2026 NBA Mock Draft: Cameron Boozer to Jazz at No. 2, Clippers Eye Mikel Brown for Fifth Pick

The 2026 NBA Draft is less than a week away. This class is among the most collectively hyped and anticipated in the 79-year history of the event.

But before we get to touring through another mock draft (with hearty capsules of info awaiting), a few refreshers on the state of play six days out from the big night.

No. 1 : Although there has been unavoidable groupthink around the top four picks, and then the four or five after that, there will inevitably be players taken in the teens and the 20s in this draft who wind up being better pros than multiple players selected in the top 10. This law of variance is inescapable. An untold number of factors go into what eventually makes a player great, good, just OK or a bust. It's hard to imagine most of the projected lottery picks in this year's draft not being quality NBA players, but just remember that at least a few of them will miss.

No. 2 : Most teams haven't assembled their master draft boards yet. Be wary of any reporting on any player and where they may stand with a franchise more than a few days out from the draft. Some top bosses in these front offices do not share their information with their lieutenants until 24 hours before it's picking time. And every franchise operates differently when it comes to building the big board and who gets a say on contributing to draft picks.

No. 3 : Some players will have workouts and interviews this week that can change their standings on teams' draft boards. Some players will never meet with a team and go on to be drafted anyway. The most recent high-profile example of this is Ace Bailey with the Utah Jazz , and the next high-profile example of this could be Darryn Peterson ... with the Utah Jazz.

No. 4 : Milwaukee potentially trading Giannis Antetokounmpo would bring real chaos into the lottery if it happens. My mock is obviously based on the projection that we don't get a blockbuster Bucks move by next Tuesday night.

No. 5 : My mock is a combination of trying to forecast what I THINK will happen with what I also believe SHOULD happen. Predicting team behavior beyond the first five picks gets extremely difficult, so this exercise is as much about presenting the talent as it is trying to build the case for why the teams should take the players I've slotted to them. It is not a big board mock, though, as I've done in the past. (If that was the case, I'd have Yaxel Lendeborg in the top five.)

Darryn Peterson wants the Wizards to know he's all-in. Will it change the NBA Draft? Adam Finkelstein

That in mind, here's my only mock draft for this ever-enticing crop of pro prospects, a few whom will probably go on to be some of the biggest names in the NBA by the start of the next decade.

Mock Draft Round 1

Round 1 - Pick 1

AJ Dybantsa

SF

BYU

• Fr • 6'9" / 217 lbs

Projected Team

Washington

PROSPECT RNK

1st

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

25.5

RPG

6.8

APG

3.7

3P%

33.1%

If you're building an NBA star in a lab, he's going to come out looking like AJ Dybantsa. A muscular, 220-pound wing with a 6-foot-8.5-inch frame and a 42-inch vertical leap, Dybantsa has the highest two-way upside in this bountiful draft class. At BYU he became just the fourth freshman to lead men's Division I in scoring. He can dominate all over the offensive end. Dybantsa has ferocity on paint attacks and gets to the line a lot (he led the NCAA in foul shots). He loves the midrange range shot and considers it his bread-and-butter. His 3-point shot is still a little flat but is established enough to be a reliable part of his all-around package. Dybantsa has All-Defense upside if he can fully commit. In his defense, pun intended, he was asked to do a lot at BYU and at times his defense sagged as a result. But he's exceptionally intelligent and possesses the rare combination of being a gifted scorer who is still all too willing a passer. Has a very good reputation as a teammate. The Wizards last drafted a player with star potential in 2012 (Bradley Beal). Dybantsa is a much better prospect than that. He will likely lead the NBA in scoring multiple times. Dybantsa is a franchise-altering talent and his name should be called first on June 23.

Round 1 - Pick 2

Cameron Boozer

PF

Duke

• Fr • 6'8" / 250 lbs

Projected Team

Utah

PROSPECT RNK

3rd

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

22.5

RPG

10.2

APG

4.1

3P%

39.1%

One of the most consistent and reliable prospects of the past 25 years. Boozer was the unanimous Player of the Year in college basketball and put up performances and streaks that invoked the likes of Larry Bird, Elgin Baylor, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and more. Boozer is a power forward with a reliable deep shot. He has incredible feel for how to maneuver amongst the trees — doing so while off the dribble, too. His second jump isn't twitchy, but it's also nearly unstoppable. He has the knack. Boozer was also a terrific defender. He connects all four of his teammates on the floor on essentially every possession. A winning player who has advanced analytics models suggesting he should go No. 1 overall in maybe the deepest draft class of the 21st century. Given the Ainge family's influence here, I give Boozer a healthy shot at going second. He worked out with the Jazz about a week ago and it apparently went very well. Plus: There are some connections between Utah and Duke coach Jon Scheyer.

Round 1 - Pick 3

Darryn Peterson

PG

Kansas

• Fr • 6'5" / 200 lbs

Projected Team

Memphis

PROSPECT RNK

2nd

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

20.2

RPG

4.2

APG

1.6

3P%

38.2%

The Grizzlies are in the fortunate spot of receiving a franchise-changing talent, no matter who it is, despite being third overall. You can't say that every draft; you can't say that in many drafts. Peterson going third isn't an outcome you'll see in a lot of places, but it's more about my belief/hunch that Utah will go with the surer thing in Boozer than Peterson not being valid at No. 2. Peterson's slippage, of course, has everything to do with his uneven time at Kansas. At his best, he looks like the top prospect. But take his 24 games into account and you'll see a statistical profile that doesn't definitively separate him from Dybantsa, Boozer or even a couple of other players who will be picked a few spots after him June 23. Peterson's ORtg was a solid-not-spectacular 114.1. He shot 38.2% on 165 3-point attempts. And still: His size, sleek attacking style and nonchalant shooting form could turn him into one of the two or three best shooting guards in the league by 2030.

Round 1 - Pick 4

Caleb Wilson

PF

North Carolina

• Fr • 6'9" / 210 lbs

Projected Team

Chicago

PROSPECT RNK

4th

POSITION RNK

2nd

PPG

19.8

RPG

9.4

APG

2.7

3P%

25.9%

There is a non-zero chance that Wilson ultimately becomes the best player in this stacked class, but even with that being the case, I can't see him getting any higher than fourth — nor any lower. He seems fated for Chicago, and what a win this would be for the Bulls. The franchise has been waiting a long time for a player with Wilson's rare combination of attributes and fortes: elite athleticism, relentless work ethic, upper-echelon defensive potential, NBA length, never-quit mindset. Wilson's season was cut short by a pair of unlucky (and separate) hand injuries. But he'll be ready to go for a rookie campaign that may showcase why his topside capability is as enticing as any of the other three who will be taken before him. When the Bulls eventually play their way back into the postseason, drafting Wilson will be the first good decision that leads them to that future.

From Indiana Pacers Round 1 - Pick 5

Mikel Brown Jr.

PG

Louisville

• Fr • 6'4" / 190 lbs

Projected Team

L.A. Clippers

PROSPECT RNK

8th

POSITION RNK

5th

PPG

18.2

RPG

3.3

APG

4.7

3P%

34.4%

One week out, the fifth pick remains largely a guessing game. Brown isn't considered the most likely choice here for Los Angeles, but the Clips may well give the draft a curveball by picking the one guard of the four in this range that was the most dynamic scorer pre-college and has, arguably, the highest upside. Remember that it was Brown who was the best player on the gold medal FIBA U19 team in 2025. Brown was plagued by a back issue at Louisville. Things did not go smoothly in his one and only season for the Cardinals. Now: a reboot. He has a strong base on his shot, good pop on penetration and can elevate against stronger competition. His range is No. 5 at best and No. 10 at worst. A key closing week of workouts awaits.

Round 1 - Pick 6

Darius Acuff Jr.

PG

Arkansas

• Fr • 6'2" / 185 lbs

Projected Team

Brooklyn

PROSPECT RNK

6th

POSITION RNK

3rd

PPG

23.5

RPG

3.1

APG

6.4

3P%

44%

Acuff has drawn some comparisons to Jalen Brunson, though he'll get the benefit Brunson did not: He's going top-10, whereas Brunson had to wait until the second round. But the commonalities are in their size and shot creation. Acuff's shooting diet at Arkansas was filled out head-turning buckets. He's a dog in the best sense of the term. Knows how to hunt shots, knows how to take advantage of his defenders, knows how to will his way to win way more possessions than not. Acuff will have to use that will to stick in the league for a long time, and I suspect he will. Defensively, similar to Brunson, there's no getting around that he's a net negative. But everything he does with the ball vastly outweighs the drawbacks on the other side of the floor. The Nets are a franchise in limbo who may well have blown their four first-round picks a year ago. They need a star, and in Acuff, I don't think they should or will be able to pass up his potential if the Clippers pass on him at No. 5.

Round 1 - Pick 7

Keaton Wagler

PG

Illinois

• Fr • 6'5" / 188 lbs

Projected Team

Sacramento

PROSPECT RNK

5th

POSITION RNK

2nd

PPG

17.9

RPG

5.1

APG

4.2

3P%

39.7%

The Kings would be over the moon if Wagler was still around at No. 7. The lead guard has gone from being the 150th prospect coming out of high school (per 247 Sports) to top-10 lock as a one-and-done player. There isn't another player in modern history that has made that big of a jump so quickly. Wagler has a good release point on his jumper, doesn't need to have the ball in his hands to be an additive player on offense and will have ideal point guard size for the next level. His finishing around the rim isn't quite as good as his height would suggest, but Wagler's got plenty of time to grow out his portfolio on penetration and playmaking. Is viewed as a prospect who is highly unlikely to flop.

From New Orleans Pelicans Round 1 - Pick 8

Aday Mara

C

Michigan

• Jr • 7'3" / 260 lbs

Projected Team

Atlanta

PROSPECT RNK

11th

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

12.1

RPG

6.8

APG

2.4

3P%

30%

From role player at UCLA to top-10 pick coming out of Michigan, Mara's had a transmutation as a prospect in a mere 12 months' time. He's going to be all the more coveted in this year's draft because bigs are big again in the NBA. Mara's a massive human (9-9 standing reach at the combine) who has made significant advancements in his awareness playing in space and in and around the rim. The Hawks would be shrewd to take him off the board at No. 9, provided he's still here for the taking. (The Clippers have shown serious interest.) Defensively, he's got windmill arms and plays tough through his chest. He'll probably put on 10 pounds of muscle within a year's time. Interested to see if his trajectory continues out of college or if he turns into more of a project in the next couple of years. I love his fit with what Quin Snyder does in Atlanta.

Round 1 - Pick 9

Kingston Flemings

PG

Houston

• Fr • 6'3"

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2026-nba-mock-draft-cameron-boozer-goes-to-jazz-at-no-2-clippers-like-mikel-brown-for-fifth-pick/)._