The 2026 NBA Draft had enough talent to make a lot of teams happy. My instant draft grades included eight A’s and only three C’s. Teams made sensible decisions throughout the first-round that went about as we expected. In fact, my final mock draft was determined to be the most accurate one on the internet. A lifetime of having no actual skills led to this moment.
I have to admit there were no actual losers from the first-round of the draft — just a few teams where I would have done something different with the pick. Most of my analysis is informed by my evaluations from my final big board. I always believe the draft is about chasing the best player available, while free agency and trades are where teams should maximize fit.
Let’s dive into some post-draft analysis for our winners and “losers” from round one. Check back in a few years and feel free to call me out on whatever I got wrong.
Winner: Memphis Grizzlies
If you read this site, you know I love Cameron Boozer by now. I think he’s going to be the best player from this draft, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s one day competing for MVPs. I realize that’s a crazy amount of pressure to put on an 18-year-old, but this is the trajectory Boozer has been on from a young age. The Grizzlies landed a franchise player, and if Zach Edey can stay healthy, I think this front court will be totally dominant.
I didn’t love what the Grizzlies did with the second pick, trading back twice and landing another power forward in Karim Lopez, who I wasn’t super high on. Whatever. The Grizzlies’ front office is way smarter than I am. Memphis walked away with the best player in the draft, and that makes them the biggest winner.
Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder
The rich get richer. The Thunder drafted Michigan center Aday Mara at No. 12 and then traded up for Iowa point guard Bennett Stirtz at No. 16 to address the two small holes that existed within their roster. Mara is a giant at 7’3 with a 9’9 standing reach, and he gives OKC another big body to throw at Victor Wembanyama in future playoff matchups. Mara doesn’t have much coverage versatility defensively, but he’s very good in drop, and he’s entering an ideal scenario for a drop big with so many nasty point-of-attack defenders in front of him. The Thunder were also hurting for extra ball handling and shooting on last year’s playoff run amid injuries, and Stirtz checks both boxes. He’s a wicked shooter on- or off-the-ball, and he’s one of the draft’s best pick-and-roll operators. Sam Presti crushed it again.
I feel bad for putting the Bucks here because their picks weren’t that bad. Brayden Burries is a nice off-ball guard who can shoot and defend, and I think he’ll be a solid fit next to emerging star (is that too rich?) Ryan Rollins. Nate Ament was not my favorite, but at No. 13, the value isn’t too bad. I just would have gone in a different direction with those picks. I really think the Bucks did well in the Giannis trade, but they have to nail their picks to make this rebuild work. I’m not sure they did that on Tuesday night.
Bryson Graham knocked it out of the park in his first draft as a lead decision-maker in the NBA. Caleb Wilson was a no-brainer choice at No. 4. His combination of extreme athleticism, high-IQ, and elite work ethic is a great sign for his future. The Bulls went with Dailyn Swain at No. 15, and I’m also a big fan of that pick. Swain is a nasty slasher for a 6’7 wing with a tight handle and the ability to change directions on a dime. Chicago has a pretty big logjam of forwards now with Matas Buzelis, Noa Essengue, and Leonard Miller already on the roster, but I think Swain can play the two long-term if he makes any progress with his jump shot. The Bulls aren’t good enough to worry about fit; they just had to get the best available talent. I think they did that with both picks.
Loser: Los Angeles Lakers
A lot of people like Cam Carr, and I get it. He’s a very good off-ball shooter, he’s super long, and he’s got serious hops around the basket. I just worry he could be pigeonholed as a specialist because he’s not much of a ball handler or playmaker, and he struggles to defend at the point of attack with a thin frame. The Lakers needed some shooting, but they also had a lot of other holes, especially in terms of wing defense. I’m not sure how much Carr is really going to help.
Listen, Darius Acuff was electric at Arkansas. John Calipari has coached a lot of great guards, and I’m not sure any of them had a better freshman year than Acuff. With that said, I’m a bit lower on his NBA projection because I think his defense is terrible and I’m not sure he’ll continue to be a 44 percent career three-point shooter. He could definitely make me look dumb because Acuff is an awesome floor general and a great scorer, but I liked some of the other guards more. The Kings also traded up to take Alex Karaban at the end of the first round, and he wasn’t in the top-45 of my board. I’m sorry, Kings fans! I want good things for you, so I hope your picks prove me wrong.
I’ve been wanting to see what Cade Cunningham looks like in a less heliocentric role, and the Pistons traded up to deliver him an awesome young point guard. Ebuka Okorie has the best first-step in this class. The Stanford guard is lightning fast with the ball in his hands, putting pressure on the rim and getting the opposing defense in rotation. I was impressed by his shooting, and I think he defends bigger than his size, too. Okorie rules, and I love the fit in Detroit.
Winner: Golden State Warriors
I had Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 5 on my board, and this is a perfect landing spot for him. Yes, he’s going to be a 24-year-old rookie, but he’s a two-way forward with size, shooting, passing, and athleticism. Warriors fans should read my story on his inspiring journey to become a lottery pick.
