2026 Rare Slums NBA Mock Draft
Back once again with my annual mock draft. If you missed last year’s mock, or would like a refresher, click here to read. These are super enjoyable to create, and as always, it’s a mix of predictive + what I think is best fit + a little bit of fun thrown in there. I was proud of a few particular areas of my draft last year, like mocking Demin being a top 8 pick when his stock was dropping, being super high on Reynaud, and having Niederhauser and Hansen as first round picks. I’m less concerned about getting the actual player to team correct, and tend to focus more on a general range, while also trying to find some diamonds in the rough that I think teams will roll the dice on in the mid to late first round.
Let’s get to it.
DYBANTSA
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DYBANTSA 🇺🇸
With the #1 pick, the Washington Wizards select:
AJ Dybantsa, (F), BYU.
Forget NIL checks, Dybantsa’s deserved royalties from Gunna should be astronomical. The tape on AJ isn’t very complicated, and there’s not much convincing that needs to be happening for one to notice the rarity in his game. Large wings with coordination don’t grow on trees, especially ones with a frenzied thirst to burn the net down. It may not be the cleanest of transitions right away—I can see outbursts of 30-40 point games while throwing up the odd 4-16 clunkers, but the struggle will be more of the “Oh, shit, he just scored 25 with a “meh” game.” variety than of any true despairing. Looking back, it’s wild how quickly Dybantsa changed the narrative about himself, starting out the season as an intriguing but semi-distant third best prospect, and ending it as an almost consensus number one. We know about his athleticism and ability to be a work in progress point forward, but combine that with long, Giannis-like strides, and it’s a terrorizing offensive package for a wing.
The cons are fixable. His shot is still in development, and while having a functional enough handle in traffic, he looks awkward running with his dribble in open space. I can see particular defenders being a concerning level of pest for AJ. Nonetheless, if I’m Washington, this is a real chance to venture out of the tower and start zapping all these creatures that have been defiling their fields for so long.
PETERSON
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PETERSON 🇺🇸
With the #2 pick, the Utah Jazz select:
Darryn Peterson, (G), Kansas.
A little peak behind the curtain—I had a graphic made up for Cameron Boozer here before settling on Darryn Peterson. There’s too much smoke about Peterson even flirting with the number one spot (just a little bit) to have a scorer of his caliber slip past Utah. I also blame myself for completely forgetting that the Jazz acquired JJJ last year. On the other hand, there’s probably some internal motivation to make sure that Will Hardy isn’t forced to coach a rebuilding team for another two years, and you can definitely get a Markannen-sized return on more of a ready-made guard if you think that Boozer can hit the ground running.
The Jazz executives are wielding a wooden Minecraft sword against the cobwebs of Dybantsa’s short, but strong legacy at BYU, and the fact that Cam Boozer’s dad, Carlos Boozer, is the scout and talent evaluator for the Jazz. Impartiality is in the job description of an NBA scout, but I doubt he’s going, “Oh, yeah, my son who’s in the running for the #1 pick? A triple double threat who shot nearly 55/40? Nah, let’s go with the other guys.”
Ultimately, I landed on DP, I just wanted to emphasize the struggle in my decision. Peterson may hold the crown of being one of the most talented guard scorers in the last 15 years of the draft. And yeah, there’s some concerns about his injuries, but lest we all forget, the last time Utah was equipped with a lead scoring guard, the Jazz were a perennial playoff team. Plus, the guard depth on the Jazz is far from optimal. The NBA is starting to trend into collecting multiple scoring options on your team while maintaining depth. Injuries can strike at any moment, so why not stock the cupboard so full that the snacks spill out every time you open it up?
BOOZER
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BOOZER 🇺🇸
With the #3 pick, the Memphis Grizzlies select:
Cameron Boozer, (F), Duke.
Can I tell you a secret? I think I’ve had the most fun watching Cameron Boozer’s tape out of all of the top prospects.. What took Jalen Johnson a few years to turn into (aside from the Duke connection and having a similar physical profile), I think Cam Boozer can start to actualize in year one. And Boozer is bigger, a better shooter, and more opportunistic a scorer. It’s scary to even project what Boozer can be. Even if he’s not eking the most out of measureables compared to a guy as tantalizing as Caleb Wilson, I’m just a big fan of guys who Get Shit Done. A post hub offense could be in the cards early on for Memphis, especially from post ups on the elbow, and we know just how dangerous that can be. The biggest question mark is if modern NBA defenses will let him work out of the post, with much more physical defenders and aggressive help defense. He’ll also need to prove that his outside shooting is for real. Morant’s likely to go elsewhere, so the youth movement continues on with Boozer pairing up with Coward, and it’s a hell of a foundation to fast track a competitive team.
WILSON
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WILSON 🇺🇸
With the #4 pick, the Chicago Bulls select:
Caleb Wilson, (F), UNC.
A few weeks back, there was a bit of flirtation with Wilson leaping into the top three. The dust has settled since then, and I don’t think he’s going to squeeze past Boozer. And if he does, the Grizzlies are definitely the type of team to value a slab of marble with their own grand visions of Michaelangelo-comissioned detail in their carvings. But new Bulls GM Bryson Graham did make it a point to broadcast his ‘SLAP’ philosophy, which emphasizes speed, length, athleticism and physicality—which I’m sure is a hit over Zoom meetings with the rest of the jargon makers.
All joking aside, Caleb Wilson, at his size and speed, is a poster child for those traits. I’m not even sure the last time the Bulls had a true “big man” prospect that possessed potential two-way ability in the way that Caleb does.. Essengue has way too much work to do on offense. Wendell and Portis were springy, but more ground bound than Wilson and had less flashy defense. Young Taj Gibson makes you question time itself, but he still had his limitations. Tyrus Thomas is probably a name nobody wants to hear while discussing this pick, but he’s probably the closest outside of Joakim Noah, who was an amazing defender with decent athleticism in his own right.
Caleb Wilson has to be as tantalizing as an Italian beef sandwich after a long day at the office for the Bulls brass and fandom. His quickness and ability to maneuver around on defense like a big cat reminds me of Jonathan Isaac, albeit not as disciplined and prone to some weak positioning, especially off-ball. The offense looks way better than advertised, but heavily relies on a spin move that he loves to spam over and over, whether it’s for a fadeaway, or powering it in at the rim. Any time a player starts drawing Kevin Garnett comparisons, you know there’s going to be some tough discussions in the war rooms even above the Bulls.
ACUFF JR.
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ACUFF JR. 🇺🇸
With the #5 pick, the Sacramento Kings select:
Darius Acuff Jr., (G), Arkansas.
(The Los Angeles Clippers trade the #5 pick and the #52 pick to the Sacramento Kings for the #7 pick, the #34 pick, and a future second.)
The bad thing about other teams getting wind of your interest in a specific prospect is that they’ll start to dangle the keys in front of your face, trying to extract some extra value to move up if you’re in a precarious draft position to take said player. The good thing about knowing who you want is that in a draft with the gelatin fairly set, you can make your own luck and move up to draft them all the same.
There’s a lot of outside factors boosting Acuff Jr’s stock at the moment that would potentially offer more wind shear in other years, since draft prospects are often like puppets on a marionette string, at the mercy of social media agendas, “vibe”, and NBA comps. A large number of NBA fans don’t even pay attention to the regular NCAA season and only tune in for March Madness, so the fact that Acuff Jr. was able to show out, and Jalen Brunson is showing immense value as a number one option for the Knicks, who are two games away (as of writing this) from winning the Larry O’Brien… yeah. Good omens for Acuff. Earlier on, I referenced Peterson’s exceptional offensive skills, and the rarity of that upside in recent draft guards—Acuff Jr. may, in fact, give Darryn Peterson a run for his money. He proved to be a historic freshman scorer with solid percentages, but his concern will always be his defense. It’s not exactly getting fortified on the Sacramento Kings roster right now if he’s selected there, but schemes can be drawn out to help, and the right players for those schemes can slowly be added into the fold.
FLEMINGS
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FLEMINGS 🇺🇸
With the #6 pick, the Brooklyn Nets select:
Kingston Flemings, (PG), Houston.
The Brooklyn Nets are sort of in an awkward spot currently rebuild wise. They’re ripe for a true big man or a big body wing, but the best prospects around this range are all guards or smaller wings with some off-ball juice. They’ve already invested penny stocks in mid-late first round guards Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf, and their lottery pick, Igor Demin, played exclusively at PG and SG for the Nets last year. But if OKC shows that you can have 8 playable, talented guards and it’s not too much to draft, then you can’t turn your nose up at another guard if you’re Brooklyn. Nate Ament and Mikel Brown Jr. have been elevated as the most attractive targets for the Nets as of right now, but that doesn’t mean anything. Maybe I’m operating out of Orlando Magic fandom mode, where the player we hear the least amount of chatter about is usually the draft pick. I say all of that to say, Flemings may be getting some hushed praise and wink-winks in private.
Watching his tape, the eye-test confirms the numbers and percentages that he posted. He does everything pretty damn well. Front offices consistently overthink selections with the mindest of, “Well, I like everything about him, but he’s a smaller guard even though he plays big, and we need to see more reps from three point range to get excited about his shot.” And then take a swing on some dude whose best outcome might be an All-Star, but 9/10 times is going to be a disappointing reach. Flemings is one of the few guard prospects of this top 10 that is disruptive on defense, has an offensive bag, and actually plays like a point guard. I think he’s getting overshadowed, and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see Flemings slide, as much as I think he’s worthy of a top 6 selection.
MARA
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MARA 🇪🇸
With the #7 pick, the Los Angeles Clippers select:
Aday Mara, (C), Michigan.
(The Sacramento Kings trade the #7 pick, the #34 pick, and a future second to the Los Angeles Clippers for the #5 pick and the #52 pick.)
If I’m not mistaken, I remember Aday Mara being a big name in high school years ago, flirting with being a top NBA prospect and recruit. It disappointed me to see him wasting away on the UCLA bench after a few years of not following his trajectory. Michigan gave him his soul back with a soft touch to the middle of his forehead, and he rewarded them with having a big hand in their National Championship. The names I see getting mocked to the Clippers are all talented and “make sense”, and I’m not one that likes fit over talent most of the time, but I do think that if Kawhi stays, then it makes sense to re-sign Mathurin, keep letting Jordan Miller get big minutes, let the Kawhi year play out, and sign a behemoth with diverse skills to anchor the middle. Niederhauser is coming off of a ligament tear in his foot, and Brook Lopez is going into his age 38 season, so the center spot is shaky unless you intend to go small-ball only with Jackson.
I have a feeling that many Western Conference teams are going to be tinkering with their roster after watching these playoffs. Just like how teams used to load up bigs for Shaquille O’Neal back in the day, there are going to be some Wembanyama Accords being arranged. Mara’s offense around the rim actually surprised me a bit, throwing in some soft baby hooks like Vucevic, and even showing deft passing skills.. Being a 7’3” traditional big, he’s not the quickest, so a team already used to drop coverage like the Clippers could be a fated connection.
BURRIES
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BURRIES 🇺🇸
With the #8 pick, the Chicago Bulls select:
Brayden Burries, (G), Arizona.
(The Atlanta Hawks trade Zaccharie Risacher, the #8 pick and the #57 pick to the Chicago Bulls for the #15 pick, Isaac Okoro, and Tre Jones.)
The youth movement is underway in Chicago, moving up to pair a physical two-way guard with positional versatility to add on top of their blue chip prospect in Caleb Wilson. It’s also a move that cuts Dallas off directly at the knees, where a connective web between Burries and the Mavs has been strengthening. In addition to… wait. I have a phone call. It’s Bryson Graham from the Chicago Bulls. One moment.
“Yeah? Mhm. Sure. Yes, you got it. Thanks for the reminder.”
My bad. Graham just reminded me to use the brilliant ‘SLAP’ acronym once again, and how Burries personifies that. It’s hard to disagree with the philosophy after watching what sort of guards are getting the most minutes and defining the NBA Playoffs around this time of year. In Chicago, Burries won’t be forced into a playmaking role too early on with Giddey hopping around, an area that Brayden still needs to improve in. His presence can also let Giddey be “hidden” on lesser offensive players instead. If Burries can become a Josh Hart-like player with better offense, then imagining Wilson, Buzelis, and Burries with some seasoning in a few years is a terrifying prospect.
BROWN JR.
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BROWN JR. 🇺🇸
With the #9 pick, the Dallas Mavericks select:
Mikel Brown Jr., (G), Louisville.
There are a large number of scouts and amateur mock drafters that are extremely bullish on Mikel Brown Jr., and I can see the vision. I just happen to be a bit more risk averse with this sort of player profile than I am with others. The iffy efficiency doesn’t concern me—after all, another Louisville guard with similar numbers translated juuuuust fine into the NBA. It’s just that… I can also squint my eyes and see Jordan Poole. Which isn’t the worst outcome, but in the wrong environment, can look like an insignificant piece to a winning ballclub. But if that combination of scoring ability, passing instinct, size, and athleticism hits for the Mavericks? Whew. You have an immediate pairing of complimentary skills that will create league-wide shockwaves. It’s a team chock-full of defense-first big men and wings, as well as helpful vets (for now), which makes this a fertile landing spot for Mikel Brown Jr.
PHILON JR.
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PHILON JR. 🇺🇸
With the #10 pick, the Milwaukee Bucks select:
Labaron Philon Jr., (G), Alabama.
I have no idea what the Milwaukee Bucks want to do, which this made this pick pretty damn difficult. It would be infinitely easier if they already made a Giannis trade and were showing off their big haul like a 2010s makeup YouTuber, but I’m just going with a player that I think is the BPA at this spot. Philon Jr. had flirtations with the back half of the lottery last year, but decided to go back to school at Alabama, and managed to reward the team, as well as raise his own stock, by posting more efficient numbers across the board.
I’ve seen people hand wave him because he’s “smaller” and slight, but he’s around the height range of these other guards, and even taller than a few of them. He just needs to put on some muscle. He’s also younger than Burries despite returning to college for an extra year. Philon is shifty and has a smooth, high-arching three point shot that looks crisp when it caresses the net. He showed fantastic playmaking ability, being the best advantage creator in the entire class. Not to mention, he’s a big game player, showing marketed improvement from this year to his last March Madness showing. The Bucks would do well to add a high level scorer and playmaker at this spot in the draft.
LENDEBORG
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LENDEBORG 🇩🇴
With the #11 pick, the Golden State Warriors select:
Yaxel Lendeborg, (F), Michigan.
Not gonna lie, before diving deeper into prospect videos and watching live games, I thought Yaxel Lendeborg was a Dutch player playing in a European league like Basketball Bundesliga or something. As much as I’d love the Warriors to really commit to the future, they’re undoubtedly going to go for it another year or two, and thus, Big Yax emerges as an appetizing catch. Yes, he’s basically a grown ass man, but the Warriors are lacking in the area of “Young(er) Two-Way Dog” prospects. The Yaxel-Horford DR connection is obvious and would be a fun side story to follow, but more importantly, when Draymond retires or leaves, Yaxel can keep the defensive energy burning bright in San Francisco. He boasts solid percentages from all over the court, and is quite agile for his 6’9 frame. Wagler being available here does tick a lot of boxes as the next era of prolific shooting/scorer for the Warriors, but Yaxel still has some untapped potential himself. NorCal restaurants are furiously making sure that Mangú is their next breakfast item staple.
JOHNSON JR.
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JOHNSON JR. 🇺🇸
With the #12 pick, the Oklahoma City Thunder select:
Morez Johnson Jr., (F), Michigan.
It’s nigh impossible for the Oklahoma City Thunder not to have a sour taste in their mouth after losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the Conference Finals. And whether or not injuries played a huge factor in the series loss (it did), the reality is that their reign was cut short by a team that went 34-48 last year, piloted by neophytes. Morez Johnson Jr. follows his bash brother, Yaxel, and beefs up an OKC team that will have to make many tough decisions, beginning this summer. Their small-ball lineups are what bludgeons teams to death, but it also makes it hard to pivot to any other style when the time calls for it. Morez provides an interior presence on both ends, and a defensive “fuck you” energy that the Thunder feed off of. With the guard position already so deep, drafting an immediate impact forward helps the Thunder get right back on track against the Western Conference elite.
WAGLER
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WAGLER 🇺🇸
With the #13 pick, the Miami Heat select:
Keaton Wagler, (G), Illinois.
The slide for Babyface Wagler ends here. I know there will be some people who vehemently disagree that he deserved to slide at all, and I agree, but I do think that one name in the “consensus” top 10 is going to drop a little further than people think, and for me, that person ended up being Wagler. He’s a flamethrower with size and unlimited range, but in my opinion, will need to improve his self creation at the next level to get similar good looks, as well as gain the functional strength needed to pour in buckets, as physical defenders can shut his game down.
(He also managed to complete his one and done NCAA career without registering a dunk. I don’t know what to make of that, and if it’s a concern, or just his playstyle.)
Miami may or may not have a gaping hole for a shooter with the potential to be a prolific scorer, as they’re dangling Tyler Herro’s name for the 50th straight season, and look to be in the running for the Giannis sweepstakes. Maybe this pick ends up going to the Bucks. Who knows? But even if Miami pump-fakes the league yet again and they complete another offseason without much activity, their roster is devoid of shooting enough that this makes perfect sense as a pick in either scenario.
QUAINTANCE
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QUAINTANCE 🇺🇸
With the #14 pick, the Charlotte Hornets select:
Jayden Quaintance, (F/C), Kentucky.
I had a few other prospects I was considering in this spot, but I landed on Quaintance for a few reasons. The Hornets were a fun, top-5 offensive club for a majority of the season until the wheels fell off towards the end, getting their lunch money stolen from the jump ball of the final play-in game at the hands of the infighting Orlando Magic. It wasn’t pretty. The first order of business was to mock a player to them that can be a legit game-changer on the defensive end, health permitting.
The Hornets also have the #18 pick, so I figure taking a flyer earlier on a guy with 28 games of tape available is worth it for the upside alone, just in case he doesn’t last until the 18th pick. Quaintance is a fascinating player—he looks massive despite being 6’9-6’10”. Maybe the hair is doing the heavy lifting. And I don’t mean this comparison in any singular way other than a literal,“How did he do that?” sense, because Embiid is a one-of-one scorer at the center position and is three inches taller, but watching Quaintance dribble from the three point line to the paint, at his size, with the speed and handle… there’s some dormant skill there waiting to be molded.
But there’s just not much to go off of. What is real, however, is the defensive fear factor that is documented with Quaintance in those small number of games. I’ve seen him fall to the floor and get up to block the same guy who tripped him up in that play. This pick will give the Hornets more flexible options at the center position, instead of only deploying the wrecking ball that is The Moose, or a giant in Kalkbrenner, who’s forced to play drop coverage in almost every scenario.
CARR
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CARR 🇺🇸
With the #15 pick, the Atlanta Hawks select:
Cameron Carr, (G), Baylor.
(The Chicago Bulls trade the #15 pick, Isaac Okoro, and Tre Jones to Atlanta Hawks for the #8 pick, Zaccharie Risacher, and the #57 pick.)
I’ve realized after doing these drafts for a few years, the hardest thing for most fans to get on board with are fake trades. Whether it’s the overvaluing of players or having preferred prospects, very rarely are trades an agreed upon fair shake. I have a feeling that Bulls fans would prefer the Wilson/Carr pairing as opposed to Wilson/Burries (although I argue that a POA defender is needed to pair with Giddey), and perhaps some Hawks fans still value Risacher more, or don’t want to move down at all. This is all fun for me, but I do try my best to weigh the pros/cons of these trades and have sound reasoning with them. The Hawks are a competitive team already right now, so adding a versatile defender in Okoro and having Tre Jones as C.J. McCollum insurance, on top of still having the #15 pick is a win, in my opinion.
Carr makes a lot of sense coming off of the bench for the Atlanta Hawks, where he can run around screens to his heart’s content. Carr has one of the most aesthetically pleasing highlight films I’ve seen out of any prospect in this draft, moving around the court like a shorter, springier Brandon Ingram, with a sweet shot form like Zach LaVine. It’s also a great excuse to (attempt) to move off of one of Hield or Kispert.
AMENT
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AMENT 🇺🇸
With the #16 pick, the Memphis Grizzlies select:
Nate Ament (SF), Tennessee.
I’m well aware that on draft day, Nate Ament can go as early as #6 to the Brooklyn Nets, and I’m prepared for a world in which that happens. The obvious efficiency concerns are huge red flags, but to me, there’s enough data of big games against solid teams to make up for the disasters. Just as I mentioned earlier with NBA player physical profiles affecting current draftees and how they can boost stock, they can also do the opposite. Ament has drawn comparisons to Risacher, who is off to a sluggish start as a former #1 pick. And while those lofty pressures won’t be placed on Ament, it does negatively factor into scouting and general fan caution. What does pop out for Ament is how smooth he slithers around the court. You almost forget that he’s 6’10”. The mechanics aren’t broken, and he has a high release. If all of that comes together, then Memphis just walked away with Boozer and Ament for the next decade. I wouldn’t say this is the best immediate fit, as I do think a team with more veterans and structure would work wonders for Ament, but he would have a real chance to make a name for himself here.
GRAVES
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GRAVES 🇺🇸
With the #17 pick, the Oklahoma City Thunder select:
Allen Graves (F), Santa Clara.
The Thunder add an analytics darling and more size to their team with Allen Graves out of Santa Clara. He’s a terrific team defender that posted a top six BPM in the class despite coming off of the bench. His hands are great, he’s efficient from all over the court, and showed his prowess from the bench already in the NCAA, a place where he’d be starting out if drafted to the Thunder. He has a bit of an awkward style and body type compared to others in this class, but I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t show glimpses of being a heady contributor, even as a 19 year old.
SWAIN
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SWAIN 🇺🇸
With the #18 pick, the Charlotte Hornets select:
Dailyn Swain, (G/F), Texas.
Swain has improved in minutes, role, and efficiency each of his three years in college, which isn’t an easy feat to accomplish. He has solid instincts on defense that have great potential with his physical traits. I’ve seen him be described physically like Trevor Ariza with a Tari Eason-ish shot, and I think he plays a bit hunched over like Victor Oladipo. The biggest boon is that he would give the Hornets a different look off of the bench, which is a switchable wing with a good deal more offensive pop than Sion James or Josh Green.
STEINBACH
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STEINBACH 🇩🇪
With the #19 pick, the Toronto Raptors select:
Hannes Steinbach, (F/C), Washington.
It’s funny, I rate Steinbach very highly, and was trying to look for excuses to fit him in as early as #12, but the way the draft order unfolded, it just felt like teams would rather value other needs or swing a bit higher on potential, even if I personally disagree with the strategy.
Come on, he’s a tall, efficient German player. I’m obviously biased.
The first thing I’m doing if I’m Coach Darko is making sure that CMB is my starting center next season. Next, I’m taking on suitors for Poeltl, even if I have to give away Dick for free… pause. Mamukelashvili may price out the Raptors, so in comes Steinbach. I look at some of the prospects drafted before the Raptors and feel like they would also have loved for any of those guys to drop, as there is a bit more of a defensive edge to some of these guys, but the more I rap about Steinbach, the more I like the fit here. The Raptors are probably on the hunt for a guard as well, but they also have some trade packages that they can muster up for that. Steinbach rebounds well, has a crafty Euro-step, and will routinely dunk on players that underestimate his athleticism in the open court. He can step out and stretch the floor once in a while too. As long as he’s paired up with one of CMB or Scottie Barnes at all times, he’d be quite an interesting wrinkle for the Raptors to deploy.
OKORIE
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OKORIE 🇺🇸
With the #20 pick, the Toronto Raptors select:
Ebuka Okorie, (G), Stanford.
(The San Antonio Spurs trade the #20 pick to the Toronto Raptors for Gradey Dick, Jonathan Mogbo and a future second rounder.)
You thought I was done talking about the Raptors? I’m never done talking about the Raptors!
In this case, we take a draft double dip in Scotiabank where the Toronto Raptors actually do address a need for another scoring guard. Okorie is a very intriguing prospect. He’s a smaller guard that just does not stop driving to the rim, has a good shot, and has an obsessive penchant for getting to the line. Stirtz and Anderson may have better passing numbers, but Okorie is no slouch, with a supremely tight handle and solid court vision. In this iteration of the Raptors, I would like Scottie Barnes to orchestrate most of the offense anyway, so a “pure point” archetype isn’t exactly a dish I’d be trying to order, and certainly not from a rookie. Okorie and Shead can switch off duties depending on what sort of lineup is on the court and what skills are required at that given moment.
For the Spurs, you take flyers on a 22 year old former lottery pick and a 24 year old Swiss Army Knife early second rounder. In a vacuum, it’s hard to project value on two players that may find themselves out of the league in a few years. The 20th pick in this draft sounds like a steal for that, and it has the potential to be, but these yet-to-be-drafted prospects lose value the minute they step on the court in most cases. If there’s a team to resuscitate these Raptors cast-offs, it’s the Spurs. Gradey is a huge wing that has NBA athleticism and a shot that is begging to come around at some point, and Mogbo could be a super cheap option to throw a wrench in the plans of other teams in non-Kornet backup minutes. I really like both of these players in theory, but they’re currently trapped in amber.
EJIOFOR
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EJIOFOR 🇺🇸
With the #21 pick, the Detroit Pistons select:
Zuby Ejiofor, (F), St. John’s.
I’m well aware that this Pistons pick is zigging while everyone else is zagging, but hear me out. I think that the Pistons will be extremely active this offseason and will try to acquire a veteran point guard or scoring threat (Kyrie?) to pair with Cade Cunningham to help alleviate ball handling responsibilities while lightening the scoring load. I’ve also heard that Beef Stew may be shopped or traded, so I’m trying to put two and two together and cover up some cracks in the Ford Mustang. Ejiofor just does so much out there without being a shooting threat. He’s slightly undersized, but his heat map on the hardwood makes him look like he’s practically fused to the court. He rebounds, he passes, he defends, and he picks up stocks like an eager day trader. His free throw percentages and willingness to shoot the three even show some next level promise to be more than just a rim merchant.
If I’m the Detroit Pistons, I’m not looking towards the draft to help with my guard depth or shooting woes, I’m patching that up in free agency and picking up a maniac with Detroit DNA instead. Daniss Jenkins will need to gobble up minutes off the bench still, as well as Cade and Duncan and whoever is brought in during free agency. This past season’s meteoric success has shifted Detroit’s window, making it hard to continue on waiting for prospects with urgent team needs to blossom a few years from now.
ANDERSON JR.
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ANDERSON JR. 🇺🇸
With the #22 pick, the Philadelphia 76ers select:
Christian Anderson Jr., (G), Texas Tech.
I struggled hard with the 76ers because they’re the equivalent of throwing objects inside of a drawer and violently opening it back up. Some of the items will be in the same place, some will be broken, others will combine with another thing for some stupid reason. Anyway, the Sixers need another safety valve on the floor for when one of Maxey or Edgecombe is sitting. Anderson Jr. can whip the ball around with the best of them in this class, and isn’t scared to bomb away from three, making him a perfect third wheel for the promising young guard tandem. This is a team that has the potential to blow it up at a moment’s notice if things don’t go well, which is why I feel fine drafting another young guard here.
(Anderson is the someone I would have mocked to Detroit if I didn’t think he’d be buried there after this year’s free agency.. But I can easily see him being a Piston if they decide to take it relatively easy.)
REED JR.
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REED JR. 🇺🇸
With the #23 pick, the Atlanta Hawks select:
Tarris Reed Jr., (C), Connecticut.
There’s a lot of different options for bigs that the Atlanta Hawks can go in at this draft position, and I was this close (pinching my fingers together IRL) to putting Luigi Suigo here. But I’ve heard that if he’s not getting a top 20 guarantee, than he’s going to withdraw his name from the draft entirely. I don’t think Suigo is a guy that’s super raw and two years away from being two years away, and I like what his ceiling could be even if it’s not the “Italian Wemby” hyperbole, but Reed Jr. is a nice consolation prize. So, asterisk here for Suigo until that news comes out in the coming days.
Tarris is a throwback big that plays swiftly with his weight and is an aggressive rebounder. His primary domain is operating around the basket, where he’ll have to speed up some of his processing at the NBA level, but showed some nice improvements in passing this season at UConn. He’d provide a nice juxtaposition to the current Hawks big men that have totally different strengths and weaknesses.
CENAC JR.
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CENAC JR. 🇺🇸
With the #24 pick, the New York Knicks select:
Chris Cenac Jr., (F/C), Houston.
Depending on what happens over the course of the next week, Knicks fans are either going to be too elated to really care who or what is the 24th pick, or too depressed to engage in 100 page threads about a guy who will barely play. Cenac is fluid, tall, has a huge wing-span, and his coach raved about him as a person after a win earlier in the year. It’s not all put together yet, you’re just seeing flashes in between long blinks, but if he can give you Jabari Smith level incosistency from the 24th pick instead of the 3rd, you take it and run.
LOPEZ
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LOPEZ 🇲🇽
With the #25 pick, the Los Angeles Lakers select:
Karim López, (SF), New Zealand.
It wasn’t until writing this that I realized I drafted a Mexican player to Los Angeles. I’ve inadvertantly solved the jersey and ticket sales crisis in case LeBron flies the nest. Karim is mocked all over the place, the highest I’ve seen being in the top 10, while others think he’ll be a late first rounder. It’s strange watching him, because he looks smooth in just about every area. He’s a big boy that has a mechanically sound shot, is comfortable dribbling in and through traffic, can rebound decently, and make solid passes to open teammates. I… just can’t get over the fact that he looks like a MyTeam Klay Thompson with an afro. I know, that’s a “me” problem. But yeah, his game is just sort of.. bland? And I know that’s a horrible way to judge prospects. I can see him at his best being a Deni-lite though, and that’s enough for the Lakers to take a chance on him if he falls, especially with Rui and LeBron’s futures in the air.
STIRTZ
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STIRTZ 🇺🇸
With the #26 pick, the Denver Nuggets select:
Bennett Stirtz, (G), Iowa.
Another player swallowed whole by the humpback whale that is the draft order. I flirted with Stirtz to Toronto before pivoting elsewhere, I figured that the Knicks fans wouldn’t want to stomach another Kolek situation where a white backup point guard isn’t really going to be playable for important games, even though I think Stirtz has some Payton Pritchard level swagger and staying power to his game. The Denver Nuggets may uproot half of the team this offseason, but if not, Stirtz fits in quite nicely at the backup guard slot, which hasn’t had anyone grab it by its neck in years.
JEFFERSON
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JEFFERSON 🇺🇸
With the #27 pick, the Boston Celtics select:
Joshua Jefferson (F), Iowa State.
Well we're movin' on up, to the east side
To a deluxe apartment in the sky
Joshua Jefferson surprised me with his physical frame and headiness on the court. His passing highlights rival even most of the guards in this class. He hits people over the top, on bounce pass cuts, leading passes in transition, drive and kicks—you name it, he does it. I love the thought of the dynamic of him playing in a Mazzulla offense, where there’s always a threat out there on the court. He provides a skillset that no other forward on the Celtics possesses, and can help the Celtics offense deviate from the “three point or bust” strategy that worked until it didn’t this year, especially with his ability to find people on backdoor cuts.
PEAT
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PEAT 🇺🇸
With the #28 pick, the Minnesota Timberwolves select:
Koa Peat (F), Arizona.
I never really followed Koa Peat until doing this mock draft, but I do remember his name being on top of early mock drafts of this class while he was still in high school. Ironically, he’s going to a team with a player that I think could be his ceiling in Julius Randle, and maybe if Peat shows enough ability early on, the Timberwolves will have enough of the Original Randle experience to make way for the cheaper one already on the roster. I also must say, I can’t tell if his playing weight is hurting him or helping him. For my own team, this year, Banchero did not look like himself with excess weight, so Peat may have another gear to unlock with an NBA training staff.
KAYIL
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KAYIL 🇩🇪
With the #29 pick, the Cleveland Cavaliers select:
Jack Kayil, (G), Germany.
Okay, so I did a little bit of detective work with this one instead of it being purely fit or preference. It was recently reported that Kayil was originally committed to playing at Gonzaga next year, but decided to forgo that to stay in the draft. He’s currently being mocked all over as an early to mid 2nd rounder, but to me, it makes no sense to de-commit from a school like Gonzaga where you can grow your stock next year… unless you have a promise at the end of the first round. Maybe I’m rocking back and forth inside of the Willy Wonka tunnel in full conspiracy mode, but the Cavs do have a need for a young point guard again if they decide to move on from Craig Porter Jr. The efficiency and counting stats weren’t the best for Kayil, but he’s a compact guard with size, and made me rewind quite a few plays from being impressed. Realistically, he’s probably a mid 30s to early 40s 2nd round talent, but who knows!
EVANS
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EVANS 🇺🇸
With the #30 pick, the Dallas Mavericks select:
Isaiah Evans, (G/F), Duke.
It’s fun watching this guy put it in the basket. He’s almost worringly skinny and will need to work on gaining strength at the next level, but his stroke is pure, and he easily rises up against most defenders, having the ability to change his arc without it affecting his shot. I’m just mocking a lot of shooters to the Mavericks because it’s probably the best way to extract the best out of Flagg and his downhill driving ability. The Duke connection doesn’t hurt either.
