Mock draft 2026

[Joshyjosh31]

I don't know if you've read any of my draft-related posts, or have paid enough attention to my posts to actually remember them, but I've thrown out the idea/possibility of trading down depending on the situation, even if we end up with a top 5 pick. If there is a draft to trade down in, this is that draft. The return we can get for a top 5 pick is one that can, literally, be the difference between us continuing this seemingly never-ending cycle of mediocre basketball, or us taking that next step towards becoming perennial championship contenders.

What if we traded a franchise player for two good players we’d end up in the same cycle even two part time all stars isn’t as good as hitting one franchise player.

I think either of the guys in the top three takes us to the promise land especially AJ. Also we should be a bottom three team next year so we’ll have another top five pick to add on to this years pick

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I don't know if you've read any of my draft-related posts, or have paid enough attention to my posts to actually remember them, but I've thrown out the idea/possibility of trading down depending on the situation, even if we end up with a top 5 pick. If there is a draft to trade down in, this is that draft. The return we can get for a top 5 pick is one that can, literally, be the difference between us continuing this seemingly never-ending cycle of mediocre basketball, or us taking that next step towards becoming perennial championship contenders.

Yeah, I've seen that. The breadth at the top of the draft is what might make such a strategy useful, but in my eyes it depends on two things - who you're giving up, and what kind of assets you can get back. I'm not giving up AJ, because I think he's exactly what the team needs and has superstar ceiling. Boozer? Still not sure, might be too solid to let go. The numbers are ridiculous even if he doesn't always look the part. And conversely, I'm not moving down three spots to pick up a #18. But move down one or two spots to pick up a #7/#8? That could be tempting.

 

[iowamcnabb]

I’ve touched on this before, but I’m going to bring it up again: Caleb Wilson and his reputation as a game changing defender. Caleb has elite size, length, athleticism and motor. He checks every box and yet every draft nerd I’ve listened to (guys that have watched more basketball than anyone probably should/do draft coverage for a living) have said that his defense this year is best described as either ok or not very good. What gives? Is it simply the thought that his physical and mental makeup will eventually translate to success on that end? Why hasn’t it already translated? Too much offensive workload? Not his role?

 

[hrdboild]

I’ve touched on this before, but I’m going to bring it up again: Caleb Wilson and his reputation as a game changing defender. Caleb has elite size, length, athleticism and motor. He checks every box and yet every draft nerd I’ve listened to (guys that have watched more basketball than anyone probably should/do draft coverage for a living) have said that his defense this year is best described as either ok or not very good. What gives? Is it simply the thought that his physical and mental makeup will eventually translate to success on that end? Why hasn’t already translated? Too much offensive workload? Not his role?

What I've seen is that he can and does make plays on the defensive end that very very few professional basketball players on the planet are capable of. The ceiling is immense. But he also has the troubling habit of coasting when he finds himself in a weak-side role and just sortof guarding nobody out there when he should be making decisive reads on where to be and (more importantly) why to be there.

Which is an age-old problem -- do you want to draft a player who is a finished product and already plays the game the way you want to see it played but is probably maxed out as only an okay athlete or do you want to draft a player who is the complete package physically and has flashes of superstardom but also has bad habits and will really need the right guidance to become that perfect player?

When I see players coasting on defense the first question is: Is it an effort problem? I don't think it is with Caleb. When he is in position to make a play he gets after it enthusiastically. Next question: Is the reaction time too slow? I also don't think this is an issue with Wilson. When he is defending on-ball he is able to mirror ballhandlers effectively, even guards. He had a sequence early in the season where he picked up full court against Kansas and just tortured Melvin Council and Elmarko Jackson with smothering pressure which resulted in a 10-second violation. If neither of those are 'yes' answers than it seems likely he just doesn't understand where to be, which is a correctable problem. Nobody is a finished product at 19 years old. The combination of the physical tools, the motor, the flashes of brilliance, the competitiveness, the desire to prove people wrong -- that all adds up to a player I would love to take a chance on developing into an elite defender.