New 2026 NBA Mock Draft With Fresh Lottery Simulation
The 2026 NBA draft board is in a perpetual state of motion.
And that doesn't only relate to the prospects moving up and down the board under the NCAA tournament spotlight.
Lottery odds are changing, too, as the tank race approaches its final stretch. And even once those are set, the basketball gods might flip them again should they put a particularly chaotic spin on the lottery results.
Speaking of which, things get plenty hectic here, as Tankathon's lottery simulator shook things up quite a bit at the top of this mock draft.
You can see the results as you go, but let's just say this: Congrats to the Memphis Grizzlies and condolences to the Indiana Pacers.
1. Memphis Grizzlies: AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU
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It's entirely possible the debate at the top of this draft pick remains unsettled when the actual talent grab arrives, but Dybantsa's fanbase is growing.
As ESPN's Jeremy Woo reported, "the probability has been tilting toward Dybantsa as the most likely choice as the No. 1 pick."
Not to slight the others in this discussion, but that totally makes sense. Dybantsa's (presumably) one-and-done season impressed from start to finish. He debuted with 21 points on 50 percent shooting, closed out with a 35-point, 10-rebound double-double and wowed at every step with his competitiveness, fluidity and scoring arsenal.
If the Grizzlies get this lottery's jackpot prize, they shouldn't overthink it. They need elite talent, and they really need a hit. Darryn Peterson's ceiling might sit a tick higher—that's honestly debatable—but Dybantsa's elevated floor should seal the deal and put him front and center of this organizational overhaul.
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, SG, Kansas
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Peterson's season with the Jayhawks was often strange and sometimes underwhelming. He had trouble staying on the floor, and even when he was out there, he didn't always make his presence felt.
His upside is obvious, though, and his shotmaking will have you thinking that's already an elite skill. Buy into the notion he'll get back to the explosion and playmaking he displayed in high school, and you start seeing why some teams will still have him as the highest-ranked player in this class.
While others put Cameron Boozer in the mix, too, the Jazz probably aren't in that camp, because while there could be a starting guard spot awaiting Peterson, there is no such opening for Boozer in a frontcourt featuring Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and (presumably) a re-signed Walker Kessler.
3. Sacramento Kings: Cameron Boozer, PF, Duke
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Boozer's production is the cleanest in the class. He does a little of everything and a lot of several things, and he has a history of leaving his fingerprints all over winning teams.
His NBA profile isn't quite as clean. For a power player, you'd like to see more vertical lift and explosion. And his defensive calling at the next level isn't crystal clear, since he isn't the fleetest of foot, either.
So, Sacramento, which has a standing need for star power, might be the slightest bit disappointed in not having a shot at Dybantsa or Peterson, but Boozer is still a tremendous prospect in his own right.
He has the best size-skill combination in this class, and at 18 years old, he's showing polish and processing skills that some NBA veterans never possess.
4. Brooklyn Nets: Caleb Wilson, PF, North Carolina
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The No. 4 pick on mock draft boards might have Wilson's imprint by now. A few might bump him up to No. 3 or slide him back to No. 5, but more often than not, he's joining whichever team lands this pick.
His limitations as a shooter and ball-handler might be the most glaring weaknesses of any prospect discussed so far, but his athleticism and finishing are some of the most dynamic strengths. And he's not at all hopeless of one day turning both of those liabilities into assets.
You still wonder if other teams might try betting big on one of the great point guard prospects in this draft, since primary playmakers can have such a significant impact on their team, but the Nets almost surely won't after loading up with lead guards and passers during last year's opening round.
5. Los Angeles Clippers (via IND): Keaton Wagler, PG/SG, Illinois
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This would be a dream for the Clippers and a nightmare for the Pacers, since Indiana only loses this pick if it lands between Nos. 5 through 9. Once L.A. was done celebrating, though, it would immediately have to figure out how much the presence of deadline addition Darius Garland should impact this decision.
Even here, there'd be some worries about the lack of size and physicality in a Garland-Wagler backcourt. But there might also be enough shooting, shot-creation and passing skill to overcome the most worrisome aspects of their overlap.
Wagler's draft stock has spiked this season in large part to what he's done as a primary ball-handler, but he could be just as awesome as a 6'6" shooter, attacker and secondary creator.
6. Washington Wizards: Darius Acuff Jr., PG/SG, Arkansas
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Acuff has been wholly dominant all season, but the way he's hard-charging through the stretch run could push him even higher up the board than this.
From his final game of the regular season through his second NCAA tournament outing, he averaged 29.8 points on 46.6/51.2/85.7 shooting with 8.2 assists against 3.2 turnovers.
His physical tools aren't great, and defense isn't his calling card, but his offense is special. He is comfortable in tight spaces, ignitable with his shotmaking and reliable as an offensive leader.
There are just too many positives here for the Wizards to pass up, even if Trae Young's presence might limit Acuff's exposure. If it does, though, he could be a game-changing spark plug until eventually forcing his way into the starting lineup.
7. Dallas Mavericks: Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston
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For those who fully buy Flemings' potential as a shooter, this might be too low for one of the nation's premier point guards. For those with questions about his ability to increase his volume, this feels closer to the right spot for absorbing that risk.
For the record, his percentages are great (38.8 percent from deep, 84.3 percent at the line), he just doesn't shoot many threes (2.9 per game) or work his way to the foul line too often (3.5). But if the one "worry" with a prospect is lacking volume in shots he's making at a high rate, the profile remains pretty special.
Flemings has great feel, elite burst and a keen eye for passing. Draft him, and Dallas should confidently feel it has at least one long-term building block alongside Cooper Flagg.
8. Atlanta Hawks (via NOP): Mikel Brown Jr., PG/SG, Louisville
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Brown's freshman season was a roller coaster. He battled a nagging back injury and frustrating inconsistency, but he also showcased a lot of the skills that make him so intriguing to NBA evaluators.
He might be more of a scoring guard than a lead guard, but with a scoring punch this powerful (he cooked up a 45-piece in February), the role fits him awfully well. And if you are going to label him as a scoring guard, then you have to admit his pick-and-roll navigation and playmaking is top-tier for that role.
With the Hawks needing to retool their Trae Young-less backcourt, they'd have obvious reasons to be drawn toward Brown's shotmaking and creativity.
9. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament, SF, Tennessee
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The Volunteers didn't do Ament a ton of favors with how little shooting and playmaking he's had around him, but he managed to find his footing anyway.
It's been a bit of a journey, and there are still some letdowns, but he's made it easier to remember why scouts have been such big fans.
He's a 6'10" swingman with the forever helpful dribble-pass-shoot combo. He's also a limited athlete with major questions around his finishing ability, which explains why someone pretty widely regarded as a top-five prospect entering this season now typically lands in the lottery's latter half of most mocks.
He is probably the best upside play left on the board, though, and the Bucks need that more than most, because they either need to give Giannis Antetokounmpo some incentive to stay (either as a big believer in Ament or a fan of whatever he'd bring back in a trade) or scramble to find building blocks for a rebuilding road ahead without him.
10. Chicago Bulls: Jayden Quaintance, PF/C, Kentucky
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While Quaintance's college career technically spanned two seasons, he's still sitting on just 28 career appearances. An ACL tear suffered late last season effectively wrecked his availability for this one, and it also denied the hoops world the chance to see what, if any, skill improvements he might have made.
That said, his upside remains enticing for a lot of reasons, not the least of which that he's younger than most freshman (he won't turn 19 until July). His healthy version looks like a spring-loaded rim-runner with more passing and handling than the archetype normally offers.
Teams in need of a sure thing might stay away, but the rebuilding Bulls could welcome the chance to take on his development in hopes of filling their 5 spot for the foreseeable future.
11. Golden State Warriors: Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona
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While the Warriors would obviously welcome a huge lottery win, this would still be a solid outcome. Because in Burries, they could get someone with plug-and-play ability without having to totally abandon hope of long-term potential.
He makes so many smart, simple plays that you forget you're watching a freshman. He has an innate understanding of playing his role and the requisite talent to execute it. He's basically one good shooting game away from a 50/40 slash, and it makes sense considering how often he finds good shots within the flow of the offense.
And since he fits both on and off the ball, he's the kind of guard who could play both with and behind Stephen Curry, ideally scratching two itches with a single selection.
12. Portland Trail Blazers: Labaron Philon Jr., PG/SG, Alabama
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A creative ball-handler and fiery shooter, Philon should have boosted his stock a bit during the NCAA tournament's first weekend. His first outing was the masterpiece (29 points on 55.6 percent shooting), and his second featured high-level offensive organization (12 assists against four giveaways).
He's most interesting as a prospect if teams see floor-general potential in him and not merely a spark plug's future.
The Blazers could deploy him in either role, though, because who knows how much time they have left with either Damian Lillard or Scoot Henderson.
13. Memphis Grizzlies (via ORL): Karim Lopez, PF, New Zealand Breakers
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How good would this lottery setup be for Memphis?
The Grizzlies not only score the jackpot prize but also parlay the Magic's late-season skid into a second lottery selection. That's the kind of great fortune that can really accelerate a rebuilding project.
Memphis should still be in the big swing-taking thought process and could place a wager on Lopez's size (6'8", 225 lbs), skill and physicality.
If the Grizzlies can summon more shooting consistency and creation out of him, they could leave this round with two building blocks in hand.
14. Charlotte Hornets: Koa Peat, PF, Arizona
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If Peat's NBA career looks anything like his college one, he'll be a versatile, productive role player who impacts winning in a lot of ways.
And given how much winning the Hornets have been doing without him, that might be the exact profile they're hoping to find in the draft.
Shooting and creation aren't strengths and may never be, but he has gobs of glue-guy potential as a physical defender, active rebounder, quick-read passer and close-range finisher.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC): Thomas Haugh, SF/PF, Florida
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With huge-money extensions soon kicking in for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, you wonder whether this might be the offseason where OKC starts dialing back its spending on the supporting cast. In other words, rotation-quality players on rookie contracts might be needed real soon.
Haugh feels like one of the safest players on the board. He plays hard and smart, and he already understands how to fill his role on a good team. And if his shooting takes off, he'll challenge the notion that he doesn't have a lot of upside left.
16. Miami Heat: Cameron Carr, SG, Baylor
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The Heat are a near-lock to be in the guard market this summer.
Norman Powell will be a free agent, Tyler Herro will again be extension-eligible, and Miami can't possibly commit to both when they're overlapping weaknesses effectively render them unplayable together (minus-4.1 net rating over 234 shared minutes).
Carr should be an easy sell for any backcourt shopper. He's a 6'5" sharpshooter with above-the-rim athleticism and inside-the-arc scoring. If this developmental program improves his defense and creation, Miami could have a steal.
17. Charlotte Hornets (via PHO): Hannes Steinbach, C, Washington
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Steinbach probably doesn't have NBA stardom awaiting him, but a rock-solid role is definitely doable. He is active and effective around the rim, and the flashes he's shown away from the basket point toward some potentially interesting outcomes.
Center isn't necessarily a need for Charlotte, but the Moussa Diabaté-Ryan Kalkbrenner combo isn't so strong that it should steer the front office away from Steinbach if he's the highest-ranked prospect on the board.
18. Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHI): Yaxel Lendeborg, PF, Michigan
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Some teams might knock Lendeborg for the fact that he'll turn 24 in September and still isn't a consistent outside shooter.
The Thunder, who don't need huge upside swings, will forget about that while appreciating all he does as a two-way dot-connector.
He can create, he can finish, he can rebound, he can sometimes shoot from deep, and he's arguably even more versatile on defense than offense. He looks ready, physically and skill-wise, to fill up a lot of statistical categories as soon as next season.
19. Toronto Raptors: Braylon Mullins, SG, UConn
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Mullins could consider a second season of college ball in hopes of going even higher in next year's draft. If he's a part of this class, though, expect all shooting-starved squads to give him a long look.
The Raptors, who must be conscious of their spacing as long as they're operating around Scottie Barnes, would be glad to get Mullins' shotmaking arsenal and could believe he's capable of more with the ball in his hands than his role on the Huskies has allowed him to show.
20. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL): Aday Mara, C, Michigan
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It could take Mara a minute to adjust to the speed of the NBA game, but there's a literally huge prize at the end of this developmental puzzle. In short, this impossibly long, super stingy San Antonio frontcourt could get even longer and more disruptive.
Mara, who stands 7'3", basically puts a privacy fence around the basket. His shot-blocking and finishing might be first round-worthy traits on their own, but his passing and post-ups should cement that status.
21. Philadelphia 76ers (via HOU): Dailyn Swain, SF, Texas
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Swain is a bit of a tricky evaluation, since he spent much more time on the ball at Texas than he ever will in the NBA. His shooting is a worry with an off-ball role ticketed for him at this level, but he has shown more promise with it this season than ever.
If he's a viable enough threat from three to keep defenders honest, he has paths toward Swiss Army knife success. He is a long, toolsy defensive playmaker who can finish around the basket, thrive in transition and make live-dribble passes.
22. Atlanta Hawks (via CLE): Isaiah Evans, SF, Duke
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If Evans cracks the first round in the actual draft, he'll have two things to thank: the NBA's perpetual need for perimeter shooting, and this draft class' lack of depth on the wings.
He's a smooth, ignitable off-ball shooter, and his scoring arsenal also includes both downhill finishing and in-between touch.
If Evans can become a more consistent defender, he could have a long NBA career in front of him.
23. Detroit Pistons (via MIN): Christian Anderson, PG, Texas Tech
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The Pistons will surely turn over lots of stones this summer as they seek out scoring and creation support for Cade Cunningham.
Don't be surprised to see them start the dart-throwing process at the draft, particularly if a creator like Anderson is available.
He is undersized (6'3", 178 lbs) and not super explosive, but those are the only reasons why someone with his offensive skill level lasts this long. He can add value as both an off-ball shooter and on-ball creator.
24. Denver Nuggets: Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa
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The Nuggets are always looking for ways to keep their offense afloat during non-Nikola Jokić minutes, and Stirtz should be up to that challenge.
He's a smooth shooter with deep range and a good enough ball-handler to get where he wants for pull-ups or smart passes.
His jumper will play at this level, but the hope is he'll generate enough separation to provide creation, too.
25. Los Angeles Lakers: Chris Cenac Jr., PF, Houston
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Some clubs might decide Cenac isn't worth the time it could take to develop him or the risk that the project will never pan out.
The Lakers shouldn't be one of those teams, since it isn't hard to imagine some fun pick-and-choose actions between him and Luka Dončić.
Cenac should work as both a bouncy finisher and a pop-out shooter, and his effort level makes you want to believe he can maximize his potential.
26. New York Knicks: Motiejus Krivas, C, Arizona
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Krivas is big, long and all kinds of disruptive on the defensive interior. He's also reliable on the interior on offense, active on the glass and capable from the free-throw line.
The 'Bockers may not look like obvious big man-shoppers at the moment, but that could change quickly this summer.
An early exit could get Karl-Anthony Towns scapegoated onto the trade market, or the front office might decide Mitchell Robinson's free agency will be too expensive for a part-time player with full-time availability concerns.
27. Boston Celtics: Patrick Ngongba II, C, Duke
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The Celtics would be wise to leave this draft with a center if the board breaks right, and that's how things shook out here.
Ngongba's offensive bag is limited, and he isn't particularly bouncy, but he has great feel and advanced instincts—not to mention a 7'4" wingspan, paint protection and a penchant for passing.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET): Tyler Tanner, PG, Vanderbilt
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Tanner is, relatively speaking, tiny (6'0", 173 lbs), and that will be a deal-breaker for some.
It shouldn't be for Minnesota, though, which figures to need at least one point guard addition with free agency awaiting Ayo Dosunmu, Bones Hyland and Mike Conley (a retirement candidate).
If the Wolves can look past Tanner's lack of size, they should be drawn to his...well, everything else. He's an electric athlete, a two-way playmaker and a versatile scorer.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via SAS): Amari Allen, SF/PF, Alabama
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Cleveland's wing rotation looks better with Jaylon Tyson's sophomore spike, but that's still the most logical place to look for roster upgrades.
Allen looks like an all-purpose box-checker. He has good size for the wing, better handles and vision than your typical three-and-D forward, defensive playmaking skills and an energetic approach to rebounding.
30. Dallas Mavericks (via OKC): Morez Johnson Jr., PF/C, Michigan
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While the Mavericks obviously have myriad ways and tons of time to build around Cooper Flagg, their long-term blueprint will likely be built around stingy, disruptive defense. Johnson would fit that vision like compression socks.
He is big, strong and long around the basket, and he's nimble and switchable away from it.
He'll be spoonfed most of his offensive chances and might subsist only on close-range finishes (he's not hopeless from three, but he may never shoot with much volume), but an active, impactful defender doesn't need the deepest offensive bag to make a difference.
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