Sports

2026 NBA Mock Draft: Clippers take a huge swing at No. 5, Darius Acuff falls to Kings at pick No. 7

Testing and measurements are starting to roll in from the NBA Draft Combine. For this mock draft, the fun likely starts at pick No. 5 when the Clippers are on the clock

CBS Sports·May 12, 2026·via CBS Sports

2026 NBA Mock Draft: Clippers take a huge swing at No. 5, Darius Acuff falls to Kings at pick No. 7

Testing and measurements are starting to roll in from the NBA Draft Combine. For this mock draft, the fun likely starts at pick No. 5 when the Clippers are on the clock

By Cameron Salerno

May 12, 2026 at 9:48 am ET • 1 min read

After one of the most high-profile tank races in league history, we now know the order of the 2026 NBA Draft . All eyes will be on the Washington Wizards next month when the franchise is on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick. Washington will be making its first No. 1 pick since 2010, when the franchise selected John Wall .

For the most part, there should be little drama on draft night on who the first four picks will be, but the order of those picks is certainly not set in stone, which makes the 2026 version of the NBA Draft extremely intriguing As of Tuesday, it appears the Wizards will likely target BYU star AJ Dybantsa at No. 1, followed by the Utah Jazz selecting Kansas star Darryn Peterson with the second pick.

At picks No. 3 and 4, held by the Memphis Grizzlies and the Chicago Bulls , respectively, all indications point to Duke forward Cameron Boozer and UNC forward Caleb Wilson going off the board next. The Los Angeles Clippers at pick No. 5 is where the drama could start, and testing numbers coming out of the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago ignited a change and bold move here. The Clippers will have a top-five pick after trading for it at last season's trade deadline, which sent Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers .

With the lottery set, let's dive into my first post-lottery mock, starting with Washington at No. 1.

Mock Draft Round 1

Round 1 - Pick 1

AJ Dybantsa

BYU

• Fr • 6'9" / 215 lbs

Projected Team

Washington

PROSPECT RNK

1st

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

25.5

RPG

6.8

APG

3.7

3P%

33.1%

Dybantsa has been tracking to be the No. 1 pick for several weeks now. With Washington winning the lottery, the BYU star will likely be the pick here. Could the Wizards explore a potential trade down, say with Utah, to pick up more assets and draft another player in the top four? Maybe. The safe and smart play here would take Dybantsa, who was college basketball's leading scorer. He is the franchise-changing player Washington has been searching for.

Round 1 - Pick 2

Darryn Peterson

Kansas

• Fr • 6'6" / 205 lbs

Projected Team

Utah

PROSPECT RNK

2nd

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

20.2

RPG

4.2

APG

1.6

3P%

38.2%

Jazz fans might be (slightly) upset after not landing No. 1. It would've been a cool story if Dybantsa was able to stay in state and play for Utah, where he played his senior year of high school and his lone college season at BYU. Still, the fit with Peterson makes a ton of sense. Peterson is still the No. 1 player on my personal board, so this would be a massive win for the Jazz. Peterson's scoring potential is second-to-none in this class.

Round 1 - Pick 3

Cameron Boozer

Duke

• Fr • 6'9" / 250 lbs

Projected Team

Memphis

PROSPECT RNK

3rd

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

22.5

RPG

10.2

APG

4.1

3P%

39.1%

This pick is where the real debate starts. For me, Boozer is a perfect fit for Memphis. Boozer next to Zach Edey in the frontcourt would be one of the best rebounding duos in the NBA from Day 1. Boozer is the ultimate winner. That's hard to pass up here.

Round 1 - Pick 4

Caleb Wilson

North Carolina

• Fr • 6'10" / 215 lbs

Projected Team

Chicago

PROSPECT RNK

4th

POSITION RNK

2nd

PPG

19.8

RPG

9.4

APG

2.7

3P%

25.9%

The Bulls have the easiest pick of draft night. Take whoever falls from the top four prospects in the class. In this exercise, it's Wilson. There's a chance Memphis falls in love with Wilson and leaves Boozer for Chicago, but if the board aligns with consensus, Wilson will be a Bull. Chicago was one of the biggest winners of the draft lottery after starting the day with the ninth-best odds to pick No. 1.

From Indiana Pacers Round 1 - Pick 5

Aday Mara

Michigan

• Jr • 7'3" / 255 lbs

Projected Team

L.A. Clippers

PROSPECT RNK

14th

POSITION RNK

2nd

PPG

12.1

RPG

6.8

APG

2.4

3P%

30%

This is the bold move. The Clippers seize the opportunity and take lengthy Michigan big man Aday Mara at No. 5. Mara had great measurements at the NBA Draft Combine in Monday: He came in at 7-foot-3 (barefoot) and 259.8 pounds with a 7-foot-6 wingspan and a standing reach of 9-foot-9, which was tied with Mark Williams for the second-longest standing reach in combine history, behind only Tacko Fall. A shot-blocking specialist, Mara led the Big Ten with 2.6 blocks as the starting center for the National Champion Wolverines. Mara is athletic, versatile, can pass the ball and is a tremendous finisher around the rim. The Clippers are going to be the rare playoff team that picks inside the top-five after the ping pong balls went their way. This pick is part of the Zubac trade, which was made at the deadline. It was a calculated risk by Indiana that backfired. The Clippers could go in numerous different directions with this pick, but they can replace Zubac directly with Mara.

Round 1 - Pick 6

Keaton Wagler

Illinois

• Fr • 6'6" / 185 lbs

Projected Team

Brooklyn

PROSPECT RNK

7th

POSITION RNK

4th

PPG

17.9

RPG

5.1

APG

4.2

3P%

39.7%

The Nets could go in several different directions if the Clippers go with Mara at pick No. 5. If the Nets do pick a point guard, two fits that make sense are Keaton Wagler and Kingston Flemings. Wagler is a jumbo guard who has had an incredible rise from an unsung recruit to an All-American.

Round 1 - Pick 7

Darius Acuff Jr.

Arkansas

• Fr • 6'3" / 190 lbs

Projected Team

Sacramento

PROSPECT RNK

5th

POSITION RNK

2nd

PPG

23.5

RPG

3.1

APG

6.4

3P%

44%

The connections between Acuff and the Kings organization are well-documented. Acuff's father played at Eastern Kentucky in the 1990s, who was coached by Kings general manager Scott Perry. Acuff was the best guard in college basketball. He is one of the biggest winners of the NBA Combine so far after measuring in at 6-foot-2 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan. Acuff is one of the most polished offensive guard prospects of the 2020s. The Kings need talent. Acuff will be the pick if he's available at 7.

From New Orleans Pelicans Round 1 - Pick 8

Kingston Flemings

Houston

• Fr • 6'4" / 190 lbs

Projected Team

Atlanta

PROSPECT RNK

6th

POSITION RNK

3rd

PPG

16.1

RPG

4.1

APG

5.2

3P%

38.7%

Flemings' measurements at the combine weren't amazing. Despite measuring in at 6-foot-2.5 without shoes, Flemings' wingspan was just 6-foot-3.5. Those measurements could cause him to drop a little, but Atlanta still seems like a good fit for the Houston star. Flemings is quick and can also defend.

Round 1 - Pick 9

Mikel Brown Jr.

Louisville

• Fr • 6'5" / 190 lbs

Projected Team

Dallas

PROSPECT RNK

8th

POSITION RNK

5th

PPG

18.2

RPG

3.3

APG

4.7

3P%

34.4%

The No. 1 goal for the Mavericks this summer is to give Cooper Flagg a long-term running mate. If Brown is on the board, he should be the pick. If Brown's medicals come back clean (dealt with back issues during his freshman season at Louisville), you can make the case he could go as high as No. 5.

Round 1 - Pick 10

Yaxel Lendeborg

Michigan

• Sr • 6'9" / 235 lbs

Projected Team

Milwaukee

PROSPECT RNK

12th

POSITION RNK

5th

PPG

15.1

RPG

6.8

APG

3.2

3P%

37.2%

The future of Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee will be one of the biggest storylines of the entire NBA offseason. If the Bucks do trade their franchise superstar, they could pick a handful of different players here. One name that makes sense is Lendeborg, who was one of the most dominant players in the sport. He is an older prospect, but still should go in the lottery on draft night.

Round 1 - Pick 11

Brayden Burries

Arizona

• Fr • 6'4" / 205 lbs

Projected Team

Golden St.

PROSPECT RNK

10th

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

16.1

RPG

4.9

APG

2.4

3P%

39.1%

The good news for the Warriors is that Steve Kerr is back. With that out of the way, Golden State can start looking ahead to meaningful offseason additions. The track record with young players under Kerr has been a mixed bag. That's why Burries could make sense here. He will turn 21 before the start of the NBA season. He emerged as Arizona's best player and shooter en route to the program's first Final Four appearance in over two decades.

From Los Angeles Clippers Round 1 - Pick 12

Labaron Philon

Alabama

• Fr • 6'3" / 175 lbs

Projected Team

Oklahoma City

PROSPECT RNK

15th

POSITION RNK

6th

PPG

RPG

3.5

APG

3P%

39.9%

The Thunder have an abundance of riches in their rotation. The chances of the player they select (at 12 or 17) contributing valuable minutes from Day 1 are unlikely because OKC has the deepest roster in the league. One name who could be a fun fit is Philon, who had a breakout sophomore season with Alabama.

Round 1 - Pick 13

Jayden Quaintance

Kentucky

• Soph • 6'10" / 255 lbs

Projected Team

Miami

PROSPECT RNK

13th

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

RPG

APG

0.5

3P%

Quaintance is one of the most unique prospects in this year's class. His defensive tape from his freshman season at Arizona State was unbelievable. However, he played in just four games in 2025-26 at Kentucky due to knee swelling from a torn ACL suffered last season. He needs to go to a team where there's no pressure to play significant minutes right away. Miami would be a great developmental spot.

Round 1 - Pick 14

Nate Ament

Tennessee

• Fr • 6'10" / 207 lbs

Projected Team

Charlotte

PROSPECT RNK

9th

POSITION RNK

3rd

PPG

16.7

RPG

6.3

APG

2.3

3P%

33.3%

Ament appears to be all-in on the draft process, which makes sense considering he's a projected top 20 pick. Although his shooting efficiency (39.9% from the floor) wasn't great at Tennessee, he did shoot 79% on 7.1 attempts per game from the free-throw line. That's a positive sign for his long-term development as a shooter. If he stays in the draft, I have a hard time seeing him drop out of the lottery.

From Portland Trail Blazers Round 1 - Pick 15

Cameron Carr

Baylor

• Soph • 6'5" / 190 lbs

Projected Team

Chicago

PROSPECT RNK

20th

POSITION RNK

2nd

PPG

18.9

RPG

5.8

APG

2.6

3P%

37.4%

After playing just 41 minutes total last season at Tennessee, Carr transferred to Baylor, where he blossomed into the Bears' leading scorer. He averaged 18.9 points on 49.4/37.4/80.1 shooting splits. His offensive upside is worth the swing here. It also wouldn't be surprising if he went in the mid/late teens.

From Phoenix Suns Round 1 - Pick 16

Karim Lopez

Mexico

• 6'8" / 224 lbs

Projected Team

Memphis

PROSPECT RNK

16th

POSITION RNK

6th

PPG

11.9

RPG

6.1

APG

2.0

3P%

23.6%

In my first two mock drafts, Lopez was the only international player selected in the first round. That's the case once again. This year's international class just isn't as deep as it was in 2024, when it had four lottery picks. Lopez has a chance to crack the top 20, or maybe even the top 15.

From Philadelphia 76ers Round 1 - Pick 17

Chris Cenac Jr.

Houston

• Fr • 6'11" / 240 lbs