Final 2026 NBA Mock Draft: Size, Athleticism, and Excitement
The Hornets add two players among the most exciting in this rookie class in Dylan Jackson's final 2026 projections.
The time has finally come, the 2026 NBA Draft is today.
It’s been a long process and I’m super proud of the content we’ve made at SportCLT over the past few months.
Join us tonight as we’re live for a draft show, breaking down every single first-round pick. I’ll be hosting it over on the SportCLT Twitter and YouTube, with Jack Hooper joining as my cohost. We’ll have a ton of guests joining us throughout the show, so be sure to check it out. The stream starts at 7 PM ET.
Let’s dive into the final Mock Draft.
1. Wizards - AJ Dybantsa - W/F - BYU
I’ve had the Washington Wizards taking Dybantsa since they won the lottery, and I’m not wavering now. I think he’s going to be a 25-point per game scorer in the NBA.
2. Jazz - Darryn Peterson - G - Kansas
Despite the weird noise around this pick, I do think that Peterson will end up in Utah. He is too clean of a fit for that roster for the Jazz to pass on him at that spot.
3. Grizzlies - Cam Boozer - F - Duke
The Grizzlies get, in my opinion, the best player in the draft with the third pick. Boozer fits Memphis’ roster like a glove, pairing particularly well with franchise center Zach Edey.
4. Bulls - Caleb Wilson - F - UNC
I truly think Caleb Wilson goes first overall in some draft classes, so getting him fourth overall is a massive win for the Bulls. He’s less of a modern NBA fit than the top-3, but there should be no other player considered here.
5. Clippers - Keaton Wagler - G/W - Illinois
I’d take Mikel Brown here if I’m Los Angeles, but Wagler is an excellent modern basketball player whose intersection of feel for the game and overall skill level is among the best in this class.
6. Nets - Mikel Brown - G - Louisville
I don’t think anything the Nets did in the 2025 NBA Draft should prevent them from taking the best overall player on their board. Brown has the most upside, in my opinion, of any player left.
7. Kings - Darius Acuff - G - Arkansas
Acuff is a dynamic offensive talent, and the Kings are at a pretty low point in their franchise given their salary cap situation and lack of young talent. Acuff wouldn’t fix everything, but he’d be a step in the right direction.
8. Hawks - Kingston Flemings - G - Houston
I’ve projected Aday Mara here a bit, but I think the Hawks are going to end up taking whichever guard is left at this point. Flemings feels like he really fits what GM Onsi Saleh targets at the position.
9. Mavericks - Brayden Burries - G/W - Arizona
I am a bit more skeptical of the Burries hype after the Dusty May hiring, but I still think he’s the pick if available. If the Mavericks do take a Michigan man, though, I’d think it would be Morez Johnson or Yaxel Lendeborg.
10. Bucks - Nate Ament - F - Tennessee
Nate Ament has a lot of upside, but I’m also higher on his floor than most. I think it’s hard to do better with this pick considering the Bucks are entering a full scale rebuild.
11. Warriors - Aday Mara - B - Michigan
The Warriors could really use a quality long-term big man, and Aday Mara’s range starts as early as No. 8, to me.
12. Thunder - Morez Johnson - F/B - Michigan
Morez Johnson feels like a Sam Presti pick. His size, physicality, and overall modern fit as a glue guy make me wonder if he could go even higher than this spot.
13. Bucks - Labaron Philon - G - Alabama
The Bucks have finally traded away Giannis Antetokounmpo, and this pick is one of many they received in doing so. Having already taken forward Nate Ament, I think Philon would be an interesting guard to add to the mix alongside Kasparas Jakucionis and Ryan Rollins.
14. Hornets - Hannes Steinbach - F/B - Washington
With Morez Johnson off the board, I think the Charlotte Hornets will take Hannes Steinbach. He ticks the most boxes of any player left in the draft with his size and physicality, overall college production at a young age, and athletic upside.
The biggest question here: Does Yaxel Lendeborg being available change things for the Hornets? Honestly, I don’t think so. Regardless of whether Lendeborg is available, I think Steinbach is a player the Hornets will prefer.
I could be wrong, but I think the Hornets’ public value of the interview and workout process combined with Lendeborg rumored to not be finishing workouts sounds an alarm bell in my head.
15. Bulls - Dailyn Swain - W/F - Texas
The Bulls could really go in a variety of directions. Having traded for Nic Claxton last night, I think it’s less likely they take a center with this pick (and even if they were angling to do so, there’s not really one worth this spot). Swain is an athletic wing that can get downhill and play defense.
16. Grizzlies - Yaxel Lendeborg - F - Michigan
I once viewed Lendeborg as a near-lock to go top-12, but I could see him falling as low as 20 at this point. I think the age is more of a factor for NBA teams than most people think.
17. Thunder - Karim Lopez - F - INTL
I don’t think the Thunder are going to shy away from project players, and Lopez is exactly that. He will need to grow as a shooter and perimeter defender, but the bones are there for him to become a positive contributor.
18. Hornets - Cam Carr - W - Baylor
I’ve got the Hornets lucking into Cam Carr at No. 18, who I could also see them selecting at No. 14. I do think that the Hornets will end up taking a perimeter player with this pick if they land either of Steinbach or Johnson.
Carr would serve as a long-term replacement to Josh Green, as a lights-out shooter with real juice on-the-ball, incredible athleticism, and the tools that would project him as a positive NBA defender.
Some other names I would watch for here if Charlotte takes a front court player at 14: Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz and Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson.
All three of Anderson, Stirtz, and Carr’s name have consistently come up when talking to sources about the Hornets’ potential direction at 18. I think Charlotte leaves the draft with a big and a guard - whether it’s Carr or one of the two point guards.
If the Hornets take a front court player at 18, I’d bet it would be Santa Clara’s Allen Graves.