Los Angeles Lakers are running out of answers against the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder, and even another vintage performance from LeBron James may not be enough to keep their season alive tonight at Crypto.com Arena.
My Thunder vs. Lakers predictions and NBA picks expect Oklahoma City to stay firmly in control — to the point where OKC’s biggest star may not need to carry a massive offensive load.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Thunder vs Lakers Game 4 prediction tonight
Who will win Thunder vs Lakers Game 4?
Thunder: There has been nothing “gentlemanly” about how thoroughly Oklahoma City has dominated this series. It should not become a gentleman’s sweep. Put the Lakers out of their misery.
Thunder vs Lakers best bet: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 28.5 points (-115)
This is doubt in the Los Angeles Lakers. The Oklahoma City Thunder are so dominant in this series that the MVP does not need to pour in points.Gilgeous-Alexander does not need to throw himself to the floor to draw foul calls.
SGA has scored just 18, 22, and 23 points in the three games of this series, yet OKC has covered the spread in each game. Winning Games 1 and 2 by 18 points apiece did not stress the Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander should stay in cruise control for now. The stress will come in the next round.
Maybe this can be construed as doubt in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Then again, much like throwing yourself to the hardwood to draw foul calls, finding rebounds takes effort. And neither SGA nor OKC needs to expend much effort to beat the Lakers.
Gilgeous-Alexander has cleared this modest rebounding prop just once in this series, grabbing all of four rebounds in Game 3. He is not living at the rim; his defensive assignments cannot get into the paint, and the Thunder might sit SGA for the entire fourth quarter, given how lopsided this game should be.
Thunder vs Lakers SGP
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 28.5 points
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Under 3.5 rebounds
Thunder moneyline
Our "from downtown" SGP: Later, LeBron
Even LeBron James cannot win this series on his own. But he can go down swinging.
James cleared this modest points prop in the first two games of this series. Given the obvious stakes of, ya know, elimination, expect James to get to the rim until the score is too lopsided to dream about.
Given Oklahoma City turned an 11-point lead into a 23-point win in the fourth quarter of Game 3, covering the spread is always possible for the Thunder in this series.
Oklahoma City has not merely covered the spread in this series. The Thunder have now covered the spread in all seven meetings with the Lakers this regular season and postseason. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Lakers.
How to watch Thunder vs Lakers Game 4
Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Monday, May 11, 2026
Tip-off
10:30 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Thunder vs Lakers latest injuries
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The Brooklyn Nets will be picking sixth in the 2026 NBA Draft, following the results of the NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday afternoon. Mr. Whammy’s valiant efforts to butter up Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum before the drawing were not fruitful…
After posting the NBA’s third-worst record this season, this was a poor outcome for Brooklyn. (I opted for “nauseating” above.) Technically, this was a bottom-third outcome for the Nets, who had a 7% chance of falling to #7 and a 26% chance of falling to #6.
The Nets also have two second-round picks this season, which they posted on social media just after the results…
Nearly two years ago on June 24, 2024, Sean Marks made a pair of franchise-altering trades to kick off the summer. Brooklyn shipped Mikal Bridges across the East River for a whopping five first-round picks (and a swap!), then announced almost simultaneously that they had traded four Phoenix Suns picks and swaps to Houston, in exchange for their own ‘25 and ‘26 first-rounders.
One day later, the Houston Rockets selected Reed Sheppard at No. 3 overall. They still owned the 2024 Nets pick, after all, which had spiked in the lottery after Brooklyn had a good ‘ol fashioned miserable season, no tanking involved. It was time for GM Sean Marks to get in on that sort of luck, setting the team up to tank hard over the next two seasons. The move was lauded; the following spring, Marks was voted the 8th-best executive in the NBA by his peers.
Now, the Nets’ two year tank is over. In 2025, after starting the season 9-10, they received the #8 pick, just two spots ahead of the Suns pick they traded away. This June, they’ll be picking at #6, missing out on a consensus top-four of AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, and Caleb Wilson, while the New York Knicks could be coming off an NBA Finals trip.
The Nets traded three first-round picks and one first-round swap to regain control over their 2025 and 2026 first-round picks so they could tank.
They move down a combined five slots in those two lotteries. Absolutely brutal.
The Houston Rockets own Brooklyn’s 2027 first-round pick, in the form of a swap. Hence this two-year window. With the NBA Draft Lottery set to undergo drastic reform next season, you could argue the Nets did not tank hard enough; the league-worst Washington Wizards won the #1 overall pick. The Indiana Pacers had the second-worst record and fell, but only to #5 (thus relinquishing their pick to the Los Angeles Clippers).
But the Chicago Bulls and their ninth-worst record shot up to four. The Memphis Grizzlies traded places with the Nets, jumping from #6 to #3….
As we reported earlier, one NBA insider told NetsDaily that they believe Brooklyn could trade up now that disaster has struck. I personally don’t see it — everybody loves the top four prospects — but you never know.
“The only reason you bank firsts like that is to be able to strike opportunistically,” he said. “Now, [moving up] in this draft, they will have to find a dance partner. But say they land in the dreaded fifth spot. They have enough draft capital to get them to the third.”
Was this outcome inevitable? No. All the Nets needed was a bit of good fortune to swing their way, and they didn’t get it. Okay, maybe it was inevitable.
Update: Sean Marks speaks
Erik Slater of Locked on Nets and ClutchPoints was in Chicago for this latest misfortune, and spoke to Sean Marks after the drawing. Here was Marks’ immediate reaction to landing the sixth pick…
Sean Marks on the Nets falling to the sixth pick:
"There's going to be some really good options for us, whether we were picking one or ten. With multiple assets that we have in this draft and multiple future assets, we're going to continue to build this team up into hopefully… pic.twitter.com/q3MRs5OYGC
Slater then asked if this outcome would lead to more aggression in the trade market…
Sean Marks on whether the Nets are more likely to be aggressive on the trade market after falling to the 6th pick:
“Hard to tell. I think it’s all about how these guys develop, right? I don’t think you want to make rash decisions before you’ve seen how they look. I think we all… pic.twitter.com/HSxFOTU4ek
Two teams that took steps at the trade deadline to add veteran talent so they wouldn't tank next season — then glued those guys to the bench for the rest of this past season, ensuring they would tank this year — were rewarded by the basketball gods with the top two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Washington Wizards — who traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis at the trade deadline, then basically benched them and had the worst record in the NBA this past season — won NBA Draft Lottery and now have the No. 1 pick in next's month's deep NBA draft.
Utah jumped up to No. 2 pick after trading for (and sitting) Jaren Jackson Jr. for the stretch run of the season. The Jazz can now add an elite player — likely Kansas point guard Darryn Peterson — next to Keyonte George with a front court of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler. Even in the West, that lineup is going to win some games.
The Memphis Grizzlies jumped up to the No. 3 pick with the sixth-best odds, and the Chicago Bulls jumped from ninth to fourth.
That means the Sacramento Kings and the Brooklyn Nets — two teams that didn't tank but were just bad and needed talent — fell in this draft.
Here is how the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery shook out:
1. Washington Wizards 2. Utah Jazz 3. Memphis Grizzlies 4. Chicago Bulls 5. LA Clippers (via Indiana Pacers) 6. Brooklyn Nets 7. Sacramento Kings 8. Atlanta Hawks 9. Dallas Mavericks 10. Milwaukee Bucks 11. Golden State Warriors 12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LA Clippers) 13. Miami Heat 14. Charlotte Hornets
Some other notes on how the NBA Draft lottery broke down.
• This is the second year in a row that the team with Anthony Davis on their roster got the No. 1 pick.
• This is the first time the Wizards have selected No. 1 since they took John Wall back in 2010 — and Wall represented them on stage Sunday.
• Most teams have BYU's AJ Dybantsa at the top of their board. If that's the case in Washington, next season they could start Young, Kyshawn George (or Bilal Coulibaly), Dybantsa, Davis and Alex Sarr — that's a quality starting five that could make some noise in the East.
• Memphis and Chicago jumping up can help them get players to start the retooling (or, for Memphis, rebuilding) that will come.
• The LA Clippers get a big win as they get set to retool for whatever is next (and whatever happens with Kawhi Leonard this summer). The Clippers should be able to land a top point guard — Kingston Flemmings, Darius Acuff Jr. — to be part of the foundation going forward.
• Not ideal for Indiana, but they got Ivica Zubac to be the big they need with a healthy Tyrese Haliburton next season. That team will be a contender, they just are not adding a top-four pick.
• Oklahoma City — the defending champions who are undefeated in these playoffs (7-0) after winning 64 games this season, will have two first-round draft picks, Nos. 12 and 17, both via trade. Sam Presti is a wizard.
• Charlotte, coming off a breakout season after drafting Kon Knueppel No. 4 a year ago, will have two first-round picks, Nos. 14 and 18. They are just getting deeper and better.
• Atlanta has two picks as well, Nos. 8 and 23; while Dallas has 9 and No. 30.
• This is the last time we will see this NBA Draft Lottery format. Whatever comes forward next season — the league appears to be leaning toward a modified “3-2-1" system with 18 teams in the mix — it will be different. For better or worse. (You can be sure Adam Silver and the league will take a victory lap about how there is less, if any, tanking next season, but that is far more about the quality and depth of the draft than the lottery system.)
• Here is what the rest of the first round looks like:
15. Chicago Bulls (via Portland) 16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Phoenix) 17. Oklahoma City (via Philadelphia) 18. Charlotte Hornets (via Orlando) 19. Toronto Raptors 20. San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta) 21. Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota) 22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Houston) 23. Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland) 24. New York Knicks 25. Los Angeles Lakers 26. Denver Nuggets 27. Boston Celtics 28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit) 29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio) 30. Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City)
• The NBA Draft occurs on June 23-24 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Here’s a stat you might appreciate: This will be the last 76ers stat column of the year.
The 76ers did things in this series and in particular in their 144-114 Game 4 loss to the Knicks that they’ve never done before and in one case that nobody has ever done before.
And we’ve got all the numbers to prove it. If you’re reading this, please sit down. It’s not pleasant.
MOST POINTS ALLOWED IN 56 YEARS: The Knicks’ 144 points are the 2nd-most the 76ers have ever allowed in a playoff game and the most in 56 years. On March 30, 1970, they lost 156-120 to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Bucks at the Spectrum in Game 3 of their Eastern Division Semifinal series. The 144 points are tied for the most the 76ers have allowed in any game – regular season or playoffs – in 33 years, since a 149-93 loss to the Super Sonics at Seattle Center. And the most points they’ve allowed at home in any game in 52 years, since a 146-127 loss to the Celtics at the Spectrum in March 1974. It’s the 4th-most points ever allowed by a home team in the postseason, behind the Raptors in a 150-122 loss to the Nets in Bay Lake, Fla., during the 2020 Bubble, that 76ers’ loss to the Bucks in 1970 and the Pistons’ 145-101 loss to the St. Louis Hawks at Olympia in 1958.
NOBODY ELSE HAS EVER DONE THIS: In NBA history before this year, only six teams had lost multiple games in a postseason series by 30 or more points. Then the 76ers did it twice in a month. With 123-91 and 128-96 losses to the Celtics in Games 1 and 4 and 137-98 and 144-114 losses to the Knicks, also in Games 1 and 4, the 76ers lost multiple games by 30 or more points in two consecutive series. The only other team to lose by 30 or more points in a series multiple times in franchise history is the Nuggets, who did it 38 years apart in 1987 and 2025. The 76ers are now the only team in NBA history to lose four playoff games in a season by at least 30 points. They lost as many playoff games by 30 or more points in the last 22 days as they did in the previous 16,069 days. A third of the franchise’s 30-point losses have come in the last month – four of 12. The 76ers lost more games by 30 or more points this offseason (four) than the regular season (three).
WORST START EVER: The 76ers’ 19-point deficit after the first quarter is the 3rd-largest in 76ers postseason history and largest since they trailed the Bucks by 26 points (40-14) in that 156-120 loss to the Bucks in 1970. The Knicks’ 43 points in the first quarter are the most the 76ers have ever allowed in a postseason first quarter. The previous high was 42 in a 128-124 loss to the Hawks at Wells Fargo Center in 2021. It’s the most points they’ve allowed in any quarter of a playoff game since the Bulls scored 45 in the fourth quarter of a game the 76ers won 118-112 at the Spectrum in 1990. The Knicks’ 81 points at halftime are tied for 7th-most in NBA history and the most the 76ers have ever allowed in a postseason first half. They allowed 77 in that 156-120 loss to the Bucks in 1970. It’s also tied for 3rd-most points the 76ers have ever allowed in the first half of any game – regular season or postseason. The 76ers’ 24-point halftime deficit (81-57) is 3rd-worst in franchise postseason history behind two losses to the Bucks. They trailed by 36 at halftime of that 156-120 game and by 29 in a loss to the Bucks in Game 6 of the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals.
BREAKING A RECORD NOBODY WANTS TO BREAK: Paul George and Tyrese Maxey each finished at minus-35, the two worst plus-minus figures in 76ers postseason history. No 76er had ever been worse than minus-34 before in a playoff game. That was Tobias Harris, who was minus-34 in a loss to the Raptors in Game 5 of the 2019 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Additionally, V.J. Edgecombe was minus-33, making the 76ers the 19th team in NBA history with three players at minus-33 or worse in a playoff game.
WORST 3-POINT DEFFENSE EVER: The Knicks made 25 of 44 shots from 3 for 56.8 percent. That’s the highest shooting percentage in NBA playoff history by a team attempting at least 40 attempts. The previous high was 55.6 percent by the Cavs, who made 25 of 45 3’s in a win over the Hawks in the 2016 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Knicks’ 25 3’s tied the NBA record shared by those 2016 Cavs and the Bucks, who made 25 in a win over the Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference first round. The 76ers, conversely, shot just 22.9 percent from 3, 6th-worst in franchise postseason history (minimum of 30 attempts).
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: An overall view of the signage during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, 2026 at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks officially landed the 9th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Sunday, falling one spot from where they entered the lottery after finishing with the eighth-best odds. And honestly, it felt fitting. Not because Dallas got robbed or because the lottery “screwed” them, but because this outcome is the direct result of the season they chose to have. The Mavericks spent too much of the year stuck in the middle. They waited too long to fully commit to losing, picked up a handful of meaningless late-season wins, lost the tiebreaker with New Orleans, and ultimately gave themselves a much shakier lottery position than they probably should have had.
That’s the frustrating part.
The Mavericks already understood how important lottery positioning could be because they literally lived the dream scenario last year. Dallas won a tiebreaker with Chicago, moved into slightly better odds, jumped all the way to No. 1 and landed Cooper Flagg despite only having a 1.8% chance entering the night. That tiny edge changed the trajectory of the franchise. This year, they went the other direction. Instead of maximizing their odds, they hovered in that awkward in-between space where they were too bad to compete but not disciplined enough to bottom out fully.
The result? A drop to ninth in what may end up being the most important draft of the Cooper Flagg era outside of the year they drafted him. And make no mistake, this offseason is absolutely pivotal.
The Mavericks are entering the beginning of their build around Flagg, and they do not have the luxury of endless draft flexibility. Dallas has very limited control over its future first-round picks over the next several years, which means it cannot afford to miss on opportunities like this. This is not a team sitting on a mountain of assets waiting to cash them in later. This is a front office that needs to maximize every meaningful pick it gets, especially while Flagg is still on a rookie contract and developing into the centerpiece they believe he can be.
That’s why landing ninth instead of staying in that 7–8 range stings.
Because while the Mavericks still have a chance to land a really good player, this draft has a clear upper tier, and every spot you fall matters more once you move outside the top group. Prospects like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson are likely going near the top. At the same time, Dallas now enters the range where projection, fit, and scouting become even more important.
Because of that, the Mavericks are now shifting toward a different hope entering the combine season: that one of the better guards in the class falls into their range. Dallas desperately needs more creation, point-of-attack defense, and long-term backcourt upside around Flagg, and the ninth pick suddenly places them directly in the middle of that conversation.
Two names that immediately stand out are Labaron Philon Jr. and Brayden Burries, both of whom fit a lot of what Dallas lacks right now. Philon’s pace, playmaking, off-ball ability, and ability to pressure defenses downhill would immediately help stabilize a roster that struggled all season to consistently organize offense. Burries brings more scoring upside and physicality as a bigger, guard-creator, while still fitting the timeline Dallas is building toward.
As the combine approaches, those are exactly the kinds of names Mavericks fans should start paying close attention to, because the draft board now feels a lot more centered around finding Flagg’s long-term backcourt partner instead of chasing the very top tier of the class.
Which is where the new front office comes in.
This draft will be the first real test for the Mavericks’ new basketball leadership group led by Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, two names with strong reputations for talent evaluation and player development. Ujiri built much of Toronto’s success through aggressive drafting and finding value outside obvious spots, while Schmitz has long been viewed as one of the best evaluators in basketball circles. Dallas is betting heavily that this new regime can identify the right fit alongside Flagg, even without elite lottery positioning.
And honestly, that’s now the entire challenge of this rebuild.
The Mavericks have already found the hardest piece to get. Cooper Flagg looks like a future superstar and legitimate franchise engine. The next step is to build the right infrastructure around him. They need more guard creation. They need point-of-attack defense. They need shooting, athleticism, and players who can thrive next to a high-usage playmaker. More importantly, they need a roster with a real identity, something they completely lacked for most of this disastrous season.
So while lottery night itself was disappointing, the bigger story is what comes next.
Because this isn’t just another draft pick, this is one of the few premium opportunities Dallas is going to have over the next several years to shape the roster around Cooper Flagg meaningfully. Only this time, there’s a lot less margin for error.
2026 NBA Draft Lottery results:
No. 1: Washington Wizards No. 2: Utah Jazz No. 3: Memphis Grizzlies No. 4: Chicago Bulls No. 5: Los Angeles Clippers (via Pacers) No. 6: Brooklyn Nets No. 7: Sacramento Kings No. 8: Atlanta Hawks (via Pelicans) No. 9: Dallas Mavericks No. 10: Milwaukee Bucks No. 11: Golden State Warriors No. 12: Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers) No. 13: Miami Heat No. 14: Charlotte Hornets
The Cleveland Cavaliers looked dead in the water after the first two games vs. the Detroit Pistons, but a home win in Game 3 injected new life into Donovan Mitchell & Co.
We've cooked up a Pistons vs. Cavaliers same-game parlay that's bullish on Mitchell and Jarrett Allen as Cleveland draws even with another win at Rocket Arena tonight.
Our best Pistons vs Cavaliers SGP for today's Game 4
SGP leg #1: Jarrett Allen Over 12.5 points
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has thrived when tasked with playing opposite Detroit Pistons big man Jalen Duren. While the scoring upside didn't materialize against the Raptors in Round 1, Allen has cleared this total in two of three vs. Detroit, easily topping 12.5 points in back-to-back games.
In 11 career matchups with Duren, Allen has averaged 14.6 points. He scored 13+ in seven of those head-to-heads, including four of five at home.
SGP leg #1: Donovan Mitchell Over 27.5 points
Donovan Mitchell has scored 30+ points in back-to-back games. In five matchups with the Pistons, he’s averaged 30.8 points and scored 29+ four times. Mitchell has been a more potent scorer at home, and I expect him to come through in a big way as the Cavs look to even up the series.
SGP leg #1: Cavaliers moneyline
The Cavaliers built momentum after a win in Game 3, and they can tie the series at two games apiece with a win in front of the home crowd. The home team has won five straight in this head-to-head, and Cleveland is 31-12 straight up as the home favorite this season.
Cleveland has been a Jekyll & Hyde act this postseason between its home and away matchups. On the road, the Cavs are 0-4. But at Rocket Center, they're 5-0, and I like that undefeated streak to continue here.
Get Zak Hanshew's full breakdown of this game, including his best bet, plus the latest NBA odds, injuries, and betting trends, in his Pistons vs Cavaliers predictions for Game 4.
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The NBA draft lottery is a time of great anticipation for the entire league, but especially for 14 of the 30 teams.
The Washington Wizards received the No. 1 pick in the lottery on Sunday, May 10 during a full production in Chicago hosted by the league. They were one of three teams with a 14 percent chance of capturing the top pick after going 17-65 in the 2024-2025 NBA season. Former All-Star John Wall, who retired last season, was on hand to represent the franchise.
There were several future draft picks in attendance, including AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer, who were with their mothers on Mother's Day.
Even though the Oklahoma City Thunder are on the brink of eliminating the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, they still had a 1.5 percent chance of getting the No.1 pick. This is because they are still reaping the benefits of trading Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers. They will pick 12th in the draft.
The Dallas Mavericks, who had last year's No. 1 pick for the first time in franchise history, will have the No. 9 pick this summer.
The 2026 NBA Draft will be held on June 23-24 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
What is the 2026 NBA Draft order?
The Washington Wizards will have the first pick in the NBA draft after winning the lottery. This year, there is not a clear top player for them to choose. AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer each have a case as the best athlete in this draft class. The large talent pool offers other teams an opportunity to make a significant impact on their roster this summer.
It’s the chance for some of the most disadvantaged teams in the league to have their fortunes revived through the draft. And this year is particularly noteworthy for a few reasons.
For one, this is projected to be a generational draft class loaded with elite talent like AJ Dybantsa from BYU and Darryn Peterson of Kansas, though it’s also a very deep group.
For another, this year was also noteworthy because of the overt tanking that took place in the final months of the regular season, when the league’s worst teams not-so-subtly self-sabotaged their on-court performance with the hopes of securing one of these top picks. The lottery Sunday, May 10 determined whether all that tanking was worth it.
Here are the winners and losers from the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery:
No team saw a bigger jump in the lottery than the Bulls, who entered with the ninth-best odds to sneak into the top four. The Bulls did just that, leaping up to No. 4.
Chicago does have some nice pieces, but has lacked a star player who can create his own shot. The draft should fix that. Also, after Billy Donovan stepped down as coach, this leap up the board suddenly makes the vacant Chicago job a lot more appealing.
Wall, the last player Washington selected No. 1 overall, had represented the Wizards in the 2011 lottery, a year when Washington fell to No. 6 and drafted Jan Veselý. This time, Wall came through.
The Wizards, who had the worst record in the NBA at 17-65, secured the No. 1 selection and suddenly are in an enviable position. They brought on some veterans in Trae Young and Anthony Davis, have some young pieces in Alexandre Sarr, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson and will now get the chance to take their pick of Dybantsa or Peterson.
Let’s give Danny Ainge some credit (after he got a dose of good luck). The Jazz fully embraced the tank, pulling their starters in the fourth quarters of games, and now they’ll hold the No. 2 overall pick.
Utah already had some solid, young pieces, especially after it made the trade to acquire Jaren Jackson Jr. Pairing him with Lauri Markkanen, Ace Bailey, center Walker Kessler (who will be returning from a shoulder injury) and the No. 2 overall pick instantly gives the Jazz a fascinating and dynamic roster — and one that could be sneaky competitive as soon as next season.
Jumping up three spots – from No. 6 to No. 3 – could put the Grizzlies in an excellent spot to feel comfortable moving on from Ja Morant, whom the team reportedly made available in trade talks before the February deadline.
If Darryn Peterson falls to No. 3, he could be an excellent fit. Peterson has plenty of size at 6-foot-5, can handle the ball and has a natural scoring ability. Perhaps the thing Memphis would like most about Peterson is that he protected the ball, committing just 1.6 turnovers per game.
The entered the draft with a 14% chance to claim the No. 1 overall selection and a 52.1% chance to land a top-four pick, tied for highest among all teams. Yet, the Pacers landed in the worst possible place.
They sent their first-round selection to the Los Angeles Clippers in the trade that landed center Ivica Zubac. That pick, however, was protected for picks No. 1-4 and 10-30. That means that if the pick fell anywhere between that 5-9 range, it would go to Los Angeles.
Indiana nearly made it, but with its selection landing at No. 5, it was the last hurdle the Pacers had to clear to secure a top-four pick. So instead of pairing an elite talent with a healthy Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and Zubac, Indiana’s gap year ends up as a significant letdown.
I'm really sorry to all our fans. I own taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck. But please remember - this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient.
It also puts a ton of pressure on Zubac to deliver and make the deal worth it. In essence, the Pacers traded away Bennedict Mathurin and a couple of first-round draft picks – one of which became the No. 5 selection in a deep draft – for Zubac.
A fall of three spots might not initially appear to be so terrible, but in this draft it likely means the difference between a great player and a generational one.
The Nets had the third-worst record in the NBA (20-62) and are a very young team, one that made first first-round selections last season. Assuming most pre-draft projections hold true, the third pick could’ve netted Brooklyn someone like Caleb Wilson, the North Carolina star who is climbing up draft boards because of his blend of size, skill and athleticism. The Nets should still secure a very good player at No. 6, but the lottery wasn’t kind to a team that has won just 46 games over the last two seasons.
Put another way: the Nets have lost 118 games in the last two seasons and their highest draft picks were the No. 8 selection last year (Egor Dёmin) and the No. 6 pick this year.
The drawn-out melodrama about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee is only going to intensify. All signs are pointing to an eventual divorce here, though there was perhaps the hope that a high draft pick would entice Antetokounmpo to re-commit to the team.
Instead, the Bucks will select No. 10. And while that isn’t a bad pick at all, it’s likely not enough to convince Antetokounmpo to stay. So expect the Bucks to field offers this offseason, especially now that we know what kind of draft assets prospective suitors will hold.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 29: Cameron Boozer #12 of the Duke Blue Devils battles for the ball in the second half against Tarris Reed Jr. #5 of the UConn Huskiesduring the Elite Eight round game of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
The 2026 NBA Draft lottery is over, and here’s who will be picking where.
#1 Pick: Washington Wizards
#2 Pick: Utah Jazz
#3 Pick: Memphis Grizzlies
#4 Pick: Chicago Bulls
#5 Pick: Los Angeles Clippers
#6 Pick: Brooklyn Nets
#7 Pick: Sacramento Kings
#8 Pick: Atlanta Hawks
#9 Pick: Dallas Mavericks
#10 Pick: Milwaukee Bucks
#11 Pick: Golden State Warriors
#12 Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder
#13 Pick: Miami Heat
#14 Pick: Charlotte Hornets
There’s still some sifting and sorting to do, but there’s a chance that Duke’s star Cameron Boozer could end up with one of his father’s former teams, either Utah or Chicago. He might have been a ball-boy there or something, so that might be pretty cool for him.
Former Blue Devil Kon Knueppel repped Charlotte on stage, but the Bugs weren’t as lucky this year as they were last time out: the Hornets were the #1 envelope, meaning they’ll draw last.
However, Charlotte clearly has competent people running things now, so we’ll see who they find, and they could try to bundle the #14 and #18 picks and move up.
Picking at #9, Dallas won’t get an elite prospect to pair with Cooper Flagg unless something surprising happens, but they might get Nate Ament or Mikel Brown.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS - JANUARY 31: Guard Darryn Peterson #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks shoots over forward AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars in the first half at Allen Fieldhouse on January 31, 2026 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
An instant reaction to the NBA draft lottery results.
The integrity! Won’t someone please think of the integrity? The Utah Jazz have moved up in the draft for the first time in franchise history. They will be picking 2nd overall. The tanking, resting starters in the fourth, and fines have all lead to this moment. We should also appreciate that all the teams picking in the top 4 are well deserving. The 42-40 Clippers did secure the 5th pick since the Pacers fell out of the top 4. Let us also be appreciative that OKC is picking 12th and the Mavericks are picking 9th. All is right with the world.
The question now facing the front office is: who will the be available at the 2nd spot. AJ Dybansta, or Darryn Peterson? The question now facing every Jazz fan is: just how far can this team make it in the playoffs next season? In the meantime we should all celebrate this monumental occasion, and be kind to our mothers.
SAN FRANCISCO — No lottery luck this time around for the Warriors.
The team will pick 11th in next month’s NBA draft after their most likely combination of ping-pong balls was pulled Sunday in Chicago during the NBA draft lottery. The Wizards earned the No. 1 pick.
Golden State had a 2% chance of moving up to No. 1 overall, 9.4% odds of moving into the top four and 77.6% probability of picking 11th, the likeliest outcome by way of finishing 37-45, the 11th-worst record in the NBA. David Banks-Imagn ImagesSteve Kerr signed on for his 13th and 14th seasons as the Warriors’ head coach, giving Golden State some clarity on its future heading into the lottery. NBAE via Getty Images
Golden State had a 2% chance of moving up to No. 1 overall, 9.4% odds of moving into the top four and 77.6% probability of picking 11th, the likeliest outcome by way of finishing 37-45, the 11th-worst record in the NBA.
Still, the pick gives general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. a valuable asset as the team seeks to retool for another run around 38-year-old superstar Steph Curry. They gained some clarity on their future about 24 hours before the lottery, when ESPN reported that coach Steve Kerr had agreed to a two-year contract to extend his tenure for a 13th and 14th season.
The coach-player duo has teamed up to win four championships, and with both back in tow, Golden State could dangle the 11th pick in trade talks for another star to complement Curry, such as the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard or the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo.
However, a class of draft prospects considered as strong as any in recent memory also gives them the option of injecting some much-needed youth into an aging roster.
ESPN analyst Bobby Marks called it the deepest class since the 1996 draft that produced 10 future All-Stars, including Kobe Bryant. A consensus seems to be forming around BYU wing AJ Dybantsa as the prospective No. 1 pick, but Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer and UNC big man Caleb Wilson could all vie to go first overall.
General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. will make his highest selection since taking over for Bob Myers in 2023. NBAE via Getty Images
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, a consensus All-American who will be 24 on draft night, is more likely to be available for the Warriors’ selection and is the type of polished college player that Kerr has tended to prefer in the past.
“There certainly are different tiers of different players,” Warriors assistant GM and director of player personnel Larry Harris told reporters on a conference call before the lottery. “Certainly there seems to be four players that everybody talks about when I look at the mock drafts, but the way we look at it is we really believe it’s beyond 11 but up to 11 really, really good about whatever player lands in our lap.”
It worked out pretty well the last time the Warriors held the 11th pick, turning that selection in 2011 into Klay Thompson. They’ve drafted seven other players 11th overall: Andris Biedrins (2004), Mickael Pietrus (2003), Todd Fuller (1996), Tyrone Hill (1990), Jamaal Wilkes (1974), Kevin Joyce (1973) and Gary Hill (1963).
The Warriors will seek to add a player who can make a bigger impact than any of their previous three lottery selections since Kerr arrived as head coach in 2014-15. They struck out on James Wiseman (No. 2 overall in 2020) and Jonathan Kuminga (No. 7 in 2021). Moses Moody (No. 14 in 2021) has grown into a rotation regular, but he isn’t the foundational piece Golden State needs to help usher in the post-Curry era.
It will be Dunleavy’s highest selection as the Warriors’ top front office official. In his first draft, a few weeks after taking over for Bob Myers, Golden State added Brandin Podziemski at No. 19. He has also been adept at finding role players with second-round picks — Trayce Jackson-Davis (57th in 2023), Quinten Post (52nd in 2024) and Will Richard (56th in 2025).
“I’ll say this: We feel really good in the early stages of our draft prep from one through 15, 16, 17,” Harris said. “[With] the prep work we’ve done and leading into the combine, we feel very, very good about this draft and getting someone that we can add to our roster that will be young, exciting and our fans can get behind.”
CHICAGO — Two arduously long years of tanking. Two awful results.
Brooklyn suffered lousy lottery luck for the second straight season on Sunday, going in with the joint-best odds to win but tumbling all the way down to sixth in the draft.
The Nets had tanked their way to the third-worst record in the league at 20-62, tying them with Washington, which won the No. 1 pick, and Indiana for the best odds to win the lottery (14.0 percent) or land a top 3 pick (40.1%). But after falling from sixth to eighth a year ago, they slid from third to sixth on Sunday.
Sean Marks and the Nets ended up with the No. 6 pick in the NBA draft lottery. Corey Sipkin for the NY POSTNBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum (r.) poses with Wizards great John Wall (l.) after Washington wins the NBA draft lottery in Chicago on May 10, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The sixth spot had actually been their likeliest landing spot at 26.02 percent.
But the lottery has rarely been kind to the Nets. They have had top 8 odds 10 times and only moved up twice and couldn’t make it a third, despite having Vince Carter on the dais, owner Joe Tsai in the drawing room and even superfan Mr. Whammy in the studio, having made the trip from New York.
Brooklyn will miss out on the franchise-changers at the top of the draft, and now could be picking from a host of guards in like Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Illinois’ Keaton Wagler and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: John Wall and Mark Tatum pose for a photo after the Washington Wizards win the 1st overall pick during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, 2026 at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards won the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. This the fifth time in franchise history where Washington has won the top pick.
Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is also a candidate to be selected No. 1 by Washington. The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 20.2 PPG, 1.6 APG and 4.2 RPG on 43.8% FG and 38.2% 3PT during his lone season as a Jayhawk.
In a press release by the team, Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger said the following:
Today is another encouraging day for Wizards fans and our entire organization. To choose first among this inspiring group of athletes is a welcomed opportunity, and challenge, for our group. We look forward to adding another high performing young player to our ascending team.
This is a great Mother’s Day present indeed for Wizards fans in the DMV and worldwide!
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 7: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks reacts after a play during a game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Dean E. Smith Center on November 7, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Ryan Hunt/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The order for the 2026 NBA Draft has finally been determined after the long-awaited lottery drawing. The Washington Wizards will have the first overall pick, while the Utah Jazz choose second, the Memphis Grizzlies pick third, and the Chicago Bulls will have the fourth selection. The first round of the draft will be held on Tuesday, June 23, while the second round will be the following day.
The Wizards entered the lottery with a 14 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick. The stakes of this drawing were even higher with lottery reform coming to the NBA Draft next year to address the league’s purported tanking crisis. Every team that moved into the top-four should consider themselves a big winner thanks to the four elite prospects sitting at the top of this class.
Let’s do an instant mock draft with order settled. This is how we see the first-round playing out after the Wizards come on the clock at No. 1 overall.
1. Washington Wizards – AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU
NBA scouts dream about finding big wing shot-creators like Dybantsa. The 6’9 forward is an incredibly fluid athlete who puts consistent pressure on the rim with his long, coordinated strides attacking the basket. Dybantsa can create a good look for himself in a pinch with the bend to turn the corner on drives, the power to finish through contact, and the length to hit shots over contests. His shot profile is a bit mid-range heavy, but his ability to get to his spots and make tough turnarounds or touch finishes should have plenty of utility in the playoffs when the game slows down. He’s a capable three-point shooter, though teams will want to see him improve his volume once he enters the league. His defensive impact also feels muted for a player with such great physical tools. Dybantsa is built to stockpile points and come up with clutch buckets in the NBA for more than a decade.
2. Utah Jazz – Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
Peterson failed to meet sky-high expectations entering Kansas this season due to lingering cramping and soft tissue strains in his lower body that often kept him out of close games late. As long as those aren’t long-term injuries, the 6’5 guard is still a fantastic prospect who brings scoring punch, volume three-point shooting, defensive playmaking, and some shot creation to any backcourt. Peterson can play on or off the ball and still put immense pressure on opposing defenses as a scorer. He offered real movement shooting as a freshman, zooming around screens and hitting three-pointers with volume and deep range. He showed he could still cook bigger and slower defenders off the bounce, but it often felt like he bailed out of drives to take mid-range shots. Peterson’s playmaking vision is a real question if he’s going to be used as a de facto point guard. Will the rim attacking he flashed in high school show up again when he gets fully healthy? Even with some questions, Peterson projects to be a plus on the defensive end with great three-point shooting, and that’s a valuable prospect in any context.
3. Memphis Grizzlies – Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
Boozer is the best prospect in the draft for my money due to his combination of lighting-quick processing, brute strength, shooting touch, and all-around offensive versatility. The 6’9, 250-pound forward can drive like a guard, space the floor beyond the arc like a wing, and clean the glass like a big. Giving Boozer the ball is a one-way ticket to creating a good look, whether he’s doing it himself or finding an open teammate. He’s a bit slow footed and doesn’t project to be a plus defensively, but his ability to create efficient offense every time the ball touches his hands overrides those questions. How many times is the smartest player on the floor also the strongest while being a 40 percent three-point shooter? He should be an All-NBA caliber player with brains, brawn, and skill.
4. Chicago Bulls – Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina
Wilson combines elite athleticism and a non-stop motor to make jaw-dropping plays all over the floor. The 6’10 forward dunked absolutely everything around the rim this year with 67 slams in 24 games, but there’s more to his offensive game than that. He will be a threat in the post with the ability to hit tough mid-range turnarounds, and his passing is a major plus for someone so big and so athletic, too. Wilson’s defense will be his calling card early in his career, and he could be special on that end. His ground coverage is excellent, he has the length and bounce to offer secondary rim protection and be a plus on the defensive glass, and he consistently makes extra efforts. The big hole in Wilson’s game is his three-point shot, which is non-existent right now. Even with the outside shooting concerns, Wilson plays like a runaway freight train on both ends in the best way possible. He feels like a stronger prospect than the typical No. 4 overall pick, and it wouldn’t be too surprising if he goes even higher than that after recent reports that some front offices prefer him over certain members of the big-three.
5. Los Angeles Clippers – Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois
Wagler entered Illinois as the No. 150 recruit in the rankings, and left as a lock to be a top-10 draft pick after just one season. The freshman started to ascend once he was moved into an on-ball role mid-way through the season, which allowed him to flash his fantastic pull-up shooting chops, his capable playmaking, and his turnover avoidance. Wagler loves to get into his step-back three, especially when a big switches onto him, but he’s equally adept at spacing the floor and shooting it with range off the catch. He’s not exactly Tyrese Haliburton as a passer, but the Illini guard was able to hit his talented teammates in stride all year while avoiding costly live-ball turnovers. There are still moments where you can see why Wagler was so under-the-radar as a recruit. He’s not a great athlete, and ended the year with zeros — a shocking stat for a 6’6 one-and-done lottery pick. He didn’t do much on defense, though that could be partially explained with Illinois’ conservative scheme that finished dead-last in defensive turnover rate. Do teams trust him to drive and finish at the rim against NBA athletes? Wagler’s skill set still feels pretty malleable as a tall guard who can shoot and won’t make a bunch of mistakes. This is the best story in this draft class, and it keeps getting better.
6. Brooklyn Nets – Kingston Flemings, G, Houston
Flemings stood out in a loaded freshman guard class for his quick-twitch athleticism and two-way aptitude. The 6’3 guard plays bigger than his size with a strong chest, impressive lateral quickness, and disruptive hands on the defensive end. The Cougars star is so hard to contain as a driver with the standstill burst to get by the first defender, and awesome change of direction ability when he’s attacking off the bounce. Flemings is at his best as a scorer elevating for mid-range shots, but his driving is most dangerous because of his live-dribble passing ability. NBA teams will want to see Flemings up his three-point volume, prove he can finish over NBA rim protectors, and get to the line more often. He still has enough bankable NBA skills that he should be a good lead guard for a long time.
7. Sacramento Kings – Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas
John Calipari has had a lot of great freshman guards over the years, but I’m not sure any of them were more productive than Acuff. The Detroit native forced his way into national conversations with his takeover scoring ability and proficient playmaking against top competition all season. Acuff isn’t the biggest guard at 6’3, but he consistently found ways to beat the opposing defense, whether he was ripping three-pointers from deep, making tough shots off the bounce from the middle of the floor, or getting off the ball and spacing the floor for his teammates. Acuff carried such a huge offensive burden for his team this year that it makes sense that his defensive tape wasn’t too impressive. He also just doesn’t have good tools defensively, so he’ll remain a question on that end of the floor. His finishing over NBA length is also a concern after making only 59 percent of his rim attempts this season. If Acuff really is a 44 percent three-point shooter he showed this year, he should be able to overcome any other physical limitations. That just feels like a big bet this high in the lottery.
8. Atlanta Hawks – Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville
Brown was slowed down by a pesky back injury throughout the year, but he had some of the best flashes in the class when he was healthy. The 6’5 point guard combines high-volume three-point shooting, creative passing, and the ability to produce paint touches that gives him the chance to be an offensive engine at the next level if everything goes right. Brown doesn’t settle for mid-range shots like Flemings or Acuff, and while it can lead to more game-t0-game variance in performance, it could help him come out ahead over a longer sample. He can generate three-point looks out of thin air that sometimes go in, or can at least lead to offensive rebound chances. He surpassed expectations as a driver, and his playmaking is astounding in its best moments, finding passing angles few other players would see. Brown’s defensive tape wasn’t all that good, but he does have a little more height to fall back on than some of the other guards in this class. The back injury is scary and the shot-selection probably needs to be reigned in a tad, but the upside for an All-Star level offensive guard is there.
9. Dallas Mavericks – Brayden Burries, G, Arizona
Burries is a well-rounded shooting guard without an elite skill to fall back on. He fits the definition of a ‘two-way player’ as a strong 6’5 guard who can play through contact on both ends while also offering floor spacing with a 39 percent three-point shot. He’s a good transition player with a deep bag of scoring moves in the open floor, including pull-up threes. He can lock up at the point of attack on the defensive end, and his rebounding is better than most two guards with his offensive gifts. Two things appear to limit his upside right now: he lacks elite burst as a ball handler, and he’s not yet a good enough playmaker to demand super high usage. Burries is a one-and-one, but he’ll also be a 21-year-old rookie with a September 2005 birthday, making him a couple months older than junior wing Dailyn Swain out of Texas. Burries should be rock solid, but it’s fair to question his upside.
Lendeborg’s winding road in college basketball started at the JUCO level, made a stop at UAB, and concluded with a national championship run at Michigan where he looked like the best player in the NCAA tournament. He could have been a first-round pick in last year’s draft, but there’s no doubt the super-senior forward helped himself with one more year of school. Yes, Lendeborg will be a 24-year-old rookie, but he also offers a rare two-way skill set and tremendous physical profile worthy of top-10 consideration regardless of age. At 6’9, 240 pounds, with a 7’4 wingspan, Lendeborg has the length of an NBA center with the skill to play out on the perimeter. He made 37.2 percent of his threes (on 180 attempts) and 82.4 percent of his free throws this season to prove his shooting touch. He’s always been a good passer who won’t be a ball stopper. He’s awesome on the defensive end, showing wing stopper abilities at the point of attack while also rushing in for chasedown blocks and pick-sixes when he sees an opening. Lendeborg also seems to have the right mentality as he readies for the pros. His age caps his upside a bit, but this is should still be a really good player right away.
11. Golden State Warriors – Aday Mara, C, Michigan
We had Mara as a preseason one-and-done lottery pick when he first came over from Spain to enroll at UCLA, but instead he sat on Mick Cronin’s bench for two years. The whole world saw what Mara could do when he helped lead Michigan to a national championship, and it’s possible no player helped their NBA stock more during March Madness. Mara will be one tallest and longest players in the NBA from day one standing at 7’3 with a reported 7’7 wingspan. He has an easy translation as a rim protector who specializes in drop coverage, but he doesn’t have much ball screen versatility because of his slow feet. On the offensive end, Mara can juice transition opportunities with his excellent outlet passing, and also serve as a hub in the halfcourt who can zing the ball to open cutters. He’ll have scoring utility as a lob threat, and he has flashes of post moves and scoring touch inside. Mara doesn’t shoot the ball well from the perimeter, and was also a very bad free throw shooter before making strides in the second half of the season. This might seem a little high, but the success of multi-year college bigs in the lottery like Donovan Clingan and Zach Edey should give teams confidence that Mara can translate.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Jayden Quaintance, F/C, Kentucky
It requires a leap of faith to draft Quaintance. The big man tore his ACL in Feb. 2025, and it resulted in a lost season this year at Kentucky where he only played four uninspiring games. The last time we saw him healthy, though, Quaintance looked like an elite defender as a 17-year-old freshman at Arizona State. While he’s a tad short for a center, Quaintance has long arms, huge hands, a solid base, and a strong chest to play bigger than his size. His ground coverage is phenomenal and should give him maximum coverage versatility against the pick-and-roll. He can also wall up at the rim as a shot-blocker, and he’s a great rebounder on both ends. Aside from putbacks, there are real questions about how his game translates offensively. He’s not a shooter, and while there are some ball handling flashes on the tape, it shouldn’t be considered a strength. Quaintance might have been a top-5 pick if he was healthy this year. Instead, he feels like one of the riskier prospects available, but one that could turn into a major steal.
13. Miami Heat – Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers
Lopez has been on NBA radars for years as a big forward who offers ball handling, scoring upside, and some defensive versatility. A native of Mexico who spent this season playing in the Australian NBL, Lopez showed flashes of downhill attacks, active rebounding on both ends, and defensive playmaking. He’s not a great outside shooter (32.2 percent on three attempts per game) or decision-maker yet (57 assists to 46 turnovers), which are clear areas for improvement as he enters the NBA.
14. Charlotte Hornets – Nate Ament, F, Tennessee
Ament was top-5 in just about every preseason mock, but his freshman year at Tennessee left a little to be desired. The 6’10 forward struggled badly to finish at the rim (51.8 percent), never found consistency with his three-ball (33 percent), and didn’t always respond well to physicality. Ament feels like he’ll need a couple more years to develop, but there’s still an outline of a two-way forward who spaces the floor here if everything goes right. Ament was in a tough team context at Tennessee where he needed to take on significant usage on a cramped floor. He took too many off the dribble shots, which he was terrible at. It’s easy to see Ament one day having success as more of a fourth-option who can hit spot-ups, attack closeouts, and use his length to contest shots defensively. He should be one of the more polarizing prospects on draft night, but being this highly regarded out of high school usually makes you a lottery pick.
15. Chicago Bulls – Dailyn Swain, F, Texas
Swain intrigued in his first two college seasons at Xavier as a long and bouncy wing who brought it on the defensive end. Upon transferring to Texas this season, he exploded offensively as a slasher to become one of the more complete prospects in this class. Swain still took on the toughest defensive assignment most nights for the Longhorns, and showed he could still get into the passing lanes and disrupt the offense’s flow even when carrying a higher usage rate. With more offensive freedom, Swain unleashed an improved handle that helped him create space one-on-one and get to the parts of the floor where he could score efficiently. Swain finished well at the rim (64.3 percent) with 83 percent of those looks being self-created. His mid-range touch was also awesome at 47.6 percent on non-rim twos with 95 percent of them coming without an assist. His three-point shot remains a work in progress, but he’s made huge strides to go from 11 makes combined as a freshman and sophomore, to 32 made three-pointers this year at a 34.8 percent clip. If you want positional size and athleticism with two-way adaptability on the wing, Swain is your guy.
16. Memphis Grizzlies – Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa
Stirtz is a skilled shot-creator as an efficient ball handler and shooter who scores well from all over the floor. The 6’4 guard can play on- or off-the-ball with a fantastic feel for reading ball screens as a handler, and he also has a quick trigger from three when he’s spacing the floor for his teammates. Stirtz does a good job of mapping the floor as a passer, and he’s also shined at suppressing turnovers. He’s a really good scorer both inside and outside the arc, showing mid-range pull-up shooting, crafty finishing, and accurate three-point shooting. He’s not super long or explosive, but he knows how to dictate pace and should be effective in the open floor after playing a very slow style at Iowa. He also played a ton of minutes for the Hawkeyes and showed he could still hit big shots at the end of games despite rarely ever hitting the bench. There are some defensive questions with Stirtz, but his high-IQ shows up at times on that end, too. Don’t write him off just because he’s a senior. He’s going to be a good pro for a long-time.
17. Oklahoma City Thunder – Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington
Steinbach is a monster rebounder with soft hands and tons of potential as a play-finisher. The Washington freshman is bit stuck in between positions at 6’11, 230 pounds without plus length, but he should have no problem playing in the two-big lineups that are suddenly more en vogue around the league. Steinbach’s rebounding is an elite skill after he posted a 14.3 percent offensive rebound rate and a 25 percent defensive rebound rate. Finishing so many putbacks aided his 63.6 percent true shooting on the season, but he does more than attack the glass. Steinbach can fly in transition for acrobatic finishes, and his ability to catch everything thrown at him often leads to easier chances around the basket. His outside shot is a bit of a question, but he did hit 34 percent of his threes on 53 attempts in 30 games this year. He’s not a natural rim protector defensively, so he’ll probably spend time at both frontcourt spots going forward. So long as Steinbach can keep making progress with his three and hold his own defensively, he should be a highly efficient finisher who also generates a lot of extra possessions for his team.
18. Charlotte Hornets – Labaron Philon, G, Alabama
Philon could have been a first-round pick in last year’s draft before being lured back to school for a big NIL bag, but there’s no question he improved his stock as a sophomore. Philon made major strides as a three-point shooter, going from 31.5 percent to 40 percent from deep while nearly doubling his volume. He feels like the shiftiest ball handler in the class, and his drive-and-kick game should be a natural fit in the NBA. He also has one of the best floaters in this class. Philon is pretty small for a guard, but he has the same standing reach as Tyrese Maxey, and he turned out okay. Playing in Alabama’s NBA system should only aid him as he makes the jump to the league.
19. Toronto Raptors – Chris Cenac Jr., C, Houston
Cenac is a long and athletic big man with a nice shooting stroke who needs to continue to work on his feel for the game and toughness. The fact that he committed to Houston and steadily improved throughout the year is a green flag in his favor. Kelvin Sampson holds his players to a high standard of grit, and Cenac earned his trust more and more as the season went on. Cenac’s 7’4 wingspan helps him challenge shots defensively and shoot over contests. He made 30-of-90 shots from three-point range this season. He was also excellent on the defensive glass with a 26 percent d-board rate. Cenac is raw, but the tools are undeniable. Give him a few years and you might have a valuable player.
20. San Antonio Spurs – Morez Johnson Jr., F/C, Michigan
Johnson may be a tad short for a big man at 6’9, but he makes up for it with length, strength, toughness, and efficiency as a scorer. He blossomed upon transferring to Michigan this season, where he showed he could play with other bigs and still impact the game as a rebounder, screen-setter, and play-finisher. Johnson was dominant at the rim by hitting 73 percent of his looks, and he makes his free throws when he gets fouled with a 78 percent stroke from the line. After not taking a three during his freshman season at Illinois, he made 34 percent of his triples on 35 attempts at Michigan, showing that he could have some shooting potential long-term. The biggest part of Johnson’s appeal comes on the defensive end, where he’s strong enough to guard bigs, quick enough to defend most guards and wings, and plays with a physicality that bumps opponents off their spots. There’s nothing flashy about his game, but he knows his role and executes it well. The NBA’s recent trend back to double-big lineups should only help Johnson’s stock.
21. Detroit Pistons – Cameron Carr, G, Baylor
Carr’s intersection of length and shooting gives him obvious appeal. The 6’5 wing reportedly has a 7’2 wingspan, and he made 37.6 percent of his threes on 10.6 attempts from deep per 100 possessions. Carr spent two years on the bench at Tennessee (partially because of a thumb injury) before blossoming at Baylor this season. He doesn’t offer much creation ability, and had almost as many turnovers (81) as assists (90) this season. Still, if you need an off-ball guard with a quick trigger and deep range from three, there are worse options than Carr.
22. Philadelphia 76ers – Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara
Graves came out of nowhere this season to become one of college basketball’s most productive and disruptive players on a per-minute basis. The 6’9 forward is an ultra-aggressive defender who tries to rip the ball away from his opponents at every opportunity, resulting in an unfathomable five percent steal rate and five percent block rate, and also a lot of fouls. Graves isn’t just a hacker: he also hit 40 percent of his threes, made connective passes without turning the ball over, and used his great hands to suction in rebounds at both ends. If he can tone down the fouling while maintaining his defensive playmaking, he could be a steal.
23. Atlanta Hawks – Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech
Anderson is a high-volume three-point shooter and excellent playmaker who will have to overcome concerns about his size and defensive ability. The 6’2 guard made 41.5 percent of his threes on 12.1 attempts per 100 possessions from deep, with 56.5 percent of his makes coming on pull-ups without an assist. Anderson’s off-the-dribble shooting is even more valuable when mixed with his playmaking, where he posted an awesome 35.2 percent assist rate while struggling a bit with turnovers at times. He’ll need to prove his offensive skill level is high enough to keep him on the floor late in games where he could be targeted defensively.
24. New York Knicks – Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina
Veesaar is one of the few stretch five options in this class. The North Carolina big man took 27.5 percent of his field goal attempts from three-point range this season, and knocked down those shots at a 42.6 percent clip. His poor free throw shooting (61.5 percent) is a signal that his long ball could be fake, but he does enough well on the court to still provide some value if the shot falls off. Veesaar is a good passer who avoids turnovers and an efficient overall scorer despite the struggles from the line. He’s not a defensive enforcer in the middle, and will have to be more of an offensively-slanted big.
25. Los Angeles Lakers – Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State
Jefferson is a big, strong forward who brings two-way ability and rare passing vision for someone his size. He made a nice leap as a shooter this year to get up to 34.5 percent frmo three (a career-best), but he’ll need to continue to grow in that area. He will add some toughness and rebounding to any frontcourt, and his ball handling and playmaking would let JJ Redick’s coaching staff get creative with his usage.
26. Denver Nuggets – Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford
Okorie wasn’t even a top-100 recruit entering his freshman year at Stanford, but the guard immediately put the rest of the country on notice with his terrifying speed fueling his shot-creation ability. Okorie has a wicked first step and even better acceleration to create driving lanes to the rim. He’s not the best finisher, but he can hit touch finishes from mid-range, and his live dribble passing (while avoiding turnovers) is impressive. He hit 35.4 percent from three this year on nearly 180 attempts, which should give teams confidence in his shot going forward. If you want a downhill guard, Okorie is worth a pick even higher than this.
27. Boston Celtics – Zuby Ejiofor, C, St. John’s
Ejiofor is a great mover for someone with a 245-pound frame. The St. John’s senior big man isn’t super tall or long, but he adds a level of physicality to any frontcourt while also intriguing with his connective passing ability. Ejiofor is really good on the glass at both ends, and he can offer some rim protection while also having pick-and-roll coverage versatility. His rim finishing and playmaking are solid, but he might need to develop a three-point shot to stay in the NBA.
Tanner deserves to be a first-round pick if he stays in the draft, but his lack of size could push him down the order. The 6-foot guard became one of college basketball’s best players as a sophomore by unleashing his athleticism at both ends and improving as a shooter. He plays with a rare physicality for someone under 175 pounds, which gives him some defensive utility despite his lack of size. Tanner is super fast, a smart playmaker, and a daring finisher off his drives. He’d be a steal in this range.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers – Isaiah Evans, G, Duke
There isn’t a better shooter running off screens in this class than Evans. The Duke sophomore hit 36 percent of his 280 threes, with many of them coming on difficult attempts that leveraged his movement shooting ability. Evans’ 86 percent stroke from the free throw is a better indicator of how good his touch really is. He’s a bit thin for a shooting guard and isn’t a natural creator, so there will be questions about his defensive translation.
30. Dallas Mavericks – Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas
Thomas is a walking bucket who also makes good decisions with the ball. The 6’5 guard is at his best as a microwave scorer, but unlike many in that archetype, his shot selection and turnovers aren’t a cause for concern.
COVERS INTEL:SGA has attempted just 16 shots per game in this series, as well as only 6.3 free throws per game. He averaged 19.4 shots and 9.0 free throws per game in the regular season.
