Yaxel Lendeborg to Bulls and Lakers, Knicks, Warriors, 76ers' Picks in New NBA Mock Draft from ESPN

The first round of the 2026 NBA draft is just a day away, and final predictions are starting to be unveiled for teams across the league.

ESPN's Jeremy Woo revealed his latest mock draft on Monday, and he predicted that the Chicago Bulls will use both of their first-round picks to address their frontcourt.

After the Bulls landed UNC forward Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 pick, Woo projected them to use the No. 15 pick acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers to select Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg. After leading the Wolverines to the 2026 national championship, Lendeborg could go higher.

"If he falls, he would hold a best-available argument starting here with Chicago," Woo stated of Lendeborg. "In their first offseason under new leadership, the Bulls have cap space at their disposal and have signaled to other teams that they are open to all types of moves, including with this selection."

Woo named the Golden State Warriors as a team that would find Lendeborg "appealing," and B/R's Jonathan Wasserman predicted in his final mock draft that he would be their selection with the No. 11 pick. Woo predicted that the Warriors would instead use the pick to select his Michigan teammate, center Aday Mara.

"Rival teams believe Golden State is after a player who can contribute to the rotation next season -- as it works to maximize its chances in the final stretch of Stephen Curry's career -- but will take a best-available positional approach. Mara, Brayden Burries if he falls, and Yaxel Lendeborg are names to watch," Woo reported. "The Warriors could also look to trade back if their preferred targets are off the board already."

As for teams outside of the lottery, Woo predicted that the Philadelphia 76ers would use the No. 22 pick acquired from the Houston Rockets to land Stanford point guard Ebuka Okorie, noting that some teams "love his elusiveness off the dribble and scoring ability." The reigning NBA champion New York Knicks were projected to use the No. 24 pick on UNC center Henri Veesaar, as the champs are "said to be in search of frontcourt depth, with Mitchell Robinson a pending free agent." One pick later, the Los Angeles Lakers were projected to select Duke guard Isaiah Evans.

"This should be a best-available pick for the Lakers, who should be focused on the bigger picture of building around Luka Doncic but are also dealing with new contracts for LeBron James and Austin Reaves," Woo stated. "Evans' shooting could be a useful addition and a strong fit for him playing off L.A.'s stars."