Second-round NBA Draft grades: late picks with upside steal the spotlight
NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin grades each team’s 2026 second-round picks, using a gentler curve than the first round and prioritizing upside and development. Highlights include Houston’s Bruce Thornton (31) as an A behind VanVleet, Memphis’ Richie Saunders (32) as a high-upside rotation option, Atlanta’s Henri Veesaar (52) as an A+ 7-foot floor-spacer, and Spurs’ Ja’Kobe Gillespie (42) as an elite shot-maker. Grades span from A to C, with notes on fit, two-way potential, and how these picks could mature into longer-term contributors for their teams.