Top 10 Draft Classes from 2026 NBA Draft
- Zak Drapeau
- 2 minutes ago
- 8 min read
by Zak Drapeau
Sportz Nation - 6/25/2026
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 pick and Nate Ament was from Miami's #13 pick. Both players are considered projects but with tremendous upside and being great fits for their current roster. Burries is an athletic Guard who needs some refinement on his offensive game and Nate Ament has an incredible frame and scores in flashes but will need to add some muscle to his body over the next few years.
In total the Bucks have added Tyler Herro, Kel'El Ware, Brayden Burries and Nate Ament to their roster to start their rebuild and I'm a huge fan of that start.
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9. Chicago Bulls
Caleb Wilson, PF, North Carolina (#4)
Dailyn Swain, SF, Texas (#15)
The Bulls just grabbed two high-risk, high-reward guys in their 2026 class but I'm betting more so on the upside. I'm not as high on Wilson as others at least in the short term and think he'll need a few years to build up the physicality to play bully ball in the NBA like he did in UNC but if the Bulls can hold on to him for 5+ years he should live up to his #4 pick.
Swain is a very interesting pick at #15 after underwhelming at the Combine. His fit in this offense is also questionable with Bulls' 2nd year SF Matas Buzelis looking like their forward of the future, do they start Swain at SG? Either way he'll make a very good 6th man for them moving forward.
The Bulls could have easily been Top-6 for this list but Swain was too high for this pick and I would have liked to see them grab one of the Guards that went shortly after him instead. Even still, grabbing 2 players that should be reliable players for your organization for the next 10 years is solid.
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8. Golden State Warriors
Yaxel Lendeborg, SF, Michigan (#11)
Lajae Jones, SF, Florida St (#54)
I think Yax to the Warriors was the easiest and most common mocked pick of the entire draft process but that doesn't make the pick any less great. I've been saying it for months but if the Warriors want to extend their Championship window with Curry, Green and Kerr any longer they needed to add a playmaker this offseason and instead of dropping a bag in Free Agency, they took a great player on a rookie contract.
Yaxel Lendeborg is a premier scorer, a mature and intelligent person and a proven winner. I don't care about his age because his game should at least translate to his earl-30's when any hypothetical contract extension would end anyway.
Lendeborg is right in line with the younger generation of Warriors with Podziemski while giving them a lot of flexibility especially with Jimmy Butler expected to miss the start of the season as he rehabs his ACL.
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7. Boston Celtics
Chris Cenac Jr., PF, Houston (#27)
Dillon Mitchell, SF, St. John's (#40)
Chris Cenac Jr. at pick #27 is one of the best STEALS of the entire draft and even comes as a perfect fit for this team. The Celtics came into this draft with two objectives, grabbing a PF or Center with good defense and rebounding and putting out the flames of the Jaylen Brown situation.
I can't predict the latter but the former was perfectly taken with Chris Cenac, a big-bodied defensive big man who's 6'11" - 240 pound frame is perfect as a Center for the Celtics' small ball preference. Cenac may take a year or two to fill out his frame and won't ever be a great scorer but in many ways is exactly what the C's needed.
Dillon Mitchell is a nice piece to add to the Celtics' depth as a young forward to contrast to their stacked and young Guard depth. Mitchell excels in athleticism and defense and should be used as a transition threat and perimeter defender while he tries to build a jump shot.
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6. Oklahoma City Thunder
Aday Mara, C, Michigan (#12)
Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa (#16)
Otega Oweh, SG, Kentucky (#41)
The Thunder made a lot of lists inside the Top-3 of this class and I don't want to downplay their class at all but let me just point out a few things. First of all, Aday Mara is a HUGE, 7'3" Center who has great hands in both blocking and passing the ball but he isn't physical enough to be guarding Wemby just yet like everybody claims. I have no doubt if he stays healthy that he will grow into a unicorn of a player in the league but his defense comes purely from his height and his awareness could use some work.
Bennett Stirtz was a trade I did NOT see coming and it's a pretty nice touch of a bench, floor general with great 3-point shooting but he will also have to fight for every minute inside of the Thunder's stacked backcourt. To me, this is a pick that will be better in the long run after they either trade or let Ajay Mitchell walk in 2 years.
Everyone of the Thunder's picks are solid and in 3 years time may become integral in their 9-man rotation but I don't believe this class gets them closer to beating the Spurs as far as 2027 is concerned.
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5. Washington Wizards
AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU (#1)
Felix Okpara, C, Tennessee (#46)
I haven't seen the Wizards high on any list and I don't see why. People must be undervaluing Dybantsa at #1 because he was the obvious pick but let's remember how good Cooper Flagg was and where the Mavs would have been without him then realize Dybantsa is 95% of the prospect Flagg was while being surrounded by a better than average starting lineup.
The Wizards needed to get a premier scorer with the #1 pick and also could've used a backup Center to plan for Anthony Davis' future depending on injury or trade and they hit both. Felix Okpara is a long Center with defensive upside and a great motor that could be very good after a few years learning on the bench.
The Wizards have a really great chance to go from #1 pick to playoff team next year and Dybnatsa is a huge reason and could even lead the team in scoring next season even though he probably will be made to be a third option to get him used to the league. Still, two elite picks gives the Wizards an easy Top-5 class in my opinion.
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4. Los Angeles Clippers
Keaton Wagler, PG, Illinois (#5)
Baba Miller, PF, Cincinnati (#36)
Nick Martinelli, SF, Northwestern (#55)
Narcisse Ngoy, C, Auburn (#57)
I expected the Clippers to trade down from their #5 pick but instead took their Point Guard of the future in Keaton Wagler and then proceeded to add value with every pick in the midst of their ongoing "youthenizing" of their roster.
Wagler is obviously the headline of this class and should immediately be a playmaker for this team that is trying to get every ounce out of Kawhi Leonard, Brook Lopez and Benedict Mathurin next season. Wagler could and should easily lead all rookies in assists next season as well as averaging well over 10 points per game.
The Clippers would then take Baba Miller and Nick Martinelli in the 2nd round in high value for both picks. Baba Miller has unique ball handling and rim skills for a big man that translate well to playing from the post in his 2nd-team role and transition offense while Martinelli is a microwave from midrange and 3-point that could easily grow into a pivotol bench scorer in a few years.
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3. Atlanta Hawks
Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston (#8)
Zuby Ejiofor, PF, St. John's (#23)
Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina (#52)
The Hawks hit 3 great players in 3 picks for this draft and each player should play valuable minutes for them this season as well as the next 5. Flemings is an elite athlete both on offense and defense and is the kind of Guard they can build around with the Trae Young-era officially over. His scoring, speed and motor should not only create instant offense but take pressure off of the already impressive core of young scorers they already have.
Contrastingly, Zuby Ejiofor is coming onto this roster as a 7th or 8th man in a completely defensive focus. Small for a Power Forward/ Center, Ejiofor is pro ready to guard and Forward in the NBA already and should even see starter-kind of minutes especially late in high stakes games.
Veesaar has a great argument for the biggest steal in the draft. Regarded as a 1st-round pick closer to the 20's, his shooting ability as a 7-footer is very unique but his mobility and defense may need a lot of work and luckily for the Hawks, caused him to fall way too far to them.
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2. Memphis Grizzlies
Cameron Boozer, PF, Duke (#3)
Karim Lopez, SF, NBL (#21)
Richie Saunders, SG, BYU (#32)
The Grizzlies have the top spot on a lot of lists including ESPN's and I completely see why. Cameron Boozer may have been the safest pick in the entire draft and a future, 10-time All Star but their #21 pick of Karim Lopez is an even better pick to me.
Not only did trading back from 16 result in Lopez but also added 3, 2nd-round picks with it. Lopez won't be ready enough to make a difference for a year or two but his frame, athleticism and scoring make him an undeniable weapon on the wing sooner than later. Add to that Cam Boozer who is like Kevin Love 2.0 and the Grizzlies easily got the best Forward-combo in the entire draft.
Then taking Richie Saunders in the 2nd round who can take over games when he gets hot from the 3-point line is a perfect fit. Saunders completes the Grizzlies class with 3 premier scorers from all 3 levels as well as grabbing 3 players that project to be long time players in this game with reliable traits and doing so in the beginning of a rebuild is perfect timing for the Grizzlies.
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1. San Antonio Spurs
Jayden Quaintance, PF, Kentucky (#20)
Tarris Reed Jr., C, Connecticut (#26)
Ja'Kobi Gillespie, PG, Tennessee (#42)
Maliq Brown, PF, Duke (#44)
The Spurs could have stopped after Tarris Reed and they probably would have made the Top-5 of this list for me. They went on to add 2 more value picks in the 2nd and if they had the best young core in the league before, it just got so much better.
The Spurs needed to add some depth to their front court to help compliment Wemby and they may have added the highest-upside interior defender and rebounder in the class. On their own, Quaintance and Tarris Reed aren't particularly impressive besides their singular elite traits but together as part of the Spurs' rotation makes their defense DANGEROUS.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie is a really nice addition as well. He'll be deep in their backcourt depth but his ability to run a 2nd team offense and occasionally catch fire form the arc should make himi a valuable 8th or 9th player in their rotation.
All together, the Spurs got everything they needed and more and added two very good players that are ready to go now and help them get back to the Finals in 2027 while adding two 2nd round picks that could make their playoff depth somehow too.
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-Z.D.
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