All articles tagged with #nba draft
76ers No. 22 pick Labaron Philon Jr. impressed in Summer League with 18 points and seven assists, including 11 points in the first quarter, signaling NBA-ready scoring and playmaking that could bolster Philadelphia’s bench this season.
Yaxel Lendeborg, the Warriors’ 2026 first‑round pick, erupted for 19 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting (4-for-4 from three) in 22 minutes, plus five rebounds, six assists, a block and a steal, as Golden State routed the Los Angeles Lakers 104-72 in the California Classic, signaling a strong, ready-to-impact rookie showing in his summer league debut.
The Bucks drafted Brayden Burries at No. 10 and Nate Ament at No. 13. Ament, a polarizing top prospect, faces scrutiny and a path to transformation, aided by mentorship and a Bucks rebuild under a new coach, as he works to carve out a defensive niche and sharpen his shooting to realize his high upside.
Clippers selected Narcisse Ngoy with the 57th pick, but the 7'0" French prospect announced on Instagram that he will honor his Auburn commitment and play for the Tigers in the 2026–27 season, effectively making this a draft-and-stash situation as he develops in college under Auburn coach Steven Pearl.
Footage from Golden State’s draft war room shows owner Joe Lacob passionately weighing options alongside GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. as the clock ticks, with trade offers swirling and Kerr quietly observing. The moment underscores a tense, high-stakes but cohesive process in which Lacob’s influence is felt but not dictating the pick, culminating in the selection of Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11 and illustrating strong organizational alignment between ownership and the front office.
The Atlanta Hawks acquired the draft rights to 6-11 center Henri Veesaar (52nd pick in the 2026 NBA Draft) from the LA Clippers in exchange for Narcisse Ngoy’s rights and cash. Veesaar starred at UNC in 2025-26, averaging 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 blocks per game, earning All-ACC Second Team honors and a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year finalist nod, with notable shooting efficiency and 15 double-doubles.
Atlanta Hawks selected UNC transfer Henri Veesaar with the 52nd pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, after a breakout season at North Carolina (17.0 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 42.6% 3PT, 60% FG) that included a 28-point, 17-rebound performance in the ACC Tournament and a 26-point, 10-rebound showing in the season finale.
Three underclassmen who missed the first round—Isaiah Evans, Henri Veesaar and Meleek Thomas—are expected to be drafted early in the second round, costing them roughly the rookie minimum ($1.36M) in Year 1 versus a first-round deal and its guarantees. Others who stayed in college, like Milan Momcilovic, could see substantial NIL-era earnings (roughly $6–7M next season), illustrating how NIL and a fifth year of eligibility have shifted the math around leaving school. The piece argues that if you can secure NBA money with minimal risk, you should take it, but the choice is personal and outcomes vary.
Indiana acquired the No. 38 pick to select Purdue guard Braden Smith, sending Kam Jones plus 2028 and 2030 second-round picks and cash to Chicago. Smith, the NCAA all-time assists leader, will sign a two-way contract and be eased into action behind a guard-heavy rotation led by Haliburton, Nembhard, McConnell and Jackson.
Atlanta used cash to move up to No. 52 in the 2026 NBA Draft to select seven-foot stretch big Henri Veesaar from North Carolina, addressing the Hawks’ need for size and defense after last season’s Porzingis experiment.
With 30 picks down and 30 to go, Duke wing Isaiah Evans and UNC big man Henri Veesaar sit among the top remaining prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft, with mocks projecting them toward the late first or early second round; Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas and several others are also viewed as early-second-round targets, and teams may trade into picks around 31–32 as the two-day format unfolds.
CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein delivers a pick-by-pick grading of the 2026 NBA Draft through Round 2, highlighting AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer as top prospects, assessing fit and upside across the lottery, and noting Koa Peat's slide while detailing team-by-team implications.
The Pistons moved up to No. 17 to draft Stanford freshman Ebuka Okorie, a lightning-fast guard who could energize Detroit's offense; the Bulls added Dailyn Swain at No. 15, while the Bucks selected Brayden Burries at No. 10 and Nate Ament at No. 13 to shore up a versatile two-way core; veteran Thanasis Antetokounmpo, an unrestricted free agent, is set to pursue a reunion with his brother in Miami.
After selecting AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick, Washington holds picks 51 and 60 in Round 2 and is weighing backup-center options—Henri Veesaar, Felix Okpara, Trevon Brazile, Ugonna Onyenso and Maliq Brown—potentially even trading up to secure size behind Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr.
Brooklyn heads into draft night with picks No. 6, 28, and 43 after the Julius Randle trade, weighing whether to stay put or move up/down, with Nate Ament and Mikel Brown Jr. viewed as the likely No. 6 pick by many mocks; a reported interest in Trey Murphy adds a potential upgrade target, and Brooklyn could again be a facilitator for broader draft-week trades — including possible Giannis-related moves — thanks to cap space.