2026 NBA Draft (Part I)

[jfs1000d]

Ersin's NBA Big Board 2026

says: "This may be the strongest class we've seen in a while."



https://edemirnba.substack.com/p/2026-nba-draft-big-board-20?r=aj7d

Good thing we plan on being 0.500 and hinder the chance of getting a really impactful player.

Just really smart business.

I swear some people like the draft more than the season.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[brackdan70]

Ersin's NBA Big Board 2026

says: "This may be the strongest class we've seen in a while."



https://edemirnba.substack.com/p/2026-nba-draft-big-board-20?r=aj7d

Good thing we plan on being 0.500 and hinder the chance of getting a really impactful player.

Just really smart business.

I swear some people like the draft more than the season.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Right. I love the draft and love following prospects. Part of it is the excitement of the unknown and what might be. I think most fans and even draft “experts” focus too much on the max upside of college players or young euros, when the reality is 10-20 guys will stick in the league past the first contract and closer to 10 will be legit impact guys. In the past 10 drafts and probably same if you go back farther 5 to 9 of the top 15 players were drafted 20th or worse.
Drafting is certainly a big part of building a good team, but it’s more about who you draft than when you draft.
And ultimately it’s about winning, so enjoy the fact that Brad has built a good team and they are winning with their best player out.

[165bows]

I swear when I come into the draft thread to read content some people just like to whine in the draft thread more than actually talking prospects.

[brackdan70]

What are the chances Ngomba drops to 20ish.
Seems like a great pick for the Cs.

[playa-hater]

For any that is in the know, is this up coming class decently deep at 5 and 4-5 combos?? I know about some early on.. But center is our biggest need and/if we don't trade for one soon when may need to draft one and I am hoping that we may have some options.

Edit - I am aware there are Bigs going throughout the draft. Just want to get an idea of their overall quality of depth compared to other years etc..

[playa-hater]

What are the chances Ngomba drops to 20ish.
Seems like a great pick for the Cs.

well early on tankathon has him at 22

https://www.tankathon.com/mock_draft

[brackdan70]

What are the chances Ngomba drops to 20ish.
Seems like a great pick for the Cs.

well early on tankathon has him at 22

https://www.tankathon.com/mock_draft

Yeah he is ranked a bit higher by many and might climb as the season progresses.

[shi-woo]

For any that is in the know, is this up coming class decently deep at 5 and 4-5 combos?? I know about some early on.. But center is our biggest need and/if we don't trade for one soon when may need to draft one and I am hoping that we may have some options.

Edit - I am aware there are Bigs going throughout the draft. Just want to get an idea of their overall quality of depth compared to other years etc..

It's fantastic. We'll see what happens with dudes deciding to go back or not, but right now bigs that were projected to go lottery last year like Toppin and Yaxel are projected in our pick range.

There are so many solid programs that have developed big men who are having career years and might come out who again, would be in our range. Reed from UConn, Veesaar from NC, Karaban from UConn, Condon from Florida, Ngongba from Duke is similar to Reed from CONN, Bidunga from KS.

I personally think the world of the HOU program, and love every single player on that roster even their bigs. Cenac will probably rise, but Jojo is also a player.

This draft is loaded imo with 3 tpe of bigs. The Claxton type who to just learn not to foul and stay on their fet project center that everyone thinks can turn into Dikembe. the 7 foor skilled whte dude like Veesaar who people think will never be athletic enough, but ends up making it and sticking around like Pat Spencer or Collins. And finally is the 6'9 tweener type that people never know what to expect that could either be Sharpe, Beef Stew, Isaiah Jackson, or Derrick Queen/Onyeka.

It is a solid draft for bigs, just depends on what you want. Brad won't go anywhere near the project bigs, and I don't think these big boards are being honest right now with some of the tweeners. There is no way Toppin is going in the 40's like some big boaeds have, that just seems wild to mme. Same with Veesaar

Overall potential i'd give a solid C*, in terms of quantity it's a solid B, and in terms of mean i'd also go with a C*. We have years of tape on most of the dudes i mentioned in this post, and have seen them compete at the highest level in college, so we know what they are at this point. Some will find a home, and some wont.

[playa-hater]

For any that is in the know, is this up coming class decently deep at 5 and 4-5 combos?? I know about some early on.. But center is our biggest need and/if we don't trade for one soon when may need to draft one and I am hoping that we may have some options.

Edit - I am aware there are Bigs going throughout the draft. Just want to get an idea of their overall quality of depth compared to other years etc..

It's fantastic. We'll see what happens with dudes deciding to go back or not, but right now bigs that were projected to go lottery last year like Toppin and Yaxel are projected in our pick range.

There are so many solid programs that have developed big men who are having career years and might come out who again, would be in our range. Reed from UConn, Veesaar from NC, Karaban from UConn, Condon from Florida, Ngongba from Duke is similar to Reed from CONN, Bidunga from KS.

I personally think the world of the HOU program, and love every single player on that roster even their bigs. Cenac will probably rise, but Jojo is also a player.

This draft is loaded imo with 3 tpe of bigs. The Claxton type who to just learn not to foul and stay on their fet project center that everyone thinks can turn into Dikembe. the 7 foor skilled whte dude like Veesaar who people think will never be athletic enough, but ends up making it and sticking around like Pat Spencer or Collins. And finally is the 6'9 tweener type that people never know what to expect that could either be Sharpe, Beef Stew, Isaiah Jackson, or Derrick Queen/Onyeka.

It is a solid draft for bigs, just depends on what you want. Brad won't go anywhere near the project bigs, and I don't think these big boards are being honest right now with some of the tweeners. There is no way Toppin is going in the 40's like some big boaeds have, that just seems wild to mme. Same with Veesaar

Overall potential i'd give a solid C*, in terms of quantity it's a solid B, and in terms of mean i'd also go with a C*. We have years of tape on most of the dudes i mentioned in this post, and have seen them compete at the highest level in college, so we know what they are at this point. Some will find a home, and some wont.

Appreciate this greatly..

[Hal14]

Here's my updated big board:

Read on Twitter

?s=20

I also just picked Isaiah Evans for us at pick 22 in a mock draft.

Steinbach, Ngongba, Quaintance were off the board, Yaxel was off the board. The best big available was Bidunga. I thought about taking him there but that game the other day vs NC State, that gave me a bit of concern with Bidunga..like, time after time after time dudes were scoring over him in the paint. Like, he is limited in terms of ball skills, doesn't shoot any 3's..so he needs to be a better defender to justify taking him that high. He's kind of an undersized big, especially since he is so skinny.

So ultimately, I went with Evans. Just figured that when in doubt, you can't go wrong picking a shooter to play next to the Jays - for a team that shoots more 3's than any team in league history. Evans is a really good shooter..but this season he has shown improvement as a driver, passer and has bene decent on defense.

I could see a scenario where you develop him and by the time he's ready for consistent rotation mins - by that time Hauser has been traded and you have a much cheaper player in that spot who perhaps ends up being the better player.

Evans being a Duke player is the icing on the cake (Tatum is GM or something of Duke basketball, is a former Duke player. Also, Amile Jefferson played at Duke..)

Idk about starting but long term I could see Evans eventually being a good 6th/7th man for us, as a lethal shooter wing who can also chip in in other areas of the game..

[brackdan70]

Thoughts on Zuby Ejiofor.
Seems like a good guy for one of our second rounders. 6-9 245, blocks a lot of shots and gets to the line.

[Hal14]

Thoughts on Zuby Ejiofor.
Seems like a good guy for one of our second rounders. 6-9 245, blocks a lot of shots and gets to the line.

Good player..could be a solid 2nd round pick to bring in.

I'm just a little concerned that he's basically just some combination of Xavier Tillman and Precious Achiuwa...and Tillman is glued to our bench, Achiuwa has been out of an NBA team's rotation for the past couple years..

An undersized big like him really needs to be more of a shooter or be more athletic or be younger..or have better touch around the basket..or better defense..

I like hit motor, though..plays hard, with toughness, is strong as hell. He's certainly worth a 2nd rounder..He's 34th on my personal board at the moment..

[redslastlaugh]

I haven't been paying attention at all to college basketball this year, so I dont have too much of an opinion on these new guys, last years guys (Philon, Stirtz, Yaxel, etc) I still have last year's body of work to go by... and I generally like the returnees, in the order of Philon, Yaxel, Stirtz, Haugh

Though, honestly, I don't really like this draft that much, outside of the top 6 or 7... Imagine we are a 6th seed and are picking 19th or something ... looks blah, and I am a huge believer in value in the draft, but this year just looks so blah ...

anyway, on the Celtics: people have said one draft principle carried over from the end of the Ainge era is not to use 1st round picks on big men unless they are potential difference-makers. Excluding stash picks (Zizic) the last six Danny Ainge drafts, Celts made eleven 1st round picks and only took one bigman (Rob Williams) in the first round... the last couple of years, we've had #30 (2024) and #28 and #32 (2025) and didn't take a center, though maybe Kalkbrenner/Raynaud were in the mix for our pick... who knows, but we definitely had a need at that position...

But anyway, my personal belief is that Brad will increase our emphasis on the draft because 1. our recent draftees (Walsh, Scheierman, Hugo) have stepped up on this yrs Celtics team 2. The 2nd apron/CBA has made drafting more important for the financial benefits. Since taking over Brad has mostly been trading late firsts for vets earning 10x the salary, but now that the Jays supermaxes kicked in, making more draft picks is more prudent strategy, at least for 2026 & '27.

But I dont love this draft, lol, and I have heard this philospphy so much that Celtics won't use 1st round draft capital on bigs... so we will see... but I expect we will see a different Brad come draft time because our hopes hinge now on making good picks with Tatum & Brown on supermaxes...

[shi-woo]

Though, honestly, I don't really like this draft that much, outside of the top 6 or 7... Imagine we are a 6th seed and are picking 19th or something ... looks blah, and I am a huge believer in value in the draft, but this year just looks so blah ...

...

But I dont love this draft, lol, and I have heard this philospphy so much that Celtics won't use 1st round draft capital on bigs... so we will see... but I expect we will see a different Brad come draft time because our hopes hinge now on making good picks with Tatum & Brown on supermaxes...

Interesting take, as I think most people think the opposite, and that the strength in this draft outside of the Top couple picks lies in that 20-40 range. Would you want to elaborate on why you don't like the draft? Obviously we don't know who stays or goes back to school right now, but as currently projected this draft is stacked to the gills with known prospects.

As i've mentioned in this thread multiple times, it's wild to me that Toppin who was a consensus lottery/Top 20 pick last year, and going to probably be PotY, is projected as a 2nd rounder by most professionals right now. As you mentioned, there are just so many returning players, that their is going to be a gluttony of upperclassman that would have gone in last years draft, that will most likely be 2nd rounders this year. Just from my UConn Huskies, Karaban and Ball were projected to get drafted last year, and Reed was also a project big. Now all are projected mid 2nd, and not because they are having down years.

I think having 3 picks in the top 40, hopefully, will assure us that we get at least one high end player, and potentially another. So many prospects of interest in our pick range of 20-32. I would much rather have these guys than Tillman or Baylor at this point

[redslastlaugh]

Though, honestly, I don't really like this draft that much, outside of the top 6 or 7... Imagine we are a 6th seed and are picking 19th or something ... looks blah, and I am a huge believer in value in the draft, but this year just looks so blah ...

...

But I dont love this draft, lol, and I have heard this philospphy so much that Celtics won't use 1st round draft capital on bigs... so we will see... but I expect we will see a different Brad come draft time because our hopes hinge now on making good picks with Tatum & Brown on supermaxes...

Interesting take, as I think most people think the opposite, and that the strength in this draft outside of the Top couple picks lies in that 20-40 range. Would you want to elaborate on why you don't like the draft?

Well, I haven't paid any attention to college hoops, so take it with a grain of salt, but usually I love a lot of prospects and this year outside of the top 5 or so, it's just a bunch of guys that could've been available at #28 last year (Toppin, Myles Byrd, Neoklis Avdalas, Haugh, Stirtz) and I liked them fine or better at #28 but (especially when we were 'tanking') I don't like any of them in the late lottery. Though I like Toppin quite a bit and I like Labaron Philon quite a bit

Then, the other thing, this is a very weak international draft, Tankathon has 3 intl prospects in the top 30. And I don't love overseas defense wings who can't shoot (Dash Daniels) and I don't think Mazzulla Ball wants Spanish fly boy passing maestros like Sergio de Larrea... so I am just like this draft is so-so with overseas guys

There is a few interesting bigs, but Celts have taken one big in the top 30 (ex overseas stashes) in the last decade -- that one was Robert Williams... so I am not sure Brad will even draft a center in the first round ... which makes it hard to get that excited about the bigs, at least with our first round pick

As i've mentioned in this thread multiple times, it's wild to me that Toppin who was a consensus lottery/Top 20 pick last year, and going to probably be PotY, is projected as a 2nd rounder by most professionals right now. As you mentioned, there are just so many returning players, that their is going to be a gluttony of upperclassman that would have gone in last years draft, that will most likely be 2nd rounders this year. Just from my UConn Huskies, Karaban and Ball were projected to get drafted last year, and Reed was also a project big. Now all are projected mid 2nd, and not because they are having down years.

I think having 3 picks in the top 40, hopefully, will assure us that we get at least one high end player, and potentially another. So many prospects of interest in our pick range of 20-32. I would much rather have these guys than Tillman or Baylor at this poin

Yea, I really like JT Toppin too. I think he'd be a really good pick for us, because he has a fill-in-the-gaps type of offense game which is what Jrue Holiday had and scoring from the seams like that really helps overcome stagnant offense.

It seems like Alex Karaban has been in mock drafts my entire life, lol... once again, as I have for several consecutive years, I hope we don't draft him but he'll probably have a good career... but for us, we don't need more 3pt shooting, lol

But honestly, I just haven't watched any college this year, so maybe I will come around on the 10-30 part of the first round or maybe I will come around on thinking this draft has good depth. I think 2024 was pretty lousy at the top but with a really strong 2nd round. Last year, 2025, was very strong at the top, but also had good depth, especially center depth ... this year, where we are going to pick 15-25 looks pretty average... but this is from a person who hasn't watched college ball yet this year, lol

[jfs1000d]

Thoughts on Zuby Ejiofor.
Seems like a good guy for one of our second rounders. 6-9 245, blocks a lot of shots and gets to the line.

Not good. Just mechanical, and a brute. No nba skills and lacks length.


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[brackdan70]

Thoughts on Zuby Ejiofor.
Seems like a good guy for one of our second rounders. 6-9 245, blocks a lot of shots and gets to the line.

Not good. Just mechanical, and a brute. No nba skills and lacks length.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well a brute with no strength doesn’t t sound very promising.
I like my brutes strong.

[Hal14]

Thoughts on Zuby Ejiofor.
Seems like a good guy for one of our second rounders. 6-9 245, blocks a lot of shots and gets to the line.

Not good. Just mechanical, and a brute. No nba skills and lacks length.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well a brute with no strength doesn’t t sound very promising.
I like my brutes strong.

Zuby is about as strong as any player in this draft class. He's similar to Precious Achiuwa but has more ball skills..

[Hal14]

We're currently projected to have the 22nd pick.

Here's my board (my personal rankings) in the 11-22 range:

Trey McKenney
Labaron Philon
Cameron Carr
Yaxel Lendeborg
Thomas Haugh
Neoklis Avdalas
Tounde Yessoufou
Christian Anderson
Isaiah Evans
Hannes Steinbach
Bennett Stirtz
Flory Bidunga

Steinbach would be interesting if we elect to go with a big. Celtics like bigs who can pass and have high feel..he checks that box. Has some shooting potential too..I bet Celtics staff looks at him and thinks they can help develop his shooting more.

Plus he's from Germany..we have had 2 German bigs on our roster in recent years (Theis and Moe Wagner) plus we had a German guard - Dennis Schroeder.

He's someone to keep an eye on..I think he goes 1st round but not in the top 10..so he could be a possibility..

[redslastlaugh]

Ben Pfeifer, draft analyst, has a new mock draft on Sportscasting:
https://www.sportscasting.com/news/nba-mock-draft-2026-the-number-one-pick-race-is-wide-open/