The Biggest STEALS From the 2026 NBA Draft

Joel Piton
4 hours ago
8 min read

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: polarizing selection could eventually look brilliant, and a supposed no-brainer could age poorly. When talented prospects slide well beyond their projected range, they enter the league with both an opportunity and something to prove. Years from now, the polarity of this draft could be remembered as the reason several franchises landed foundational talent at a fraction of their expected cost. Let’s take a look at the biggest surprise steals of the 2026 NBA Draft—the players whose falls may leave the teams that passed on them wondering what they were thinking.

Karim Lopez (F) — Memphis Grizzlies
No. 21

Age: 19

Height: 6'9"

NBL Stats: 11.9 PPG · 6.1 RPG · 2.0 APG · 50.2% FG

Huge props to Zach Kleiman here. Dubbed the number one international prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft, many fans were surprised to see him fall out of the lottery entirely. This kid bypassed the NCAA and has been playing against grown men since he was 14. The physicals jump out at you immediately—6'9" and 225 lbs, he has the prototypical frame for a modern NBA forward. When you put his testing numbers up against consensus top-tier prospects, things get even more interesting. Lopez isn't a guy who is "two years away from being two years away." He left Mexico at 14 to play for Spain's Joventut and is fundamentally sound. The main reason he fell is his shooting consistency. He isn't a non-shooter, but he needs reps and refinement. Once that happens, he'll be ready to wreak havoc.

Labaron Philon Jr. (G) — Philadelphia 76ers
No. 22

Age: 20

Height: 6'4"

NCAA Stats: 22.0 PPG · 3.5 RPG · 5.0 APG · 50.1% FG

This feels like a Tyrese Maxey situation all over again. The Sixers just picked up one of the best value picks of the first round. A remarkably deep class is pretty much what stopped him from being an easy lottery pick. The kid took a massive jump between his freshman and sophomore campaigns at Alabama and his offense took the SEC by storm. The analytics on his isolation scoring are off the charts—he jumped from the 24th percentile in year one to the 99th percentile in year two. Philon is someone I'd feel comfortable running the ball through immediately. He hits tough shots off the catch (shooting 36% on contested catch and shoot threes) and off the dribble (38% from deep). Since he's such a threat at all three levels and a highly accurate passer with both hands, he has the pliability to play both on and off the ball.

Chris Cenac Jr. (F) — Boston Celtics
No. 27

Age: 19

Height: 6'11"

NCAA Stats: 9.5 PPG · 7.9 RPG · .7 APG · 52.1% FG

A green-room prospect, I was surprised to see Cenac slide this far. The offense won't jump off the page at you, but numbers can be deceiving. Cenac Jr. anchored one of the best team in basketball at Houston last season and his effortless shooting stroke and aggression on the glass made him a fan favorite. For Boston, this could be a sneaky good pick up. Rather than drafting a pure big who clashes with Neemias Queta or a stretch five similar to Luka Garza, the Celtics grabbed a blue-chip power forward who can defend multiple positions, provide much-needed athleticism and develop without being forced into a major offensive role immediately. Cenac is a fluid, multi-directional defender who could be a highly switchable defender starting from year one.

Koa Peat (F) — Phoenix Suns
No. 30

Age: 19

Height: 6'8"

NCAA Stats: 14.1 PPG · 5.6 RPG · 2.6 APG · 52.8% FG

The Suns decided to make a HUGE statement to close out the first round, aggressively trading three future second-round picks and cash just to move up to the 30th spot. Now, they get the hometown kid who was projected by many to be a lottery pick only last year. Getting a player with Peat's resume at the very end of the first round is a fascinating high-upside swing. A 6'8" physical finisher with a smooth mid-range stroke, Koa Peat has been a winner at virtually every single pre-NBA level. He won four consecutive state championships at Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona and racked up four gold medals playing for the USA Basketball junior national teams. In his lone college season, he earned All-Freshman and Third-Team All-Big 12 honors while leading the Arizona Wildcats to their first Final Four appearance in 25 years. The three point shot is a work in progress, but if he can hit it consistently—beware.

Isaiah Evans (F) — Minnesota Timberwolves
No. 33

Age: 20

Height: 6'6"

NCAA Stats: 15.0 PPG · 3.2 RPG · 1.3 APG · 43.3% FG

Isaiah Evans at pick 33 is an early candidate for the biggest steal of the draft. Evans was widely expected to go in the first round, invited to sit in the green room on night one—but a surprising slide allowed Tim Connelly and the Timberwolves front office to scoop him up early in the second round. And might I say? This could be a massive heist for Minnesota. A lengthy 3-and-D wing who can play in either the guard or forward roles, Evans is an elite sharpshooter you can't afford to leave open, averaged 15.0 points per game at Duke while shooting 36.1% from beyond the arc on a high volume of 7 attempts per night. And his offensive game continues to expand. 82% of his shot attempts came from the perimeter as a freshman, but as a sophomore, Evans wasn't afraid to attack the paint. I believe the reason he slipped was his weight, 186 lbs is tremendously lean, but we'll see if that works in his favor.

Meleek Thomas (G) — Cleveland Cavaliers
No. 34

Age: 19

Height: 6'5"

NCAA Stats: 15.6 PPG · 3.8 RPG · 2.5 APG · 43.5% FG

Another shocker. Meleek Thomas was a ferocious high energy scorer with insane upside during his lone season at Arkansas, and many draft boards hand him going in the first round. A blue-chip prospect and a standout for Overtime Elite, Thomas is a promising scorer and defender. Under John Calipari, he averaged 15.6 points per game while shooting an incredibly efficient 41.6% from three-point range and 84.3% from the free throw line. Defensively, he uses his long wingspan to create chaos, averaging 1.5 steals per game during the regular season and bumping that up to a staggering 3.0 steals per game during the NCAA Tournament. The Cavaliers have a top-heavy roster anchored by Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus and more. What they have desperately lacked in recent playoff runs is versatile, two-way perimeter players who can space the floor and defend multiple positions—and Thomas is just that.

Ryan Conwell (G) — Miami Heat
No. 37

Age: 22

Height: 6'4"

NCAA Stats: 18.8 PPG · 4.8 RPG · 2.7 APG · 40.8% FG

A journey man, Conwell played for four different universities in four different states (a different program each year) and balled out for each one. the front office aggressively traded up—sending the 41st pick away to move up to 37—to secure the 22-year-old guard. Conwell is an exceptional spot-up shooter who thrives off movement and in stand-still situations. While his three-point percentage dipped to 34.5% during his senior year at Louisville, that was largely because he was thrust into a high-usage, first-option scoring role due to the injuries to Mikel Brown Jr., forcing him to take incredibly difficult shots. When you look at his previous two seasons at Xavier and Indiana State—where he operated more off the ball—he shot an elite 41% from deep. If you need a small combo guard who can play both positions efficiently and break down a defense, Conwell's your guy.

Emanuel Sharp (G) — Sacramento Kings
No. 45

Age: 22

Height: 6'3"

NCAA Stats: 15.5 PPG · 3.0 RPG · 1.7 APG · 41.3% FG

The Sacramento Kings consistently hunt for shooting to replace De'Aaron Fox and help Domantas Sabonis, and while the limelight went to Darius Acuff, getting Emanuel Sharp at pick 45 is a brilliant pick. Getting a battle-tested guard with a historic collegiate resume midway through the second round provides immense value. Sharp's primary NBA calling card is his deep range. He leaves Houston as the program's all-time leader in three-pointers made (over 300 career triples). While his shooting mechanics are slightly unorthodox, his release is incredibly quick and doesn't dip, allowing him to get his shot off against tight closeouts despite being undersized. And don't let the size fool you, Sharp is a lockdown defender as well. If you play four years for Kelvin Sampson at Houston, you know how to defend—there are simply no exceptions. Named to the Big-12 All Defensive Team, Sharp could be a two-way menace.

Jaden Bradley (G) — Toronto Raptors
No. 50

Age: 22

Height: 6'3"

NCAA Stats: 13.3 PPG · 3.4 RPG · 4.4 APG · 46.3% FG

The Raptors landing Jaden Bradley at pick 50 is already being hailed as one of the biggest steals. Getting the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year that deep in the draft is an exceptional value pick for a team looking to bolster its guard rotation. Bradley's collegiate resume is phenomenal. During his senior year, he emerged as one of the elite point guards in the nation, earning Third-Team All-American honors. He led the Wildcats to both the regular-season and tournament Big 12 championships, famously hitting a buzzer-beater to defeat Iowa State in the semifinals. Don't let the stats fool you. Scoring isn't Bradley's calling card, but what we've seen is promising. Offensively, he was incredibly steady, averaging 13 points, 4 dimes, and 1.4 steals while shooting 46.3% from the floor. Crucially, he knocked down 39.4% of his three-pointers, which means if the shot-taking goes up, we could be seeing an efficient scorer.

Henri Veesaar (C) — Atlanta Hawks
No. 52

Age: 22

Height: 7'0"

NCAA Stats: 17.0 PPG · 8.7 RPG · 2.1 APG · 60.8% FG

This was arguably the biggest surprise of draft night. The 7'0" unicorn who took UNC by storm with his defense, passing and shooting range somehow fell not just out of the first round, but nearly out of the second round as well. Dare I say this is a Nikola Jokic situation all over again? That might be a reach, but Veesaar is a very promising talent. Veesaar didn't exactly wow fans at Arizona, but he was a different animal at North Carolina. To put his season into perspective: he became just the third player in Division I history to record 30+ three-pointers, 30+ blocks, and shoot 60% or better from the field in a single season. He isn't just a traditional post player; he brings an incredibly rare blend of defense and perimeter skill. At 227 pounds, he is relatively slight for an NBA center, but in college it didn't stop him. He displayed the physicality of traditional post scorers without failure. I'm expecting the same at the NBA level.

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This draft proved once again the difficulties of correctly predicting order. Some of these prospects may need time, the right opportunity or a coaching staff willing to treat them like a lottery pick, but each player here has the potential to make their draft spot look foolish in hindsight. Which of these prospects do you believe was the most slept on? Who has the best chance to become the biggest steal of the draft Which overlooked player did we leave off the list? Let us know your thoughts!

The 2026 NBA Summer League kicks off July 3 to July 19 🚨 Can't keep up with the drama? Be sure to stay tuned into Sportz Nation for your sports updates on all things basketball.

Thanks for reading!

-Joel Piton

(@jpiton7)