Category: NBA

On the heels of a national championship and the best season in program history, Michigan is expected to make history once again on Tuesday night, with the chance to have three players selected in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.

The players we’re talking about are Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara. With just over 24 hours to go until the draft commences, let’s see where some of the web’s latest mock drafts have the former Wolverine stars heading.

ESPN – Jeremy Woo

Aday Mara – 11th overall (Golden State Warriors)

Morez Johnson Jr. – 12th overall (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Yaxel Lendeborg – 15th overall (Chicago Bulls)

Jeremy Woo of ESPN starts things off on Monday morning with Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. going back-to-back near the end of the lottery. Mara can slot in right away as the Warriors’ starting center, while Johnson joins the big-man rotation and likely will have championship aspirations in year one with the Thunder. Yaxel Lendeborg, meanwhile, can also compete for a starting spot with the Bulls and would likely be something of a culture-setter for one of the younger teams in the association.

Yahoo Sports – Kevin O’Connor

Aday Mara – 11th overall (Golden State Warriors)

Yaxel Lenebrog – 12th overall (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Morez Johnson Jr. – 14th overall (Charlotte Hornets)

One of the most prominent voices in the NBA Draft space, Kevin O’Connor, sends Aday Mara to the Warriors as well. He also sends a Wolverine to Oklahoma City with Yaxel Lendeborg, whose age and development likely fit the Thunder’s timeline pretty well. Morez Johnson Jr. heads to Charlotte, where he can compete for minutes in an inexperienced rotation of big men.

USA Today – Brian Kalbrosky

Aday Mara – 12th overall (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Morez Johnson Jr. – 14th overall (Charlotte Hornets)

Yaxel Lendeborg – 16th overall (Memphis Grizzlies)

Michigan just misses out on having three lottery picks in Kalbrosky’s draft from Saturday afternoon. The Thunder could use another big man after Chet Holmgren’s playoff struggles and a salary crunch that leaves Isaiah Hartenstein’s future in doubt. Similarly, Johnson would fit like a glove in a light and inexperienced big man rotation with the Hornets. With Lendeborg going to Memphis, he’d likely be one of the Grizzlies’ best players immediately, with Ja Morant a trade candidate this offseason.

CBS Sports – Cameron Salerno

Aday Mara – 9th overall (Oklahoma City Thunder via projected trade with Dallas)

Yaxel Lendeborg – 11th overall (Golden State Warriors)

Morez Johnson Jr. – 14th overall (Charlotte Hornets)

Cameron Salerno of CBS projects the Wolverines will get three players selected in the lottery. Mara and Johnson end up in Oklahoma City and Charlotte once again, respectively. Lendeborg, however, ends up with the veteran-laden Golden State Warriors. With a need for the Warriors to get younger, it’s unclear how Lendeborg fits their timeline, but he’d still play a role in the rotation early on behind the likes of Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.

SB Nation – Ricky O’Donnell

Yaxel Lendeborg – 11th overall (Golden State Warriors)

Morez Johnson Jr. – 12th overall (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Aday Mara – 15th overall (Chicago Bulls)

In Sunday’s mock draft from SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell, the Warriors select the first Wolverine of the night with Yaxel Lendeborg. The Thunder once again go after a Michigan big man, but this time it’s Morez Johnson Jr. as more of a power forward than a traditional center like Mara. As for Mara, this is the lowest we see him in the latest round of mock drafts, falling just outside the lottery at 15 to a Bulls team that has plenty of guard depth, but almost nothing in the front court.

For just the fifth time in franchise history, the Washington Wizards have the first pick in the NBA Draft. In what may turn out to be a rare stroke of good fortune, they’re at the top of a loaded draft class.

The consensus on the 2026 draft is that Brigham Young forward AJ Dybantsa will be the top pick. That’s the story from the Rookie Scale Consensus Big Board, and — despite recent reporting that Washington’s decision-makers are leaning towards Kansas guard Darryn Peterson — the FanDuel betting odds are essentially unchanged.

If Peterson is the choice, where would he rank among the franchise’s top draft prospects? The team’s draft history goes back to 1961, when they came into existence as the Chicago Packers. They became the Zephyrs the following season (a definite name upgrade).

They got a new city and a new name for their third season when they became the Baltimore Bullets. After 10 years in Baltimore, they moved to DC, played one year as the Capital City Bullets, then 23 seasons as the Washington Bullets. “Wizards” has been their most enduring moniker — 29 seasons and counting.

While the team’s draft haul has been…spotty…they’ve also drafted some truly accomplished players. Using only their pre-draft accomplishments and accolades, here’s my top 10 prospects in franchise history. At the end, I’ll figure out where Peterson would fall, if he turns out to be Washington’s pick this year.

1. 1961 — Walt Bellamy, C | Indiana| Round-Pick: 1-1 — Terrific prospect. Two-time All-American at Indiana University and starting center on the 1960 gold medal U.S. Olympic basketball team. That team included Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry Lucas — all of whom Bellamy joined in the Hall of Fame. It also included future Chicago/Baltimore teammate Terry Dischinger. He lasted a little over four seasons with the franchise before getting dealt to the New York Knicks for three players and cash.
2. 2010 — John Wall, G | Kentucky| 1-1 — Big, fast, strong, great leaper. Wall was an elite high school player (No. 2 recruiting rank behind Derrick Favors, who must have been something in high school), He led a dominating Kentucky squad and collected an array of NCAA accolades, including first-team All-American, SEC Player of the Yea, Freshman of the Year, and SEC Tournament MVP). He was a very good NBA player — five-time All-Star, second team All-Defense, third-team All-NBA, and he even won a dunk contest.
3. 1962 — Bill McGill, C | Utah| 1-1 — Credited with inventing the jump hook, McGill was kinda the Dybantsa of his time. Allegedly, he taught the shot to Bob Petit, who turned it into a go-to scoring move that took him to the Hall of Fame. McGill led the NCAA in scoring in 1961-62 (38.8 points and 15.o rebounds per game), carried Utah to the Final Four, and was a three-time All-American. He got one full season with the Zephyrs, and part of a season with the Bullets. He ended playing three seasons in the NBA, three more seasons in the minor league North American Basketball Association, and two seasons in the ABA.
4. 1968 — Wes Unseld, C | Louisville | 1-2 — Taken after Elvin Hayes (they’d team up to win a title for Washington in 1978), Unseld became the greatest player in franchise history. He joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only player to win Rookie of the Year and league MVP in the same season. He was a great college player — All-American and two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.
5. 1994 — Juwan Howard, F | Michigan | 1-5 — A key member of the Fab Five squad at Michigan, Howard was first team All-American, a strong candidate for NCAA Player of the Year, and was a key contributor to a team that made consecutive runs to the NCAA championship game. The Bullets/Wizards helped undermine his career (in my view) by attempting to make him into a SF when his entire game was 12-feet and in. He was never particularly great in the NBA (he was an All-Star once and would not have gotten that honor in an era with semi-decent analytics), but he did last 19 seasons.
6. 1962 — Terry Dischinger, G/F | Purdue | 2-10 — NCAA scoring champion, three-time All-American, member of the gold medal 1960 Olympic team. Dischinger played two good seasons for the Zephyrs and Bullets, got traded to the Detroit Pistsons, served two years in the military (he was in ROTC in college), and then played another six seasons with the Pistons and the Portland Trail Blazers.
7. 1967 — Earl Monroe, G | Winston-Salem State | 1-2 — Monroe was a small college superstar. He led the “College Division” in scoring (41.5 per game) and might be the greatest player to ever emerge from an HBCU. He got four seasons in Baltimore before they traded him to the Knicks.
8. 1963 — Rod Thorn, G | West Virginia | 1-2 — Two-time All-American, NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1960, led WVU to the Final Four. He lasted one season in Baltimore before they sent him to the Pistons with Dischinger. He played eight seasons in the NBA and made a name for himself as a coach and executive.
9. 2013 — Otto Porter Jr., F | Georgetown | 1-3 — Porter was a very good college player — second-team All-American, Big East Player of the Year, finalist for the National Player of the Year Award. After a quasi-redshirt rookie season (hip injury), he became a deadly shooter and excellent team defender. He got five-plus seasons in Washington before the Wizards traded him to the Chicago Bulls. Porter was a starter on the Golden State Warriors’ 2022 championship team, and played 11 seasons in the NBA.
10. 2012 — Bradley Beal, G | Florida | 1-3 — SEC Freshman of the Year, First-Team All-SEC, and allegedly the second-coming of Ray Allen. Beal worked hard to improve his ball handling, passing and strength, and he became a three-time All-Star and third-team All-NBA selection. He’s played 14 seasons so far, with at least one more still to come.

A few honorable mentions:

• Rasheed Wallace, 1-4 — second team All-American, first-team All-ACC, ACC Tournament MVP
• Kwame Brown, 1-1 — McDonald’s and Parade All-American
• Greg Ballard, 1-4 — First-team All-Big Ten, honorable mention All-American, leader of Indiana’s undefeated national championship team (1975-76)
• Jeff Malone, 1-10 — First team All-American, SEC Player of the year

Peterson — if he is indeed the pick — would have to crack the top 10 on this list despite playing just one season of college basketball. On his pre-draft resume:

• Naismith High School Player of the Year
• McDonald’s All-American Co-MVP
• honorable mention All-American
• All-Big 12 Second Team

Where would that fit in Washington franchise history? To me, it’s clearly behind the top three. I think he slots in at four — behind Unseld and ahead of Howard. I’d accept arguments for slotting him as low was eighth. That’d be after Monroe and Dischinger but ahead of Thorn, Porter and Beal. I don’t really see a way to put him any lower.

No matter how I look at it, if Peterson is the pick, he’ll join the team as one of the top prospects in franchise history.

Milwaukee Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to be traded to the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics before the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday morning on “Get Up.”

Jaylen Brown would be part of the Celtics deal, according to Charania. The Heat, meanwhile, are ready to part with Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and the No. 13 overall pick in the draft, NBA insider Marc Stein reports.

Antetokounmpo, 31, has been rumored to be on the trade block since the end of the season, with the front office reportedly making the decision to trade the star.

For a while, it seemed that the Heat had the inside track for Antetokounmpo, but the Celtics have ramped up the pursuit in the last week. 

The Greek Freak would approve a trade to either team and doesn’t have a preference, according to Charania, who adds a third team will not be involved in either trade scenario.

Antetokounmpo has spent his entire career with the Bucks after being drafted in the 2013 NBA draft. He helped the Bucks win the NBA championship in 2021.

A 10-time All-Star and two-time MVP, Antetokounmpo has career averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5 assists while shooting 55.4 percent from the field. He was limited to 36 games this past season in which he averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting 62.4 percent.

The Milwaukee Bucks failed to make the postseason in 2025 after reaching the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons. The team will now hope to build around guards Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. 

It’s time for the Milwaukee Bucks to make a decision in the long-rumored Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes. The 2026 NBA Draft is Tuesday night, and if the Bucks want to acquire more picks in this draft, now is the time to trade their franchise player. Bucks ownership has already indicated that Antetokounmpo will be traded this summer if he doesn’t sign a contract extension as he enters the final year of his deal. There’s reportedly only two teams left in the bidding.

ESPN’s Shams Charania said the Bucks will “reach a resolution” on the Giannis trade saga before the draft. Charania said Giannis is ready to be traded, and it currenly looks like it will be a two-team deal rather than a multi-team construction.

There’s strong mutual interest between the Miami Heat and Antetokounmpo. The Heat’s offer has been similar since the Feb. trade deadline, with a package built around Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and multiple first-round picks, including the No. 13 overall selection in the 2026 draft. The Bucks are reportedly lukewarm on taking back Herro, a Milwaukee native, and could re-route him to a third team, with the Detroit Pistons being connected to the scoring guard over the weekend.

The Boston Celtics are the other team in the mix for Antetokounmpo, and they are now reportedly willing to include Jaylen Brown in their trade offer. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that “Brown is on the table, and he could get traded for Giannis in the short-term future.” Watch the full clip here:

"Jaylen Brown is on the table, and Jaylen Brown could get traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo in the short-term future."@WindhorstESPN with the latest on the Bucks possibly trading Giannis Antetokounmpo 🏀 pic.twitter.com/BhGHPdlSDF

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 22, 2026

It remains unclear what else Boston would include in the deal. The Celtics have three tradable first-round picks, starting with the No. 27 pick this year, as well as first rounders in 2031 and 2033. Can Milwaukee get Payton Pritchard in the deal, too?

Giannis’ injury history, age, and contract are all factors in the deal. Antetokounmpo turns 32 years old in December. He’s only played in three playoff games since 2022 because of untimely injuries. He’s likely about to negotiate a max contract extension.

My read on this is that if the Bucks liked the Heat’s offer, they would have taken it already. Does this mean Giannis will be wearing Celtics green next season? Stay tuned. Read our latest 2026 NBA mock draft here for more on this incoming class of rookies.

Imagine a world where we all had collective amnesia, specifically about the NBA Draft.

Weird world, right? How did that happen? It doesn’t matter. Life is the same as before, only nobody knows where any NBA player got drafted. Please note that this is not a pitch for a Sci-Fi movie.

Consider Jabari Smith Jr. That guy is pretty good, right? He’s not a superstar, but at roughly $24 million per season, anyone would be happy to roster a 6’11” wing who can shoot the three, protect the rim from the weakside, and survive in space defensively. Smith Jr. is pretty good:

He’s just not third-overall pick good.

By now, that’s a moot point – he’s not third-overall pick paid, either. Still, fans want more. Smith Jr. himself seems to want more.

Can he give more?

Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. has something to build on

Let it be said that Smith Jr. responded to his contract extension by having the best season of his career.

In 2025-26, he averaged 15.8 points per game while shooting 36.3% from deep, both career highs (although the latter is a tie). As with virtually every NBA player ever, much of Smith Jr.’s value is tethered to his three-point shooting. Smith Jr. shot exactly 36.3% from deep in his sophomore year as well, but last year he shot a career-high volume (6.3 per game vs 5.0).

Otherwise, little changed about Smith Jr.’s shot profile. In 2025-26, 50.1% of his field goals came from beyond the arc, compared to 48.9% last year. His percentage of attempts in every area was comparable to the previous year. Smith Jr. simply increased his overall field goal attempts.

Some fans would like to see Ime Udoka run more sets that find Smith Jr. in the midrange. He did hit a solid 52.4% of his attempts between three and ten feet this year, although the 42.4% he hit between ten and 16 left something to be desired. Still, Smith Jr. is reliable in that ten-foot area.

It’s somewhat a case of eating your vegetables before you can have your dessert. There’s a world where Smith Jr. middies become a larger staple of (to extend the metaphor) the Rockets’ offensive diet, but it’s more pressing that he continues to build on his three-point shooting.

He’s a…let’s say less than prolific ball-handler. Smith Jr. can get to his spots by virtue of his height, and he’s increased his physicality when looking to create his own shot. Still, life would be easier if defenses were more concerned with his three-pointer.

There’s also the omnipresent reality of the Rockets’ spacing. Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson need the paint. Kevin Durant loves the midrange and is much more effective there. The team’s (presumed) 2026-27 roster won’t be set up to explore Smith Jr.’s midrange mastery.

Perhaps it’s something to explore down the road. For now, the key to success for Smith Jr. in 2026-27 remains behind the three-point line. If he can increase his efficiency on comparable volume, or increase his volume with limited efficiency regression, he’ll earn his keep again.

One more note: I’d like to see Udoka explore lineups with Smith Jr. at the 5 more frequently. I’ve long abandoned my pipe dream of him as a full-time five. Still, he spent 32% of his time there as a sophomore (the same year that he matched that 36.3% from deep, which may be a statistical blip, but big men have a harder time closing out…) and a career-low 10% last season.

Smith Jr. is one of the very best 6’10” and up shooters in the NBA. There’s Karl-Anthony Towns, his own teammate Kevin Durant, and…that’s where I start drawing blanks. Naz Reid is comparable. Kristaps Porzingis is a candidate. Still, Smith Jr. is right there. That combination of height and shooting accuracy gives him value:

Even if it’s a bit less than you wanted from a third overall pick.

The wait is almost over for former Arizona star freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat. After leading the Wildcats to their first Final Four in 25 years, the duo are less than 48 hours away from achieving their dreams of joining the NBA.

The 2026 NBA Draft takes place in New York City this week, with the first round being held on Tuesday and the second round on Wednesday. Burries and Peat are both locks to hear their names called. Three more Wildcats from this year’s team could be taken in the second round: Jaden Bradley, Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell’Orso.

Burries, a projected lottery pick, could be one of the first dozen players taken on Tuesday, while Peat is slated to go as a mid-to-late first rounder. Here’s where the final NBA mock drafts have Burries and Peat going. Some mocks also include Bradley and Awaka.

Summaries of mock selections are italicized where provided.

ESPN

Burries: No. 9 to the Mavericks

Burries has drawn a good amount of interest inside the top 10 but has not scheduled many workouts, appearing comfortable with his potential landing spots, including the Clippers, Hawks, Mavericks and Warriors. His predraft process has largely been under the radar. Any of those teams would give him an opportunity to contribute in a role in a competitive context right away.

The Mavericks are another team that appears open to moving back in the draft and have cast a wide net with first-round workouts, with Masai Ujiri taking over in May, and Dallas keeping its options open as it builds around Cooper Flagg.

Peat: No. 26 to the Nuggets

After opting to stay in the draft rather than return to Arizona, Peat seems to be trending toward the 20s, with teams continuing to express concern about his jump shot. His physicality and defensive versatility might appeal to a team like Denver, which has been able to creatively fit different skill sets around Nikola Jokic and needs to get more athletic along the frontline.

The Nuggets should be taking a best-available approach as they work to improve their depth. They are working with cap constraints as Peyton Watson hits restricted free agency, a situation that could lead to Denver moving a veteran player to enable added flexibility.

Bradley: No. 47 to the Suns

Awaka: No. 50 to the Raptors

The Athletic

Burries: No. 9 to the Mavericks

There’s not much new information out of Dallas since my previous mock draft. The Mavericks continue to conjure a lot of speculation among sources. They’ve explored trading this selection and are considering several different players and positions, from lead guards like Flemings, Wagler, Brown, Acuff and Christian Anderson to Ament to Yaxel Lendeborg.

Burries is the name I hear the most with Dallas, though, with sources around the lottery trying to determine why he’s not working out in as many places as you’d expect. There’s a lot of enthusiasm for Burries among teams who want to try to win next season, as he’s seen as a tough guard who can dribble, pass and shoot who will also defend at a high level with physicality.

Peat: No. 22 to the 76ers

Sources around the league are still trying to figure out what new head of basketball operations Mike Gansey’s type will be. So this pick might just be me wish-casting, but I can’t imagine a better fit for both Peat and an organization. With Joel Embiid playing more consistently on the perimeter, Peat could use his athleticism and strength to crash along the baseline and make smart plays while also providing tough defensive energy. The 76ers desperately need a four with some power to his game, and Peat brings that in a big way.

I have Peat higher than this on my personal board, but sources across the league are unsure where he slots into the class. His range seems to be quite wide, starting somewhere post-lottery and stretching into the back half of the first round.

Bradley: No. 51 to the Wizards

Yahoo Sports

Burries: No. 8 to the Hawks

Burries has not scheduled many workouts, and it appears his range starts with the Clippers with the fifth pick, as I reported a few weeks ago, and ends with the Warriors at the 11th pick. Burries drops smack in the middle of that range in this mock with Atlanta. Burries arrived at Arizona as a top-10 recruit, started slow, and then erupted once conference play began, helping lead his team to the Final Four. He’s a physical, versatile scorer who can beat you from all three levels, rebounds like a forward, and competes hard on defense. But he’s a methodical creator rather than an explosive one, and his shooting history before Arizona gives scouts reason to wonder whether the efficiency is real or a blip.

Peat: No. 24 to the Knicks

Congratulations to Knicks fans for winning the championship! Mitchell Robinson grabbed a clutch offensive rebound in the closing moments of the game, but he’s a free agent this offseason so the Knicks may need to replace him. Peat’s bloodline is so loaded with offensive linemen that it’s almost funny he ended up playing basketball. His father played nine NFL seasons. His uncle was a Pro Bowl tackle. Two brothers played college ball on the line. And you can absolutely see it in how he plays: powerful, physical, relentless, and it genuinely takes something special to stop him from getting to where he wants to go. He opened the season with a 30-point game against defending champion Florida and backed it up as one of Arizona’s best players all year on its way to the Final Four. Since Peat can’t shoot yet, it’ll be important that he’s paired with a floor-spacing center like Karl-Anthony Towns. Or he could serve as a small-ball center in switchable lineups. So even though Peat entered the year with top-10 hopes, it might be a blessing in disguise for him to fall to the end of the first round.

Bradley: No. 45 to the Kings

Bradley is a combo guard with a strong frame, a calm demeanor, and a knack for clutch moments. After arriving in college as a McDonald’s All-American, he lost his starting spot as a freshman at Alabama then transferred to Arizona, where he got better every year and became the team’s trusted leader. As a senior, he won Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Tournament MVP, and led the Wildcats to their first Final Four since 2001. There are questions about whether he can be a lead guard at the next level, but his connective passing, improved shooting, and gritty defense all give him the potential to play big minutes.

Awaka: No. 51 to the Wizards

Awaka was college basketball’s best rebounder and helped energize Arizona’s bully-ball style over the past two years. At 6-8 with a brickhouse frame and an unrelenting style of play, he set a tone off the bench and earned Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year. The problem is everything else. He doesn’t shoot. He doesn’t pass. And he doesn’t have a clearly defined position on defense. The team that drafts him is betting it can find enough of a defensive role to keep that elite rebounding and relentless motor on the floor.

SB Nation

Burries: No. 9 to the Mavericks

There are reports that Burries is trying to land in Dallas to play next to Cooper Flagg. I like the vision even if I’m a bit skeptical Burries has the shot-creation upside to eventually be a star. The Arizona guard is a well-rounded player who defends and rebounds better than your average two-guard, and he’s a really good three-point shooter. Flagg would have to stay in more of a shot-creator role if Burries is the pick, but maybe that’s what Dallas wants. I personally wouldn’t have him as the best player available in this scenario, but Burries’ lack of a glaring weakness makes him a malleable guard who should be able to hang in the playoffs. It’s easy to understand the appeal of that with the No. 9 pick.

Peat: No. 26 to the Nuggets

Peat had the toughest decision of the withdrawal deadline to make, but I actually think he made the right choice by staying in the draft. His money surely would have been bigger at Arizona for a hypothetical sophomore season, but he risked falling off the NBA radar completely if he didn’t improve in important areas. There should still be room for him at the end of the first round with much of the depth in this class getting drained by NIL dollars. His intersection of weight, passing, and offensive rebounding will be interesting even if his shot is completely busted right now.

CBS Sports

Burries: No. 9 to the Mavericks

There’s a growing belief that this could be a scenario that both Burries and Dallas would be excited about, and even some speculation that’s why Burries is not working out for more teams. He is a strong and aggressive two-way guard who can get downhill with force, provide a formidable three-point shooter, and defend his position, all with an NBA ready frame, all of which would make him a nice complement to Cooper Flagg for the foreseeable future.

Peat: No. 22 to the 76ers

Peat is higher than this on the CBS Big Board, but his glaring lack of shooting is going to require a specific fit. The Sixers lack a long-term solution at the four, can get their floor-spacing from Embiid’s face-up skill set, and could benefit from Peat’s strength, physicality, intangibles, winning pedigree, and ability to get downhill.

Bradley: No. 48 to the Mavericks

The Big 12 Player of the Year is a downhill force, quality defender, and improved shooter. This could also reunite him with his former Arizona backcourt mate Brayden Burries.

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s offseason is already off and running.

After being eliminated by the Spurs in seven games in the Western Conference finals, Thunder general manager Sam Presti wasted no time getting his team in order and began retooling the roster when he traded bench player Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks for two second-round picks on Sunday, per multiple reports.

The second-round picks will be executed in 2030 with the Hawks’ pick, and the least favorable of the two will be executed in 2032.

Wiggins is currently playing on a very team-friendly contract where he will be paid $9.2 million this season, $8.3 million in 2027-2028, and has an $8.3 million team option for the following year.

The compensation, while small for a young guard under that team-friendly deal, saves the Thunder $61 million as their luxury tax penalty drops from $213 million to $152 million.

It is certainly possible that the Thunder are accumulating assets to make a bigger splash in Tuesday’s NBA Draft.

Wiggins was mostly buried on the Thunder bench, playing in just 5.8 minutes per game during the Thunder’s playoff run this year, the lowest of his career after being a steady contributor in years prior.

He averaged 21.8 minutes per game during the regular season, averaging 9.4 points, and was a defensive menace on the ball, forcing nearly a steal per game.

Wiggins’ .9 steals per game and .4 bolocks per game were both career highs during the regular season.

The Thunder surely had no problem arming a team in the Eastern Conference with some more firepower to compete with the Knicks after their NBA Finals run.

The Hawks were the only team to beat the Knicks more than once during the postseason and appeared to give Mike Brown’s group the biggest challenge since the playoffs began.

Atlanta also re-signed scoring guard CJ McCollum to a one-year $21 million contract for the upcoming season, which includes a trade kicker if he’s moved.

The Hawks went 46-36 last season in an impressive rebuild after they moved off of Trae Young last offseason.

The NBA draft is one day away. And so is the Milwaukee Bucks' self-imposed deadline for trading star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said last month that he wanted to have the situation with the two-time league MVP settled before the June 23 draft. "Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we've got to have a lot of assets. That's Jon's (GM Jon Horst) job to do. And if he's here, then you build the team differently," Haslam told reporters May 6.

The Bucks grasp the magnitude of moving the greatest player in franchise history, one who ranks first in points (21,531), rebounds (8,882), assists (4,484), blocks (1,088), triple-doubles (56) and games played (895). So the price to land him isn't going to be cheap.

With the clock ticking, a deal would have to come together pretty quickly.

Bucks debating Celtics vs Heat

ESPN insider Shams Charania was on "The Pat McAfee Show" to weigh in deeper on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors.

"Bucks executives are literally right now in their offices figuring out which direction they're going to go," Charania said. "Because there are two offers right now that it's come down to at a serious and significant level.

"That's the Celtics offer, led by Jaylen Brown, who is a superstar, there's other additional pieces of that deal. Or an offer from the Miami Heat that consists of several players – players that you have control over on rookie-scale contracts, guys you can extend at a reasonable number and a surplus of draft capital."

"The Bucks are trying to navigate internally, which direction do we go?"@ShamsCharania expects Milwaukee to trade Giannis "as soon as today." 👀

(via @PatMcAfeeShow) pic.twitter.com/3FF6eCHEkU

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 22, 2026

Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spots

USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes lists his top five destinations for Giannis if a trade comes together, led by the Miami Heat.

Miami’s offer is pretty clear-cut: Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware and other younger players combined with draft assets that include the No. 13 overall selection in this year’s draft. The Heat have been the most active and consistent team in Antetokounmpo talks, going back to the February trading deadline, if not years earlier.

Reyes' top five landing spots, based on fit:

1. Miami Heat
2. Orlando Magic
3. Boston Celtics
4. Portland Trail Blazers
5. Cleveland Cavaliers

Giannis landing spots odds

DraftKings updated its most-likely teams for which Giannis Antetokounmpo will be playing his first regular-season minute.

Well, well, well 🧐

The Celtics are once again the favorites to be Giannis Antetokounmpo's next team 👀 pic.twitter.com/AlOV89evEW

— DraftKings Sports (@DKSports) June 22, 2026

Report: Bucks brass split on Giannis trade offers

Celtics or Heat? Heat or Celtics? According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, "a split faction of Milwaukee’s decision makers, sources say, is deciding between Boston’s package for Giannis Antetokounmpo built around Jaylen Brown" or "Miami’s offer of younger pieces — featuring Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez — and multiple first-round picks." The established MVP candidate versus greater overall value is what this whole saga has boiled down to one day before the NBA Draft."

Shams: Giannis will be traded before NBA draft

ESPN insider Shams Charania said on "Get Up" on Monday morning that Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to be traded before Tuesday's NBA draft.

"Sources tell me a trade and a resolution is coming for the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo before the NBA draft on Tuesday night," Charania said. "The Bucks are in serious conversations with two finalists: the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics. Both teams are Giannis' preferred trade destinations, but both of these packages are different deals. The variance of these deals is dramatic."

According to @shamscharania, a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade will be coming before the NBA draft tomorrow 🏀 pic.twitter.com/zj7ik38yLD

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 22, 2026

Celtics could trade Jaylen Brown in deal without Giannis

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports that even if the Celtics don't trade Jaylen Brown in a deal to get Giannis Antetokounmpo, they still might move him.

"I think the Celtics have taken a hard look in the mirror and they have decided, 'We weren't going to beat the Knicks,'" Windhorst said on "Get Up" on Monday morning.

Windhorst continued: "I am now speculating that if Jaylen Brown doesn’t get traded for Giannis, they may trade him somewhere else. So that is one of the things that has emerged. Now, Miami understands that Jaylen Brown is in there.; they can’t match that. Miami in recent days has gone out to try and recruit third and fourth teams to improve their offer."

The Heat know that Jaylen Brown is on the table, and are searching for 3rd and 4th teams to get involved to improve their offer for Giannis, per @WindhorstESPN

“If Jaylen Brown doesn’t get traded for Giannis, they may trade him somewhere else. Miami understands that Jaylen Brown… https://t.co/fNM8RP8rMHpic.twitter.com/yb9kOqH8Fi

— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) June 22, 2026

Celtics could offer Jaylen Brown in trade

NBA insider Marc Stein reported overnight that the Boston Celtics could offer the Bucks a package headlined by five-time All-Star forward Jaylen Brown.

UPDATE: One league source, after my story published, told @TheSteinLine that the Celtics emerged from the weekend “with a real shot” to win this race with a Jaylen Brown-centric offer … adding that Milwaukee has considered going ahead even without a third-team facilitator. https://t.co/aaeQ1agUKX

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 22, 2026

Warriors out of Giannis trade picture

The Golden State Warriors reportedly made a strong bid for Antetokounmpo at last season's trade deadline, offering a package centered around forward Jonathan Kuminga and guard Jimmy Butler.

However, sources reportedly told The Stein Line's Jake Fischer earlier this month that the Warriors have not factored into any recent trade talks for Antetokounmpo.

Could Timberwolves be a stealth candidate?

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne agreed with the overall leaguewide consensus that the Heat and Celtics are among the most likely destinations for Antetokounmpo. However, she floated another dark horse team into the mix: the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Shelburne highlighted a potential pairing with guard Anthony Edwards, "who's been successful in the playoffs, but has not gotten over that hump. You're on the clock with a superstar of that caliber in his 20s."

The Heat, Celtics, and Timberwolves are in a 3 team race for Giannis, per @ramonashelburne

"Right now it's really 3 teams you hear most about. The Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat.... For Boston, it would be the best player they could give Jayson Tatum to play… pic.twitter.com/PbxOYZd9rg

— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) June 21, 2026

She didn't suggest any players the Bucks might receive in a trade, but added Edwards and Antetokounmpo is "a pairing they have long looked at."

Giannis Antetokounmpo contract

Antetokounmpo, a 10-time All-Star, signed a three-year, $175.37 million veteran contract extension with Milwaukee on Oct. 23, 2023.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Giannis Antetokounmpo be traded? Hottest rumors before NBA draft

The names are about to be read. The 2026 NBA Draft is tomorrow, and new names will join the annals of NBA history. But today, we arrive at the final chapter of this six-part series, identifying the best player ever drafted at each draft position in NBA history. And without question, the top 10 was the toughest section of this entire project.

I’ll admit something. I probably spent way too much time thinking about these selections. I’d write a few paragraphs supporting one player, feel pretty good about my choice, take my dog for a walk, and come back with an entirely different opinion. That’s what happens when you get to this part of the draft. You’re no longer comparing good players to great players. You’re comparing franchise icons to Hall of Famers. MVPs to champions. Players who defined generations against players who changed the sport itself.

It becomes less about identifying the correct answer and more about deciding which argument you find most compelling. Because that’s the thing about exercises like this. There isn’t a correct answer.

The word “best” is inherently subjective. It’s an arbitrary debate built on personal values, statistical accomplishments, championships, longevity, peak performance, cultural impact, and whatever other criteria you choose to prioritize. Every fan weighs those categories differently, which is why two intelligent basketball fans can look at the same list of accomplishments and arrive at completely different conclusions.

As we’ve moved closer and closer to the top of the draft, the decisions have become increasingly difficult. The honorable mention sections have gotten longer. The debates have become more nuanced. And the margins separating players have become razor-thin.

That’s especially true in the top 10. These aren’t simply great players. These are players who carried franchises. Players who won MVPs. Players who lifted trophies. Players whose names are permanently woven into the history of the NBA.

So let’s take one final trip through draft history and see where this journey ends. And if I change my mind three more times along the way, well, that wouldn’t exactly be surprising.

10. Paul Pierce (1998)

Honorable Mentions:

• Paul George (2010)
• Joe Johnson (2001)
• Paul Westphal (1972)
• Paul Silas (1964)

Suns Taken at 10:

• Greg Howard (1970)
• Ron Lee (1976)
• Ed Pickney (1985)
• Mikal Bridges (2018)*
• Jalen Smith (2020)
• Khaman Maluach (2025)**

*draft rights acquired on draft night
** draft rights re-acquired in the Kevin Durant trade

We kick off our final draft position in our final article of the series with Paul Pierce, whom the Boston Celtics drafted 10th overall in 1998 out of Kansas.

There are some good names on the honorable mention list, and three of them are former Phoenix Suns. Joe Johnson, Paul Westphal, and Paul Silas were all drafted 10th overall. But none of them reached the peak that Paul Pierce, a.k.a. The Truth, did during his 19 years in the NBA. That’s right. Nineteen years.

It all began in Boston, where he helped change the fortunes of a franchise that had been largely wandering since the Larry Bird era. By his fourth season in the NBA, he had played all 82 games, earned an All-Star selection, and made Third Team All-NBA while averaging 26.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

It was the first of 10 All-Star selections and four All-NBA honors. Three of those were Third Team selections, with the exception being a Second Team nod in 2008-09.

Pierce put up productive numbers throughout the front half of his career, but it wasn’t until Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett arrived that he reached the pinnacle. In 2008, he led the Celtics to an NBA championship and was named NBA Finals MVP, averaging 21.8 points, 6.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in a six-game Finals victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

That was the peak. As his career progressed, his production gradually declined. At age 36, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. He later spent time with the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers before retiring in 2017.

When you look at the totality of his career, however, it was unbelievably impressive and productive. That’s why Paul Pierce gets the nod as the best player ever drafted 10th overall.

9. Dirk Nowitzki (1998)

Honorable Mentions:

• Tracy McGrady (1997)
• Amar’e Stoudmire (2002)
• Shawn Marion (1999)
• Jojo White (1969)
• Andre Iguodala (2004)

Suns Taken at 9:

• Shawn Marion (1999)
• Amar’e Stoudmire (2002)

I love Tracy McGrady. Amar’e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion will forever be among my favorite players I’ve ever watched play for the Phoenix Suns. But the honor of the best player ever drafted ninth overall goes to Dirk Nowitzki, and I doubt I’ll get much argument in the comments about it.

Dirk is another player who has longevity on his side, playing 21 years in the NBA, all of them with the Dallas Mavericks. Ironically, he was drafted in 1998, one spot ahead of Paul Pierce, by the Milwaukee Bucks. But Milwaukee opted to trade him, along with Pat Garrity, to the Dallas Mavericks for Robert Traylor. From there, a Hall of Fame career was born.

From a Suns fan’s perspective, we know Nowitzki well. His mid-range dagger was automatic. It was revolutionary. We had never really seen a 7-footer operate the way he did, stretching defenses and creating offense from all over the floor. He also helped legitimize international players in a way few others had before him. You can make a strong argument that Dirk’s success helped usher in the European wave that has become such a significant part of today’s NBA.

So how did he end up in the Hall of Fame in 2023? The résumé speaks for itself. Dirk was a 14-time All-Star, a 12-time All-NBA selection, the 2007 MVP, and an NBA champion in 2011.

And while I’ll always have some disdain for those Dallas teams, especially after what Jerry Stackhouse did to Joe Johnson’s orbital bone, I respected the hell out of Dirk. Particularly in 2011. That Miami Heat team was a superteam. They were talented, confident, and at times an incredibly cocky group. When they started mocking Dirk for being sick during the Finals, it rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.

Dirk responded the best way possible. He averaged 26.0 points and 9.7 rebounds in the six-game series, shooting 42%, 37%, and 98% from the field, three-point range, and free throw line, respectively. More importantly, he completely shut them up.

That championship cemented his legacy. It also earned my respect.

8. Willis Reed (1964)

Honorable Mentions:

• Robert Parrish (1976)
• Sam Jones (1957)
• Tom Chambers (1981)
• Ron Harper (1986)
• Vin Baker (1993)
• Jack Sikma (1977)

Suns Taken at 8:

• Gary Gregor (1968)
• Mike Bantom (1973)
• Marquese Chriss (2016)

The eighth overall draft position has produced some unbelievably valuable players over the years, along with plenty of key contributors to championship teams. And one bonehead in Marquese Chriss. While there are some worthy candidates here, I think the honor has to go to Willis Reed, whom the New York Knicks selected in the 1964 NBA Draft out of Grambling State.

Reed was the big man who helped lead the Knicks to two NBA championships, something the franchise wouldn’t accomplish again until this season. He made an immediate impact, winning Rookie of the Year in 1965 while also earning his first All-Star selection.

A few years later, he entered the peak of his career. Beginning in 1968, Reed put together a three-year stretch in which he finished no lower than second in MVP voting. In 1970, he finally won the award. That same season, he was First Team All-NBA and First Team All-Defense. More importantly, he was named NBA Finals MVP, an honor he would earn again in 1973.

The résumé is overwhelming. Reed was a seven-time All-Star, a two-time NBA champion, a five-time All-NBA selection, a two-time Finals MVP, a league MVP, a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, and a Hall of Famer. It’s hard for anyone drafted eighth overall to compete with that.

What’s remarkable is that he accomplished all of this in only 10 NBA seasons. Injuries ultimately took their toll on Reed, and nowhere was that more evident than during the 1970 NBA Finals. After suffering a torn quadriceps in Game 5, he missed Game 6 and appeared unlikely to play in the decisive Game 7 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Then came one of the most iconic moments in NBA history.

Reed emerged from the tunnel and took the floor.

He only scored four points, hitting the first two baskets of the game, but the emotional lift he provided swung the momentum firmly in New York’s favor. The Knicks went on to win the championship, and Reed was named Finals MVP. To this day, it’s remembered simply as “The Willis Reed Game.”

That’s the kind of legacy that makes this decision easy.

7. Stephen Curry (2009)

Honorable Mentions:

• John Havelicek (1962)
• Chris Mullin (1985)
• Bernard King (1977)
• Kevin Johnson (1987)
• Richard Hamilton (1999)

Suns Taken at 7:

• Tim Perry (1988)
• Luol Deng (2004)*

*draft rights traded to the Bulls on draft day

Seventh overall is a tough one because you have John Havlicek sitting there. Hondo was a 13-time All-Star, an eight-time NBA champion, and an 11-time All-NBA selection. Perhaps recency bias plays into this particular decision because I never had the pleasure of watching him play. I should also note that this is one of those draft slots with some controversy attached to it. Basketball Reference has Havlicek drafted ninth overall in the 1962 NBA Draft, while NBA dot com and Wikipedia have him seventh overall. So even with a little controversy involved, I’m giving this one to Stephen Curry. The greatest shooter of all time.

While Curry doesn’t have the same career accolades as Havlicek, what he has accomplished is incredibly impressive when you consider the era in which he’s played. When Havlicek entered the league, there were only nine teams in the NBA. Curry has spent his entire career competing in a 30-team league. And what a career it has been.

The Baby Faced Assassin revolutionized basketball. He changed the geometry of the court and completely altered how the game is played. He owns the NBA record for most three pointers made in a career and most three pointers made per game for a career. He also holds the record for most three-point attempts in NBA history with 10,073. The efficiency is what makes it ridiculous. Curry is a career 42.2% three point shooter while taking a volume of shots no player before him would have even considered attempting.

Along the way, he’s won four championships, earned 12 All-Star selections, captured two scoring titles, led the league in steals in 2016, and won two MVP awards. And his career isn’t over. At 37 years old, he’s still one of the most dangerous offensive players in basketball. He may not be quite the same player he was during his unanimous MVP season, but he’s still capable of changing a game the moment he crosses half-court.

That’s what separates him. The numbers are incredible. The championships matter. The MVPs matter. But his impact on the sport is what ultimately puts him over the top. Stephen Curry didn’t simply dominate an era. He changed it.

6. Larry Bird (1978)

Honorable Mentions:

• Lenny Wilkens (1960)
• Damian Lillard (2012)
• Adrian Dantley (1976)
• Shane Battier (2001)
• Brandon Roy (2006)

Suns Taken at 6:

• William Bedford (1986)
• Jarrett Culver (2019)*

*traded on draft day for Dario Saric and rights to Cameron Johnson

Again, you have some great names taken sixth overall in NBA history, but the fact that Larry Bird went sixth is a travesty. Or, if you’re a Boston Celtics fan, it’s a miracle.

Bird was selected sixth overall in the 1978 NBA Draft because he was an underclassman who chose to return to Indiana State for his senior season. Due to the draft rules at the time, many teams were unwilling to spend a premium pick on a player they couldn’t sign for a full year. The Celtics took the gamble and retained his exclusive rights.

Because of that, Boston essentially burned a top pick on a player who wouldn’t suit up for them for an entire season. That season, they went 29-53. When the 1979-80 season arrived, Larry Bird arrived with it.

From there, he put together one of the greatest 13-year careers you’ll ever find. He won Rookie of the Year in 1980, and one season later, helped lead Boston to its first championship of the decade. Bird wasn’t the Finals MVP in 1981 — that honor went to Cedric Maxwell — but it was the first title the Celtics had won since beating the Suns in the 1976 NBA Finals.

Larry Bird was a player who defied every stereotype. He was a goofy-looking kid from French Lick, Indiana, who possessed a devastating jumper, an innate ability to score, and a basketball IQ that became the tip of the spear for multiple Celtics championship teams. More than anything, he simply cared more than everybody else. When people talk about the competitive fire of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird belongs in that conversation, too.

After everything was said and done, he finished with three NBA championships and three consecutive MVP awards, winning them in 1984, 1985, and 1986. He was a 10-time All-NBA selection, a 12-time All-Star, a three-time All-Defensive Team member, and a two-time Finals MVP.

Larry Legend. The Hick from French Lick. The Great White Hope. Whatever nickname you prefer, Bird was one of the defining players in NBA history. Alongside Magic Johnson, he helped push the NBA into the mainstream consciousness and laid the foundation for what the league would eventually become.

5. Charles Barkley (1984)

Honorable Mentions:

• Kevin Garnett (1995)
• Dwayne Wade (2003)
• Scottie Pippen (1987)
• Ray Allen (1996)
• Walt Frazier (1967)
• Sidney Moncrief (1979)
• Vince Carter (1998)

Suns Taken at 5:

• Walter Davis (1977)
• Alex Len (2013)

If you want to talk about one of the hardest draft slots to determine the best player from, look no further than fifth overall. Some of the names here are spectacular. From Scottie Pippen and Ray Allen to Walt Frazier and Sidney Moncrief, this is a who’s who of elite NBA talent.

But then there’s the top tier. This is one I’ve been going back and forth on for days. Is it Dwyane Wade, Kevin Garnett, or Charles Barkley? All three have a legitimate case.

When you look at Wade, he was the best player on a team that won a championship and the second-best player on two more championship teams. That’s three rings and a Finals MVP. He was a 13-time All-Star and arguably had the longest stretch of sustained success among the group.

Then there’s Kevin Garnett. He played the most games of the trio, has the highest value over replacement, won a championship, won an MVP, won a Defensive Player of the Year award, and made 15 All-Star teams. In fact, Garnett occupied this spot on my list for days.

But then there’s Charles Barkley. He never won a championship, but he’s also the only one of these three who had to run headfirst into Michael Jordan in order to try and win one. And he did a pretty damn good job getting there. You could argue that Barkley had the highest peak of the three. You could also argue he had the most sustained individual excellence.

For his career, he averaged 22.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. From 1986 through 1996, he averaged 24.2 points per game. He led the league in offensive rebounds three times and total rebounds once. He also led the NBA in two-point field goal percentage for five consecutive seasons in Philadelphia, doing so in an era before teams were stretching the floor with three-pointers.

I don’t think enough people remember how dominant Barkley was in Philadelphia. Part of that is because he was competing for attention against Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. Those guys understandably consumed much of the spotlight. Meanwhile, Barkley kept stacking All-Star appearances and All-NBA selections year after year, eventually culminating with his MVP season in 1993.

And that’s where I’m going to let a little bias creep in. This is close. Really close. You can make a compelling argument for all three players, and ultimately, it comes down to how you define the word “best.” There isn’t a wrong answer.

Barkley finished his career as an 11-time All-Star, an 11-time All-NBA selection, and the 1993 MVP, solidifying his place in the Hall of Fame. Pound for pound, there might not have been a better rebounder in NBA history outside of Dennis Rodman. What made Barkley different was that rebounding was only part of his game. He could score. He could shoot. He could post up. He could overpower you with his strength and will.

At only 6’6″, he routinely dominated players much bigger than him. He grabbed rebounds in traffic, created extra possessions, and turned them into points on the other end. Night after night, he imposed his will on games. He combined the mentality and physicality of a power forward with the offensive skill set of a much more versatile player. He wasn’t simply cleaning the glass. He was carrying offenses, creating mismatches, and producing at an elite level for more than a decade.

That’s why, even without the championship, Charles Barkley remains one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.

Dwyane Wade didn’t change Miami. Kevin Garnett didn’t change Minnesota. Charles Barkley changed Phoenix. Barkley arrived and immediately transformed the franchise, the city, and the way people viewed Suns basketball. He was a cultural icon. He was a superstar in every sense of the word.

A role model? Well, he’d be the first person to tell you he wasn’t. But he was Charles Barkley. And that’s enough for me.

4. Chris Paul (2005)

Honorable Mentions:

• Russell Westbrook (2008)
• Dikembe Mutombo (1991)
• Chris Bosh (2003)
• Dave Cowens (1970)
• Dolph Schayes (1948)

Suns Taken at 4:

• Corky Calhoun (1972)
• John Shumate (1974)
• Alvan Adams (1975)
• Drgan Bender (2016)
• Josh Jackson (2017)

Third overall gives us another quality list of players, as it should. What’s interesting about the third overall pick is that there are plenty of amazing players, but not many who served as the alpha on multiple championship teams. You could argue that Dave Cowens was, considering he won two championships with the Celtics in the 1970s and captured the 1973 MVP award.

But I’m giving this one to Chris Paul. Perhaps that’s recency bias again. Perhaps it’s because I had the opportunity to watch him closely for three seasons in Phoenix. Either way, Chris Paul gets the nod.

He’s one of the last members of a dying breed. You don’t find many cerebral, pass-first point guards left in today’s NBA, and that’s unfortunate. Go back and watch Chris Paul in his prime. Outside of the antics that drove opposing fans crazy, and drove Suns fans crazy until he finally arrived in Phoenix, he played a beautiful game.

At 6 feet tall, he impacted both ends of the floor. He knew how to run an offense. He knew how to control tempo. He knew how to defend opposing point guards to the point of irritation. Six times during his 21-year career, he led the NBA in steals, and five times he led the league in assists.

The production never stopped. The 2006 Rookie of the Year was also a career 37% shooter from beyond the arc, making him a threat whether he was creating for teammates or looking for his own shot. He spent time with several franchises throughout his career, although his longest stint came with the Clippers, where he played seven seasons. But those three years in Phoenix were special. Not only for the franchise, but for Chris Paul as well.

Despite all of his accomplishments, all of his statistics, and all of his awards, Phoenix was the only place he reached the NBA Finals. That 2021 run remains one of the defining moments of his career. When everything was said and done, Paul finished with 11 All-NBA selections, nine All-Defensive Team honors, and 12 All-Star appearances.

The Point God. A player I absolutely could not stand until he arrived in Phoenix. Funny how that happens when they start playing for your team.

Side note: The Suns sure have drafted plenty at third overall, and only one time did they get it right.

3. Michael Jordan (1984)

Honorable Mentions:

• Wilt Chamberlain (1959)
• Luka Doncic (2018)
• Kevin McHale (1980)
• Pete Maravich (1970)
• James Harden (2009)
• Bob Cousy (1950)
• Grant Hill (1994)

Suns Taken at 3:

• Phoenix has never drafted from this position

There are certainly some tough discussions to be had as we navigate this top 10. Third overall is not one of them. Because drafted at this slot is the greatest player to ever play the game of basketball.

I know it’s a debate people have over and over again. For me, it’s not even close. You can argue that LeBron James has had the greatest career ever. That’s a fair argument. But Michael Jordan is the greatest player who has ever played the game.

One way I always make this argument is by asking a simple question: Would you consider a player with two championships, two Finals MVPs, three All-Defensive Team selections, one league MVP, and one Defensive Player of the Year award to be a Hall of Famer? Of course you would. That’s the gap between Michael Jordan and LeBron James when it comes to accolades.

I’ve had the benefit of watching both play. Yes, Jordan is tied to my youth, and there’s undoubtedly some nostalgia attached to what he accomplished. But even when I try to remove that from the equation, there’s simply nobody like him. When you combine athleticism, competitiveness, basketball IQ, the desire to win, and the ability to perform in the biggest moments, nobody checks every box the way Jordan did. Nobody.

There are some damn good players drafted second overall. Hall of Famers. MVPs. Champions. It doesn’t matter. I will be a Michael Jordan defender forever. Part of that is the emotional connection. When I was six years old in 1988, my dad told me to watch this guy because he had never seen anything like him. So I watched. Intently. Obsessively.

I grew up idolizing Michael Jordan. I read the books. I got my left ear pierced because he had one. I shaved my head when the Bulls won championships during the summer, which is something I regret now because, well, I’m bald. Even as I sit here typing these words, there’s a painting I made of Michael Jordan hanging above me. That’s how much of an impact he had on me. I’ll always be a Suns fan. But I’ll always be a Jordan fan too.

When you look at his career accolades, they’re staggering.

Michael Jordan finished his career as a 14-time All-Star, a 10-time scoring champion, a three-time steals champion, an 11-time All-NBA selection, a nine-time All-Defensive Team selection, a five-time MVP (how did he only win five?!), a six-time Finals MVP, a six-time NBA champion, and the 1985 Rookie of the Year. And he did it all while wearing shoes that people are still lining up to buy decades later. That’s how iconic he was.

Jordan wasn’t simply a basketball player. He was a cultural phenomenon. His impact extended far beyond the court. He transcended the sport in a way few athletes ever have, becoming recognizable to people who never watched a single NBA game. But the reason all of that happened was because of what he did on the court.

He dominated. He won. He delivered in every big moment. And he made it look cool while doing it. For an entire generation, Michael Jordan wasn’t simply the best basketball player in the world. He was who you wanted to be.

Like Mike. If I could be like Mike.

2. Bill Russell (1956)

Honorable Mentions:

• Jerry West (1960)
• Kevin Durant (2007)
• Isiah Thomas (1981)
• Jason Kidd (1994)
• Bob Pettit (1954)

Suns Taken at 2:

• Neal Walk (1969)
• Armen Gilliam (1987)

In the same breath, the best player ever drafted second overall is somebody who won and changed the game.

He played long before my time, and by today’s standards, he wasn’t an overwhelming offensive player. But he changed basketball with the way he defended, controlled the paint, and rebounded the ball. And if your argument for the greatest player ever begins and ends with championships, then Bill Russell is your guy.

Drafted second overall in 1956 out of the University of San Francisco, Russell was actually selected by the St. Louis Hawks. He was then traded to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan. What’s interesting is how it all came together.

The Rochester Royals held the first overall pick, but it was widely reported that Celtics owner Walter Brown, who was also a part-owner of the Ice Capades show, convinced the Royals to pass on Russell. In exchange, Brown guaranteed a series of Ice Capades performances in Rochester. Boston then capitalized on the circumstances and orchestrated the trade with St. Louis.

To be fair, the Hawks did pretty well for themselves. Macauley and Hagan helped them win a championship two years later. But the Celtics got Bill Russell. And the winning began.

Russell averaged only 15.1 points per game during his 13-year career, but he also averaged 22.5 rebounds. His best season came in 1963-64 when he averaged 24.7 rebounds per game. He simply owned the paint for an entire generation of basketball. His career playoff average of 24.9 rebounds per game remains an NBA record.

As a result, in 13 seasons, Bill Russell won 11 NBA championships. Eleven! What’s also interesting is that the NBA Finals MVP award didn’t exist until 1969, the final season of Russell’s career and the year he won his 11th championship. Yet he didn’t win the award. Instead, it went to Jerry West, marking the only time in league history that the Finals MVP was awarded to a player on the losing team.

When everything was said and done, Russell’s résumé was overwhelming. He was a 12-time All-Star, a four-time rebounding champion, a five-time MVP, a First Team All-Defense selection in 1969, which happened to be the first year the award existed, and an 11-time NBA champion. And to show just how much he meant to the sport, the NBA retired his No. 6 league-wide in 2022. Nobody else can say that.

1. LeBron James (2003)

Honorable Mentions:

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969)
• Magic Johnson (1979)
• Hakeem Olajuwon (1984)
• Tim Duncan (1997)
• Shaquille O’Neal (1992)

Suns Taken at 1:

• Deandre Ayton (2018)

I’ll start by acknowledging how tough it was to determine the best player ever drafted first overall in NBA history. Why? Because collectively, the No. 1 pick has produced 22 MVP awards, 50 NBA championships, roughly 250 All-Star selections, around 75 All-Defensive Team honors, and 19 Finals MVP awards.

There have certainly been some busts at the top of the draft (re: the only time the Suns ever drafted first overall), but there have also been some truly incredible players. The two that rose to the top for me, and the two that made this decision difficult, were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James.

Kareem changed the game in much the same way Bill Russell did, while also being an elite offensive player. His skyhook remains one of the most unstoppable shots basketball has ever seen, and I’m still not sure why more players haven’t tried to replicate it. He rode that shot to six championships, six MVP awards, and 15 All-NBA selections.

But if I want this list to be taken seriously, I think I have to give this one to LeBron James. Because while he didn’t change the game in quite the same way Kareem did, I believe he has had the greatest career from start to finish of any player in NBA history, especially when considering the weight of expectations.

The longevity alone is unbelievable. The fact that he’s still performing at such a high level this deep into his career is something we’ve never seen before. It’s always difficult to compare players across eras. We’ll never truly know how players from the early days of the NBA would have fared with today’s technology, training methods, nutrition, medical resources, and rules.

What we do know is that LeBron took advantage of everything the modern NBA had to offer and turned it into the greatest career we’ve ever seen. Not the most winning career.

Winning is part of the equation, a big part of it, but it’s only part of it. LeBron has won plenty while also maintaining a level of consistency that no player has ever matched. No player has appeared in more NBA games. No player has played more minutes. No player has attempted more field goals. No player has scored more points. And yes, nobody has turned the ball over more than LeBron James either. That’s what happens when you have the ball in your hands for more than two decades.

In an era where the league has expanded and the talent pool has become deeper than ever, LeBron has remained relevant. For his career, which now spans 23 seasons, he’s averaged 26.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The accolades are ridiculous. He’s a 22-time All-Star, a four-time NBA champion, a 21-time All-NBA selection, a six-time All-Defensive Team member, a four-time MVP, and a four-time Finals MVP.

It’s hard to even comprehend those numbers when you stop and think about them.

What’s interesting is that he’s only led the league in scoring once, doing so in 2008 when he averaged 30.0 points per game. Yet in 2020, at age 35, he led the NBA in assists at 10.2 per game. That’s why I’ve never really viewed him as another Michael Jordan. To me, LeBron has always felt like a more physical version of Magic Johnson. And that’s another player who was drafted first overall.

In fact, when you look through the list of great No. 1 picks, you’ll see plenty of Lakers legends. Interestingly enough, only Magic was actually drafted by the Lakers. But that’s a story for another day.

For now, I tip my hat to The King. The greatest player ever drafted first overall in NBA history.

---

So that’s it. Every draft position and the best player drafted at each slot. 27,016 words spent answering a question I’ve always had, and now I have the data to back it up. Expect to see this article referenced for years to come as the Suns navigate future drafts, even if they’re picking near the back of the board for the foreseeable future.

But alas, the work is done. After six articles, one thing became abundantly clear. Greatness can be found anywhere in the draft. From Nikola Jokic at 41 to LeBron James at 1, the journey matters every bit as much as the destination. Some picks changed franchises. Some changed the sport itself.

And while we could debate the order endlessly, that’s part of the fun. The draft is hope, history, and hindsight all rolled into one. It’s potential versus production. Projection versus reality. Every selection carries a different story, and that’s what makes looking back through draft history so fascinating.

Because every year, teams walk to the podium believing they’ve found the next great player. Sometimes they’re right. Most of the time, they’re not. But that’s why we keep coming back to the draft year after year. And it all kicks off tomorrow night.

For posterity’s sake, here is the list in its final form:

Pick	Player	Year
60	Michael Cooper	1978
59	Pat Cummings	1978
58	Kurt Rambis	1980
57	Manu Ginobili	1999
56	Amir Johnson	2005
55	Luis Scola	2002
54	Sam Mitchell	1985
53	Anthony Mason	1988
52	Rasual Butler	2002
51	Kyle Korver	2003
50	Steve Kerr	1988
49	Eddie Johnson	1977
48	Marc Gasol	2007
47	Paul Millsap	2006
46	Jeff Hornacek	1986
45	Bob Dandridge	1969
44	Malik Rose	1996
43	Michael Redd	2000
42	Stephen Jackson	1997
41	Nikola Jokic	2014
40	George Gervin	1974
39	Khris Middleton	2012
38	Lou Dampier	1967
37	Nick Van Exel	1993
36	Mauric Cheeks	1978
35	Draymond Green	2012
34	Carlos Boozer	2002
33	Jalen Brunson	2018
32	Rashard Lewis	1998
31	Danny Ainge	1981
30	Jimmy Butler	2011
29	Dennis Johnson	1976
28	Tony Parker	2001
27	Dennis Rodman	1986
26	Vlade Divac	1989
25	Mark Price	1986
24	Sam Cassell	1993
23	Alex English	1976
22	George McGinnis	1973
21	Rajon Rondo	2006
20	Larry Nance	1981
19	Nate Archibald	1970
18	Joe Dumars	1985
17	Shawn Kemp	1989
16	John Stockton	1984
15	Giannis Antetokounmpo	2013
14	Clyde Drexler	1983
13	Kobe Bryant	1996
12	Julius Erving	1972
11	Reggie Miller	1987
10	Paul Pierce	1998
9	Dirk Nowitzki	1998
8	Willis Reed	1964
7	Stephen Curry	2009
6	Larry Bird	1978
5	Charles Barkley	1984
4	Chris Paul	2004
3	Michael Jordan	1984
2	Bill Russell	1956
1	LeBron James	2003

The 2026 NBA Draft is on the horizon, bringing one of the most significant dates on the league’s calendar. 

Childhood dreams of making it to the NBA will be achieved. 

Teams will turn draft assets into tangible players who they hope will contribute to winning in the short- and long-term future.

And in the background, teams will continue to explore the options that’ll help them achieve their goals for 2026–27. 

For the Lakers, who have a first-round pick in the draft (No. 25), the opportunity the draft presents as it pertains to roster building can’t be whiffed on.   

In their pursuit of assembling a roster that’ll be competitive against the 2026 Western Conference champion Spurs and 2025 NBA champion Thunder, the Lakers have two main options for their first-round pick: Trade it for a player who’s ready to compete for a title now alongside Luka Dončić or select a prospect whom they plan to develop and hope will help now and in the future.  

If the Lakers choose the latter path, there isn’t a shortage of options of prospects who they should consider drafting. 

Toward the top of that list should be St. John’s big man Zuby Ejiofor, whose hustle, defensive versatility and energetic style of play would be a welcome addition to the Lakers’ front court.

Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s big man

• 2025–26 stats (St. John’s): 16.3 points (53.6% shooting), 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.1 blocks, 1.2 steals, 30 minutes in 37 games
• 2024–25 stats (St. John’s): 14.7 points (57.7% shooting), 8.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 blocks, 31.8 minutes in 36 games
• 2023–24 stats (St. John’s): 4.3 points (48.9% shooting), 3.1 rebounds, 11.2 minutes in 33 games
• 202–23 stats (Kansas): 1.2 points (65% shooting), 1.7 rebounds, 5.1 minutes in 25 games
• Measurements: 6-foot-7 ½ (without shoes), 245 pounds, 7-foot-2 wingspan, 8-foot-11 standing reach  

Why draft Zuby Ejiofor?

Despite being an undersized big man, Ejiofor was an impactful defender throughout college because of his wingspan, instincts, strength and communication. 

Ejiofor can switch onto perimeter ball handlers and contain them in isolations. And even if they get a step by him, he has the length and quickness to recover to either block or contest the shot. 

And four years of college basketball helped showcase that he’s regularly in the right position defensively. 

Ejiofor’s time in college allowed him to make significant strides as a passer/playmaker — which will be his strongest offensive skills in the NBA besides his reliable screening. 

But his best attribute is how hard he plays — which has proven to be a skill.

It was evident in the 3.3 offensive rebounds he averaged in 2025–26 and the 4.4 offensive rebounds he averaged as a junior. 

It was clear in the all-around growth he made as a player from his freshman year at Kansas to leading St. John’s to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.

A star-driven team like the Lakers could use more players like Ejiofor who give it their all on every possession, which raises the collective hustle and energy of the team.

Areas of improvement?

Ejiofor being undersized hurts him when it comes to scoring and finishing at the rim against bigger and longer players.

And if his 3-point shot isn’t going to be consistent (30.5% in 2025–26; 27.7% in college), then it’s going to be difficult for him to be viewed as an offensive threat outside of hustle plays because he’s limited in other areas since he isn’t an offensive creator.

If the shot doesn’t develop, Ejiofor’s ceiling likely would be as a change-of-pace energetic big man.

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The Warriors possess the No. 11 pick in this month’s NBA draft.

Who they pick with their highest selection since 2021 could hold the cards to not only the final years of Steph Curry’s career but also the future direction of the franchise.

This week, we are profiling five possible prospects GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. could target.

Concluding with Part 5:

Morez Johnson Jr.

Age: 20

Position: Forward

Height/weight: 6-foot-9 / 250 pounds

School: Michigan

Why he’s a fit

The Warriors were so short on frontcourt depth at the end of last season that they signed a center to their G League team that ended the regular season playing real NBA minutes.

Charles Bassey and Golden State’s three other big men — Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Quinten Post — all have uncertain futures. Even if some combination of them returns, a player whose game and body are as developed as Johnson’s will find a way to contribute.

Johnson teamed up with Yaxel Lendeborg, another possible Warriors target, and 7-3 center Aday Mara, who could also go in the lottery, to form one of the most physically formidable front courts in the country while leading Michigan to a national championship.

Johnson’s switchability and physicality on defense may remind you of another player from around those parts. He also has the same kind of length that has helped Draymond Green — a Michigan State man — be an elite defender, with a wingspan measuring 7-3 ½.

Why he’ll last until No. 11

Johnson is the prototypical high-floor, low-ceiling player.

He doesn’t have a 3-point shot and hasn’t tried to incorporate one. He has the physicality to get to the rim and finish through contact but isn’t considered to have many moves in his bag.

That said, Johnson knows his skill set and doesn’t waste shots, setting an Illinois record for field-goal percentage as a freshman and shooting 62.7% mostly from close range at Michigan, where he averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds while starting all 40 games.

That doesn’t mean he is always a smart decision-maker on offense: He committed more turnovers (53) than he dished out assists (48). Foul trouble has also been a problem, though his 3.7 per 40 minutes with Michigan was an improvement over his 5.6 per 40 as a freshman.

Just as he makes up his lack of height with brute force, Johnson’s defensive prowess helps overshadow his offensive shortcomings, though he’ll have to work on avoiding the whistle.

NBA comp: Isaiah Stewart

Johnson’s pure physicality means he won’t be overwhelmed by the NBA. He lacks the upside of other lottery talent but could be of immediate help for the Warriors’ defensive scheme.

ICYMI

• Yaxel Lendeborg could be steal of NBA draft
• Brayden Burries could be instant playmaker for Warriors
• Hannes Steinbach could be impact rebounder for Warriors
• Baylor guard Cameron Carr could help bridge eras for Warriors

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The Hawks are finalizing a trade for Aaron Wiggins, sending Oklahoma City Atlanta’s 2030 second-round pick and the less favorable of the Hawks’ and Lakers’ 2032 second-rounders. The agreement was reported late on June 21, 2026, hours after Atlanta retained CJ McCollum.  

The Oklahoma City Thunder are finalizing a trade to send guard Aaron Wiggins to the Atlanta Hawks for two second-round picks (Atlanta's in 2030 and the least favorable of Hawks/Lakers in 2032), sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ypffJ3jMOk

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 22, 2026

Wiggins is a career 38% three-point shooter who can defend wings, attack a closeout and function without dominating the ball. He is also owed only a little more than $17 million across the next two guaranteed seasons, with a team option for 2028-29.  

Aaron Wiggins is a product of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s strong drafting and player development system. A versatile wing with athleticism, handles, and shooting ability, the 3-and-D type has shot 38% from three in his career but has been limited to a bench role, topping out at 24.2 minutes per game due to the Thunder’s deep and talented roster.

Before the 2024-25 season, he signed a five-year, $45 million extension that declines over time with a team option for 2028-29; the Hawks will owe him slightly more than $17 million over the next two guaranteed seasons and may give him an opportunity for a larger role. We’ll always remember the January 3, 2025 game, when Wiggins scored a season-high 19 points (including 15 in the fourth quarter on perfect 5-of-5 shooting) to beat the Knicks, 117-107. We’re like pessimistic elephants, never forgettin’ the losses. . . .

Wiggins will not transform Atlanta into an Eastern Conference favorite by himself. He does give the Hawks another useful defender and shooter to deploy against Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby. And because Atlanta did not surrender either numbers 8 or 23 in this week’s draft, they can still draft a major prospect, trade a first-rounder, or pursue another established player. Crafty birds.

Over the weekend, McCollum re-signed with the team on a one-year, $21 million contract, marking the first major free agency news of the offseason. The deal, reported by Shams Charania, includes a 7.5% trade kicker and leverages McCollum’s full bird rights acquired at the trade deadline, effectively providing an implied no-trade clause.

The 35-year-old veteran played a key role in the Hawks’ strong late-season surge, averaging 18.9 points per game on 56% true shooting, and delivered clutch postseason performances, making him a valuable short-term veteran presence as the team eyes the future with its upcoming draft pick.

Atlanta finished in sixth place last season. In the first round of the 2026 playoffs, they pushed the Knicks to 2-1 before New York got right and rode a 15-1 pony to the NBA championship (have you heard?). The Hawks’ lack of depth was exposed and exploited by our heroes. The acquisition of Wiggins is thus a corrective step.

So Atlanta patched a hole with Wiggins (a solid but unproven 3-and-D guy who was stuck in OKC’s loaded roster) for basically peanuts, and kept McCollum as their veteran microwave scorer on a short deal. Atlanta must have other deals in their sights if they want to make a real leap, though. If they’ve tired of the first pick in the 2024 draft, Zaccharie Risacher (who averaged 7.7 MPG and 3 PPG in the playoffs), they could bundle the Frenchman and the aforementioned picks in an offer for a star. Miami and Boston seem to be the frontrunners in the race for Giannis, but could Atlanta be positioning itself as a dark horse?

Quietly, Atlanta is building a more complete roster. Are you concerned? Air it out below.

Go Knicks

Just when you think there will be nothing to write about or stories to cover, all of a sudden, you wake up, read 30-something articles, and file a 1,000-word post filled with notes. Such is life in this wonderful place.

Enjoy a relatively slow Monday; we’ll be busy again on Tuesday with the NBA Draft going down at Barclays.

• Not that it’s the most Knicks-centric thing, but it looks like the Celtics are it. According to Marc Stein, reporting after posting a humongous file on his Substack, Boston “emerged from the weekend with a real shot to win this race with a Jaylen Brown-centric offer.” Sounds like Milwaukee won’t even consider a third team to facilitate the deal or sweeten it, so stay alert for a Shams bomb dropping any time now.
• We have already discussed how the potential landing of Giannis in Boston could affect the Knicks next season and beyond, and truth be told, I have between none and zero worries. Everything points toward Boston sending Jaylen Brown the other way, which is a Knicks win already. On top of that, the C’s are bringing back legitimately damaged goods in Adetokunbo, who has appeared in 36 (last year), 67, 73, 63, 67, 61, and 63 regular-season games in the past seven seasons. Want more? If Stein’s report is to be believed, then the Celtics are sending more than JB the other way, which makes sense considering the reports about the Bucks wanting to bake Bobby Portis into any Giannis deal, and the subsequent salary-matching that would entail.
• Will the Celtics be better with a Giannis-Tatum pairing than keeping their two-man core together, given their track record and Tatum’s supposedly healthier body going forward? Our friends from CelticsBlog are calling it an “agonizing decision” and comparing it to the good old ‘07 trade for Kevin Garnett, which was the closest to a one-year victory for the C’s with KG’s prime virtually expiring right after they hung the ‘08 banner. Crippling an Eastern Conference rival, and the Celtics of all franchises? Make it happen, Bradley!
• The earlier report from Marc Stein pointed to the opposite scenario, with the Heat ahead in the Giannis race.

“League sources say that the Heat remain in full-speed pursuit of Antetokounmpo but also indicate that the Boston Celtics have not yet abandoned hope.”

• Renowned NBA analyst and deal-breaker Chad Ochocinco with the strong sauce, emphasis mine.

“As y’all know I’ve said it multiple times over the months. The sources that I do have, they know what they’re talking about. Which is why I’ve came on here and say things that I’ve said. All the other stuff, with Boston, and him going anywhere, none of that is going to happen. That’s just created dialogue to keep people guessing on where he might go.”

• The Pistons want Kyrie Irving and Celtics-linked Rudy Gobert is saying he’s still “very far from thinking” about retiring. Stars are definitely aligning for the Knicks.
• New York Jets wide receiver Isaiah Williams’s plans to score more touchdowns next season? Training with Olympic sprinters, reports ESPN’s Rich Cimini. After all of the struggles, this must be our year!
• Actually, no, forget about it. S—t can’t get uglier.
• I sent this ESPN article to my Kindle yesterday without knowing the author. The more I kept reading, the more I suspected who was behind the pen. Always read former P&T scribe Jayson Buford, people.
• Touching piece from yet another former P&T man (!!!) in Abe Bame and his tale about the Knicks parade, his son, sports in childhood, parenting, family moments, and our sickening yet charming world.
• The ninth season of the BIG 3 tipped off over the weekend…

Michael Beasley and Dwight Howard just got ejected on the first day of The Big 3 season

😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/b34FucstYV

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) June 20, 2026

• …and of course, all of Dwight Howard, Michael Beasley, and Lance Stephenson got the fireworks going. I have been advocating for and willing to lead a BIG 3 blog here at SBN for more than five years. We’ll get there, we’ll get there. It’s a one-game suspension for Beasley and Lance, while Dwight somehow escaped punishment. The game was forfeited by Miami as they ran out of players. (lol)
• If you have $3 million to spare, OG’s tip-in ball from Game 4 will soon be up for the craziest bidder. Meanwhile, I’m so frugal that I’m having an internal debate about whether or not I should buy any $20-buck Knicks paraphernalia following the championship.
• Isaiah Thomas, not Isiah Thomas as shocking as that after your read the next quote, believes all the Spurs lacked to beat the Knicks in the Finals was… Chris Paul.

“I believe if they had Chris Paul on this roster, they would’ve won the finals. His experience and who he, a Hall of Fame career, is would’ve helped De’Aaron Fox, (Stephon) Castle, (Dylan) Harper.”

• Isiah Thomas believed all the Knicks lacked to win 35 games were Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis. Close!
• If you want a tough player, get yourself a Balkan. S/o Brandon Mullen from our sister site Blazer’s Edge for sharing Deni Avdija’s interview, in which he shared a ridiculous quote about the car crash he suffered last January. He was hooping 24 hours after suffering it.

“I saw my life flashing before my eyes. Airbags deployed, the car was a total loss. I took a really, really hard hit to the head from the airbag. My dad almost cut his entire hand. We were both pretty shaken up.

“The day after, I had a game… I’m the kind of guy who hides his injuries and the bad things that happen to him. You know? I’m not the type who comes and complains about things that happened to me or about injuries. I play… As long as I can walk on two legs, I can play.”

• This went completely under my radar, but it turns out former New York Knicks bench warmer Guerschon Yabusele appeared on French show First Team over a week ago and touched on plenty of things, including the Knicks. Yabu admitted his frustration with the lack of playing time (“The games go on, and well, I still do not play. And sometimes, zero minutes.”) and seemingly started to think about what might happen given his precarious situation (“I would go home, I did not know what to do anymore. I said to myself, ‘But it is not possible. I am not going to go back into that for the whole season.’ I am not going to not play for two years.’”).
• A free agent in a week, Yabusele also said he’s prioritizing signing another NBA deal, though he’s keeping his door open for a return to Europe.
• Charles Oakley has spoken, and he’s mad at both James Dolan and Patrick Ewing. By extension, he’s happy about the current Captain.

This is incredible 🇨🇻💙
There was an interview happening with a fan and Cape Verde fans went insane seeing their team score their first goal ever#FIFAWorldCuppic.twitter.com/L0Vyi06W3I

— Ace Humphreys 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🦢 (@Ace109610) June 21, 2026

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• Rumor: Lakers have called OKC Thunder about a potential trade for Lu Dort
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• NBA Draft Rumors: Lakers Projected To Take Center; Interest In Jayden Quaintance & Tarris Reed Jr.NBA Draft Rumors: Lakers Projected To Take Center; Interest In Jayden Quaintance & Tarris Reed Jr.
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• Top NBA draft pick still uncertain as trade rumors swirl

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AJ Dybantsa does not want to hear “from the Boston area.” He grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts. In his head, when he imagines the moment – when his name was called and he would walk out onto the stage – he wants to hear “from Brockton.

When Malika Andrews reached out to the projected No.1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft the other day, he wanted to make sure she understood the difference. He wanted to make sure she wrote it down: he’s from Brockton, not Boston.

She wrote it down. She always does.

Andrews, 31, is the face of ESPN’s NBA coverage. She hosts “NBA Today” and “NBA Countdown,” just wrapped the 2026 NBA Finals on site and in 2022 became the first woman to host the draft.

So, she sweats the details, like the preferred hometown of a teenager, because for 30 seconds she'll decide how the biggest moment of his life will sound.

Andrews doesn’t just wing those seconds. She reports them.

The instinct is deeply ingrained. Andrews came up from print, ran her college newspaper at the University of Portland, earned a New York Times reporting fellowship, and then covered the NBA for the Chicago Tribune. ESPN hired her in 2018 to write. She's also the host of WNBA Countdown and just this year has added tennis to her roster; she will be hosting ESPN's Wimbledon coverage in a week. Tennis isn't her background, but she is a reporter at heart.

She likes to tell the story of the people behind the news.

The Knicks are still on her mind as she prepares for the draft. She was on site when they won their first title in 53 years. It wasn’t the trophy that she remembered.

“There’s winning an NBA title, and then there’s winning an NBA title for a franchise like the Knicks,” Andrews said. “I’ve covered a lot of champions. This one was different.”

What she keeps thinking about is how the team will get remembered. Jalen Brunson, told for years he was too small, just a second-round pick. OG Anunoby, hurt during Toronto’s 2019 title run and stuck watching. Josh Hart, a near disaster of a mistake in Game 4 that ended up not mattering.

“I am glad they will be remembered as winners instead,” Andrews said.

She knows the job of a reporter helps shape those memories.

Andrews tries to find the best words for the biggest moments, that put the people in context. Like the Knicks' title and the kids’ memories of beginning their NBA career.

So, before the draft, even during those NBA Finals, she calls every prospect she can reach, about 15 to 20 of them. She does some research, but she always makes a point to ask every prospect the same thing. “When you dreamed about that moment, what did you hear?”

“It’s a clip you’re going to go back and watch,” she said, the whole family will watch it. “I do want their input.”

Reporters do not owe a source input in how a story is shaped. Andrews makes an exception for input for the draft. The kids get one shot for a lifetime memory, she wants to get it right.

On the floor, she works from a binder – alphabetized by last name – no teleprompter, the night running live. Below the camera, her researcher Gil Bransford holds the lowest-tech tool in the building, a note card clipped to what amounts to a trash picker-upper and taps the bottom of her chair with updates.

The morning of the draft, Andrews is filled with nervous excitement. The lights and camera go on, the first name is called and that drains out.

“I always feel this deep calm,” she said. “And it’s not about (me), it’s about these guys.”

The draft opens Tuesday, June 23, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, 10 days after the city’s title. Dybantsa is expected to be among the first names commissioner Adam Silver reads. When the moment comes, there will be general talk: one year at BYU, top player in the country, three gold medals with the national team in the under-19, 17, and 16’s, etc.

Meanwhile, Andrews will quickly flip to the notes she wrote while talking to him. There, in her writing she will see the thing that was most important to him.

And Andrews will remember to say that he is from Brockton.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Malika Andrews hosts NBA Draft for ESPN after huge NBA Finals run