Ty's 2026 NBA Draft Preview
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I promise you all I will talk about the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade tomorrow. If it weren't for the NBA draft, that would most definitely be the topic today. But we have the first round of the draft tonight, and I, as you all know, like to do my version of a draft preview. As opposed to what other people write about, I'll talk about a few prospects I like, some I dislike and some sleepers. I will also be taking a little time to talk about the three Michigan guys in the draft as well. I'm not doing a mock, not ranking anyone, I'm just going to give my thoughts on a few prospects.
I'll start with the players I like. This draft, according to most experts, has four players that could all be number 1 in most other drafts. I do think this draft class is going to be a memorable one for sure. there's some surefire stars that could turn the fortunes around for a few teams in the near future.
A while back I wrote about my thoughts on AJ Dybansta. I still think that he is the clear cut number 1 player available. He is big, can stretch the floor, plays hard all the time and can create his own shot. He is only 19, so he is going to get bigger and stronger. I see no real downside to his game. He also appears ready to come in and start right away. I'd take him first overall and have no problems with it. Dybansta has star written all over him.
I also really like Cam Boozer. He is a student of the game. He plays with power and control. He is an excellent passer. He can shoot the three. He needs to get better on defense, but that will happen quickly for him. I am very hopeful that he "falls" to three so the Grizzlies can take him and fully start their rebuild with him as the cornerstone player.
I am all in on Caleb Wilson. He has so much raw potential. He is such an incredible athlete. You could see how much UNC missed him when he went down with an injury right before the NCAA tournament. He has the looks of a low rent Kevin Garnett, which is a compliment. I would love to see him come in and contribute right away, but it is going to take a year or two before he starts to maximize his potential.
And then there's Darryn Peterson. I fully understand that he had some weird stuff with his playing time during his lone year at Kansas. I don't care about that. I watched Will Johnson sit out pretty much a full season at Michigan just so he could stay healthy for the NFL draft. I'm sure that's what Peterson was doing to an extent. He played big when he played great competition. He showed up in big games. He can get to the rim at will. Peterson has the goods, and I have him just behind Dybansta as my top player.
My final player that I really like is Kingston Flemings. I, for some reason, watched him play a ton this season at Houston. And he wowed me with every game. He plays under control, never seems to get rattled and really worked his tail off on the defensive end. People may say he is too small, I don't care about that at all. He is the exact type of point guard I would love to have on my team. He is a cerebral guard who never lets the moment get too big for him.
As for some prospects I don't like all that much, I want to start with Nate Ament. He is too skinny, too inconsistent and plays a little too erratic. I watched him play against Michigan in the tournament and they absolutely shut him down. He had an opportunity to prove a ton of people wrong, but he didn't show up. I felt like that happened a lot to him this year. While he is big and long, he is too skinny and needs way more time to develop than other top prospects in this draft.
This next player has very little to do with his ability, it is more about where he will most likely end up. That player is Darius Acuff. Acuff is a tremendously gifted offensive basketball player. He is such a pure and elite level scorer. He doesn't play any defense though. And I am worried for him that he is going to end up with the Nets or Kings. He will be frustrated by his role on the Nets because he is not going to be the number one option. As for the Kings, they are just a mess of a team and they seem to kill any good players they get by lack of surrounding them with elite talent. So, while I think Acuff will be able to score in the NBA, he is going to get hunted on defense and he will, most likely, end up on a team that will not give him the best opportunities to succeed.
I think some team is going to reach way too hard for Bennett Stirtz. I get it, the guy can fill up the stat sheet. He looked dominant as the lead guard at Iowa at times last season. But Iowa was only bolstered by their tournament run and Stirtz reminds me of a low rent Jimmer Fredette, except Fredette was such a better college basketball player. I see a ton of Fredette, Gradey Dick and Immanuel Quickly in Stirtz. I just don't see it with him.
Finally, I don't see it with Hanness Steinbach. Sure, he is a big front court player that can stretch the floor. and he did get a little better as the year wore on. But he never really left much of a mark. He just kind of came and went and I forgot about him. I watch a ton of Big Ten basketball, and Steinbach was never really on my radar. He is someone that I just kind of forgot about. So for him to be considered a late lottery pick is wild to me.
As for sleepers in this draft, some team is going to strike gold with Jayden Quaintance. I know he didn't play hardly at all in his transfer season to Kentucky, but he left a mark during his freshman season at Arizona State. He blocked everything that came into his sight. He was a tenacious rebounder. He was a rim running machine. And he is still incredibly young. If a team like the Pistons or Spurs end up drafting this kid, the other 30 teams in the NBA are going to be kicking themselves for years to come.
I also really like Chris Cenac Jr from Houston. He is long and lean, but he is also nasty and mean. He has a nose for the ball. He will do anything to get his hands on it, and then dunk it in your face. In my Flemings watches, Cenac Jr really started to flash on my radar as well. This kid is going to be such a spark off the bench in the NBA.
My final sleeper, Zuby Ejiofor. Ejiofor is such a perfect bench player for a title contender right now. He is smart, will lay himself on the line for the team, his shot has gotten better and he is a tank. This kid is going to be damn near impossible to move in the post. I think he would be an ideal player to take in the late first, early second round. He is an ideal fit with almost any NBA team.
Now, for the Michigan guys. Michigan has three players that could be taken within the first 14 picks. Aday Mara has risen the fastest on draft boards. He is 7'4, has a standing reach of 9'9, is an elite level passer and rim protector and is such a freaky lob threat. He needs to put some muscle on and work on his outside shot. He should also be an instant impact player on the defensive side of the court. Yaxel Lendeborg has come such a long way in a short time. He didn't even really play basketball until he was in JUCO. But he has molded himself into a legit lottery player and really made a name for himself during Michigan's national title season. He is big and switchable on defense. His three point shot improved dramatically this past season. He is a ferocious fast break player. And he can get to the free throw line. He does need to take the game more seriously now that he is entering the NBA. He cannot take plays off or not have his head into the game regardless of score. But Lendeborg is going to have a nice long career in the NBA and he should be a starter from day one. Finally we have my favorite player from last year's team, Morez Johnson Jr. Morez is such a good hustle guy. He never takes plays off when he is on the court. His motor never stops. He can play the 4 or 5 and guard the position as well. He is a tenacious rebounder. He loves dunking on people. The problem is, he can disappear for stretches of games. Sometimes you would forget that he was on the floor if he didn't get touches on a few possessions. Morez Johnson Jr needs to get drafted to the correct team, like the Spurs, Heat or even the Pacers, for him to fully maximize his potential. But I do think he is going to be a very good bench role player during his NBA career, and whoever drafts him is going to love how hard and how much he cares about the game of basketball.
Okay, that's it. You all have my 2026 NBA draft preview. Enjoy the first round this evening.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.