Finkelstein's last mock draft before Sunday's NBA Draft Lottery, when the official order is locked down
By Adam Finkelstein May 5, 2026 at 1:43 pm ET • 1 min read 
Imagn Images On Sunday at 3 p.m. ET we'll finally know the order teams will pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The NBA Draft Lottery is right around the corner. And with lottery reform on the horizon, this may be the last year a team's odds of landing a high draft pick are directly tied to how many games it lost that season. This is also the most talented and stacked draft that franchises are forecasting for the next several years.
To put it plainly, the stakes have never been higher for NBA teams looking to fast-track their rebuilding process.
The top of the draft is undeniably loaded. We started the year with a perceived big three – Kansas' Darryn Peterson, BYU's AJ Dybantsa and Duke's Cameron Boozer. Those players remain at the very top, albeit now potentially in a slightly different order. Behind that trio are classmates who emerged in a big way during the 2025-26 college season and added real star power to this deep, talented and robust draft class.
There's a growing belief that North Carolina's Caleb Wilson could make this a big four. Then there's a quartet of one-and-done lead guards who are expected to be taken in the middle of the lottery. That includes Arkansas's Darius Acuff Jr., Houston's Kingston Flemings, Illinois' Keaton Wagler and Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr. Then there is a pair of Arizona freshmen who propelled the Wildcats to the Final Four. Put it all together, and the top 10 picks are all projected to come from the same star-studded freshmen class.
If history is any indication, the ping pong balls will almost certainly bear out some surprises on Sunday night. This mock draft, though, is based on what would happen if straight probability won out. It also takes team needs and drafting history into consideration and thus is not a total reflection of our latest CBS Sports Big Board.
Mock DraftRound 1 Round 1 - Pick 1
AJ Dybantsa SF BYU • Fr • 6'9" / 215 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st PPG 25.5 RPG 6.8 APG 3.7 3P% 33.1% Dybantsa has established himself as the clear-cut favorite to be the number one pick. He's a polished scorer and shot-creator who also happens to have great positional size, athleticism, and elasticity. He can rise-and-fire in the mid-range area on demand, made huge strides with his rim pressure, gets to the free-throw line in high volume, and is capable, albeit a bit unreliable, from three. He's even creating for teammates and making reads better than ever before. The defense is the last frontier and while he has physical tools, it's not yet his point of emphasis. Round 1 - Pick 2 
Cameron Boozer PF Duke • Fr • 6'9" / 250 lbs Projected Team Indiana PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 1st PPG 22.5 RPG 10.2 APG 4.1 3P% 39.1% Darryn Peterson is the second ranked prospect on the CBS Sports Big Board, but if the lottery fails this way I won't be surprised to see Boozer be Indiana's pick. He's the surest thing in this draft. He had a historic high school career, was the college basketball player of the year, and has an extremely high floor with his overlap of physicality, skill, and basketball IQ. There will be questions about whether his creation or upside is on par with Dybantsa and Peterson, but for a team that has hopes to get back to the NBA Finals as soon as next season with Tyrese Haliburton's return, Boozer's ability to slide in alongside Ivica Zubac and Pascal Siakam could be too compelling to pass up on. Round 1 - Pick 3 
Darryn Peterson PG Kansas • Fr • 6'6" / 205 lbs Projected Team Brooklyn PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st PPG 20.2 RPG 4.2 APG 1.6 3P% 38.2% The Nets are deep into their rebuilding project and still lack a star of the future. Peterson could give him that. While his season at Kansas was full of controversy, he made massive gains with his shooting. Combine that with the playmaking, burst, and physicality we saw when he was completely healthy in high school and you have a prospect who could very well end up being the best player taken from this draft down the road. In Brooklyn, he would be the focal point from day one and the player that the Nets build the rest of their roster around moving forward. Having a big facilitator on the wing like Egor Demin, could also be a nice long-term fit. Round 1 - Pick 4 
Caleb Wilson PF North Carolina • Fr • 6'10" / 215 lbs Projected Team Utah PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 2nd PPG 19.8 RPG 9.4 APG 2.7 3P% 25.9% The Jazz are done rebuilding and hoping to join the list of contenders in the west next year, so this is potentially their last big swing at the draft for a while. Wilson gives them a prospect with legit star-type outcomes. He's a high-level athlete with a big-time motor, and has unusual elasticity (or bend) for a player his size. There's still immense room for progress, both with his perimeter skill and defensive polish. Slot him into a frontline that already includes Jaren Jackson and Lauri Markkanen and Utah would be loaded up front. Round 1 - Pick 5 
Darius Acuff Jr. PG Arkansas • Fr • 6'3" / 190 lbs Projected Team Sacramento PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 2nd PPG 23.5 RPG 3.1 APG 6.4 3P% 44% The Kings are a franchise in need of a lead guard of the future, and with the 5th pick they'll have their choice of four one-and-done freshmen. Acuff was the best college player of the bunch and may also be the most prepared to step in and be an offensive focal point in the NBA. He's a multi-level creator with shooting splits that were off the charts last year at Arkansas and has the passing metrics to match. While he may be maximizing his impact offensively, it's the defensive end of the floor that is the biggest question, and if Sacramento were to go in a different direction here, that would be the reason. Round 1 - Pick 6 
Kingston Flemings PG Houston • Fr • 6'4" / 190 lbs Projected Team Memphis PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 3rd PPG 16.1 RPG 4.1 APG 5.2 3P% 38.7% Ja Morant may still be on the Grizzlies, but that isn't expected to last, so Memphis is another team that could look for their future point guard. Flemings would provide the Grizz with an elite athlete who can get a piece of the paint on demand, rise up explosively at the rim, get to his pull-up at virtually anytime, and be solid on the defensive end. His swing skill is his shooting. If that holds up, then Flemings has legit star-type outcomes. He also just seems to be a fit for the things Memphis, who has drafted extremely well in recent years, prioritizes. From New Orleans Pelicans Round 1 - Pick 7 
Keaton Wagler PG Illinois • Fr • 6'6" / 185 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 4th PPG 17.9 RPG 5.1 APG 4.2 3P% 39.7% There is a case to be made that Wagler is the best long-term point guard prospect in this draft. He came out of virtually nowhere to have a huge freshman season and lead Illinois to the Final Four with his combination of skill and feel. He has terrific positional size, which will ultimately allow him to play on and off the ball, and yet he's still just beginning to fill out his frame. With still so much growth left in front of him, his adjustment to an unprecedented level of competition at Illinois should have required patience, and yet it was seamless. It's possible that this could be a sign of things to come. Round 1 - Pick 8 
Brayden Burries SG Arizona • Fr • 6'4" / 205 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 1st PPG 16.1 RPG 4.9 APG 2.4 3P% 39.1% Mikel Brown Jr. is the best available prospect on the board, but Burries may be a better long-term fit alongside Cooper Flagg, particularly if Masai Ujiri is content to keep Kyrie Irving in the fold for the foreseeable future. Burries is a strong and aggressive two-way guard who can get downhill with real force, provide a formidable three-point shooter to stretch the floor, and simultaneously defend his position. Burries is also more physically ready to make the transition to the NBA game than most of the other one-and-done guards in the draft. Round 1 - Pick 9 
Mikel Brown Jr. PG Louisville • Fr • 6'5" / 190 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 5th PPG 18.2 RPG 3.3 APG 4.7 3P% 34.4% The Bulls have hired former Hawks' senior vice president Bryson Graham as their new Executive Vice-President of Basketball Operations. He takes over a roster that has 10 free agents, needs a new coach, and has only a couple of long-term pieces. Josh Giddey is one such player, and Mikel Brown Jr. might be a great fit alongside him. Brown is incredibly talented with the ball, has shooting potential that vastly exceeds his Louisville numbers, and would complement Giddey's playmaking beautifully, if they could co-exist defensively. Round 1 - Pick 10 
Nate Ament PF Tennessee • Fr • 6'10" / 207 lbs Projected Team Milwaukee PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 3rd PPG 16.7 RPG 6.3 APG 2.3 3P% 33.3% Ament is a fairly polarizing prospect with a potentially wide range on draft night. He's a late-blooming 6-foot-10 combo-forward with touch, natural skill, and fluidity. He needs to get stronger and more assertive in order to address the vast inconsistencies we saw this year, but overall, he's still a prospect who has made drastic improvements in recent years and has a wealth of untapped potential. Round 1 - Pick 11 
Aday Mara C Michigan • Jr • 7'3" / 255 lbs Projected Team Golden St. PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 2nd PPG 12.1 RPG 6.8 APG 2.4 3P% 30% Mara kept getting better as the college season went on and ultimately led Michigan to a national championship. At 7-foot-3, he's a giant, even by NBA standards, and a tremendous rim protector. He's also got sneaky mobility, good hands, and real passing ability that would make him all the more intriguing in Golden State's system. From Los Angeles Clippers Round 1 - Pick 12 
Yaxel Lendeborg PF Michigan • Sr • 6'9" / 235 lbs Projected Team Oklahoma City PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 5th PPG 15.1 RPG 6.8 APG 3.2 3P% 37.2% Lendeborg is one of the more versatile two-way players, and specifically defenders, in this class. At 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, he often guarded opposing point guards this year at Michigan, and simultaneously improved his shooting to 37.2% from behind the arc. That alone has the makings of a terrific role player, but Lendeborg is also very unselfish and a terrific passer. Round 1 - Pick 13 
Labaron Philon PG Alabama • Fr • 6'3" / 175 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 6th PPG 22 RPG 3.5 APG 5 3P% 39.9% Philon is one of the more gifted shot creators in this draft class. The focal point of opposing SEC defenses every night, Philon still produced 50/40/80 shooting splits and impressive offensive counting stats. We also know from his freshman year at Alabama that he's capable of being a better defender than we saw this year. With Miami's backcourt on the verge of some real potential change, they should have a role to plug Philon into from day one. Round 1 - Pick 14 
Koa Peat PF Arizona • Fr • 6'8" / 235 lbs Projected Team Charlotte PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 4th PPG 14.1 RPG 5.6 APG 2.6 3P% 35% Peat is another very polarizing prospect in this draft. A strong, physical four-man loaded with intangibles, Peat can finish, rebound, short-roll, get downhill, and even play-make a bit, but he doesn't shoot -- at all. Peat was pivotal to Arizona's Big 12 championship and Final Four run, and in Charlotte, he could add more of the same type of winning DNA they prioritized and benefited from in last year's draft. From Portland Trail Blazers Round 1 - Pick 15 
Hannes Steinbach PF Washington • Fr • 6'11" / 229 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 7th PPG 18.5 RPG 11.8 APG 1.6 3P% 34% The Bulls could use a shooting, ideally 3-and-D, wing here, but there just aren't many available. They've used a lot of draft capital on athletic forwards in recent years, but Steinbach is cut from a different cloth. He's skilled, smart, has elite hands, is a high-volume rebounder, and capable of playing both the four and the five with the NBA trending back towards more size in the frontcourt. From Phoenix Suns Round 1 - Pick 16 
Jayden Quaintance C Kentucky • Soph • 6'10" / 255 lbs Projected Team Memphis PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 1st PPG 5 RPG 5 APG 0.5 3P% 0 Quaintance played only four games at Kentucky this year while recovering from a torn ACL. The prior year at Arizona State, he was a defensive monster before going down with the injury. He's long, powerful, and violently athletic at the rim. Essentially, he's a totally different type of big man from Zach Edey, and that may be exactly why he'd be such an intriguing complement in Memphis' rotation. From Philadelphia 76ers Round 1 - Pick 17 
Morez Johnson Jr. C Michigan • Soph • 6'9" / 250 lbs Projected Team Oklahoma City PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 3rd PPG 13.1 RPG 7.3 APG 1.2 3P% 34.3% Johnson is a tough and rugged prospect who is willing to do all the dirty work. He is capable of sliding his feet and being versatile defensively. He can also knock down open threes. That type of two-way versatility, all while buying into a complementary role, makes him an ideal role player. Coming off a national championship at Michigan, he'd be an ideal fit for the defending NBA champs. From Orlando Magic Round 1 - Pick 18 
Bennett Stirtz PG Iowa • Sr • 6'4" / 190 lbs Projected Team Charlotte PROSPECT RNK 19th POSITION RNK 7th PPG 19.8 RPG 2.6 APG 4.4 3P% 35.8% It's very possible the Hornets go big here, but if not, it would make sense to solidify the backcourt. Stirtz is a highly skilled true point guard with an elite feel for the game. He's not an overwhelming athlete or defender, but he's ultra reliable, always in the right spots, and has an understanding of the game beyond his years. The bottom line is his DNA is similar to what Charlotte prioritized in last year's draft. Round 1 - Pick 19 
Christian Anderson PG Texas Tech • Soph • 6'3" / 178 lbs Projected Team Toronto PROSPECT RNK 22nd POSITION RNK 8th PPG 18.5 RPG 3.6 APG 7.4 3P% 41.5% Anderson is a highly skilled lead guard who is both a big-time shooter of the basketball and a maestro in the pick-and-roll. There are questions about how he'll adapt physically and defensively, but his offense is worth betting on, especially for a Toronto team that lacks anything comparable at the point. From Atlanta Hawks Round 1 - Pick 20 
Karim Lopez PF Mexico • 6'8" / 224 lbs Projected Team San Antonio PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 6th PPG 11.9 RPG 6.1 APG 2.0 It's very possible Lopez goes higher than this. He currently ranks No. 16 overall on the CBS Sports Big Board and will start to get consideration as early as the late lottery. The Mexican native played with the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL Next Stars program this year and made really nice strides. He's a hard-playing, physical presence who pressures the rim and competes on both ends. From Minnesota Timberwolves Round 1 - Pick 21 
Cameron Carr SG Baylor • Soph • 6'5" / 190 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 2nd PPG 18.9 RPG 5.8 APG 2.6 3P% 37.4% After playing a total of 18 games in the first two years of his college career, Carr exploded this season for Baylor while putting up 49/37/80 shooting. More impressive for Carr is that he still has vast untapped potential when you combine his shot-making with explosive leaping ability and very long arms. He'll need some time to fill out his frame and mature physically, but there's clear upside here. From Houston Rockets Round 1 - Pick 22 
Chris Cenac Jr. PF Houston • Fr • 6'11" / 240 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 8th PPG 9.5 RPG 7.9 APG 0.7 3P% 33.3% Cenac's tools are elite. He has the size of an NBA center with long arms and good athleticism. He has the mobility to slide laterally, and some developing face-up skill and shooting potential. Cenac asserted himself on the glass this year and answered most of the questions about his motor. Still, the pieces don't always come all the way together for Cenac, but at this point in the draft, for a Sixers team that needs help up front, he's definitely worth the risk. From Cleveland Cavaliers Round 1 - Pick 23 
Henri Veesaar C North Carolina • Jr • 7'0" / 225 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 4th PPG 17 RPG 8.7 APG 2.1 3P% 42.6% Veesaar had a breakout year at North Carolina and has one of the best overlaps of size and skill in this draft. Veesaar is a stretch-five who shoots it with ease to the arc, can play out of dribble hand-offs, pass, and still space the floor vertically. He is a great chess piece to have offensively. The questions are more on the defensive end and with his rebounding, but he'll be well supported in those areas in Atlanta. Round 1 - Pick 24 
Flory Bidunga C Kansas • Soph • 6'10" / 235 lbs Projected Team New York PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 5th PPG 13.3 RPG 9 APG 1.5 3P% 0% Bidunga is the No. 1-ranked prospect in the transfer portal and already committed to Louisville for a major payday that would eclipse the salary allotted for a late first-round pick. Chances are he's playing for the Cardinals next year, but if something unexpected happens and he stays in the draft, he would make a lot of sense here. Bidunga is a big-time athlete, tremendously versatile defender, rim-runner, and explosive lob threat. Round 1 - Pick 25 
Rueben Chinyelu C Florida • Jr • 6'10" / 265 lbs Projected Team L.A. Lakers PROSPECT RNK 28th POSITION RNK 6th PPG 10.9 RPG 11.2 APG 0.7 3P% 0% Chinyelu is another prospect who may be headed back to college and Gainesville next year, but is ready to impact an NBA game defensively right now. At 6-foot-10 with a nearly 7-foot-8 wingspan, Chinyelu is freakishly long, just as powerful, and yet totally switchable with great recoverability. The offense is limited, but it has made steady strides. The bottom line is he's probably a Gator next year, but the Lakers could use him, at least on one end of the floor. Round 1 - Pick 26 
Ebuka Okorie PG Stanford • Fr • 6'2" / 185 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 29th POSITION RNK 9th PPG 23.2 RPG 3.6 APG 3.6 3P% 35.4% More so than any freshman in the country, Ebuka exceeded expectations at Stanford during the 2025-26 season. His speed and ability to get a piece of the paint are his calling cards, but the shooting continued to tick up throughout the course of the season. Ebuka lacks overwhelming size, strength, or vertical explosiveness, and a return to school is reportedly also on the table. Round 1 - Pick 27 
Amari Allen SF Alabama • Fr • 6'8" / 205 lbs Projected Team Boston PROSPECT RNK 26th POSITION RNK 2nd PPG 11.4 RPG 6.9 APG 3.1 3P% 34.1% Another prospect who could elect to return to school, Allen is a versatile wing who has an overlap of skill and toughness. He's a good handler, passer, potentially better shooter than his numbers indicate, and a big-time wing rebounder. He's not quite as polished as advertised on the defensive end of the floor just yet, but there's some innate competitiveness that should ultimately translate. From Detroit Pistons Round 1 - Pick 28 
Dailyn Swain SF Texas • Jr • 6'8" / 225 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 27th POSITION RNK 3rd PPG 17.3 RPG 7.5 APG 3.6 3P% 34.4% Swain is a polarizing prospect. At 6-foot-7, he can play off the bounce, come off ball-screens, pressure the paint, and create for others. He's just a 34% three-point shooter, though, and only 29% for his career. Consequently, some see a potential jumbo initiator who can evolve into a big guard, while others a non-shooting wing who won't have off-ball gravity at the next level. If Minnesota subscribes to the former, he could be a steal here. From San Antonio Spurs Round 1 - Pick 29 
Allen Graves PF Santa Clara • Fr • 6'9" / 225 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK POSITION RNK PPG 11.8 RPG 6.5 APG 1.8 3P% 41.3% Graves is an analytic darling who has elite BPM metrics and a rare overlap of defensive playmaking, passing, ball-security, and offensive rebounding. In other words, he combines physicality with elite feel and instincts on both ends of the court. He also has great hands and can stretch the floor, but is viewed as more of a role player deluxe than a primary creator or scorer. From Oklahoma City Thunder Round 1 - Pick 30 
Isaiah Evans SG Duke • Soph • 6'6" / 180 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 24th POSITION RNK 3rd PPG 15 RPG 3.2 APG 1.3 3P% 36.1% Floor spacing for Cooper Flagg with a former Duke teammate seems to make a lot of sense. Evans showed an ability to make the type of quick-release movement threes that translate to the NBA level. In other words, he's not just someone who stands in the corner. He's someone Jason Kidd can run plays for. He's also not totally one-dimensional, as he started to diversify his game this year, but still needs to build up his body. 
