Round 2 NBA Mock Draft: Projecting Best Available Players

The second round of the 2026 NBA draft begins Wednesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC) with the defending champions, the New York Knicks , selecting first with the No. 31 pick.

Day 1 featured BYU's AJ Dybantsa going No. 1 to the Washington Wizards and Darryn Peterson (Kansas) being selected by the Utah Jazz at No. 2. Morez Johnson Jr. was selected by the Dallas Mavericks at No. 9, reuniting with his former Michigan coach Dusty May, who was named the Mavericks head coach on Monday.

What's in store for Round 2? Jeremy Woo and Ben Golliver answer some of the biggest questions still floating around the 2026 NBA draft and lays out his mock draft for night 2. Which team is set up to have an intriguing Round 2 and which under-the-radar prospects could turn into steals?

The mock draft writeups below are from prospects' scouting reports, found in Jeremy Woo's top 100 rankings .

More NBA draft coverage:

Full Round 1 breakdown | Trade tracker

Best available | More draft

Golliver: The Brooklyn Nets are always fascinating and unpredictable. They selected four guards in Round 1 of last year's draft, then turned around and picked Mikel Brown Jr ., another guard, with the No. 6 pick on Tuesday.

The Nets sent one of their second-round picks to the Timberwolves in the Julius Randle trade earlier this week, but they still hold the No. 43 pick and have pressing needs up and down their roster.

Woo: Ryan Conwell (Louisville). Although he's effectively a small two-guard, I liked his physicality, shooting and toughness and think he'll defend enough to find an NBA home long-term. He should come off the board in the 30s.

Woo: Veesaar to the Knicks at No. 31. He's a player New York likely considered at No. 24 before conducting its series of trades down the board. The team ended up adding five second-round picks after making three trades on Tuesday.

If the Knicks trade this pick -- which is entirely possible -- he'd be a strong option, with New York potentially in need of depth up front.

Henri Veesaar , North Carolina, Junior

Strengths: Veesaar is offensively gifted for his size, with good touch around the basket and consistent enough 3-point range to keep defenses honest. He has the size to take up space in the paint defensively, as well.

Weaknesses: He's somewhat stiff-hipped and isn't the most mobile defender or quick off the floor, which will limit him to drop coverage defensively. He's on the lighter side for a player his size, and sometimes struggles with physicality and rebounding.

The verdict: Veesaar's offensive game took off after transferring to North Carolina, where he partnered well with Caleb Wilson on an NBA-quality front line. The success of stretch 5s like Luke Kornet and Quinten Post lays out a feasible blueprint for him to stick long term in a role.

Baba Miller , Cincinnati, Senior

Strengths: Known for his relentlessness as a rebounder and defender, Ejiofor plays as hard as anyone in the draft. He's a good mover for his size with above-average passing vision, which gives him role utility on both ends.

Weaknesses: Although Ejiofor has excellent length, he's undersized to play center. He's still developing an outside shot, a skill that would make him more functional on the perimeter.

The verdict: Ejiofor was one of the best bigs in college basketball and became a favorite of Rick Pitino while spurring St. John's resurgence. His winning style of play -- characterized by all-out effort -- makes him a good bet to find his way into a rotation role on a playoff team early in his career.

Isaiah Evans , Duke, Sophomore

Strengths: Evans hangs his hat on his long-range shooting -- he averaged seven 3s per game at Duke this season -- and is capable of hitting tough looks off balance from deep. He has good size and length for a wing shooter, and room to grow defensively.

Weaknesses: Consistency has been a challenge for Evans at times, though he took a step in the right direction this season. He's not explosive or quick and doesn't create much off the bounce, which could put him in a box offensively as more of a perimeter specialist.

The verdict: Evans took an all-around step forward this season at Duke, and can hang his hat on his shotmaking as he continues to develop. It may take a little more time for him to become a winning contributor in the NBA, but shooters of his caliber and size are often in demand.

Meleek Thomas , Arkansas, Freshman

Strengths: Thomas has good size for a combo guard, shot 41.6% from 3 this season and was better defensively than expected. He's a tough competitor and has room to grow as a shot creator.

Weaknesses: Improving his shot selection and rim finishing is critical for him to play his preferred style at the next level. While he can play on the ball, he's not a natural point guard -- an area of his game that's still developing.

The verdict: Thomas had a solid freshman season at Arkansas, playing alongside Darius Acuff Jr . His NBA success will likely depend on whether or not he can become an efficient scorer. His mix of positional size, shooting and competitiveness gives him a pathway to earning minutes as he matures.

Dillon Mitchell , St. John's, Senior

Strengths: Mitchell has a strong frame and great defensive versatility, which allows him to guard multiple positions at 6-8. He creates extra possessions defensively and on the glass.

Weaknesses: He offers very little offensively -- with nearly everything coming at the rim -- and lacks a reliable jump shot after four years of college.

The verdict: While the value of the specific high-energy role Mitchell fills will be unorthodox and team-specific, he's an NBA talent who can hold his own physically in the league. What happens next will largely depend on a team's vision for maximizing his strengths.

Jack Kayil, Alba Berlin, Germany

Strengths: Kayil is a combo guard with a strong frame who has flashed potential to create offense -- he's capable of playing pick-and-roll and knocking down shots off the bounce from range.

Weaknesses: He's not a very efficient scorer at this stage of his career and can be somewhat reliant on tough looks. He's still developing as a playmaker and will need some time before being ready for NBA minutes.

The verdict: Kayil was committed to Gonzaga, but ultimately tested and opted to stay in the draft. He had a strong season for his age playing pro in Germany for Alba Berlin, helping the team to a second-place regular-season finish while playing as an offensive focal point. There's some interesting developmental upside as he matures.

Richie Saunders , BYU, Senior

Strengths: As a quality long-distance marksman, Saunders has a solid profile for a role-playing wing shooter who employs good shot selection and battles defensively.

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Weaknesses: Saunders turns 25 later this year, making him one of the oldest players in the draft. He tore his ACL in February and is expected to fully recover, but faces that health obstacle as he begins his pro career. He wasn't supremely quick or explosive before the injury.

The verdict: Although his age limits his upside, Saunders has an NBA-ready game if he can work back to full strength. He's a sharpshooter with enough secondary skills and feel to get in the door and stick, most likely as a depth option.

Emanuel Sharp , Houston, Senior

Strengths: Sharp shot 37% from 3 over four years at Houston and fashioned himself into a quality defender who's willing to battle at the point of attack.

Weaknesses: He's undersized for a 2-guard and needs clean looks created for him, which will likely limit him to a smaller 3-and-D type of role.

The verdict: Sharp is another tough-minded Houston role player who should have immediate value, providing depth on an NBA bench. His reliable floor spacing and gritty defense make him the type of player who can help a team with regular-season minutes right away.

Ryan Conwell , Louisville, Senior

Strengths: Conwell is a capable long-range shooter who works off the threat of his shot. He's strong, quick and plays with good force for his size. He's a willing defender with length and is a plus rebounder.

Weaknesses: Undersized for a shooting guard and not the most natural playmaker for others, Conwell has a somewhat narrow role pathway, likely as a bench scorer at best.

The verdict: After playing for four colleges in four years, Conwell has gradually positioned himself as a second-round selection. A career 37% from 3-point range, he's a good enough shooter and plays hard enough to find his way into a role early in his career. If he doesn't turn into an elite shotmaker, his size and lack of playmaking could ultimately work against him.

Braden Smith , Purdue, Senior

Strengths: Checking in as the NCAA's all-time assists leader (1,103), Smith is a tough game manager and distributor who can create his own shot in a pinch and shoot from range. He excels at being disruptive defensively for his size.

Weaknesses: Smith was the smallest player at the combine, standing 5-foot-10 and 166 pounds. He will have to continue punching above his weight, particularly on the defensive end, where players his size are targeted in the NBA.

The verdict: Smith had a decorated career at Purdue and enters the NBA with a strong winning track record. There's plenty to like from an intangibles standpoint, and he has a well-rounded offensive profile. He will have to continue overcoming size-related obstacles to stick as a backup in the pros, however.

Felix Okpara , Tennessee , Senior

Strengths: Okpara is a coordinated big man with NBA dimensions who can run the floor, finish plays and block shots. The combo of skills gives him some appeal in a deep bench role.

Weaknesses: Beyond the outside chance he develops a spot-up 3-point shot, he doesn't offer upside offensively.

The verdict: Okpara had a good predraft process and played his way into the two-way contract mix as a dependable big man who chips in a little bit of value on both ends.

Ja'Kobi Gillespie , Tennessee, Senior

Strengths: Gillespie offers some microwave scoring ability from deep and is a pest defensively for his size.

Weaknesses: He's more of a scorer than a distributor, and lacks ideal size for his position. He can frequently be streaky and reliant on tough shots to make his presence felt.

The verdict: After starting his college career at Belmont, Gillespie had good years at Maryland and Tennessee while playing his way into the NBA picture. He profiles as a potential bench option if his scoring ability can outweigh his size concerns.

Bruce Thornton , Ohio State, Senior

Strengths: Thornton is an efficient, low-turnover scorer with a solid offensive profile for a backup guard. He knows how to get to his spots and makes good decisions, and he had a strong career at Ohio State and fashioned himself into a stellar offensive player. He might have to maintain his excellent efficiency marks to stick in the NBA, with his upside likely limited to a bench role if things click.

Weaknesses: He is undersized and on the heavier side, relying largely on his strength to create for himself. He also isn't much of a playmaker defensively.

The verdict: Thornton had a strong career at Ohio State and fashioned himself into a very good offensive player. He may have to maintain his excellent efficiency marks to stick in the NBA, with his upside likely limited to a bench role if things click.

Trevon Brazile , Arkansas, Senior

Strengths: At 6-foot-10, Brazile can shoot from long range, catch lobs and block shots. He has a mix of skills that tend to be highly coveted in the NBA and is pretty agile for his size.

Weaknesses: Brazile is 23 and weighed 225 pounds at the combine. He's slight for a power forward and struggles with physicality and consistency at times.

The verdic

_Originally reported by [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/49085966/2026-nba-round-2-mock-draft-best-available-players-picks-predictions)._