2026 NBA DRAFT CLASS

tmorgan · Post #401 » by **tmorgan** » Sun Jan 25, 2026 4:08 am

EvanZ wrote:Is Peterson going to be called DNP?

The question is — is he fragile, or is he being careful to protect his draft stock?

Neither one is good, mind you, but the former is much worse.

Also, I just searched for his middle name and it doesn’t seem to be listed anywhere. We can go with Nathan for fun.

BigGargamel · Post #402 » by **BigGargamel** » Sun Jan 25, 2026 7:35 am

King Ken wrote:It's a waste of time thinking Wagler will enter the draft. They return their entire squad next year and would be runaway favorites and he would get 6-9 million from Illinois.

I seriously doubt he is getting that kind of payday in college. Guys are still going to go to the NBA if they are first round picks, and Wagler will be. Even if he's picked at 25, that's 2.5 million his first year. Four years gets you that huge pay day. The second round guys are the ones returning to school. We will still see first round freshman declare.

King Ken · Post #403 » by **King Ken** » Sun Jan 25, 2026 7:37 am

BigGargamel wrote:
King Ken wrote:It's a waste of time thinking Wagler will enter the draft. They return their entire squad next year and would be runaway favorites and he would get 6-9 million from Illinois.

I seriously doubt he is getting that kind of payday in college. Guys are still going to go to the NBA if they are first round picks, and Wagler will be. Even if he's picked at 25, that's 2.5 million his first year. Four years gets you that huge pay day. The second round guys are the ones returning to school. We will still see first round freshman declare.

AJ just got 8Ms from BYU

BigGargamel · Post #404 » by **BigGargamel** » Sun Jan 25, 2026 7:48 am

Well yeah. I can give you several reasons why Dybantsa is worth 4 times more than Wagler.

What I'm saying is, we aren't going to see sure fire first round prospects stay in college. Rookie NBA money is the same as returning to college money, and you want to get to that second contract faster. The second round guys are the ones who are going to stay.

King Ken · Post #405 » by **King Ken** » Sun Jan 25, 2026 10:12 pm

Top 10 as of right now:
1. AJ - Tier 1
2. Peterson- Tier 1
3. Boozer- Tier 1
4. Flemings Tier 2
5. Wilson - Tier 2
6. Wagler - Tier 2
7. Acuff - Tier 3
8. Quintance - Tier 3
9. Yaxel - Tier 3
Only tier 3.5 separated from the others is:
10. C. Carr - Tier 3.5

babyjax13 · Post #406 » by **babyjax13** » Mon Jan 26, 2026 1:23 am

I'll move the Quaintance discussion here. I don't really get the appeal. Defensively he is physically imposing and mobile - so that part is appealing - but on offense his only real skill is slightly above average passing for a center - but he has absolutely no ability to shoot, and I think the short drives he does won't really be successful in the NBA unless he develops some touch around the rim (he mainly just bulldozes through college players). He shoots a ton, but it is off his heels and he has absolutely no touch - none. He shoots like your weightlifter friend playing a pickup game after doing his max on every upper body lift he can. I might take a flier in the late first because of the physical tools, but he isn't a lottery level talent at all, IMO. So there is me planting a flag this year - and I'll probably be wrong, lol

BigGargamel · Post #407 » by **BigGargamel** » Mon Jan 26, 2026 3:16 am

The amount of people I see out there who have Quaintance and Ngongba in their top ten is crazy to me. I must be missing something. I would take either of those guys outside the lottery if I'm short on size, but I'm not touching them in the top ten.

Chi town · Post #408 » by **Chi town** » Mon Jan 26, 2026 4:10 am

Q won’t even be drafted until he can prove his health.

Don’t see Ngongba going top 20.

Think Veesaar could go inside too 20 though.

babyjax13 · Post #409 » by **babyjax13** » Mon Jan 26, 2026 5:59 am

BigGargamel wrote:The amount of people I see out there who have Quaintance and Ngongba in their top ten is crazy to me. I must be missing something. I would take either of those guys outside the lottery if I'm short on size, but I'm not touching them in the top ten.

Right now I have Ngongba as a deep 2nd round pick and JQ as an early 2nd. I cound see myself moving Ngongba up if he is moving better than he was at the beginning of the year. I did like him quite a bit in high school and I liked the looks with him last year off the bench.

babyjax13 · Post #410 » by **babyjax13** » Mon Jan 26, 2026 6:01 am

Chi town wrote:Q won’t even be drafted until he can prove his health.

Don’t see Ngongba going top 20.

Think Veesaar could go inside too 20 though.

I think JQ would just benefit from more time in college - and considering that if he doesn't improve and also can't get on the court that he's not likely to go high, I think there is a decent change he gets that. Right now there is a group of kind-of-similar-if-you-squint players in JQ, Morez Johnson, and Jojo Tugler, and I would have JQ last in that group right now.

juanc · Post #411 » by **juanc** » Wed Jan 28, 2026 8:49 am

The more I watch Kharchenkov play, the more I'm falling in love with his game. Just solid fundamentals all around. Kinda reminds me of Fontecchio.

Chokic · Post #412 » by **Chokic** » Wed Jan 28, 2026 5:18 pm

babyjax13 wrote:I'll move the Quaintance discussion here. I don't really get the appeal. Defensively he is physically imposing and mobile - so that part is appealing - but on offense his only real skill is slightly above average passing for a center - but he has absolutely no ability to shoot, and I think the short drives he does won't really be successful in the NBA unless he develops some touch around the rim (he mainly just bulldozes through college players). He shoots a ton, but it is off his heels and he has absolutely no touch - none. He shoots like your weightlifter friend playing a pickup game after doing his max on every upper body lift he can. I might take a flier in the late first because of the physical tools, but he isn't a lottery level talent at all, IMO. So there is me planting a flag this year - and I'll probably be wrong, lol

I dont get the appeal of JQ either. Either than his size and length pause i dont think he has a single nba skill but is consistently rated in the top 10 and as high as top 5.

moss_is_1 · Post #413 » by **moss_is_1** » Thu Jan 29, 2026 3:44 pm

This is a really PG heavy draft, with some nice bigs but there's a lot of interesting role player wings that are a mix of older guys, as well as younger projects.

Watched some more Braden Smith. Obviously he's small, and I'm not sure how good he is off the ball. However, as a backup PG to run the show for awhile in the regular season, I think he's an easy pick in the back half of the 2nd round. Great in the pick and roll, strong passer/vision, really high IQ, solid shooter and competes on defense.

RookieStar · Post #414 » by **RookieStar** » Fri Jan 30, 2026 2:50 am

Quintance... how many games has he played? Anyone really gonna risk a lotto pick for him?

I also have no idea how Ngongba is that high. He is like a late 1st round pick for me. Only for those teams desperate for a 6'11 bigman.

BigGargamel · Post #415 » by **BigGargamel** » Fri Jan 30, 2026 3:30 am

RookieStar wrote:Quintance... how many games has he played? Anyone really gonna risk a lotto pick for him?

I also have no idea how Ngongba is that high. He is like a late 1st round pick for me. Only for those teams desperate for a 6'11 bigman.

Ngongba's advanced stats look like a guy who can be a starting center. I'd take him before Quaintance, but neither guy before 20 or so.

RookieStar · Post #416 » by **RookieStar** » Fri Jan 30, 2026 3:36 am

BigGargamel wrote:
RookieStar wrote:Quintance... how many games has he played? Anyone really gonna risk a lotto pick for him?

I also have no idea how Ngongba is that high. He is like a late 1st round pick for me. Only for those teams desperate for a 6'11 bigman.

Ngongba's advanced stats look like a guy who can be a starting center. I'd take him before Quaintance, but neither guy before 20 or so.

Against college guys i likened his ability/impact like JonasV right now. Sure he could be a starter ( a couple of years from now) but situational. Dont think he has the lat speed to defend outside the paint

RipCity71252 · Post #417 » by **RipCity71252** » Fri Jan 30, 2026 6:30 pm

RipCity71252 wrote:Malachi Moreno looks like a lottery big to me.

True center size, smart, above average athleticism with plus strength and no notable weaknesses.

Wendell Carter Jr. / Thomas Sorber level guy imo

After first blush, his limitations as a finisher are quite a bit more apparent to me.

He looks decently athletic when he's space, but when has a body on him in traffic, any vertical athleticism seems to disappear.

He looks a bit heavy footed when he's defending up to touch in ballscreens

scrabbarista · Post #418 » by **scrabbarista** » Sun Feb 1, 2026 10:18 pm

tmorgan wrote:
EvanZ wrote:Is Peterson going to be called DNP?

The question is — is he fragile, or is he being careful to protect his draft stock?

Neither one is good, mind you, but the former is much worse.

Also, I just searched for his middle name and it doesn’t seem to be listed anywhere. We can go with Nathan for fun.

DaryNN

juanc · Post #419 » by **juanc** » Tue Feb 3, 2026 1:23 pm

If healthy Peterson is the number 1 guy for me in this draft, he just has that craftiness and poise of elite guard prospects. Cam number 2 for me(but in the same tier as Peterson).
Kinda colled down on AJ, it just feels like he's scoring because of his body and not his skill, somewhat forcing it.. have him at 5 behind Flemmings and Wilson.

Also what do you guys think about Flory Bidunga? I have a late 1st round grade on him. Would love to see him next to Luka/Austin on the Lakers.
Also a crazy stat- he has only 9 fouls in 297 minutes of conference play.

Chokic · Post #420 » by **Chokic** » Wed Feb 4, 2026 2:12 am

How is Donnie Freeman not on any mocks? Syracuse sophomore big former top 10 hs recruit from 2024 class avg 19 and 7 on 50% this season after his injury last season he completely fell off the scouts radar. He should be getting late 1st rd early 2nd rd considerations.