2026 NBA DRAFT CLASS

[CptCrunch]

Do any of the small guards in this 2026 draft class have the ability to go downhill like Edgecomb or Harper from the 2025 draft class.

Made a plot just for this

[SeattleJazzFan]

Do any of the small guards in this 2026 draft class have the ability to go downhill like Edgecomb or Harper from the 2025 draft class.

Made a plot just for this

my guess is if you made one for vj at baylor it wouldn't look that great in terms of his being a "downhill" player.

[CptCrunch]

Do any of the small guards in this 2026 draft class have the ability to go downhill like Edgecomb or Harper from the 2025 draft class.

Made a plot just for this

my guess is if you made one for vj at baylor it wouldn't look that great in terms of his being a "downhill" player.

Don't have any shot location data except for this season. Espn never exposed it publicly until this year for NCAA.

[wco81]

What about smaller guards who can be such dynamic scorers despite maybe being liability on defense.

Do any of these prospects have the wiggle of a McCollum to make themselves a threat not just from 3 but midrange as well would the floaters? Maybe also Tony Parker is another archetype.

Or do any of them have the low center of gravity and strong base of Jamal Murray, who can still get up or pull up or even post a little as a 6-3 guard?

Which guards in this draft class can become elite shotmakers in the NBA despite their size?

Maybe explosive like Maxey which set up his outside shot and vice versa.

If they're projected in the top 10 of this draft, there must be one or two who would live up to these kinds of comps.

[SubZero]

Watch on YouTube

if the back isn't an issue going forward, he will be a star..

[babyjax13]

This draft is getting alarmingly thin after about 25 because of NIL. Super interesting dynamic. Sounds like Morez Johnson could also return to school - at a certain point some guys are going to realize they can get drafted this year and future years will be deeper.

[FarBeyondDriven]

Read on Twitter

?s=20

I don't think this means he's for sure returning right? Just gives him a chance to see the highest bidder and whether that's more than what he'd conceivably make coming out? If he returns, combined with the others (and counting) this class is becoming very top heavy

[CptCrunch]

Anyone who is good enough to be drafted in late first, early second is prime candidate for a dominant college season. NIL is really gonna change the dynamics of the NBA draft. I do like the idea of college players getting paid for their labor, but this system makes a farce out of the college aspect of 'college' basketball.

Players are just transferring willy nilly between schools with no consideration for academics. At this point, might as well just skip the sham classes with tutors doing all the schoolwork. I respect Fr or So transferring, but anyone who has gone to a real school knows that you can't really transfers after Jr or Sr year; academics and credits just don't work like that.

[babyjax13]

They need to limit the number of times players can transfer to once every two years, or something to that effect. Give everyone a chance to transfer once for NIL but also reduce the movement a bit.

[Cammo101]

This draft is getting alarmingly thin after about 25 because of NIL. Super interesting dynamic. Sounds like Morez Johnson could also return to school - at a certain point some guys are going to realize they can get drafted this year and future years will be deeper.

This will be a thing every year until they put some guardrails on NIL. It just isn't worth the risk if you aren't guaranteed to go in the top 20 or so.

[babyjax13]

This draft is getting alarmingly thin after about 25 because of NIL. Super interesting dynamic. Sounds like Morez Johnson could also return to school - at a certain point some guys are going to realize they can get drafted this year and future years will be deeper.

This will be a thing every year until they put some guardrails on NIL. It just isn't worth the risk if you aren't guaranteed to go in the top 20 or so.

At a certain point there will be enough players that stayed till their senior year that the draft will get deep (probably overly so) and then normalize. Maybe next year or the year after. But right now it has thinned things out more than usual.

[Cammo101]

This draft is getting alarmingly thin after about 25 because of NIL. Super interesting dynamic. Sounds like Morez Johnson could also return to school - at a certain point some guys are going to realize they can get drafted this year and future years will be deeper.

This will be a thing every year until they put some guardrails on NIL. It just isn't worth the risk if you aren't guaranteed to go in the top 20 or so.

At a certain point there will be enough players that stayed till their senior year that the draft will get deep (probably overly so) and then normalize. Maybe next year or the year after. But right now it has thinned things out more than usual.

In theory, but also scouts will have 4 years to pick those guys apart and call them old, and likely still overdraft younger, less proven talent.

[CptCrunch]

This draft is getting alarmingly thin after about 25 because of NIL. Super interesting dynamic. Sounds like Morez Johnson could also return to school - at a certain point some guys are going to realize they can get drafted this year and future years will be deeper.

This will be a thing every year until they put some guardrails on NIL. It just isn't worth the risk if you aren't guaranteed to go in the top 20 or so.

At a certain point there will be enough players that stayed till their senior year that the draft will get deep (probably overly so) and then normalize. Maybe next year or the year after. But right now it has thinned things out more than usual.

That's a good point. Two assumptions

1) The number of NBA prospect per year is constant
2) There is roughly an equal number of risers and fallers with each passing season for players who return to school.

If both are true, then number of prospects will equilibrate with time. We are effectively on year one of a situation where NBA draftees are skipping the draft to play in college for more money. This will lead to some deeper draft situations like the previous era, but one and done superstars will not stay in college for 4 years like Duncan.

This is a strong draft because of the top, but the depth is all time bad after the 20's.

[ReggiesKnicks]

This will be a thing every year until they put some guardrails on NIL. It just isn't worth the risk if you aren't guaranteed to go in the top 20 or so.

At a certain point there will be enough players that stayed till their senior year that the draft will get deep (probably overly so) and then normalize. Maybe next year or the year after. But right now it has thinned things out more than usual.

That's a good point. Two assumptions

1) The number of NBA prospect per year is constant
2) There is roughly an equal number of risers and fallers with each passing season for players who return to school.

If both are true, then number of prospects will equilibrate with time. We are effectively on year one of a situation where NBA draftees are skipping the draft to play in college for more money. This will lead to some deeper draft situations like the previous era, but one and done superstars will not stay in college for 4 years like Duncan.

This is a strong draft because of the top, but the depth is all time bad after the 20's.

I disagree with these assumptions.

NIL is attracting top-tier European prospects to college basketball. That's going to increase the number of Euro prospects we see, which should, in theory, increase the number of prospects.

[CptCrunch]

At a certain point there will be enough players that stayed till their senior year that the draft will get deep (probably overly so) and then normalize. Maybe next year or the year after. But right now it has thinned things out more than usual.

That's a good point. Two assumptions

1) The number of NBA prospect per year is constant
2) There is roughly an equal number of risers and fallers with each passing season for players who return to school.

If both are true, then number of prospects will equilibrate with time. We are effectively on year one of a situation where NBA draftees are skipping the draft to play in college for more money. This will lead to some deeper draft situations like the previous era, but one and done superstars will not stay in college for 4 years like Duncan.

This is a strong draft because of the top, but the depth is all time bad after the 20's.

I disagree with these assumptions.

NIL is attracting top-tier European prospects to college basketball. That's going to increase the number of Euro prospects we see, which should, in theory, increase the number of prospects.

That is covered under the constant supply assumption. Euro prospects were already getting drafted without consent when they reach age 22.

And to Euros somehow getting better in college than in Europe, then increasing the number of prospect, that is effectively covered in assumption 2.

Assuming you are over age 22, you were already in a Draft, were draft eligible and is now a NBA free agent.

[babyjax13]

At a certain point there will be enough players that stayed till their senior year that the draft will get deep (probably overly so) and then normalize. Maybe next year or the year after. But right now it has thinned things out more than usual.

That's a good point. Two assumptions

1) The number of NBA prospect per year is constant
2) There is roughly an equal number of risers and fallers with each passing season for players who return to school.

If both are true, then number of prospects will equilibrate with time. We are effectively on year one of a situation where NBA draftees are skipping the draft to play in college for more money. This will lead to some deeper draft situations like the previous era, but one and done superstars will not stay in college for 4 years like Duncan.

This is a strong draft because of the top, but the depth is all time bad after the 20's.

I disagree with these assumptions.

NIL is attracting top-tier European prospects to college basketball. That's going to increase the number of Euro prospects we see, which should, in theory, increase the number of prospects.

I don't think it increases the supply of European prospects, it just changes where they play. Could be wrong, though, maybe more will consider the NBA after coming to college.

[Cammo101]

That's a good point. Two assumptions

1) The number of NBA prospect per year is constant
2) There is roughly an equal number of risers and fallers with each passing season for players who return to school.

If both are true, then number of prospects will equilibrate with time. We are effectively on year one of a situation where NBA draftees are skipping the draft to play in college for more money. This will lead to some deeper draft situations like the previous era, but one and done superstars will not stay in college for 4 years like Duncan.

This is a strong draft because of the top, but the depth is all time bad after the 20's.

I disagree with these assumptions.

NIL is attracting top-tier European prospects to college basketball. That's going to increase the number of Euro prospects we see, which should, in theory, increase the number of prospects.

I don't think it increases the supply of European prospects, it just changes where they play. Could be wrong, though, maybe more will consider the NBA after coming to college.

I'd argue it is leading to less Euros being drafted. Many of them were drafted without ever being tested overseas because they mostly sat on the bench of good teams. We are seeing a bunch of guys right now who would have been flyer second round picks come to the states and get exposed and lose their draft luster.

[BlazersBroncos]

My hot take is that Mor Massamba Diop has a chance to be the Hansen Yang of this draft. Proj 31-45 type that finds his way into the 15-20 or so range.

[BigGargamel]

Anyone who is good enough to be drafted in late first, early second is prime candidate for a dominant college season. NIL is really gonna change the dynamics of the NBA draft. I do like the idea of college players getting paid for their labor, but this system makes a farce out of the college aspect of 'college' basketball.

Players are just transferring willy nilly between schools with no consideration for academics. At this point, might as well just skip the sham classes with tutors doing all the schoolwork. I respect Fr or So transferring, but anyone who has gone to a real school knows that you can't really transfers after Jr or Sr year; academics and credits just don't work like that.

The transfer portal has completely ruined college sports. What's the point of a bunch of hired guns forming lineups every year? I mean, I guess it's the same as what Calipari did with Kentucky, just throwing freshman at the wall and hoping it worked, but it's just so, eh.

Football is just as bad. My Buffalos have like a 90% new roster. Someone just poached Jordan Seaton late during the transfer portal, because there are zero rules about tampering, and tempting 20 year old kids, whenever.

Glad I'm more into the draft aspects of college sports than being a hardcore fan of any team, because it's just been destroyed.

[tmorgan]

My hot take is that Mor Massamba Diop has a chance to be the Hansen Yang of this draft. Proj 31-45 type that finds his way into the 15-20 or so range.

We’ve had a bunch in the past, but we always need Mor Diops.

I’ll see myself out.