (C – Michigan)

Considering Kristaps Porzingis is headed for free agency and 40-year-old Al Horford is choosing between retirement and accepting his player option, the Warriors’ options at center are thin.

Should Aday Mara be available here, Golden State is ecstatic. The massive 7-foot-4 big man sets devastating screens, blocks shots incredibly well, and wows everyone with his passing. That sounds like the perfect center for Steph Curry.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Yaxel Lendeborg (F – Michigan)

The defending champions are in the middle of a heated Western Conference Finals and have yet another lottery pick. What a luxury.

Oklahoma City could conceivably consolidate draft assets and move up in this draft, but if they stay put, drafting the seasoned Yaxel Lendeborg would be a smart move. Thunder general manager Sam Presti loves himself a burly forward who can do a little bit of everything, and Lendeborg is just that.

13. Miami Heat: Cameron Carr (G, F – Baylor)

No one improved their draft stock more during the combine than Cameron Carr out of Baylor. The 6-foot-6 wing went for 30 points and six triples in a combine scrimmage and only added to the belief that he’ll quickly serve as an impactful 3-and-D player.

With rumblings that either Tyler Herro or Norman Powell could be out in Miami, Carr is a suitable replacement for either, thanks to his shooting exploits.

14. Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach (C – Washington)

For the first time in a while, the Hornets don’t have any glaring needs. The core group of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel was more successful than anyone could have imagined in year one. Building out the rest of the roster is now the goal in Charlotte.

The thinking behind giving Hannes Steinbach to the Hornets here is all about his rebounding. The German freshman led the NCAA in rebounding while averaging 18.5 points per game on 63.6% true shooting. A center who rebounds like Steinbach is a must, considering Charlotte’s propensity to run the break.

Round 1: Picks 15-30

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