Brayden Burries Declares for 2026 NBA Draft, Where Does Arizona Star Go in Latest B/R Mock?

Arizona guard and projected lottery pick Brayden Burries is entering the 2026 NBA draft after one college season.

Burries announced his decision in a Friday post on Instagram.

Burries is projected to go to the Chicago Bulls with the No. 9 pick in the latest 2026 NBA mock draft by Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman.

Burries, who is listed by Arizona as 6'4" and 205 pounds, joined the Wildcats as a five-star prospect listed top 10 in the nation by 247Sports composite rankings.

He averaged 16.1 points on 49.1 percent shooting from the field and 39.1 percent shooting from deep in 39 games of his freshman season.

The guard added 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game while helping the Wildcats reach the national semifinal.

Wasserman praised Burries' efficiency and opportunistic shooting while noting that some scouts could have concerns about his creativity as a playmaker.

"Though not super creative, he's the type of guard who doesn't need flash to get to the rim or hit pull-ups, floaters and threes," Wasserman wrote about Burries. "He has been super efficient in ball-screen situations getting downhill and shooting in the mid-range.

"He's had lots of success attacking closeouts and space in transition, using his frame well to shield defenders and create easy finishing angles. Certain evaluators just may have a difficult time picturing upside in a 6'4", limited playmaker."

Which teams end up in position to consider drafting Burries will depend on the results of the NBA draft lottery on May 10.

Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa are widely expected to come off the board as the top three picks of the draft, but Burries could be among the seven players to join them in the top 10 when the 2026 NBA draft kicks off June 23 in Brooklyn.