Category: NBA

Karim Lopez, a 6-foot-9 forward from Hermosillo, Mexico, was selected with the 21st pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23. Lopez became the first Mexican-born player to be selected in the first round.

Mexico has sustained a big fan base for basketball for decades now but never had its own homegrown star to latch on to. That is, until Lopez, 19, caught attention while playing with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s NBL over the past two seasons, essentially guaranteeing that he would be taken in this year’s draft.

He and his family’s reaction to being selected by the Pistons (who then traded Lopez’s draft rights to the Grizzlies) was one of the best moments from Tuesday’s first round. One moment during his post-draft interview segment with ESPN went viral.

When asked what it meant to be the first Mexican-born player to be selected in the first round of an NBA draft, Lopez, who was sitting with his family, had to collect his emotions for a moment before saying, “Well, it’s just super special honestly to be here. I’m blessed. And, yeah. I have no words,” per an X post from “SportsCenter.” He was visibly emotional and wiping away tears while trying to get what little words he had out.

Lopez then showed the inside of his jacket, which included the Mexican flag and several other homages to Mexican culture.

He was then asked why he wanted to include the Mexican flag on his jacket and said, “I just wanted to represent my culture, represent where I’m from, represent my faith. And just represent myself, basically. Show the people who I am.”

Even though Lopez has his entire NBA career ahead of him, he’s already seen as a hero by his home country. And while that will create some pressure, it also means Lopez will have a huge support system as he embarks on this journey.

The Knicks are taking a swing on another French wing.

As part of a wide-ranging four-team deal involving the Mavericks, Suns and Lakers that sent New York’s No. 24 pick to Los Angeles, the Knicks acquired the rights to Melvin Ajinca from Dallas.

The 6-foot-8 forward was selected No. 51 overall by the Knicks in 2024 before being dealt to the Mavericks on draft night as part of the trade that brought Ariel Hukporti to the Big Apple.

Now, after two more years overseas, Ajinca, who turns 22 on Friday, is a part of the franchise again.

Ajinca, who was touted for his shooting and 3-and-D potential during the draft process, averaged 6.0 points in 17.6 minutes per game during EuroLeague play last season for LDLC Asvel.

He first jumped onto the NBA radar during the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup, where he averaged 19.3 points and helped lead France to the gold medal game.

In the deal for Ajinca, the Knicks also acquired the No. 47 pick in this week’s draft and four additional future second-round picks.

The Lakers used the No. 24 pick on Baylor guard Cameron Carr.

The Ajinca acquisition adds to what has become a growing collection of young French players for the Knicks.

In 2024, the Knicks selected Pacôme Dadiet with the 25th overall pick out of France. Dadiet has appeared in 47 games over two seasons as a developmental wing.

During last year’s draft, the Knicks took Mohamed Diawara in the late second round, a move that quickly paid dividends with the Paris native logging 69 games while averaging 3.6 points and shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc.

Diawara’s play earned him a multiyear deal worth more than $10 million with the Knicks earlier this week.

The Knicks’ main goal during draft was to trade off their draft picks to avoid going over the second apron with additional salaries for rookies.

So, there is no guarantee Ajinca will ever join the team but he has now appeared on their draft radar twice in three years.

Austin Reaves is the ultimate homegrown success story in a city that loves Hollywood narratives. 

He went from being a country bumpkin who grew up in Newark, Ark., amid a population of fewer than 2,000 people to becoming a star in a global metropolis.

He went from being undrafted in 2021 to agreeing to a four-year, $185 million deal with the Lakers, the richest contract for a player who went undrafted in NBA history. 

It’s a great story. Things have worked out beautifully for Reaves, who’s a rising star and is genuinely as likeable as he appears on TV. But it’s fair to ask … can the Lakers win a championship with over $100 million a season going to him and Luka Doncic for the next several years? 

In other words, was it smart for the Lakers to spend that much money when they desperately need to build out their roster?

The answer?

Unequivocally yes. 

The Lakers couldn’t risk losing Reaves for a number of reasons. 

He’s on the verge of becoming an All-Star-caliber player. When he and Doncic share the court, their chemistry is undeniable. Doncic loves him. And other teams were willing to pay top dollar for him, including Detroit. 

Does this mean the Lakers need to spend the rest of the offseason acquiring defenders and shooters around them? Yes. Do they desperately need a rim protector? Yes. But was spending that type of money on Reaves the right call? Yes.  

The sticker value is shocking, especially considering Reaves will earn more next season ($41.3 million) than guys like Jalen Brunson ($37.7 million) and Tyrese Maxey ($40.7 million). 

But the Lakers made the right call. Not only is Reaves a great player, but he’s the Lakers’ glue. 

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Reaves is coming off a breakout season. He announced his meteoric rise with back-to-back 51- and 41-point performances in the first few games. 

He helped the Lakers jump to a 15-4 start while LeBron James missed the first 14 games because of sciatica. He was arguably the best No. 2 offensive option in the league. 

He was pivotal in the Lakers’ 16-2 run last spring. One of the biggest highlights of the season happened during that stretch when he purposely missed a free throw, caught his rebound and made a jumper to force overtime in the Lakers’ 127-125 win over the Nuggets on March 14. 

Reaves and Doncic looked so good during a three-game stretch over that period that the basketball world even began questioning whether the Lakers were better without James, who’s arguably the greatest player of all-time. 

Reaves was one of three players to average at least 20 points, five assists and 1 steal while having a true shooting percentage of at least 62% last season. The others? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. And Reaves did it while sharing the ball with Doncic and James.

This was a no-brainer for the Lakers. They had no choice. They couldn’t risk losing Reaves. 

Not when he skyrocketed into being so reliable on offense. Not when he grew into such a great complement for Doncic. And especially not after it became clear that he’s one of Doncic’s lifelines in Los Angeles. 

Aside from the tangibles of how well those two play together, there’s another reason retaining Reaves was of paramount importance. 

Reaves makes Doncic feel at home in Los Angeles. They tease each other. They joke with one another. They’ve become brothers who show their affection for one another through loving jabs. 

Reaves is a great player. He has what he describes as “delirious confidence.” He’s fearless. But he’s also a chemistry generator in human form. 

James loved him as soon as he entered the Lakers’ locker room. Doncic gravitated toward him. Heck, even Steve Kerr saw it when he coached Reaves during the World Cup. “You can tell that everybody loves playing with him,” Kerr said, adding that’s a rare quality. 

For the Lakers, retaining Reaves was a must. They needed to do whatever it took. And his monster contract won’t interfere with their cap space. They’ll be able to spend their about $50 million and then go over the cap to re-sign him. 

In other words, they can still load the roster with defensive-minded players. They can still get shooters. They can still try to plug their holes to compete with the Thunder and Spurs in the very crowded Western Conference. 

For the Lakers, retaining Reaves was their top priority this offseason. He’s a difference-maker on and off the court. He’s essential to what they’re trying to build. Is he the best two-way player in the league? No. But is he an offensive wizard whose impact extends beyond what box scores can measure? Undeniably.

It’s one of the most wild ascensions we’ve seen. 

He has gone from being a no-name guy to one of the most important players on the league’s second-winningest franchise with 17 NBA championships to its name. 

He has gone from clawing his way into the league to becoming the 30th-highest average paid NBA player. 

And he deserves every penny of it. 

Doncic wants him. The Lakers need him. And they still have enough money to build out their roster.

Reaves, you’ve been in Los Angeles for a while. 

But you’ve officially become the ultimate Hollywood tale.

The Dallas Mavericks turned heads Tuesday night when they were part of a four-team trade that gave them the rights to Sergio de Larrea, the 25th overall pick.

De Larrea currently plays for ACB Valencia in Spain and his team just won the Liga ACBC title on Wednesday with a 108-84 victory in the deciding Game 4 against Barcelona for just the second league title in team history.

It’s unclear if De Larrea will play in Summer League early next month after having contributed to a championship so recently, and there’s been speculation over whether Dallas will bring him over to the States this year or use a strategy often used on foreign prospects: draft and stash.

In these scenarios, teams draft players and retain their playing rights but allow them to continue to play in their home countries. This can happen because the team has no roster spots or simply because they see potential in a player but they don’t think they’re ready to compete at the NBA level just yet.

Marc Stein reported Wednesday that all options are “being worked through” regarding De Larrea’s future.

*Insert Future voice* whatever that f*cking means.

I don’t think it’s always wrong to draft and stash a player, and I think there are even situations — like Oklahoma City — where draft and stashing makes sense. You don’t want to mess with what you have now but you know you’ll need young players to add to your talent as your core gets older.

But in Dallas’ situation, I see no upside to keeping him overseas and only a downside by not bringing him on board immediately.

We have one of the league’s best young players in recent history in Cooper Flagg, and we need to start building the team that’s going to be around him for the next decade. Do I think de Larrea is going to be an All-Star on day 1? Probably not, but I have no idea, but if you’re going to draft a guy with a first-round pick, I argue you should get him on the court with the future of your franchise as soon as possible.

It’s like Jalen Brunson with Luka Dončić after the 2018 draft. Did we know Brunson was going to be a star one day after we drafted him in the second round? Of course not, but we brought him to the team immediately and he and Dončić built chemistry together that led them to the conference finals just four years later.

(Small side note: ouch, that sucked writing that paragraph knowing what we know now.)

The point is this: de Larrea may not be Jalen Brunson, de Larrea could end up being an MVP. Regardless, we need to see who he is (or who he isn’t) immediately. His lighting up the Euroleague next season does nothing for the Mavericks, and if he comes to the NBA and sucks, he’s another late first-round pick that didn’t pan out — AKA most of them.

Bring the kid over, and let’s see what he can do with the team. He may just be the start of something special in Dallas.

Celtics select Dillon Mitchell with 40th pick in NBA Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

With the 40th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected forward Dillon Mitchell out of St. John’s.

Mitchell averaged 8.3 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 55.9 percent from the floor in 37 games for the Red Storm. The 6-foot-8, 205-pounder is a strong finisher and lob threat who can also make a significant impact on the defensive end. His jump shot is very much a work in progress.

A five-star recruit out of Montverde Academy in Florida, Mitchell spent his first two collegiate seasons at Texas before transferring to Cincinnati in 2024. The 22-year-old played just one season for the Bearcats and transferred again to St. John’s, where he was named to the All-Big East Third Team, All-Defensive Team, and All-Tournament Team.

The Celtics used their first-round pick (No. 27) on Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr. Like Cenac, Mitchell is a great rebounder, especially for his size. He’s an impressive athlete with huge upside if Boston can help him develop his shot.

Watch Chris Forsberg and Tom Giles’ instant reaction to the Celtics’ pick of Mitchell below:

After leading the Knicks for five seasons, including back-to-back 50-win seasons and their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years, Tom Thibodeau was surprisingly fired by team president Leon Rose at the end of the 2025 season.

The move raised many questions about New York's direction as it felt like Thibodeau was a driving factor in the team's growth and success. 

Firing Thibodeau was critiqued even more after Rose decided on hiring longtime coach Mike Brown, who's best season came back in 2007 when a young LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals (which they lost 4-0 to the San Antonio Spurs).

Fast forward 12 months, Rose's hire of Brown proved to be a major difference maker as he was able to guide the Knicks over the hump to their first NBA title since 1973. 

Speaking with 2026 NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson and teammate Josh Hart on an episode of their Roommates Show podcast, Rose opened up about the "tough" decision to fire Thibodeau after the team lost to the Indiana Pacers in the ECF and the choice to hire Brown.

"It was tough. Thibs is a great coach. Did so much for the organization," Rose said. "We were right on the doorstep. Just felt that, just needed a change in voice, a change in philosophy. It was a tough move.

"Mike is a guy that really fit what we were looking for. He’s somebody that I’ve known for a long time. I represented LeBron when he coached him in Cleveland. Knew him and kind of followed him through his career. Didn’t know him that well but he always was a guy that was a good guy, that you could talk to, that you really felt good about. That was just your gut."

Rose went on to explain what made Brown an attractive hire over other candidates, mainly pointing to his open-minded approach.

"First of all, just his openness and his willingness to share ideas," Rose said. "And share ideas with the front office, his staff and the inclusion of everyone. I think you guys probably saw that. He really was open to things, open to people’s suggestions, open to ideas.

"I believe that’s what led to some of the changes that were made throughout the season. We started out a certain way, he may have had an idea about how something was gonna work and how he wanted it to work, but he kind of evolved throughout the season, as did our team. I think that all went into the fact that we went into another gear in the playoffs."

It's clear the players and rest of the organization adapted and worked well with Brown in his first season with the team. By winning the Finals, he became just the sixth head coach since the NBA/ABA merger (1976) to win a title in their first year with a team (the Toronto Raptors' Nick Nurse in 2019, Cavaliers' Tyronn Lue in 2016, Golden State Warriors' Steve Kerr in 2015, Los Angeles Lakers' Pat Riley in 1982, and Lakers' Paul Westhead in 1980).

While it may have been hard for Rose to move on from Thibodeau after helping get the Knicks back on the winning track, it worked, and will go down as one of the best in his tenure as team president. 

The floaters, the left-hand bias, the unorthodox release, the unique basketball IQ and the genuine will to win were all cornerstones of Nick Martinelli’s game in his career as a Wildcat. Another program legend will deservedly enter the biggest stage no matter what, whether that be through a selection or as an UDFA. For more details on his draft profile, our very-own Drew Christmann does a great job breaking it all down here. What follows is about fit: which organizations genuinely make sense for a player like Martinelli, and why, based on what each team is currently and what they need going into 2026-27 beyond.

The brief version of the case for Martinelli: he is a 6-foot-7, 223-pound forward who spent four years at Welsh-Ryan Arena turning an unconventional skill set into something specific and real. He led the Big Ten in scoring for the second straight year as a senior, averaging 23 points on 51/41.7/80.9 splits, and set a new Northwestern single-season record with 759 points. His improved three-point numbers are the ones that matter most for his draft case. He shot 32.2% from deep across his first three seasons, then jumped to 41.7% on 108 attempts, including 39.7% on guarded catch-and-shoot looks. Whether those numbers survive against athletes who close faster and contest higher is the central question every evaluator has about him. His release is not textbook, and it is not quick. The shot falls because of elite touch and a high release point, which tend to translate better than mechanics that rely on creating separation. The honest answer is that nobody knows for certain how it holds up, which is part of why he is in the second round at all.

The case against him is equally specific. Martinelli is not going to beat anybody off the dribble at the next level, and he will be targeted on switches. His combine athleticism measurements backed that up, posting a 26.5-inch no-step vertical. He is not a four and not quite a three, and whatever organization selects him Wednesday is betting that his scoring craft and IQ cover that gap. Given what his former Northwestern teammate Brooks Barnhizer did last year, going to the then-reigning-champion Thunder at pick 44 and earning legitimate two-way trust in a system built around second-round culture, the precedent for that kind of outcome exists at this exact stage of the draft. On Wednesday, somewhere between picks 31 and 60, the hope is that someone is going to make the same bet on Martinelli.

Here are the landing spots that make the most sense:

Minnesota Timberwolves, Picks No. 33 and No. 59

At the combine, Martinelli publicly named the Timberwolves as a team he had already spoken with, the first organization he confirmed by name and that was widely reported across outlets. In draft terms, that kind of acknowledgment usually means something was genuinely said between both parties, not just a formality.

Minnesota’s offseason is defined entirely by the recently-executed Julius Randle move. On the eve of the draft, the Wolves sent Randle and pick No. 28 to Brooklyn in exchange for pick No. 33, then immediately locked up Ayo Dosunmu on a long term deal. They arrive Wednesday night owning the third pick of the second round and the penultimate selection of the entire draft at No. 59. Timberwolves president Tim Connelly walked away from Tuesday’s first round visibly frustrated, saying the night was “not the action or activity we were hoping for.” The framework for 2026-27 is now built around Anthony Edwards with Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Dosunmu redistributing the offensive load Randle carried. Connelly said both McDaniels and Reid “have been clamoring for more opportunities and more responsibility and I think they’re going to get it.”

Martinelli does not solve Minnesota’s most pressing need, which is a legitimate point guard. Donte DiVincenzo’s injury status is uncertain, Mike Conley is a free agent at 38, and finding a ball-handler who can take pressure off Edwards is the organization’s most clearly identified roster hole heading into Wednesday. That said, at pick 33, you are not neccesarily drafting for immediate need so much as long-term value. Martinelli’s maturity and sponge-like learning ability makes him one of the higher-floor prospects available in general for a team that has repeatedly found useful players in unexpected places. Jaden McDaniels himself came at No. 28. Terrence Shannon Jr. was an undrafted add. The Wolves have shown they can identify players who make sense structurally even when the profile looks weird on paper. A forward who is physically ready, shoots at a real rate and plays without demanding touches is a sensible supporting piece for a team built around Edwards.

At pick 59, nearly the last selection in the draft, expectations are essentially nothing. This is the more likely slot between the two of them. But Martinelli is a more credible lottery ticket at 59 than most players available there. The combination of confirmed organizational contact and a specific skill set that fits next to Edwards’ star-centered offense gives both Minnesota picks some logic. The former might be a reach, but the latter would be considered a home-run considering the high-IQ and work ethic that coaches rave about with Martinelli. If he’s considered at 33, he could realistically still be there 26 spots later.

Miami Heat, Pick No. 41

This is the most contextually fascinating landing spot on the list, and it arrives slightly earlier in the second round than most boards project Martinelli.

The Heat just acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from Milwaukee in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks and pick swaps. Miami is now hard-capped at the first apron, with roughly $18 million in space and up to five roster spots to fill heading into free agency. Pick 41 via Golden State is the only draft capital they have, and it comes at one of the more interesting points of the board, right before Martinelli’s consensus range begins.

Here is where organizational history matters. The Heat traditionally do not draft at this range because they are usually trading picks to chase stars. Pat Riley has made only 14 first-round picks in 26 drafts as team president, with three of those traded on draft night, and has made significantly less second-round picks compared to the average franchise as well. The way the Heat have stayed functional through those years of sacrificed draft capital is by developing players nobody else wanted. Udonis Haslem went undrafted and played in France before making the roster. Duncan Robinson started his career at Division III Williams College, went undrafted, and eventually signed a five-year, $90 million contract as one of the sharpest perimeter shooters in the league. Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, Max Strus and Haywood Highsmith were all undrafted contributors who became rotation staples during Miami’s Finals runs. Back in 2022, Spoelstra described the organization’s search criteria plainly. All they want are “people that are committed to the work and [the] process,” and draft position is irrelevant to that simple standard.

The Heat’s talent identification pipeline does not run through lottery picks. It runs through the combine, the G League, summer league, and exactly the kinds of pre-draft workouts that teams conduct for second-round candidates like Martinelli. When Miami has a pick in this range, which is rare, they use it the same way they use undrafted signings: find a ready-now contributor with a specific skill, plug them into Spoelstra’s system, and let the development infrastructure do the rest.

The roster Miami is building around Giannis and Bam Adebayo also has a very specific problem. Analysis after the trade immediately flagged the projected starting lineup as relatively light on shooting, noting Adebayo shot only 32% from three last season. Antetokounmpo himself, despite everything else he does, has never been a reliable perimeter shooter. The Heat are going to win games through defense, transition and physicality, which is exactly the identity Spoelstra has built. But they need players on the floor who can catch, decide quickly and make the open look when Giannis draws help. Norman Powell, assumed to re-sign, projects as the roster’s primary perimeter scoring option, and beyond him the shooting depth is thin. Martinelli is specifically the missing piece: he does not need creation, does not demand touches, catches in the corners and midrange, makes the right read, and shot 41.7% from three in his final college season on real volume.

The skeptic’s argument is that the slot is too early relative to his board position, and that Miami with Giannis on the roster has no patience for a developmental second-round forward. Both points are fair. But the organizational track record says the Heat have always found ways to integrate ready-now contributors regardless of draft profile, and Martinelli at 22 with an NBA-ready body, a proven shooting leap and four years of growth at the peak of Northwestern basketball history is almost precisely the profile Spoelstra’s program has turned into rotation players for decades. The Heat do not reach for upside. They find specific, useful, hardworking players and deploy them correctly. Martinelli fits that description better than almost anyone available at pick 41.

San Antonio Spurs, Picks No. 42 and No. 44

Of any organization in the draft, the Spurs have the clearest structural argument for taking Martinelli, and two chances to do it.

Built almost entirely through the draft, with Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper all taken as consecutive top-four picks, the Spurs went 62-20 in the 2026 regular season. They then took down the reigning champion Thunder to make the NBA Finals before falling to the Knicks in five games. It was an extraordinary rebuild for a historic brand. But the franchise’s history of identifying value at the back of the draft predates this current core by decades. Manu Ginobili was drafted 57th overall in the second round of the 1999 draft and went on to win four championships, a Sixth Man of the Year award, two All-Star selections and eventually a Hall of Fame induction. Tony Parker went 28th in 2001 and became a Hall of Famer and Finals MVP. The 2011 draft, when the Spurs traded George Hill to Indiana for the 15th and 42nd picks, yielded Kawhi Leonard at 15. The point is that San Antonio’s draft identity is not just about hitting on lottery picks. It is a franchise that has consistently found useful contributors in the lower portions of the board and trusted them with real minutes.

That said though, in that final series versus the Knicks they shot a very poor 33.9% from three: Wembanyama 27.3%, Castle 30%, Harper 28%, Fox 25%. Only Vassell and Champagnie shot above 40%. That is a historically poor shooting performance from a team with that many talent advantages, and it exposes a very specific depth problem. When those two reliable shooters were off the floor, San Antonio had no reliable third option who could keep the spacing functional. Martinelli just shot 41.7% from three in his final college season, gets to the line at a high rate, and does not need touches to be useful. The profile is almost tailor-made for what the Spurs were missing in June.

Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk and Mason Plumlee are all entering free agency, meaning forward depth has to come from somewhere. With picks 42 and 44, San Antonio can allocate one slot to a ready-now contributor and one to a raw developmental player. The Thunder built their dynasty in significant part on second-rounders: Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ajay Mitchell and Jaylin Williams all became genuine rotation contributors from that tier. San Antonio has watched that model closely and tried to replicate it. A franchise that turned Ginobili at 57 and Parker at 28 into Hall of Famers is not going to be shy about betting on a player whose profile looks unconventional. The cool part is that those two slots average out to the exact range they are drafting in 2026. Of course, correlation is not causation, and nobody is expecting Martinelli to be a hybrid of the two. Equally, nobody would complain if the Spurs take a player who is already 22, physically complete, and basketball-smart. It is the lower-risk version of the second-round bet, not a concession. There is not much to develop here. There is just a role to deploy him into correctly.

Orlando Magic, Pick No. 46

The Magic put their build-through-the-draft blueprint on hold when they traded multiple future first-round picks for Desmond Bane last summer, a logical decision after assembling one of the league’s best young cores. The reward has not yet arrived.

They blew a 3-1 lead to Detroit, for the second time this century, flailing out of the first round for a second straight year which directly led to the firing of head coach Jamahl Mosley.

Orlando are also without their own first-round pick in 2028 and 2030, both unprotected to Memphis, and their 2029 pick is top-two protected with a swap favoring the Grizzlies. For the first time since 2011, they entered a draft without a first-round selection. Magic President Jeff Weltman’s track record of identifying players who fit the system is real: Tristan da Silva at No. 18 in 2024 drew skepticism on draft night and has carved out a rotation role with his shooting and feel. Jase Richardson at No. 25 in 2025 was a value selection whose stock had slid after the combine but fit Orlando’s backcourt need precisely. Both picks reflected an organization that evaluates systematically rather than chasing athleticism.

The specific problem it needs to address now is not subtle. The Magic ranked 27th in three-point accuracy at 34.3% as a team despite Bane’s 39.1% leading the roster. Banchero, Wagner, Suggs, Anthony Black and Carter Jr. all shot between 30.5 and 34.5% from three. That is a full starting lineup of players who do not shoot the ball well from deep, plus one imported shooter who did not change the team’s playoff fate.

Orlando is still developing Anthony Black, along with previously mentioned da Silva and Richardson, all of whom are roughly the same age as incoming rookies, which tells you the organization is comfortable adding young pieces and letting them develop in the background.

This team is built entirely on defense and physical dominance at the rim, and they have now failed twice in the first round because they cannot score in a half-court game when it gets late and tight. Adding Desmond Bane was supposed to change that. It did not change it enough. Pick 46 is everything they have to work with on Wednesday, and it lands squarely in Martinelli’s consensus range. He is not going to fix the spacing problem. He is one 22-year-old second-rounder who will likely start next year in the G League. But he represents the right kind of thinking at a position in the draft where there are not many options available, and the Magic are a team that should be thinking about every conceivable way to add shooters to a roster that, even after adding a legitimate 40% three-point shooter at considerable cost, still ranks near the bottom of the league from deep.

New York Knicks, Picks No. 31, 47 and No. 55

The defending champion Knicks walked out of Tuesday’s first round without taking a player, executing a series of trades through the Lakers, Mavericks and Suns to accumulate picks at 31, 47 and 55. With Landry Shamet and Mitchell Robinson both heading to free agency and James Dolan treating the second apron as an absolute ceiling, the three second-round slots represent essentially the only avenue New York has to replenish depth.

The Knicks’ championship is worth understanding because of what it was, not just what it accomplished. The Knicks did not draft a single starter on their championship roster. Their build started with a point guard drafted 33rd overall by Dallas, available in free agency only because the Mavericks declined to offer him an extension. Miles McBride, the one homegrown drafted player who contributed meaningfully in the run, was taken 36th overall in 2021, spent years bouncing between Westchester and 12-minute bench cameos, and eventually became their sixth man before injury. The organization’s track record with second-round picks is not glamorous, but McBride’s path tells you exactly what the Knicks believe is possible when they identify the right player, put him in Westchester, and let the situation develop. He didn’t force his way into the rotation. The moments came, and he was ready.

Jalen Brunson himself, the champion’s centerpiece and Finals MVP, was a Villanova two-time national champion who fell to the second round in 2018, went 33rd to Dallas, and spent two seasons coming off the bench before his breakout. The irony is not lost on Mavericks fans, but the lesson is: the Knicks know better than most franchises that second-round picks can become franchise cornerstones when the system is right.

It helps that the Northwestern connection in this building is real and documented. Boo Buie, the program’s all-time leading scorer who played with Martinelli for two seasons, signed a two-way contract with New York in November 2024. He was waived on December 24 after playing exclusively with Westchester, and was eventually traded to the G-League’s Capitanes the following August. Buie’s path did not work out, but his presence in the organization signals that the Knicks were at minimum comfortable enough with Northwestern’s program to put that trust into a roster spot. Martinelli is a considerably different player physically: heavier, stronger and more equipped to handle contact from NBA-level bodies. And the specific shooting profile the Knicks would be drafting, a pick-and-pop forward who catches and shoots, plays off others’ creation and does not need the ball in his hands, fits naturally behind the championship core’s existing structure. At pick 47 or 55, in the middle of his realistic range, a team like the Knicks could do considerably worse.

Dallas Mavericks, Pick No. 48

Martinelli confirmed both an interview with the Mavericks and a formal pre-draft workout with the organization, making Dallas one of a small number of teams with documented hands-on evaluation time. After taking Morez Johnson Jr. ninth overall on Tuesday and trading the No. 30 pick to the Knicks for stash prospect Sergio De Larrea, pick 48 is Dallas’s final live selection and lands one slot after Martinelli’s most commonly mocked projection.

The Mavericks are in a transitional state that is simultaneously exciting and uncertain. Cooper Flagg won Rookie of the Year and looks like a genuine franchise cornerstone. He shot just 29.5% from three as a 19-year-old last season, which means defenses are still not fully respecting his perimeter shot, and the Mavericks need off-ball players who can punish that, catch the corner kick-outs he generates with his drives and make defenses pay for collapsing. Kyrie Irving is 34 and coming off a torn ACL, and Dallas has essentially no solidified guard depth beyond Ryan Nembhard if Irving misses significant time. A forward who plays off others, does not demand creation, gets to the line and spaces the floor is a reasonable complementary add in that environment.

The workout history with the organization is what elevates Dallas from theoretical to credible. Teams do not put prospects through formal workouts without moving them up the internal board, and the fact that Dallas as a team has plenty room to grow would allow for Martinelli to simultaneously grow at his own pace.

Toronto Raptors, Pick No. 50

Toronto is the most underrated team on this list, and pick 50 lands almost exactly in the middle of Martinelli’s consensus range.

The Raptors finished 46-36 in 2025-26, returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2022, and pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to a deciding Game 7 in the first round. The foundation for what comes next is a genuine two-way frontcourt in Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles, who helped Toronto finish fifth in defensive rating. The problem is everything else offensively. The Raptors finished 26th in made threes, 26th in three-point attempts and 21st in three-point percentage at 35.4%. Barnes himself is not a reliable shooter. He hit just 27.1% from deep in his final season before making the All-Star team, and that weakness has been a structural limitation on everything Toronto tries to do offensively.

The organizational track record on pick development is relevant. Immanuel Quickley himself was the 25th overall pick in 2020, developed under the Raptors’ infrastructure into a reliable starting guard, and became one of the more important pieces in their playoff push. General manager Bobby Webster has shown a consistent willingness to identify players who fit the system and trust the environment to develop them rather than expecting instant contribution from second-rounders. Ja’Kobe Walter, taken 19th in 2024, started the year averaging 7.5 points before growing into one of Toronto’s most reliable perimeter threats by season’s end, finishing at 40% from three on over three attempts per game, the only Raptor consistently meeting that volume and efficiency.

Walter is the most important reference point here. He was the only reliable shooter on a playoff team, and the Raptors’ entire offensive ceiling ran through whether he was making threes. Adding another player who can do that job, even in a bench role, even in the G League initially, directly addresses the single most glaring offensive deficiency on the roster. Martinelli at pick 50 on a cheap second-round deal is the specific answer to a specific problem for a team that has demonstrated it can develop players into that role when the fit is right.

Chicago Bulls, Picks No. 38 and No. 56

The Bulls are the wild card on this list, and Martinelli is the most locally resonant name they could possibly call with their second-round picks. As a Chicago-native myself, my fingers are crossed for this outcome, and the story has plenty of reason to root for it regardless.

Martinelli grew up in Glenview, Illinois, attended Glenbrook South High School, and spent four years at Northwestern just down the road in Evanston. As he described it himself, Evanston became an extension of Glenview over those years, his brother Jimmy having moved back to the area, his parents at every home game. Glenbrook South is roughly 20 miles from the United Center. Evanston is closer still. If the Bulls choose him at either of their two slots, his name would span across the digital boards at Barclays Center as a representation of the most Chicago-adjacent player in this entire draft class.

The basketball argument is real too, if complicated. Chicago selected Caleb Wilson fourth overall, then took Texas standout Dailyn Swain at 15, adding size and athleticism to a core already featuring Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey and the recently-added Nic Claxton. Media covering the pick immediately flagged the looming shooting question: despite drafting multiple wings, the Bulls have assembled a roster full of players whose jumpers need work, and spacing is now a significant concern heading into 2026-27. Wing depth with shooting is explicitly identified as one of Chicago’s two main remaining roster needs heading into the second round. Martinelli is specifically that. He does not attack off the dribble. He does not need creation. He catches, he makes the right read, and he shoots at a legitimate rate that none of the players drafted above him in Chicago can match.

Pick 38 is early for where most boards have him, and the Bulls under new GM Bryson Graham have shown a strong preference for length and athleticism in their selections. Martinelli is the opposite of that profile on paper. But he worked out for Chicago, and the narrative of a Glenview kid walking into the United Center as a Bull rather than a visitor is the kind of thing that occasionally moves front offices in ways analytics do not fully capture. If Graham saw enough in his evaluation process to either reach or let him fall to them at 56, the story writes itself: the kid who grew up going to Bulls games, played his college ball 12 miles north, and never needed anyone else’s blueprint to become good enough could extend his Glenview bubble yet again. This time to the Madhouse on Madison.

He’s no longer a cute little kid.

He’s a $185-million man.

He’s no longer a quintessential underdog routinely pardoned for his bad defense, his questionable durability and his tendency to tighten up in the playoffs.

He’s a big dog who needs to own it.

Austin Reaves, the most beloved Laker, became the most scrutinized Laker on Wednesday with the news that he agreed to a maximum four-year, $185-million contract to remain with the team.

Kudos to him for becoming the highest-paid undrafted player in league history.

Read more:Lakers' Austin Reaves opts out of contract, plans to re-sign for four years

Props to him for declining a rich extension offer last summer to play out the season and bet on himself.

Congrats to the Lakers for turning a homegrown talent into a budding superstar.

Seriously, it makes you just want to hug that unkempt, headband-wearing dude and let him know how his everyman story resonates with the masses.

Except that story is finished. That book has been closed. A new volume has begun.

It’s called, “Is Austin Reaves Worth It?”

Thus far, the answer has been no.

Flash back to May, the opener of the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a week after he had returned to the court following a monthlong absence with an oblique injury.

The Lakers needed Reaves to set the tone. He instead laid an egg, shooting three for 16 from the field and zero for five from beyond the arc, his body knocked clear to Tulsa by a physical Thunder defense.

Two games later, same thing, he shoots five for 13 and one for five from deep, allowing the Thunder to pound him to a pulp.

With Luka Doncic out and LeBron James exhausted, the Lakers desperately needed Reaves to pick up the slack. He dropped it, again and again, and the Lakers were swept.

It was the same thing in the spring of 2025, when Reaves crumbled in the first-round series-clinching loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, shooting five for 14 and two for 10 in a performance that was, as usual, generally overlooked because he tried so hard and accepted his shortcomings so honestly.

That’s not going to work anymore. That’s not going to be enough anymore.

With this new deal, Reaves becomes the Lakers’ second cornerstone along with Doncic. They are now officially a one-two punch. They are now a twin-engine scoring machine that can rival any similar duo in the NBA.

Doncic has lived up to his end of the bargain. Will Reaves?

And what about defense? For $185 million, you’d think you could get some defense. Doncic needs his running mate to compensate for his questionable defensive skills, and Reaves has yet to do that.

Simply by earning his way onto the Lakers roster five years ago, Reaves has been a great role model for everyone who has ever been ignored or shunned or marginalized. But did the Lakers fall in love with his legend and ignore his frailties?

Yes, he averaged 23 points per game last season. But he only played in a career-low 51 games because of calf and oblique injuries, and will he add the muscle required to fend off such problems in the future?

Yes, he has been a great interview while admirably and publicly holding himself and his teammates accountable. But he’s always been able to lead from the shadows. How will he react when 185 million microphones are pointed at him?

In a postgame interview after the Lakers’ final loss against Oklahoma City this spring, Reaves was at his aw-shucks best.

“I take life day by day and I’m just blessed to have an opportunity to play for this organization, play a kid’s game,” he said, “I make good money. But like I said, I don’t think about what I’m really going to do in the future, just day by day.”

That tone has to change. He now has to think about the future because he is the future, of this team, of this organization, of the hopes of this city.

With all of Reaves’ shortcomings, one can almost see the unsentimental Dodgers officials looking at Wednesday’s news and saying, “Wait, they did what?”

But in the end, the Lakers didn’t really have a choice. There wasn’t a free agent available who could match Reaves’ prolific shooting, and nobody who could match the Laker-centric story of his personal journey.

Renowned softie Rob Pelinka, who should count Reaves as one of his greatest successes, was so moved by the opportunity to bring him back that he mentioned the Lakers colors when answering a question about him.

“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker,” Pelinka said during exit interviews this spring. “We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold.”

And so it will, for at least several more years, Reaves now occupying a Lakers leading sidekick role made famous during their championship years by the likes of Anthony Davis and Pau Gasol.

How sweet. How scary.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Greetings, BBN!

It’s been quite the roller coaster of an offseason for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Basketball program. Following a 22-14 season that ended with a blowout in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. Pope watched much of his roster leave Lexington, then struggled to fill it out when the transfer portal first opened.

Thankfully, Kentucky was able to end it on a high note thanks to the addition of Iowa State star Milan Momcilovic, while also retaining a potential All-SEC center in Malachi Moreno after he tested the NBA Draft waters.

But even the best of offseasons can only do so much when it comes to a coach’s hot seat. Wins and losses are ultimately what affect that the most, and Pope is entering a critical year that could very well decide how his Kentucky tenure goes.

So, we wanted to ask the BBN their thoughts on what it will take to keep Pope off the hot seat this season.

Do the Cats need to make a run to the second weekend of the Big Dance?

Will a good regular season and one NCAA Tournament win be enough?

Does he just need to make the Big Dance to keep his job?

Or maybe you actually think Pope has done enough through his first two years to earn a fourth season so long as he doesn’t have a Kenny Payne-level disaster in Year 3.

Let us know your thoughts in the poll below and in the comments section!

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in UK fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.Be sure to add us to your “Preferred Sources” on Google to get all of the latest Kentucky Wildcats news and views! And Go CATS!

The Cleveland Cavaliers will forever be linked to LeBron James. The King hasn’t played for his hometown team since 2018, but could return for the final chapter of his career if the Los Angeles Lakers agree to facilitate a trade.

The asking price? Jarrett Allen.

“I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they’d have LeBron,” said Brian Windhorst on ESPN Cleveland. “The Lakers would kill for Jarrett Allen; they would do that deal in seventeen-tenths of a second.”

This makes sense. James is the oldest player in the NBA and will turn 42 later this year. Wherever he plays next season, there’s a good chance that it won’t be for long. If the Lakers were able to flip him for a 28-year-old center who fits like a glove next to Luka Doncic — they’d do it yesterday.

The question is, why would the Cavs even consider this?

It would take some real desperation to part ways with Allen for the final year(s) of LeBron’s career. As much as we all love James, there is no winning against Father Time. He can’t have much more gas left in the tank. This would be the definition of a short-sighted move. Especially, after Allen came up huge in consecutive Game 7’s in his most recent playoff run. This isn’t someone you want to kick to the curb for a 42-year-old.

James is still an elite player. He averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds last season. But, as a general rule of thumb, you shouldn’t make a deal with someone who would kill to shake your hand and put ink to paper. That indicates that you’re giving up way more than you should. The Lakers would jump to make this deal for a reason.

Unfortunately, the Cavs don’t have many other options for bringing back James. He has a $52 million dollar player option this summer. It’s hard to see him declining that in favor of a much, much smaller deal in Cleveland. He’d have to be desperate to join the Cavs in that scenario. Just as desperate as they’d have to be to trade Allen for him. And if that were true, we wouldn’t be having this discussion, to begin with.

Until Tuesday night, only one Mexican-born player had been an NBA draft pick. Eduardo Nájera was selected 38th overall in the second round by the Houston Rockets in 2000 and enjoyed a 12-year career as a backup forward with five teams.

Karim López joined him when the Detroit Pistons snapped him up at No. 21, making him the first Mexican-born first-round draft selection.

Lopez donned the Pistons’ cap handed to him by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, then was immediately traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.

López, a 19-year-old 6-foot-9 forward, became emotional when Silver announced the pick. He sobbed beneath the cap.

“It’s just super special,” he said. “I’m blessed. I mean, I have no words.”

Born in Hermosillo in the Mexican state of Sonora, López joined the prestigious Joventut Badalona youth academy in Badalona, Spain, at age 14 to accelerate his development. The academy counts former NBA players Ricky Rubio, Rudy Fernández and Raül López among its alumni.

During his post-draft television interview, he displayed a custom design inside his suit jacket: Mexico’s tricolor flag.

Read more:Lakers swap picks with Knicks, select wing Cameron Carr

“I just wanted to represent my culture, represent where I’m from, represent my faith, and just represent myself, basically,” López said. “Show who I am.”

Memphis clearly targeted López while adroitly obtaining five second-round picks in the process. They received three picks from the Pistons and two from the Oklahoma City Thunder in return for moving back from the No. 16 draft position.

Whether López fulfills his potential and becomes the fifth Mexican-born player to take the court with an NBA team remains to be seen. Reviews are mixed.

Draft experts John Hollinger and Sam Vecenie of the Athletic differed in their evaluation, with Hollinger giving the pick a thumbs-up while Vecenie expressed reservations.

“I had Karim López rated quite a bit higher than [the No. 21 pick] and was surprised to see him slide this far,” Hollinger wrote, giving the pick an “A” grade partially because the Grizzlies also collected the five second-round picks.

Read more:NBA draft: Clippers select Keaton Wagler at No. 5; AJ Dybantsa goes No. 1

Vecenie pointed out that López doesn’t shoot well and has defensive deficiencies, saying that his game might be better suited for European leagues than the NBA.

“I’m not sure how he gets on an NBA court early in his career,” he wrote. “I love his frame and physicality. I love that he rebounds and attacks with aggression. But I’m not sure he’s good enough without the ball to make an early impact in the NBA.”

Should López make the Grizzlies’ roster, he would join Horacio Llamas, Gustavo Ayón, Jorge Gutiérrez and Nájera as the only NBA players born in Mexico.

“It means a lot to me,” Lopez said. “It’s just a great opportunity for me and my country to have this platform and have this opportunity. So super blessed and definitely take it with a lot of pride.”

Noteworthy NBA players of Mexican descent born in the United States include former UCLA standout Jaime Jaquez Jr. and former Lakers reserve Juan Toscano-Anderson.

Jaquez averaged 15.4 points a game in 2025-2026, his third season with the Miami Heat. Toscano-Anderson played five seasons in the NBA — including winning a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2022 — and now is with Pallacanestro Trieste of the top Italian league.
López is already a veteran of international basketball, having spent the last two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s top pro league. He averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds last season.

He will join No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer with the Grizzlies, who are rebuilding after finishing 25-57 and 13th in the Western Conference last season.

“A goal of mine is to hopefully reach young people in Mexico,” Lopez told ESPN in March when he declared for the draft. “Trying to grow the sport and inspire athletes and people in general to follow their dreams. Show people that it doesn’t matter where you’re from.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Yaxel Lendeborg reacts to the Warriors selecting him with the No. 11 pick in the first round of the NBA Draft.
• Mike Dunleavy Jr. explains his viral draft war room interaction with Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob.
• Austin Reaves agrees to a four-year, $185 million extension to remain with the Lakers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Golden State Warriors welcomed their newest addition to the team after selecting Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 overall pick in Tuesday night’s NBA Draft. Shortly after being drafted, Lendeborg spoke with the media and shared his excitement about joining Golden State.

One of the biggest takeaways from Lendeborg’s first press conference as a Warrior was his initial thoughts on his new teammates. The forward jokingly admitted that he “used to hate Steph Curry” while growing up because of his fondness for former Cleveland Cavaliers star Kyrie Irving. Now, however, he appreciates the opportunity to be teammates with one of the greatest players in NBA history.

There is a similar dynamic at play with Draymond Green as well. Lendeborg spent last season at Michigan, which shares one of college basketball’s fiercest rivalries with Green’s alma mater, Michigan State. That history should make for an amusing pairing as Lendeborg discussed his excitement to learn from Green.

Despite the lighthearted comments, Lendeborg spoke highly of both veterans and appeared genuinely happy about the opportunity to learn from them. More importantly, his first interview as a Warrior offered an early glimpse into his personality. Lendeborg came across as an upbeat, personable, and competitive person who is eager to embrace this new opportunity — qualities that should make him a natural fit within the Warriors’ culture as he begins his NBA career.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Wednesday, June 24th:

Warriors News:

Kawakami: ‘He can play everything’ — How the Warriors locked in on Yaxel Lendeborg | The San Francisco Standard

One team source indicated that the Warriors had Lendeborg rated about even with Burries and only had Duke’s Cam Boozer clearly placed on a higher level in this draft.

That might or might not be some slight retro-editing of their true big board (they weren’t going to take a lead guard in this draft and that position dominated the top nine selections). But either way, the Warriors definitely always were very high on Lendeborg and definitely always weren’t so worried about his birthdate.

Even if Lendeborg was actually the fifth or sixth player on the Warriors’ board, this was a strong enough draft to make the selection a happy one. If Burries had slipped to 11, I imagine it would’ve been an even giddier draft room, and Burries, at 20, simply has more practical upside than Lendeborg.

Grading Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg selection with No. 11 pick in 2026 NBA Draft | NBC Sports Bay Area

Can Lendeborg be the Warriors’ OG Anunoby? Big wings who can play all over the court are every franchise’s best friend.

The Warriors could have shot for more potential. They chose production for their most important pick in over a decade. 

Grade: A-

Mike Dunleavy addresses the viral draft interaction with Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob

NBA News:

Round 2 NBA mock draft: Best available players, predictions | ESPN

Strengths: Lawal is one of the best all-around athletes in the draft, with a 45-inch max vertical. He’s a good rebounder who can block shots and play above the rim.

Weaknesses: His offensive skill is rudimentary and limits his ability to impact the game, and he is largely restricted to dunks and finishing plays around the basket. He’s more of a project than your typical 23-year-old prospect.

The verdict: Lawal is a late-blooming player who grew up in London and has made some strides with his all-around game over the past couple of years. His elite physical gifts make him an intriguing developmental pick, but he’s raw offensively and projects as a high-energy depth player at best.

Lakers and Austin Reaves agree on a $185 million extension, per ESPN’s Shams Charania

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Takeaways from Yaxel Lendeborg’s draft night interview

Lendeborg concluded, “I can do everything in my power to make sure my mom knows how much she means to me. I can make sure she understands that I’m so grateful for everything she’s done. And that all I’ve ever wanted was to be someone who my mom could be proud of, someone she is proud to call her son.”

I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is in the books, and SB Nation draft expert Ricky O’Donnell graded every pick from the first round. A total of eight teams managed to nail the first round in his eyes, earning an A-grade or higher for their selections.

Grading was a blend of two factors: Where the player was on the NBA big board ahead of the draft, as well as the team fit. The perfect storm is this coming together to lead to an elite fit, which we saw last year as Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Kon Knueppel all earned A-grades a year ago, and turned into being pivotal players for their teams. So let’s dive into this year’s top picks and see if they can continue their path to NBA stardom.

Cameron Boozer to the Memphis Grizzlies, No. 3 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade A+

Best player in the draft. Boozer lacks vertical explosiveness and some shake in the middle of the floor, but he’s excellent at just about every aspect of basketball. He was unanimously considered the best player in college hoops, despite also being one of the youngest, which is the ultimate sign of star potential. This is reminiscent of Luka Dončić slipping to the third pick in 2018, though in this case, Dybantsa and Peterson are much better than DeAndre Ayton and Marvin Bagley. I still think Boozer was in a class of his own at this draft because of his special processing, knockdown three-point shooting, monster rebounding, powerful isolation driving, and ability to find open teammates as a passer all over the floor.

It’s astonishing that such a brilliant, do-everything facilitator from a proven Duke program fell to No. 3 overall solely because of a perceived lack of upside. This was a home-run pick for the Grizzlies, who not only get the best player in this class — but someone who can be a culture-shaping player in Memphis.

Caleb Wilson to the Chicago Bulls, No. 4 overall

Ricky’s take

Grade: A

This was the easiest pick in the draft. Wilson turned the big three into a big four during an electric freshman year at North Carolina, where he established himself as the draft’s most explosive athlete. Wilson dunked the hell out of the ball at every opportunity this past season with 67 slams in 24 games. His playmaking also looked far better than other freak athletes in his mold. If he can make any sort of leap as an outside shooter or ball handler, it could take his offense to the next level. It will also be fascinating to monitor his defense after a freshman year full of highlight reel takeaways that also included some ugly lapses of ball watching. Read my in-depth feature on his past, present, and future.

The thing you keep hearing raving about with Caleb Wilson is his character. A gym-rat with an endless desire to keep getting better, there’s unquestionably improvements that can be made to his game — but the drive to make it happen as well. It’s going to be so much fun to see Wilson and Matas Buzelis jumping out of the arena together.

Kingston Flemings to the Atlanta Hawks, No. 8 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A

Flemings lacks ideal length and strength for an NBA point guard, but he’s super athletic, super smart, and has an ability to play bigger than his listed size at both ends of the floor. Flemings is an awesome driver who can change directions on a dime, throw live dribble passes on the money, or rise-and-fire into mid-range attempts. He’s probably the best defender of this loaded point guard group despite his lack of size due to his disruptive hands, sharp instincts, and high motor.

This is a really interesting fit as the Hawks continue to move on from the Trae Young era. It gives them a player who can be an impact distributor to accompany Atlanta’s high-end scorers, and a great veteran in C.J. McCollum to help hone his game. It’s impossible to hate on this pick as need met value for Atlanta.

Yaxel Lendeborg to the Golden State Warriors, No. 11 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A

Lendeborg felt like the second best player in college basketball behind Cam Boozer this past season — and he probably should have been, considering he was a super-senior who is a month older than Josh Giddey. I usually don’t like older prospects, but I love Yaxel. He’s long and strong enough to play in an NBA front court and skilled enough to play on the perimeter on both ends of the floor. He probably could have put up monster scoring numbers at any other school, but instead he embraced his role as an floor spacer, connective playmaker, and versatile defender, and it led to a national championship. Read my feature on Yaxel’s stunning rise from JUCO player to NBA lottery pick.

The Warriors are desperately trying to push their window back open, and Lendeborg is a guy who can contribute immediately to achieve it. We don’t know what the future holds for Draymond Green, but it feels as though Lendeborg can come in and be a worse defender, but vastly better offensive player from the jump. That might be enough to get Golden State back in the picture if they can stay healthy.

Aday Mara to the Oklahoma City Thunder, No. 12 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A-

There are only so many humans in the world who stand 7’3 with a 9’9 standing reach. Mara was the single biggest stock-riser of March Madness, showing off his elite passing ability and trusty rim protection in drop coverage on Michigan’s run to the national championship. He’s not a shooter at the moment, and there are questions about his quickness on the perimeter, but I’m willing to bet on Mara’s size, passing, and shot-blocking. The Thunder just got another big body to throw at Victor Wembanyama in future playoff matchups. This is a great landing spot for him with so many ferocious perimeter defenders hounding the ball in front of his drop defense.

It’s really wild to think that teams in the West are already needing to strategize ahead to find their “anti-Wemby,” but it makes perfect sense. The Thunder are at a point now where they’re just looking to get specific tools to add to their toolbox, rather than needing complete stars. The fact they were able to do that at No. 12 overall is perfect.

Hannes Steinbach to the Charlotte Hornets, No. 14 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A

Best rebounder in the class. His offensive rebounding might be the best skill in this class, and he’s also major transition threat. I’m buying his shooting upside. He’s not exactly a defensive anchor, so he’ll probably work best in a twin-towers front court. The Hornets needed some more beef inside and they got it.

The Hornets were desperate to add size and consistent rebounding to complement Moussa Diabate, and they got it. This likely spells the end to Miles Bridges’ time in Charlotte, and trades athletic dunking, for a rim-hound who can mitigate the downside of LaMelo Ball’s volume shooting.

Ebuka Okorie to the Detroit Pistons, No. 18 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A

I love it. Okorie has star upside with the best first step in the class and the ability to extend the advantage with elite acceleration on his way to the rim. He took a lot of threes this year and looked good making them off the dribble. He’s small for a guard and he’s not the best playmaker, but who did he really have to pass to at Stanford? I like the idea of getting Cade Cunningham off the ball a little bit more. Okorie’s ability to generate paint touches could be super valuable for what was an ugly halfcourt offense at times.

Cade Cunningham had a major breakout season that caused the former No. 1 pick to ascend to a legitimate MVP-caliber player. Anything that helps him progress even more will be extremely fun to watch. Okorie’s ability to stretch the floor with teams needing to respect his shot is much-needed when the Pistons’ only reliable threat from beyond the arc is Duncan Robinson.

Jayden Quaintance to the San Antonio Spurs, No. 20 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A-

This is a major roll of the dice, but I love it. Quaintance seemed destined to be a top-5 pick coming into the season after an amazing freshman year at Arizona State where he looked like a special defensive big man. He tore his ACL at the end of that season, and he was never healthy at Kentucky, shutting it down after four games. His offense is a major question mark, but his power, length, and movement skills give him massive coverage versatility and a really high defensive ceiling. Wemby at power forward? You’re going to see it more and more if Quaintance reaches his potential.

Picking a big man to pair with your already MVP-caliber big man? Stop if you’ve heard this one before with San Antonio. The defensive prowess he brings to the middle will take pressure off Wemby to do everything on his own on both ends of the floor. We know he’s going to do that anyway, because it’s just how he plays — but it opens up opportunities to use the phenom in creative new ways.