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2026 NBA Draft grades, second-round pick-by-pick analysis

By Kevin O'Connor
June 24, 2026 8 Min Read
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We handed out grades for every first-round pick of the 2026 NBA Draft. Now it’s time to grade the second round:

The Rockets traded up to acquire Thornton from the Knicks, giving them a third small guard alongside Fred VanVleet and Reed Sheppard. Could this make Sheppard, the third pick in 2024, more expendable? Perhaps so, because Thornton is a three-level scorer with playmaking feel and the competitive fire that lifts a locker room. And even though he’s short, he weighs 223 pounds and has a 6-foot-5 wingspan. Players with his intangibles can prove to be important to winning teams though. He was a four-year captain at Ohio State, and improved every year on his way to becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer.

Saunders might turn 25 years old as a rookie, but he’s a hard-nosed, two-way wing who plays with manic energy, hustling around the floor hunting for steals on defense and jumpers on offense. When he appeared on my podcast, he discussed his recovery from a torn ACL that ended his career at BYU and said when he returns to the court he’s most looking forward to using a swim move on an opponent to crash the offensive glass — that’s exactly the hustle the Grizzlies know they’re gonna get from him. He’s also skilled, though, with a quick-trigger jumper, soft touch on floaters, and a feel for moving the ball.

With Donte DiVincenzo sidelined due to a torn Achilles, it makes perfect sense for Minnesota to take Evans. He’s a legitimate sharpshooter with the off-ball chops to thrive without even running any offense for himself, which is the key playing next to Anthony Edwards. Evans is the kind of shooter that defenses guard and think they’ve got him contained, then he uses a screen and catches it off a full sprint, moving away from the rim, and he somehow manages to rise into a perfect 3-pointer. But after serving as a shooting specialist as a freshman, he showed off a developing handle as a sophomore which could eventually unlock more creation chances.

Thomas was the top-ranked player on my board, but he doesn’t exactly solve any problems for the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden primarily handle the ball, and he doesn’t provide size to fill holes for this defense. That said, Thomas is a bucket and this is a “best player available” choice. He's a legit NBA shooter with deep range, a quick release, and creation juice off the bounce. But he doesn't get to the rim, his shot selection drifts into hero-ball, and there are questions about how he’ll deal with NBA physicality at 6-3 and 190 pounds — that’s why he fell this far despite receiving consideration from teams in the top 20.

Brazile was a projected first-rounder before tearing his ACL nine games into his sophomore year at Arkansas, and the next two years were spent rebuilding the explosiveness that made him a prospect in the first place. He finally put it together as a fifth-year senior with a career year by anchoring Arkansas' defense. His long wingspan, explosive vertical, switchability, and perimeter jumper will immediately inject much-needed athleticism into Denver’s frontcourt. Since Brazile can both defend the perimeter and make 3s — at 35% in his college career — he could play in lineups next to Nikola Jokić. But there’s no guarantee that his shot translates, which will be vitally important for his fit on the Nuggets.

The Clippers are building quite the athletic frontcourt after taking Yanic Konan Niederhauser last year, and now Miller, who retains the fluidity that he had growing up playing guard before a late growth spurt. Miller has perimeter skill with the way he can handle in the open floor, make advanced moves, and switch across positions on defense. The big issue, and the main reason why he has spent four years in college, is that he still can’t shoot. Unless the Clippers have a fix for that problem, spacing could be tight for the offense.

Miami badly needs shot creation in the backcourt after dumping nearly everything to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee, so it’s a logical choice to trade into this spot for Conwell. After his college career took him from South Florida to Indiana State to Xavier, and then to Louisville, he got better at every stop. By the end of his senior year he was the leading scorer for the Cardinals at 18.8 points per game as a knockdown shooter with deep range and a bruiser at the rim who absorbs contact like a fullback. My top comparison for him? Norm Powell, who shined this year with the Heat but is reportedly expected to leave in free agency. Maybe Conwell can fill those shoes as a rookie.

The Pacers acquired Smith from the Bulls for Kam Jones and swaps, which is quite an interesting decision by Indiana. Tyrese Haliburton will be back next year. Andrew Nembhard handles the ball plenty. And T.J. McConnell remains one of the game’s best backup guards. However, McConnell is 34 so adding Smith feels like they’re taking a successor for that Sixth Man role. Smith left Purdue as the NCAA's all-time assists leader, breaking a 33-year-old record. He's arguably the highest-IQ player in the draft who could orchestrate an offense at the college level while also providing scoring off the bounce. But the issue is the one every 5-foot-10 guard faces: he isn't a plus athlete, and bigger guards are going to hunt him the moment he steps on an NBA floor. That’s precisely why he is a projected second-rounder and will need to work his way up.

Kayil just won the German League championship, and now he’s joining the NBA champions in New York. Kayil is a combo guard with a strong frame, a feel for the game that exceeds his youth, and the grit to become a high-level defender. He just became one of the youngest players to ever win the German League’s Under-22 Player of the Year, joining Franz Wagner and Dennis Schröder on a list that bodes well for his NBA prospects. He committed to Gonzaga back in October, but has decided to stay in the draft — a decision that surprised some scouts since he has yet to prove he can shoot consistently or run an offense full-time. But there’s no denying his upside and he could end up one of the late risers in this class.

Mitchell showed up at Texas as a McDonald’s All-American, and back then it looked like a jump shot was the only thing standing between him and stardom. Four years and three schools later, the jumper is still nonexistent. Maybe the Celtics can be the team to finally fix it. And yet, he’s a top-40 pick in a deep draft class because he’s a left-handed power player who finishes everything around the rim, wrecks games on defense, and blossomed into a high-feel passer as a senior at St. John’s. The non-shooting is a problem, but Boston is a perfect situation to mitigate it since he can play in lineups where he’s surrounded by shooting. Even without the shot, his athleticism on offense and defensive versatility could allow him to carve out a long career.

Don’t be fooled by Oweh’s 3-point percentage: He made 38% of his catch-and-shoot 3s over his four-year college career. By simply eliminating shots off the dribble, as the Thunder will likely force him to do, his percentage will rise. This would position him to become a 3-and-D player as a 6-4 wing with a strong frame, versatile defense, and connective passing skills. But there’s a chance he taps into a higher level of upside, though, given his ability to catch fire as a scorer: He had one of the great games of the season with 35/8/7 against Santa Clara in the opening round of March Madness with a buzzer-beater to force overtime. The odds are he’ll need to adapt as a role player, and that alone would be a win for Oklahoma City.

Gillespie offers a totally different style to the San Antonio backcourt as a spark plug who comes off the bench, fires jumpers and reliably runs the offense. The NBA's track record with guards his size is the obvious concern, but anyone who shoots like Gillespie and processes the game at his level deserves a real chance. And if there’s any team that can compensate for a small guard, it’s the Spurs simply by having Victor Wembanyama on the floor.

Bilodeau was one of the most efficient stretch-4s in college basketball. With his 6-7 frame, he could bring real value with his size and spacing ability at the next level. He made 48% of his catch-and-shoot 3s as a senior, which is precisely what Brooklyn needs to support its young guards. But no one should mistake Bilodeau for Tyler, The Creator, since he rarely takes shots off the dribble or serves as a playmaker for teammates. He also struggles as a defender, which is truly the big question about his ability to make it in the modern NBA.

The theme of the first round continues in the second round for San Antonio: Add size in the frontcourt next to Wemby. Brown guards all five positions and has both the length and IQ to anchor the defense when he’s on the floor. As a 6-foot-8 senior, he was named ACC Sixth Man of the Year and won the Lefty Driesell Award as the nation's top defender. With Jayden Quaintance likely to redshirt his entire rookie season due to an upcoming knee surgery, Brown could help fill that versatility role early in his career. But he’s not a guarantee to make it since he struggles to shoot the ball, making him a hard offensive fit.

Sharp’s calling card is his shooting ability. He can catch fire from 3-point range and be utilized as a weapon off screens. He plays with a high IQ even though he isn’t a primary shot creator as well. On defense, he plays extremely hard to help compensate for the fact he’s on the smaller side at only 6-3. Sharp should serve as a great spark off the bench behind Acuff for Sacramento.

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Kevin O'Connor

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