The basketball world is flying into Chicago for the 2026 NBA Draft Mix. There can be coaches, scouts, executives, common managers and staffers from each nook and cranny of the faculty basketball and NBA ranks who’re watching the highest prospects on the planet attempt to solidify their standing forward of subsequent month’s 2026 NBA Draft.
There are make-or-break burning questions at stake for every prospect, however everybody heads to Chicago with vastly completely different ranges and expectations.
Let’s dive into the important thing storylines to know forward of this week’s mix, which kicks off Monday and Tuesday with athletic testing and measurements, options scrimmages on Wednesday and Thursday and key interviews and professional days all through the week.
The Darryn Peterson conundrum
Darryn Peterson is a blue-chip prospect who seemed just like the No. 1 decide when he dominated the primary half of his head-to-head matchup with AJ Dybantsa on Jan. 31. However he enters Chicago with a great deal of inquiries to reply this week. He might actually achieve momentum to go No. 1 if the medicals come again clear after an injury-plagued season of cramps, which he blamed on high-dose creatine use, and a hamstring damage. Additionally, interviewing effectively will surely assist to douse a few of the doubtlessly overblown considerations surrounding his competitiveness.
AJ Dybantsa makes oodles of basketball sense for Washington at No. 1, but when Peterson solutions the decision this week, he could make it an actual dialog on the high of the pecking order.
NBA Mock Draft: Matches for all 30 picks with 2026 lottery set; Dybantsa No. 1 to Wizards, Peterson No. 2 to Jazz
Adam Finkelstein
The purpose guard hierarchy within the lottery
There are 4 level guards positioned to go contained in the High 10: Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. and Houston’s Kingston Flemings. The Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks are all available in the market for some extent guard and maintain picks 5 by 8, respectively.
Magnificence is within the eye of the beholder, with a quartet of fellows who every do one thing slightly completely different.
Wagler combines terrific positional measurement, a beautiful taking pictures stroke and excellent really feel with the flexibility to play on or off the ball. Shades of Derrick White make sense with Tyrese Haliburton as one other high-end comp.
What about Acuff? His counting stats had been the perfect of all of them, and he is arguably probably the most polished lead guard of the bunch. He scores and creates buckets in his sleep. I am curious to see how he measures, however Acuff is a dawg and a hooper. I just like the Deron Williams comparability for Acuff.
Brown is tantalizing. He is all of 6-foot-4 and possesses deep vary and shrewd playmaking. The nice moments are particular, however there have been loads of shaky nights too, and the medicals can be essential right here. Brown clearly has some Dame Lillard in his vary of potential high-end outcomes.
After which there’s Flemings. He’ll crush each interview. He’ll crush any defender who tries to protect him one-on-one along with his blazing first step. He’ll crush the athletic testing. However is the taking pictures going to be a problem? Some mechanical tweaks must be made rapidly, and there have been nights in school when he did not even try a triple. There are some Scoot Henderson vibes right here with the Houston product.
All 4 are glorious gamers and prospects. It is a enjoyable scouting debate. Let the jockeying for place start.
Can Caleb Wilson make one other surge?
North Carolina star Caleb Wilson goes to knock the interviews and the athletic testing out of the park. The athleticism, the smile, the competitiveness, the flexibility to place his nostril on the rim, it is all there.
Wilson suits like a glove with what the Chicago Bulls are in search of underneath new common supervisor, Bryson Graham.
However will he get to No. 4 general? It is nonetheless the most probably final result, however there isn’t any query that Wilson can surge much more with a robust week. He suits the profile of what every NBA staff is in search of as a two-way wing with elite athletic instruments and an insatiable need to win. Can he vault previous Peterson or Duke’s Cameron Boozer? It is actually not out of the query.
NBA Mock Draft 2026: Cameron Boozer falls to Bulls at No. 4 after Grizzlies gamble on potential at No. 3
Gary Parrish
Who would be the largest riser from the mix?
There’s at all times a riser who makes use of the NBA Draft Mix to solidify their standing. Final 12 months, it was Cedric Coward and Carter Bryant who parlayed sturdy appearances on the mix to grow to be lottery picks.
Who’s it this 12 months?
Tennessee’s Nate Ament is a polarizing prospect who could possibly be a top-10 decide if all goes effectively this week, despite the fact that his freshman-year tape in Knoxville was not the prettiest some nights.
Santa Clara’s Allen Graves is actually a reputation to observe. His profile breaks some analytical fashions.
Texas wing Dailyn Swain is that jumbo wing handler who can defend. That is tantalizing for NBA decision-makers who wish to add as a lot expert measurement to the combo.
Perhaps Kentucky large man Jayden Quaintance or Baylor wing Cameron Carr? Quaintance wants the medicals to return again clear after a brutal knee damage, however he is among the best defensive prospects on this draft. Carr has a 7-foot-2 wingspan, insane bounce and a reasonably jumper. Can he use the interviews to indicate that his processing is on top of things?
Somebody is actually certain to stand up the pecking order with a robust week.
2026 NBA Draft Mix: Nate Ament, Koa Peat, Yaxel Lendeborg amongst 5 gamers with most to show in Chicago
Isaac Trotter
The make-or-break, stay-or-go selections
There are vital stay-or-go selections at stake on the NBC Draft Mix this week. Let’s break it down by the largest title in three classes:
More likely to keep within the draft, however…: Arizona’s Koa Peat. He could possibly be the Nationwide Participant of the Yr if he returned to Arizona for his sophomore season, and his suggestions could possibly be all around the map, starting from the late lottery all the best way right down to the mid-20s.
Almost certainly to return to varsity, however…: Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner. The 6-foot level guard is likely one of the elite athletes on this draft regardless of his measurement. He’ll both be an All-American at Vanderbilt subsequent season or one of many largest outliers within the 2026 NBA Draft.
The portal: Iowa State switch Milan Momcilovic is a net-shredder who’s attempting to remain within the NBA Draft however is presently near the first-round cut-line. If he opts to return to varsity, a staff like Kentucky might supply a large bag for his providers.