Photo: Deron Ronald-Getty Another day, another draft retrospective. We now have three years of retrospective on the 2023 NBA Draft, giving us enough time to move beyond projections, scouting reports and begin evaluating whether or not each lottery pick has lived up to the hype. This class entered the league with enormous expectations, headlined by Victor Wembanyama, quite possibly the most anticipate prospects in basketball history. Behind him came an wide array of future sta

Photo: Ben Martens-AP If there was one word to describe the 2026 NBA Draft, it would be unpredictable. From the opening selections to the final picks of the night, consensus rankings were thrown out the window as teams reached for prospects they believed in, passed on "highly regarded talent" and made decisions that immediately divided fans and analysts. Some players were picked up much earlier than expected, and others had a fall few could have predicted. As we know: polariz

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 6/25/2026 Photo Credits to Brad Penner via Imagn Images 10. Milwaukee Bucks Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona (#10) Nate Ament, SF, Tennessee (#13) Malique Lewis, SF, NBL (#60) The 2026 offseason for the Milwaukee Bucks s obviously one of their biggest in Franchise history after trading away Giannis Antetokounmpo for a package that included players and picks including one of their 3 selections this week. Brayden Burries was drafted from their own pic

by Zak Drapeau and Joel Piton Sportz Nation - 6/23/2026 Washington Wizards AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU Photo: Craig Strobeck/ImagnImages Age: 19 Height: 6'9" Pro Comp: Tracy McGrady Dybantsa is the slam dunk #1 pick in this draft even if Peterson's fit on the Wizards is actually a bit better. Dybantsa has huge potential as a scorer with his frame and athleticism and a silky shooting stroke to match. Dybantsa isn't quite the caliber of #1 pick that we saw last year with Cooper Flagg

by Joel Piton Sportz Nation - 6/19/2026 Photo: Jesse Cumberland-Getty Come one, come all, to our next installment of 2026 NBA Mock Drafts. With draft night rapidly approaching and all 30 teams preparing to make the most important selections of the year, it’s time to take another look at how the first round could end up. From bona fide NCAA superstars at the top to potential steals waiting later in the night, here are the 30 prospects we expect to hear called—and where we beli

Photo: Isaiah White-Getty The NBA Draft is usually viewed as the finish line for college basketball, and for most players, getting called as soon as possible is the ultimate dream. For others, that dream can wait until they're ready, and we've witnessed a handful of legit talent withdraw from the 2026 NBA draft in favor of the campus grounds. Some of these players were already on NBA radars. Some had first-round buzz. Some could have stayed in the draft and taken their chance

Photo: Kristen Lee/AP The Boston Celtics achieved what many thought was impossible. After Jayson Tatum went down at Madison Square Garden in 2025, this season was supposed to be a survival year at best—a fluke season where Boston tried to resemble its two years, accepted the limitations of life without its star, and waited patiently for Tatum’s recovery. Instead, they won 56 games, had the best record in the Eastern Conference at one point, and watched Tatum make an early ret

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/13/2026 Photo by Chris Schwegler via Getty Images/ NBAE 1. Washington Wizards Darryn Peterson, Kansas, Guard So pick #1 and I'm already making waves but not only do I think Peterson is a much better fit in Washington than A.J. but has as much potential too. Peterson has been scrutinized because he "lost explosiveness in college" but I see it as a minor setback year for an amazing athlete who can get a bucket anywhere. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Photo: Braden Daley/AP After months of projections, debates, scouting reports, tank-watch drama and suspense, the order is set. The 2026 NBA Draft picture is no longer a guessing game, at least not when it comes to where each team will be picking. Now comes the fun part: figuring out which young star fits best with the franchises hoping to change their future overnight. With the lottery teams locked into place and the No. 1 pick officially belonging to Washington, the clock t

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/8/2026 Photo by Pamela Smith via Imagn images 1. A.J. Dybantsa Small Forward BYU 6'9" - 210 lbs. Archetype- Very Athletic, Mid Range Forward Anytime I grade a propsect in any sport, it comes down to two things: Upside potential and their potential floor. In my eyes, Dybantsa has the best upside potential of anyone in this class. With an elite frame of a Small Forward, great athleticism, good ball handling and a silky jump shot that could beco

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/6/2026 2Spurs vs 6Timberwolves MIN Lead 1-0 Photo by Ronald Cortes via Getty Images Series Odds: SA -205 Game 2 Odds: SA -10 The series between the Spurs and Timberwolves should be the most exciting of all 4 2nd round matchups. With two of the premier stars of the league in Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama facing off, it should also be the most watched and media covered as well. The Spurs were heavy favorites to win the series and move on

Photo: Michael Hickey/GettyImages The NBA Draft Lottery is one of the strangest nights on the league calendar. No games are played, no shots are taken, and yet, the bounce of a few ping-pong balls can alter the future of an entire franchise. That date is soon approaching, and it will determine picks in a class loaded with insane talent. The Wizards, Pacers and Nets own the top odds, but as history has shown, lottery night rarely goes exactly as expected. For every team involv

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/5/2026 Photo Credits to NBA via NBA.com staff When is the Draft Lottery? The NBA Draft Lottery will begin at 3:00 pm EST on Sunday, May 10th. The NBA Playoffs will be in full swing as Game 4 between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers will start just 30 minutes after Lottery coverage starts. With the NBA Draft's First Round set to start on June 23rd, the Lottery begins NBA Draft season. The Lottery will also be a prelude to the NBA Draf

by Sportz Nation - 5/4/2026 2026 Review The Celtics miraculous 2026 season has come to an end with a Game 7 loss to the 76ers after initially leading the series 3-2. To start the season being predicted to miss the playoffs, then become the #2 seed in the East and Favorite to win the Eastern Conference Finals, all before getting heartbroken in the First Round has been a roller coaster of a year for Boston. And yet, there is still a lot of hope for this team. Photo by Matt Ston

Photo Credit: Reed Smith/USAToday The 2016 NBA Draft feels close enough to remember clearly, yet just far enough away to judge honestly. The class was led by young prospects with tremendous upside, from franchise saviors to reliable role players. Now, with ten years of NBA evidence in the books, the picture looks very different. Some players became All-Stars, some exceeded every projection, and others notably never quite became what fans hoped they would be. Now we have years

by Joel Piton Sportz Nation - 4/24/2026 Photo Credit: Marcus Ship/AP It's no secret that when a player steps to the podium early on draft night, lofty expectations are guaranteed. Teams are investing millions of dollar into a kid that just might take their franchise to the promised land, putting hope, pressure, and expectation that one name can change everything. Over the years, the draft has produced stars, superstars and Hall of Famers that reshaped the league. But for ever

by Joel Piton Sportz Nation - 3/6//2026 Photo: Chris Reed/AP For years, the No. 2 overall pick carried an unfair label as close, but not quite. Then players like Kevin Durant came around and reframed the conversation entirely. Durant didn’t just become a star; he became proof that the second pick can produce generational talent just as much as any No. 1 selection. Over the last decade, the No. 2 spot has produced a fascinating mix of outcomes: players who became immediate sta

Photo: Jessica Hill/AP March Madness makes or breaks your reputation—and this year, frontcourt talent is hard to ignore. The number of talented power forwards across the country has flooded mock drafts and the 2026 NBA Draft is shaping up to feature an influx of forward-wing hybrids projected to land in the lottery, and the depth at the position is noticeable. Many of the names on this list are carrying their programs and proving they can thrive under pressure. In a college l

Photo: Devin Boyd/AP The expectation for first overall picks has never been higher, and for good reason. When you zoom out and examine the last decade of No. 1 overall picks, it looks like a generational wave of talent, with historic expectations added on to match. The draft has produced stars before in the past, but the density of franchise players concentrated into a single era has been flustering. These aren’t just good players or even perennial All-Stars. Many of these No

The 2025 NBA Draft had lofty league-wide expectations. Widely viewed as a stronger, deeper class than the 2024 group, it was headlined by blue-chip prospects like Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and a wave of lottery talent expected to make an immediate impact. Two months into the regular season, that promise is beginning to materialize. While it’s still early—and patience is always required with younger players—we’ve already seen stark debuts from rookies performing way ahead of s