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NBA Draft winners and losers: Loads of talent, the promise of youth, and, oh, those Michigan men

By Dan Devine
June 24, 2026 14 Min Read
Comments Off on NBA Draft winners and losers: Loads of talent, the promise of youth, and, oh, those Michigan men

The 2026 NBA Draft had a pretty tough act to follow, coming less than 24 hours after one of the 75 greatest players in league history got dealt in the middle of the night. But what Tuesday’s first round lacked in blockbuster shock and suspense, it made up for through sheer depth of talent, as one of the most highly touted crops of prospects in ages rose, smiled, dapped up Adam Silver, and strode its way into the big leagues.

What follows is a stab at a first draft of history — a thumbnail sketch of who had a pretty good first night of the 2026 draft, and who might wind up looking back at the evening wistfully, and perhaps with some regret.

There will be more winners than losers, because for one thing, hope should spring eternal on draft night, and for another, I am a big ol’ kind-hearted softy. (Also because, if we’re being honest, I can only feel so comfortable speaking with authority about a group of young people I have yet to see play NBA basketball.)

We begin at, well, the beginning:

I don’t know if first overall pick AJ Dybantsa will be a better pro than Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson; truth be told, I’m not really convinced that anybody knows that right now. What I do know, though, is that the BYU standout instantly becomes the Wizards’ most exciting prospect since John Wall in 2010 — and potentially, as longtime D.C. scribe David Aldridge recently put it, “the kind of star the Wizards haven’t had around here since Chris Webber’s brief tenure in D.C.”

That tenure, by the way, ended in 1998 — nearly a decade before Dybantsa was born.

The 6-foot-9 über-athlete gives the Wizards a newfound level of electricity on the wing, slotting between recent top picks Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George and even-more-recent veteran star acquisitions Anthony Davis and the just-re-upped Trae Young in what promises to be a drastically changed — and potentially significantly better — Washington lineup. He represents a higher class of hope than any of the prospects previously picked during Washington’s years-long teardown and rebuild, the kind of must-see-TV high-wire act who demands attention rather than receding to the NBA’s periphery. Physicality, strength, rim pressure, swagger: Dybantsa carries with him the chance for the Wizards to reset, to establish a new identity, to stake a claim and establish a direction. This is the most exciting moment in D.C. basketball in decades. I can’t wait to see where he, and they, go from here.

Once the Wizards went with Dybantsa, the Jazz essentially sprinted to get their pick in, taking Kansas guard Peterson at No. 2 overall … and coming away with who plenty of evaluators believe was the most talented perimeter prospect in this class.

Peterson profiles as a prototypical scoring two-guard, one whose on- and off-ball fluidity and shot-making have drawn comparisons to Ray Allen and Bradley Beal. That’s the kind of off-guard weapon the Jazz didn’t have on their roster, and one who could help elevate a Utah offense that has ranked 24th in offensive efficiency in each of the last two seasons.

If the cramping concerns that so often reared their ugly head at Kansas are indeed in the rear-view mirror — and judging by how eagerly the Jazz snapped him up, they don’t seem particularly worried about them — he could be the kind of dynamic offensive force they’ve been missing since moving on from Donovan Mitchell.

It’s a carry-over from February’s trade deadline, when the Wizards and Jazz got their work done early with deals to bring in Young, Davis and Jaren Jackson Jr., respectively. None of those established All-Stars played much down the stretch, as Washington and Utah debased themselves in pursuit of the high-lottery glory that they basked in on Tuesday. Now, though? We’re going to see what a Wizards team built around Trae pick-and-rolls with Dybantsa prowling on the wing looks like. We’re going to find out how the planned giganto-ball frontcourt of JJJ, Lauri Markkanen and (theoretically) a re-signed Walker Kessler looks alongside Peterson and Most Improved Player candidate Keyonte George.

These teams are going to transition from theoretical to tangible; they’re not just going to be stumbling around on purpose anymore, running around with the restrictor plate on and the real talent on the pine. It’s like we’ve added two more actual competitive teams to the NBA. What a concept!

Yes, Peterson was thrilled to join the NBA fraternity. He couldn’t help notice, though, that his name wasn’t the first one called on Tuesday:

The full quote: “I can't go back and change anything now. Obviously, I wanted to be the No. 1 pick, but I went No. 2. So now I'm prepared to go to Utah and get to work. There's always been a chip on my shoulder, so I wouldn't say it added anything else. But now it will always be in my mind for my whole career.”

Gotta say: If I’m Austin Ainge, Will Hardy and Co., I don’t hate hearing that our brand new 6-foot-5, 200-pound hyper-prospect with the shades-of-Kobe midrange game and SGA-evoking level of suave is coming into camp with a boulder on his shoulder. Don’t hate that one bit.

This is, like, way more success than me and my brother have experienced.

I hate to go negative, but guys — and you too, moms and dads — you’ve got to get that mic right up to your mouth and really project! ESPN’s Lisa Salters wants to know all about what part of your journey you’re most proud of, and we want to know too, but we can’t hear you! How are you ever going to become prominent podcasters at this rate???

The Grizz come out of the first round with Duke forward Cameron Boozer, a second-generation star tipped by many analytically minded analysts (like my podcast partner Tom Haberstroh) as the best prospect in the draft, a fascinating fit in a huge, skilled, extremely interesting young core alongside recent fellow lottery picks Zach Edey and Cedric Coward. They also snapped up jack-of-all-trades Mexican wing Karim López, fresh off pro stints in Barcelona and Australia’s NBL — all while, thanks to a pair of trade-downs from No. 16 to No. 21, picking up five additional second-round picks, reportedly bringing their total to 14 over the next seven drafts. (Never bad to have a cache of those lying around to be able to grease the skids on deals.)

Memphis still has the small matter of figuring out what to do with Ja Morant, and how best to build its infrastructure back up to the point that it can once again stand toe-to-toe with the titans of the West. (I’d be lying if I said the romantic in me wasn’t holding out a sliver of hope that bygones can be bygones, Morant can rediscover the flame of his youth, and that a Ja-Edey-Boozer-Coward core can smash-and-grab its way to a shockingly high win total, just like the good-ol’-days Grizz.) That process is going to take some time, some effort, some savvy moves and plenty of hits in the draft. Nights like Tuesday should help get things moving in the right direction.

When Bryson Graham left the Hawks to take the reins as the Bulls’ new executive vice president, he told reporters that his scouting preferences and roster-building philosophies prioritize size, length, athleticism and physicality — SLAP, in his parlance — on both sides of the ball. And with his first two picks in charge in Chicago, he drafted North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson, who stands 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot wingspan and profiled as one of the highest-motor players in the class, and Texas swingman Dailyn Swain, who stands 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan and ranked among the most relentless drivers and slashers in college basketball last season.

Pair them with holdover big-wing ball-handlers Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, 2025 lottery pick Noa Essengue and just-arrived center Nic Claxton, and suddenly the Bulls have a lot of positional size and more length and athleticism than they’ve recently featured — a pretty strong first step toward developing a consistently hard-charging two-way identity.

The 6-foot-9 power forward soared up draft boards from the NBA Draft Combine through the run-up to Tuesday night, with his projection rising from late first-round to late-lottery and eventually making it all the way to the No. 9 pick, where he’ll be reunited with Dusty May, who just took the Dallas job on Monday. Johnson, for his part, didn’t think his former Michigan coach necessarily put his thumb on the scale for the selection.

“It’s his second day — I think he had a little bit [of influence], but not too much,” a laughing Johnson told Salters after the selection.

A more likely scenario: The new Dallas front office, led by team president Masai Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz, fell in love with the size (6-foot-9 and 250 pounds with a 7-foot-4 wingspan), physicality, athleticism and defensive versatility Johnson showcased for the Wolverines, believing that he can pair with 2025-26 Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg in their frontcourt of the future.

It’s possible their collective shooting shakiness won’t work so well alongside screen-and-dive interior centers like Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II. It’s also possible, though, that their ability to generate and maximize extra possessions will overcome some of those spacing concerns, and that building around two big, long, fast, athletic forwards who can switch assignments, rebound and run represents a vision of the future that the Mavericks can get behind — even if the shooting needs some work.

Morez to Dallas at No. 9, Yaxel Lendeborg to Golden State at No. 11, and Aday Mara to Oklahoma City at No. 12 — three lottery picks for the Wolverines! Almost like those guys went 37-3 and won the national championship or something.

Here’s a fun fact: Michigan is the first school to have three picks in the same lottery since … um, Duke, last year.

OK, that’s not a super fun fact. This one ain’t bad, though:

(Also fun: Johnson, Lendeborg and Mara are the first trio of non-freshman teammates to go in the lottery from a championship team since Al Horford, Corey Brewer and Joakim Noah from the 2007 Florida Gators. Hopefully the Michigan guys will have careers as long, successful and colorful as they did.)

After struggling to get a handle on Victor Wembanyama throughout the Western Conference finals, the Thunder entered the 2026 offseason seeming like they could use an infusion of size — but, crucially, size that also had the kind of offensive skill that could fit in alongside the carefully curated pieces of Sam Presti’s championship core. Enter Mara, a 7-foot-3 giant who can pass from the high post, finish down low and wall up at the rim, anchoring what was the most efficient defense in the nation last season.

And after watching its non-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander supporting cast struggle to consistently generate offense against that snarling Spurs defense — admittedly, without injured No. 2 option Jalen Williams and secondary creator Ajay Mitchell for much of the series — it seemed like OKC could do with some more ball-handling, shooting and shot creation. Enter former Iowa star Bennett Stirtz, a creative, high-feel playmaker who can facilitate out of the pick-and-roll and really shoot it, off the bounce or on the move.

It’ll be interesting to see what the arrivals of Mara and Stirtz augur for the future of some of OKC’s incumbents. With Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren, Jaylin Williams and Thomas Sorber all on hand, Mara makes the big-man room awfully crowded, and you wonder whether bringing in Stirtz might not be the best omen for former lottery pick Nikola Topić. However Presti manages the roster, though, it’s hard to knock the Thunder for using the picks at their disposal — including the pair of second-rounders they sent Memphis to move up one spot for Stirtz — to add skill-sets they need to a roster that will once again be expected to compete for an NBA championship.

A great note, following the Mara pick, from friend of the program Yossi Gozlan …

… which led to some back-of-the-envelope math …

… which, as far as I’m concerned, has OKC coming out ahead on that deal. But maybe I forgot to carry the one.

We didn’t have a single trade in the top 10! In fact, the only trade in the lottery was Tennessee forward Nate Ament going from Miami to Milwaukee with the No. 13 pick — which was part of the Giannis mega-deal, which we already knew about heading into the draft! When are they gonna get to the fireworks factory???

Patience, friends.

Once we got out of the lottery, the deals started coming fast and furious. To wit:

  • Oklahoma City swapping spots (and a pair of second-round draft picks) with Memphis to take Stirtz at No. 16; 

  • Memphis then flipping No. 17 to Detroit (in exchange for even more second-rounders) so the Pistons could take Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie;

  • The Grizzlies sliding down to the No. 21 pick previously held by Detroit to pick López;

  • The Lakers and Knicks swapping spots, with Cameron Carr going to L.A. at No. 24 and New York selecting Spanish guard Sergio de Larrea at No. 25;

  • The Spurs trading back into the first round to grab Denver’s No. 26 pick and take UConn big man Tarris Reed Jr.;

  • The Nets picking Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson with the No. 28 selection they got from Minnesota in Monday’s late-night Julius Randle three-teamer;

  • The Kings trading up into Cleveland’s spot at No. 29 to take Alex Karaban out of UConn;

  • And the Knicks flipping de Larrea, their No. 25 pick, to Dallas for the No. 30 spot, taking Arizona’s Koa Peat, and then flipping him to the Phoenix Suns — effectively turning their No. 24 pick into five future second-rounders and cash.

Whew. Pretty busy second half of the night — even with no current NBA players moving along with the picks.

The Spurs stomped to 62 wins and the NBA Finals largely on the strength of a suffocating defense helmed by unanimous Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama. Come the playoffs, though — and especially in the Finals — they struggled to get stops as efficiently and effectively when Wembanyama was off the court, and to muscle up against the bruising New York Knicks with their array of small-ball power forwards.

So, what does general manager Brian Wright do? He uses the No. 20 pick on Jayden Quaintance — a 6-foot-9, 253-pound center with a 7-foot-5 wingspan who looked like a preternaturally gifted defender as a 17-year-old freshman at Arizona State before injuries derailed his transfer season at Kentucky. Then, he trades back into the first round for UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr. — a 6-foot-10, 260-pound center with a 7-foot-4 wingspan who can maul opponents on the interior and the boards on both ends of the floor.

The Quaintance pick, in particular, looks like an awfully big dice-roll. He’s still not all the way recovered from a torn ACL, torn meniscus and fracture in his right knee that he suffered in 2025 at Arizona State; he told reporters on Tuesday that he still has some pain in his knee and needs another procedure on the meniscus at some point in the future, too. If those issues persist, he could have a hard time realizing the potential that had some evaluators slotting him into the lottery before his injuries. If he can get and stay healthy, though, the Spurs might have found another All-Defensive big man to eventually protect the paint in Wembanyama’s absence — and maybe, at some point, step in alongside him to turn the lane into an “abandon all hope, ye who enter here” land of misery.

At about 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the Atlanta Hawks selected Houston guard Kingston Flemings with the No. 8 overall pick. And about a half-hour later, Queen logged in and slipped this one under the radar:

That would be a (20-or-so-year-old) photo of Troy Weaver, the New Orleans Pelicans general manager who was reportedly behind last June’s decision to move heaven, Earth and the better of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ 2026 first-round picks for the chance to draft Queen out of Maryland.

At the time, plenty of pundits (cough, cough) pilloried the Pels’ process in the deal, giving up what very well could’ve turned into the top pick in the 2026 draft for a chance to add a prospect in Queen who, while inarguably talented, did seem to have some defensive warts and didn’t seem like a great fit with some of New Orleans’ incumbent frontcourt players.

As it turned out, though, New Orleans didn’t give up the No. 1 pick. The Hawks come away from the deal with Flemings, whom a lot of people like coming out of Kelvin Sampson’s program in Houston, and 2025 first-rounder Asa Newell, who barely cracked 500 minutes as a rookie.

Queen, meanwhile, averaged a shade under 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes per game as a rookie, making 81 appearances including 48 starts and posting 14 double-doubles and two triple-doubles en route to All-Rookie honors.

Yes, the process critiques were still valid, and yes, the Flemings-Newell combo could eventually provide significantly more value for Atlanta than Queen does for the Pels. Still, though: Waiting a little while to slide in with a petty little emoji and photo got a laugh out of me. Well done, Derik.

(Forever shouts out to FreeDarko.)

I’m not saying that Darius Acuff Jr., Flemings, Stirtz, Okorie, Christian Anderson and Labaron Philon Jr. are stylistically successors to Brunson; they’ve all got shades of so many other guards in their games, and it’s not exactly like Brunson’s brand of below-the-rim bully-ball and shoulder-checking balletics is eminently replicable. But as I watched on Tuesday, and saw a half-dozen ball-handlers measuring 6-foot-3 or smaller come off the board in the first round, I found myself thinking:

After everybody watched Brunson flame-broil the biggest guy in the universe in a closeout game in the NBA Finals, maybe small guards aren’t personae non grata to quite the degree they used to be. And maybe teams are more willing to consider the possibility that the prospective pros of building around those players — thoughtfully, carefully — might be worth the potential headaches of devising a plan for how to maximize their gifts on offense and insulate them on defense. And maybe the talent evaluators who missed some of what made Brunson special coming out of Villanova are now keeping an open mind about whether focusing first on height and wingspan might lead them to miss out on some other things, too.

(Knicks fans still celebrating the 2026 NBA championship, and Brunson’s ascent to inarguable top-tier status, might feel a little less stoked that one of the most electric small guards to come off the board on Tuesday, Stanford’s Okorie, went to conference rival Detroit, who had a desperate need for a quick, decisive, downhill-attacking shot-maker, and who got one by worrying less about size than skill. Sometimes everybody else learning the lesson hurts.)

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Dan Devine

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