11/23 update: Two more (highly contrasting) mock drafts added today from Jeremy Woo (ESPN) and Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation). Woo has Peterson, Dybansta, Boozer, Ament and Wilson , while O’Donnell has Boozer, Peterson, Dybantsa, Wilson, Ament. Really great food for thought, as always, from these two!
After the always-unwelcome late-summer break, the college hoops season has finally begun — and with it comes a fresh batch of mock drafts from the No Ceilings crew, Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Tankathon, and yours truly.
This upcoming draft class is already generating buzz not just for who might go No. 1, but for how deep it could be with stars and rotation players. With a mix of superb returning sophomores, an elite freshman class, and an influx of international talent, this group is stacked. Caleb Wilson and Neoklis Avdalis have already turned heads in early-season matchups, as has Koa Peat. Plenty of games left to watch, analyze, and let marinate as we close out 2025.
I’ll be back each month with updated mock draft and big boards comparisons through Draft Day 2026, so bookmark the site, keep coming back at your leisure, and follow me @hoopsdistillery on Twitter, where you can search #mockdraftcomp for all updates.
Mock Draft Comparison
SB Nation
(11/19)
ESPN
(11/18)
B/R
(11/11)
Tankathon
(11/6)
Hoop Distillery
(11/5)
No Ceilings
(11/5)
B/R
(11/5)
The Athletic
(11/4)
1. IND
Cameron
Boozer
1. BKN
Darryn
Peterson
1. BKN
Darryn
Peterson
1. WAS
Darryn
Peterson
1. WAS
Cameron
Boozer
1. MIN
Cameron
Boozer
1. BKN
Darryn
Peterson
Darryn
Peterson
2. WAS
Darryn
Peterson
2. WAS
AJ
Dybantsa
2. WAS
Cameron
Boozer
2. IND
Cameron
Boozer
2. IND
Darryn
Peterson
2. BKN
Darryn
Peterson
2. ATL
Cameron
Boozer
Cameron
Boozer
3. ATL
AJ
Dybantsa
3. UTA
Cameron
Boozer
3. IND
AJ
Dybantsa
3. BKN
AJ
Dybantsa
3. BKN
AJ
Dybantsa
3. BKN
AJ
Dybantsa
3. WAS
AJ
Dybantsa
AJ
Dybantsa
4. BKN
Caleb
Wilson
4. IND
Nate
Ament
4. ATL
Koa
Peat
4. ATL
Nate
Ament
4. ATL
Nate
Ament
4. IND
Caleb
Wilson
4. IND
Koa
Peat
Nate
Ament
5. SAC
Nate
Ament
5. ATL
Caleb
Wilson
5. SAC
Caleb
Wilson
5. DAL
Karim
Lopez
5. DAL
Caleb
Wilson
5. ATL
Mikel
Brown
5. UTA
Nate
Ament
Mikel
Brown
6. DAL
Mikel
Brown
6. SAC
Mikel
Brown
6. DAL
Nate
Ament
6. OKC
Chris
Cenac
6. OKC
Chris
Cenac
6. WAS
Jayden
Quaintance
6. DAL
Jayden
Quaintance
Chris
Cenac
7. MEM
Hannes
Steinbach
7. CHA
Chris
Cenac
7. UTA
Mikel
Brown
7. UTA
Tounde
Yessoufou
7. UTA
Braylon
Mullins
7. CHA
Tounde
Yessoufou
7. SAC
Mikel
Brown
Jayden
Quaintance
8. CHA
Jayden
Quaintance
8. DAL
Koa
Peat
8. OKC
Jayden
Quaintance
8. CHA
Caleb
Wilson
8. CHA
Koa
Peat
8. MEM
Nate
Ament
8. MEM
Caleb
Wilson
Koa
Peat
9. OKC
Koa
Peat
9. MEM
Jayden
Quaintance
9. CHA
Brayden
Burries
9. SAC
Mikel
Brown
9. SAC
Jayden
Quaintance
9. TOR
Hannes
Steinbach
9. BOS
Brayden
Burries
Tounde
Yessoufou
10. OKC
Bennett
Stirtz
10. OKC
Dame
Sarr
10. MEM
Braylon
Mullins
10. BOS
Jayden
Quaintance
10. BOS
Mikel
Brown
10. MEM
Braylon
Mullins
10. SAS
Braylon
Mullins
Labaron
Philon
11. POR
Braylon
Mullins
11. MEM
Karim
Lopez
11. MEM
Labaron
Philon
11. MEM
Braylon
Mullins
11. MEM
Brayden
Burries
11. NYK
Isaiah
Evans
11. CHA
Hannes
Steinbach
Braylon
Mullins
12. CHI
Patrick
Ngongba
12. POR
Neoklis
Avdalas
12. BOS
Hannes
Steinbach
12. MEM
Koa
Peat
12. MEM
Neoklis
Avdalas
12. OKC
Shon
Abaev
12. MEM
Bennett
Stirtz
Bennett
Stirtz
13. MEM
Neoklis
Avdalas
13. CHI
Braylon
Mullins
13. SAS
Karim
Lopez
13. SAS
Thomas
Haugh
13. SAS
Dame
Sarr
13. DAL
Meleek
Thomas
13. CHA
Tounde
Yessoufou
Brayden
Burries
14. BOS
Chris
Cenac
14. MIL
Darius
Acuff
14. CHA
Neoklis
Avdalas
14. CHA
Dash
Daniels
14. CHA
Tounde
Yessoufou
14. OKC
Bennett
Stirtz
14. MIN
Dame
Sarr
Dash
Daniels
15. MIA
Dame
Sarr
15. BOS
Thomas
Haugh
15. TOR
Tounde
Yessoufou
15. GSW
Yaxel
Lendeborg
15. GSW
Karim
Lopez
15. CHA
Koa
Peat
15. TOR
Karim
Lopez
Yaxel
Lendeborg
16. MIL
Tounde
Yessoufou
16. TOR
Labaron
Philon
16. GSW
Meleek
Thomas
16. TOR
Bennett
Stirtz
16. TOR
Labaron
Philon
16. ATL
Chris
Cenac
16. MIA
Meleek
Thomas
Caleb
Wilson
17. CHA
Elyjah
Freeman
17. CHA
Tounde
Yessoufou
17. CHI
Bennett
Stirtz
17. CHI
Patrick
Ngongba
17. CHI
Hannes
Steinbach
17. SAS
Dame
Sarr
17. NYK
Isiah
Harwell
Thomas
Haugh
18. OKC
Thomas
Haugh
18. GSW
Yaxel
Lendeborg
18. MIL
Aday
Mara
18. MIN
Isiah
Harwell
18. MIN
Cayden
Boozer
18. BOS
Thomas
Haugh
18. GSW
Chris
Cenac
Isiah
Harwell
19. GSW
Aday
Mara
19. MIA
Kingston
Flemings
19. OKC
Cayden
Boozer
19. MIA
Darius
Acuff
19. MIA
Darius
Acuff
19. MIA
Labaron
Philon
19. ATL
Darius
Acuff
Karter
Knox
20. MIN
Karim
Lopez
20. MIN
Bennett
Stirtz
20. MIA
Chris
Cenac
20. OKC
Nikolas
Khamenia
20. OKC
Yaxel
Lendeborg
20. DEN
Darius
Acuff
20. DEN
Labaron
Philon
Dwayne
Aristode
21. TOR
Kingston
Flemings
21. SAS
Hannes
Steinbach
21. MIN
Darius
Acuff
21. NYK
Hannes
Steinbach
21. NYK
Meleek
Thomas
21. DET
Billy
Richmond
21. OKC
Cayden
Boozer
Jojo
Tugler
22. ATL
Christian
Anderson
22. DET
Isaiah
Evans
22. CHI
Yaxel
Lendeborg
22. CHI
Labaron
Philon
22. CHI
Dash
Daniels
22. OKC
Yaxel
Lendeborg
22. OKC
Yaxel
Lendeborg
Patrick
Ngongba
23. SAS
Paul
McNeil
23. OKC
Dash
Daniels
23. OKC
Isaiah
Evans
23. MIL
Meleek
Thomas
23. MIL
Bennett
Stirtz
23. DAL
Neoklis
Avdalas
23. MIL
Karter
Knox
Darius
Acuff
24. NYK
Darius
Acuff
24. CLE
Aday
Mara
24. NYK
Zuby
Ejiofor
24. OKC
Cayden
Boozer
24. OKC
Thomas
Haugh
24. GSW
Brayden
Burries
24. DET
Aday
Mara
Karim
Lopez
25. CLE
Labaron
Philon
25. LAL
Zuby
Ejiofor
25. LAL
JT
Toppin
25. LAL
Isaiah
Evans
25. LAL
Isaiah
Evans
25. LAL
Patrick
Ngongba
25. CHI
Tahaad
Pettiford
Dame
Sarr
26. LAL
Malchi
Moreno
26. NYK
Miles
Byrd
26. ATL
Christian
Anderson
26. ATL
Tahaad
Pettiford
26. ATL
Shon
Abaev
26. CHI
Bryson
Tiller
26. LAL
Isaiah
Evans
Miles
Byrd
27. OKC
Meleek
Thomas
27. ATL
Meleek
Thomas
27. CLE
Dame
Sarr
27. CLE
Karter
Knox
27. CLE
Tahaad
Pettiford
27. OKC
Nikolas
Khamenia
27. CHI
Shon
Abaev
Milos
Uzan
28. DEN
Sergio
De Larrea
28. OKC
Alex
Condon
28. DEN
Tahaad
Pettiford
28. DEN
Dame
Sarr
28. DEN
Isiah
Harwell
28. CHI
Alex
Condon
28. CLE
Elyjah
Freeman
Neoklis
Avdalas
29. DET
Cameron
Carr
29. DEN
Jojo
Tugler
29. DET
Shon
Abaev
29. DET
JT
Toppin
29. DET
Donnie
Freeman
29. CLE
Karim
Lopez
29. OKC
JT
Toppin
Sergio
De Larrea
30. WAS
Cayden
Boozer
30. WAS
Dwayne
Aristode
30. WAS
Isiah
Harwell
30. WAS
Jojo
Tugler
30. WAS
Aday
Mara
30. WAS
Christian
Anderson
30. WAS
Patrick
Ngongba
Isaiah
Evans
References:
The Athletic [Sam Vecenie] – (note: no teams included, just pick order)
An archive of all 2026 mock draft comparisons for easy reference. I started in July 2025, jumped to November when the season started, and then posted a new #mockdraftcomp once a month through the Draft in June 2026.
A comparison of the final 2026 mock drafts versus the actual NBA Draft order. Featuring mock drafts from the best of the best at ESPN, The Ringer, B/R, The Athletic, SB Nation, No Ceilings, Yahoo Sports, Tankathon and your truly. We have archived a total of 25 mock drafts for June, and 9 final mocks…
Draft Month has arrived and team workouts are in full swing! We have 16 mock drafts (and counting!) to analyze from the best of the best, including: No Ceilings, Tankathon, Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Kyle Mann and Danny Chau (The Ringer) and Ricky O’Donnell…
Kicking off what looks to be another stellar draft season ahead of us with our first mock draft comparison for 2026! We have ‘way too early’ mock drafts from Sam Vecenie/The Athletic, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo/ESPN, Jonathan Wasserman/Bleacher Report, Ricky O’Donnell/SB Nation, the No Ceilings crew, Tankathon and yours truly.
Draft analysts and scouts seem to be in agreement that there are at least three players respected as #1 pick caliber, franchise level talents in this draft including:
1. Darryn Peterson – SG, Kansas
Peterson is praised for his polished scoring, elite shot-creation, and NBA-ready build at 6′5″ with a strong frame
Comparable to Damian Lillard or Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander in his ability to create and control games, with 50/40/90 performances.
2. A.J. Dybantsa – Wing, BYU
A 6′9″ athletic wing with elite scoring instincts, tremendous body control, and international pedigree
Seen as nearly flawless in high school—flashes of a two-way All-Star with size and shooting, drawing comparisons to Tracy McGrady and Kevin Durant..
3. Cameron Boozer – Forward, Duke
A highly polished 6′9″ forward with advanced IQ and feel. Son of Carlos Boozer, he combines post scoring, passing and defensive versatility.
Multiple Gatorade Player of the Year honors, EYBL championships and multiple gold medals with Team USA solidify his winning résumé.
Most Likely Candidates to be in the Conversation as Top 5 Picks
Nate Ament – A 6′11″ scoring wing with elite touch and upside; compared to Kevin Durant in ability to stretch the floor and run offense from the wing.
Jayden Quaintance – A freshman at Kentucky known for his shot‑blocking, 7′5″ wingspan, and raw upside; is currently recovering post ACL surgery and transferred out of Arizona State.
Chris Cenac – A rising 6′10″ high school big man with guard-like skills; adept at bringing the ball upcourt, face-up four play, shooting and rim protection.
Other top prospects climbing the ranks include Caleb Wilson (UNC), Mikel Brown (Louisville), Nik Khamenia (Duke), and Karim Lopez (New Zealand Breakers).
Please note: the picks from Vecenie and O’Donnell do not include teams.
I’ll be back each month with updated mock draft and big boards comparisons through Draft Day in June 2026, so bookmark the site, keep coming back and follow me @hoopsdistillery on Twitter where you can search #mockdraftcomp for all updates.
The NBA Draft Lottery and Combine have come and gone and we have a fresh batch of mock drafts to analyze from the best in the business: Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), and Tankathon. Plus, one from yours truly.
We’re back with new mock drafts to analyze and compare for April from the best of the best: Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), the No Ceilings crew, Tankathon, and yours truly.
We are in the thick of a highly entertaining March Madness, with a fresh set of mock drafts to analyze and compare from Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), the No Ceilings crew, Tankathon, and yours truly.
We spend a lot of time following all of the top NBA Draft analysts for months as they post and tweet about intel and update their big boards and mock drafts leading up to draft day. But once that day comes and goes, it’s easy to shift focus to how the rookies will fit on their new rosters, summer league, and the next draft cycle, so, as always, I have compiled all of the final mock drafts so we can compare them to the actual 2025 draft order. See my full mock draft comparison for June featuring 18 total mock drafts.
Here is the actual 2025 NBA Draft pick order versus the final mock drafts from Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo and Jonathan Givony, SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell, Yahoo Sports’s Kevin O’Connor, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, the No Ceilings crew, The Ringer’s J. Kyle Mann and Danny Chau, Tankathon, and our own Hoops Distillery picks:
ACTUAL
DRAFT
The Athletic
(6/25)
B/R
(6/24)
ESPN
(6/24)
The Ringer
(6/24)
Yahoo Sports
(6/24)
SB Nation
(6/23)
Tankathon
(6/19)
1. DAL
Cooper
Flagg
1. DAL
Cooper
Flagg
1. DAL
Cooper
Flagg
1. DAL
Cooper
Flagg
1. DAL
Cooper
Flagg
1. DAL
Cooper
Flagg
1. DAL
Cooper
Flagg
1. DAL
Cooper
Flagg
2.
SAS
Dylan
Harper
2. SAS
Dylan
Harper
2. SAS
Dylan
Harper
2. SAS
Dylan
Harper
2. SAS
Dylan
Harper
2. SAS
Dylan
Harper
2. SAS
Dylan
Harper
2. SAS
Dylan
Harper
3.
PHI
VJ
Edgecombe
3. PHI
VJ
Edgecombe
3. PHI
VJ
Edgecombe
3. PHI
VJ
Edgecombe
3. PHI
Ace
Bailey
3. PHI
VJ
Edgecombe
3. PHI
VJ
Edgecombe
3. PHI
VJ
Edgecombe
4.
CHA
Kon
Knueppel
4. CHA
Kon
Knueppel
4. CHA
Kon
Knueppel
4. CHA
Kon
Knueppel
4. CHA
VJ
Edgecombe
4. CHA
Kon
Knueppel
4. CHA
Kon
Knueppel
4. CHA
Kon
Knueppel
5. UTA
Ace
Bailey
5. UTA
Jeremiah
Fears
5. UTA
Tre
Johnson
5. UTA
Jeremiah
Fears
5. UTA
Kon
Knueppel
5. UTA
Jeremiah
Fears
5. UTA
Ace
Bailey
5. UTA
Ace
Bailey
6. WAS
Tre
Johnson
6. WAS
Ace
Bailey
6. WAS
Ace
Bailey
6. WAS
Ace
Bailey
6. WAS
Tre
Johnson
6. WAS
Ace
Bailey
6. WAS
Tre
Johnson
6. WAS
Tre
Johnson
7. NOP
Jeremiah
Fears
7. NOP
Khaman
Maluach
7. NOP
Jeremiah
Fears
7. NOP
Khaman
Maluach
7. NOP
Jeremiah
Fears
7. NOP
Khaman
Maluach
7. NOP
Jeremiah
Fears
7. NOP
Jeremiah
Fears
8. BKN
Egor
Demin
8. BKN
Tre
Johnson
8. BKN
Khaman
Maluach
8. BKN
Tre
Johnson
8. BKN
Derik
Queen
8. BKN
Tre
Johnson
8. BKN
Khaman
Maluach
8. BKN
Kasparas
Jakucionis
9. TOR
Collin
Murray-Boyles
9. TOR
Collin
Murray-Boyles
9. TOR
Noa
Essengue
9. TOR
Noa
Essengue
9. TOR
Khaman
Maluach
9. TOR
Noa
Essengue
9. TOR
Kasparas
Jakucionis
9. TOR
Khaman
Maluach
10. PHX
Khaman
Maluach
10. PHX
Carter
Bryant
10. PHX
Carter
Bryant
10. PHX
Carter
Bryant
10. PHX
Noa
Essengue
10. PHX
Carter
Bryant
10. PHX
Jase
Richardson
10. HOU
Derik
Queen
11. MEM (via POR)
Cedric
Coward
11. POR
Noa
Essengue
11. POR
Kasparas
Jakucionis
11. POR
Kasparas
Jakucionis
11. POR
Carter
Bryant
11. POR
Collin
Murray-Boyles
11. POR
Carter
Bryant
11. POR
Carter
Bryant
12. CHI
Noa
Essengue
12. CHI
Joan
Berringer
12. CHI
Collin
Murray-Boyles
12. CHI
Collin
Murray-Boyles
12. CHI
Kasparas
Jakucionis
12. CHI
Joan
Berringer
12. CHI
Collin
Murray-Boyles
12. CHI
Collin
Murray-Boyles
13. NOP (via ATL)
Derik
Queen
13. ATL
Kasparas
Jakucionis
13. ATL
Derik
Queen
13. ATL
Egor
Demin
13. ATL
Joan
Berringer
13. ATL
Egor
Demin
13. ATL
Noa
Essengue
13. ATL
Jase
Richardson
14. SAS
Carter
Bryant
14. SAS
Cedric
Coward
14. SAS
Joan
Berringer
14. SAS
Joan
Berringer
14. SAS
Thomas
Sorber
14. SAS
Asa
Newell
14. SAS
Derik
Queen
14. SAS
Noa
Essengue
15. OKC
Thomas
Sorber
15. OKC
Thomas
Sorber
15. OKC
Cedric
Coward
15. OKC
Derik
Queen
15. OKC
Collin
Murray-Boyles
15. OKC
Cedric
Coward
15. OKC
Thomas
Sorber
15. OKC
Cedric
Coward
16. POR (via MEM)
Hansen
Yang
16. MEM
Derik
Queen
16. MEM
Nique
Clifford
16. MEM
Cedric
Coward
16. MEM
Cedric
Coward
16. MEM
Kasparas
Jakucionis
16. MEM
Nique
Clifford
16. MEM
Nique
Clifford
17. MIN
Joan
Berringer
17. MIN
Danny
Wolf
17. MIN
Thomas
Sorber
17. MIN
Thomas
Sorber
17. MIN
Nique
Clifford
17. MIN
Nique
Clifford
17. MIN
Cedric
Coward
17. MIN
Asa
Newell
18. UTA (via WAS)
Walter
Clayton
18. WAS
Asa
Newell
18. WAS
Egor
Demin
18. WAS
Danny
Wolf
18. WAS
Danny
Wolf
18. WAS
Derik
Queen
18. WAS
Egor
Demin
18. WAS
Egor
Demin
19. BKN
Nolan
Traore
19. BKN
Egor
Demin
19. BKN
Asa
Newell
19. BKN
Asa
Newell
19. BKN
Egor
Demin
19. BKN
Thomas
Sorber
19. BKN
Joan
Berringer
19. BKN
Thomas
Sorber
20. MIA
Kasparas
Jakucionis
20. MIA
Walter
Clayton
20. MIA
Walter
Clayton
20. MIA
Liam
McNeeley
20. MIA
Walter
Clayton
20. MIA
Walter
Clayton
20. MIA
Will
Riley
20. MIA
Rasheer
Fleming
21. WAS (via UTA)
Will
Riley
21. UTA
Liam
McNeeley
21. UTA
Danny
Wolf
21. UTA
Hugo
Gonzalez
21. UTA
Will
Riley
21. UTA
Liam
McNeeley
21. UTA
Walter
Clayton
21. UTA
Nolan
Traore
22. BKN (via ATL)
Drake
Powell
22. BKN (Via ATL)
Will
Riley
22. BKN (via ATL)
Nolan
Traore
22. BKN (via ATL)
Nolan
Traore
22. BKN (via ATL)
Rasheer
Fleming
22. BKN (via ATL)
Will
Riley
22. ATL
Rasheer
Fleming
22. ATL
Danny
Wolf
23. ATL (via NOP)
Asa
Newell
23. NOP
Nolan
Traore
23. NOP
Liam
McNeeley
23. NOP
Walter
Clayton
23. NOP
Drake
Powell
23. NOP
Nolan
Traore
23. NOP
Asa
Newell
23. NOP
Liam
McNeeley
24. SAC (via OKC)
Nique
Clifford
24. OKC
Noah
Penda
24. OKC
Hugo
Gonzalez
24. OKC
Will
Riley
24. OKC
Noah
Penda
24. OKC
Maxime
Raynaud
24. OKC
Noah
Penda
24. OKC
Joan
Berringer
25. ORL
Jase
Richardson
25. ORL
Nique
Clifford
25. ORL
Jase
Richardson
25. ORL
Jase
Richardson
25. ORL
Jase
Richardson
25. ORL
Jase
Richardson
25. ORL
Liam
McNeeley
25. ORL
Walter
Clayton
26. BKN
Ben
Saraf
26. BKN
Maxime
Raynaud
26. BKN
Will
Riley
26. BKN
Nique
Clifford
26. BKN
Asa
Newell
26. BKN
Danny
Wolf
26. BKN
Danny
Wolf
26. BKN
Will
Riley
27. BKN
Danny
Wolf
27. BKN
Drake
Powell
27. BKN
Drake
Powell
27. BKN
Rasheer
Fleming
27. BKN
Liam
McNeeley
27. BKN
Drake
Powell
27. BKN
Nolan
Traore
27. BKN
Noah
Penda
28. BOS
Hugo
Gonzalez
28. BOS
Ryan
Kalkbrenner
28. BOS
Maxime
Raynaud
28. BOS
Maxime
Raynaud
28. BOS
Nolan
Traore
28. BOS
Ryan
Kalkbrenner
28. BOS
Ryan
Kalkbrenner
28. BOS
Maxime
Raynaud
29. CHA (via PHX)
Liam
McNeeley
29. PHX
Jase
Richardson
29. PHX
Ben
Saraf
29. PHX
Ryan
Kalkbrenner
29. PHX
Ryan
Kalkbrenner
29. PHX
Adou
Thiero
29. PHX
Ben
Saraf
29. PHX
Ben
Saraf
30. LAC
Yanic Konan
Niederhauser
30. LAC
Hugo
Gonzalez
30. LAC
Noah
Penda
30. LAC
Noah
Penda
30. LAC
Kam
Jones
30. LAC
Rasheer
Fleming
30. LAC
Drake
Powell
30. LAC
Kam
Jones
Summary of all transactions leading up to and during the draft:
February has come and gone (quickly!) and we’re right in the heart of college basketball season and in-conference play. It’s time to analyze a new batch of mock drafts from Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), the No Ceilings crew, two from Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), Tankathon, and yours truly.
2026 has arrived and we’re back with new mock drafts from Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), the No Ceilings crew, Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), Tankathon, and yours truly.
Note: If the table is not loading correctly on your mobile device via Twitter,then copy and paste this link in your browser and view the post on my site at https://hoopsdistillery.com/mockdraftcomp-june25/.
6/25 update: Updated picks added for Sam Vecenie (The Athletic).
6/24 update: One more update to add from J. Kyle Mann and Danny Chau (The Ringer). They have Derik Queen going #8 to the Nets and Noa Essengue going at #10 to the Suns.
Also, added updated picks from Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports).
6/23 update: Congrats to the Thunder on winning it all! What an amazing roster building success story! We also saw the much anticipated Kevin Durant trade finally go come to fruition. Not only is he now a Rocket, the #10 pick is going back to the Suns.
BREAKING: The Phoenix Suns are trading two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EwrbA2ES9O
Post-NBA Finals, we have updated mock drafts from Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), Tankathon, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), and Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports). For those keep track, we now have 17 total mock drafts to compare for the month of June!
What have we learned from this recent batch of mocks:
VJ Edgecombe seems to have officially jumped Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel, and Ace Bailey as most likely to head to the 76ers at #3.
Cedric Coward moved up to late lottery level across most boards .
The Suns now have #10 but seem to have more trades up their sleeves. Logic would say they may go for a big to balance their roster after confusing everyone with their glut of SG’s and wings. Derik Queen and Collin Murray Boyles seem to be the most likely candidates we’re seeing.
Ace Bailey to the Wizards seems to be the best guess after his ill-advised ‘i’m not gonna work out for anyone’ narrative this week.
Joan Berringer looks like he’s moved into the late lottery and could be the second center off the board after Khaman Maluach.
Liam McNeeley seems to be gaining traction once again after being underrated post-injury at UCONN and should be firmly in the mix as high as mid-first round to the Grizzlies (who now desperately need more shooting).
Unsolicited opinion time:
I do not understand how the masses have Kasparas Jakucionis going higher than Nolan Traore.For anyone who missed it as they were studying up, please watch his performance from the Nike Hoops Summit–or even better the full game tape. What he can do with talented, athletic wings and five-out spacing is very Lonzo Ball-like which is a rare commodity in this day and age. We talk about many prospects and what skill they’ll bring to the table in day one, and for him, it’s a no-brainer: pace, leadership, and play-making. In stark contrast, Jakucionis (who is also very talented) is a much less athletic, score-first point guard who is not a high percentage shooter and also very turnover prone at this stage of his developmental curve. Traore’s upside is sky-high and he should be in the top 10 of all big boards, in my opinion. Some of these mocks have Jackucionis, Egor Demin, and Walter Clayton ALL above Traore. This is madness! I have said all along that I really like the point guards in this draft, and I support them all….but I can’t unsee Traore’s Nike Hoops Summit domination.
6/17 update: Lots of updates coming, so stay tuned! We have new picks today from Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (ESPN), as well as Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report). Both of these mocks include Memphis taking over the #16 pick from the Magic from the Desmond Bane trade over the weekend.
Orlando is sending to Memphis the No. 16 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Phoenix's first-round pick in 2026, Magic 2028 unprotected first-rounder and Orlando's 2030 unprotected first, sources said. Pick swap is lightly protected in 2029. https://t.co/DeWziUWLkv
Shams Charania (ESPN) reported another trade today between the Pacers and Pelicans which mock drafts won’t reflect until later this week or next:
NBA draft deal: The Indiana Pacers are trading their No. 23 pick and the rights to Mojave King to the New Orleans Pelicans for Indiana's own 2026 first-round pick back which the Pelicans had previously acquired, sources tell ESPN.
With Draft Day less than two weeks away, we’ve rounded up nine of the latest mock drafts for you, including picks from Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Tankathon, J. Kyle Mann and Danny Chau (The Ringer), and yours truly.
Keep checking back, as I’ll be updating this post throughout the month and/or follow @hoopsdistillery on Twitter for update alerts.
Final tally from June 15 NBA Draft International Withdrawal deadline
Staying in:
Noa Essengue Joan Beringer Hugo Gonzalez Nolan Traore Ben Saraf Noah Penda Hansen Yang Alex Toohey Bogoljub Markovic Rocco Zikarsky Dink Pate Izan Almansa Saliou Niang Mohamed Diawara Eli Ndiaye pic.twitter.com/CXCsVr188i
2026 big boards are here! Well, to be fair, Wass posted one back in August for B/R. But now, college hoops season has arrived and we have six boards to compare, including picks from Jonathan Wasserman (JW Scouting and Bleacher Report), Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Adam Finkelstein (CBS Sports), and Tankathon.
After the always-unwelcome late-summer break, the college hoops season has finally begun — and with it comes a fresh batch of mock drafts from ESPN, SB Nation, No Ceilings, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Tankathon, and yours truly. There’s tons of talent to watch this year, including Caleb Wilson and Neoklis Avdalis, who have already turned…
Note: If the table is not loading correctly on your mobile device via Twitter, then copy and paste this link in your browser and view the post on my site at https://hoopsdistillery.com/bigboardcomp-june25/
It’s finally draft day and we’re here with all the best big boards for your analytical enjoyment! We now have twelve big boards total including picks from Sam Vecenie and John Hollinger (The Athletic), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Keandre Ashely (Hoop Intellect), the No Ceilings crew, J. Kyle Mann and Danny Chau (The Ringer), Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports) and Tankathon.
Follow @hoopsdistillery on Twitter for update alerts or search #bigboardcomp.
The 2026 draft season has officially begun, and to kick things off we have mock drafts from SB Nation, No Ceilings, The Athletic, ESPN, Bleacher Report, Tankathon, and yours truly. We’ll have the pleasure of enjoying the elite trifecta of AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer, and Darryn Peterson will be vying for the #1 pick throughout…
A comparison of the final 2025 mock drafts versus the actual NBA draft order. Featuring mock drafts from the best of the best at ESPN, The Ringer, B/R, The Athletic, SB Nation, No Ceilings, Yahoo Sports, Tankathon and your truly. We have archived a total of 18 mock drafts for June and 7 final mocks…
Note: If the table is not loading correctly on your mobile device via Twitter, then copy and paste this link in your browser and view the post on my site at https://hoopsdistillery.com/bigboardcomp-may25/
5/30 update: One more big board update to close out the month from Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports) who has Cedric Coward all the way up at #5!
Coming in hot with this month’s big board comparison, as June is just around the corner. Luckily, we have a fresh big board update from Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (ESPN) as of this morning! We also have boards from Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), the No Ceilings crew, J. Kyle Mann and Danny Chau (The Ringer) and Tankathon.
There are various changes to check out after the NCAA withdrawal deadline came and went this week, including 18 from ESPN’s top 100 list who opted to return to school and take advantage of NIL deals.
Keep checking back, as I’ll be updating this post as more big boards are released this month. And follow @hoopsdistillery on Twitter for update alerts or search #bigboardcomp.
We’re officially in the high tide of mock draft season! With Draft Day only hours away, we now have 18 mocks to compare, including picks from The Athletic, SB Nation, No Ceilings, Yahoo Sports, Bleacher Report, ESPN, Tankathon, The Ringer, and yours truly. Plus: our pick variance chart, green room invites, draft power rankings, and…
It’s finally draft day and we’re here with all the best big boards for your analytical enjoyment! We have twelve big boards total including picks from The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Hoop Intellect, the No Ceilings crew, The Ringer, SB Nation, Yahoo Sports and Tankathon.
Coming in hot with this month’s big board comparison, as June is just around the corner. Luckily, we have a fresh big board update from Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (ESPN) as of this morning! We also have boards from Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), the No Ceilings crew, J. Kyle Mann and Danny Chau (The…
Note: If the table is not loading correctly on your mobile device via Twitter,then copy and paste this link in your browser and view the post on my site at https://hoopsdistillery.com/mockdraftcomp-may25/.
5/30 update: I added two more mock drafts to close the month after updates from Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report) and Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports). We now have 20 total mock draft to compare for the month of May!
KOC has a ton of movement on his mock, with Cedric Coward all the way up at #9 to Toronto, Liam McNeeley going at #11 to Portland, and Drake Powell at #12 to Chicago. This also resulted in him moving Maluach at #14 to San Antonio, Jakucionis at #17 to Minnesota, and Queen at #18 to Washington.
5/23 update: We have five new mock drafts in the past week, including the first of the month for Keandre Ashley (Hoop Intellect), and updated picks from Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (ESPN), and Tankathon. We now have a total of 18 for the month of May! Noa Essengue and Egor Demin seems to be creeping up into the lottery once again, while uncertainty about Derik Queen has him dropping to the late lottery. Meanwhile, Cedric Coward is now firmly in the first round, and does not appear to be headed to Duke, who happened to steal Dame Sarr from Kansas this week to replace Coward in their starting lineup. Maxime Raynaud also looks like to be in the bottom half of the first after a strong combine.
5/14 update: With a wild Draft Lottery in the rear view mirror we now have a full new batch of mock drafts from Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Tankathon, J Kyle Mann and Danny Chau (The Ringer), and yours truly!
Dallas at #1?! – Not sure about you, but Cooper Flagg does not seem like a Maverick to me. And I can’t say he seemed very enthusiastic about their draft lottery victory during the broadcast. If I’m Flagg, I don’t want to play for such an incompetent organization that trades away there superstars willy-nilly. I”ll be interested to see if they attempt to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo to follow Nico Harrison‘s all-in, defense wins championships theme. The fans certainly deserve something after they were robbed of Luka in his prime.
San Antonio at #2 – Lots of discussion about putting a package together for Giannis here, but I wouldn’t do it. If a trade is to be made, I would ship out De’Aaron Fox and build around Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell and Wemby. I have no idea why the Spurs would want max contract for Fox and super max’s for Wemby and Giannis. That way, they would only have a few dollars to scrape together a roster around them and if the injury bug hits, playoff runs will promptly end. Giannis has a good amount of years left, but he also has a lot of miles on him and could become less effective each year. That’s where the mismatched timelines don’t mesh for me. Meanwhile, Castle and Harper could form an incredible backcourt for the next decade plus! On Twitter, I floated a trade idea where Spurs send Fox to the Nets, who send Cam Johnson, cap filler, and the #8 pick. They could then take Khaman Maluach or Derik Queen to bolster the front court.
Philly at #3 – I’m not sure what the hell is happening there. Is Joel Embiid out for months? Does PG even have anything left, or enough, at least, to be all-star caliber? How do Jared McCain and Tyrese Maxey fit? Does Ace Bailey even work there?
Utah, Washington, Brooklyn and Toronto dropping to #5 through #9– Very disappointing results for those teams and their fan bases after dismal years of tanking. I would have loved to see Flagg and Harper on two of those teams to give them a boost. Not much else to do but to take upside swings on Tre Johnson, Derik Queen, Kon Knueppel, Jeremiah Fears, or Nolan Traore and hope it pans out.
In other news, two are rising quickly up the draft charts–Cedric Coward (who inevitably will not be headed to Duke next season) and Nolan Traore (been #1 PQ for me in this draft since last fall…just sayin’). Also, we’re finally seeing almost-consensus that Carter Bryant is, in fact, a high upside guy who is a plug and play 3-D guy on almost any team.
ENJOY the NBA Draft Combine…and please write your local congressman/woman to request that Draft Combine gear be for sale to the public!
We are only days away from this year’s much anticipated (and highly beloved!) Draft Lottery. With so much excitement building, a batch of new mock drafts were released in the past week which includes new picks from Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), and J Kyle Mann and Danny Chau (The Ringer). We’ll use these as food for thought as we await the official order next week.
The one pick that really made me stop and think was Vecenie’s Carter Bryant to the Spurs pick at #9. This makes a ton of sense as big, 2-way wing with high upside that fits perfectly with Wemby, and could eventually replace Harrison Barnes. Vecenie also has Tre Johnson going #3 ahead of VJEdgecombe and Ace Bailey, after watching him workout last month and being impressed.
Also, ICYMI….there’s been lots of GREAT content from the top draft/NBA analysts including this running list of must-reads/watches:
With a wild Draft Lottery in the rear view mirror we now have a full new batch of mock drafts from Sam Vecenie (The Athletic), Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation), Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), Keandre Ashley (Hoop Intellect), Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Tankathon, J Kyle Mann and Danny Chau (The…
We’re back with the April edition of our beloved big board comparison with new boards from ESPN, The Ringer, Yahoo Sports, No Ceilings, Tankathon, and Hoop Intellect. Lots to chew on here as we approach the Draft Lottery!
After an incredible March Madness run we have a new batch of mock drafts for April from Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo/ESPN, Jonathan Wasserman/Bleacher Report, No Ceilings, Ricky O’Donnell/SB Nation, Kevin O’Connor/Yahoo Sports, Tankathon, and your truly. Carter Bryant and Collin Murray-Boyles moving up this month!
Note: If the table is not loading correctly on your mobile device via Twitter, then copy and paste this link in your browser and view the post on my site at https://hoopsdistillery.com/bigboardcomp-apr25/
I’m a little late posting this month’s big board comparison—it’s been a busy work month—but we now have six new boards to compare as we inch closer to the Draft Lottery on May 12th. This month’s comp includes boards from Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (ESPN), Kevin O’Connor (Yahoo Sports), the No Ceilings crew, Keandre Ashley (Hoop Intellect), J. Kyle Mann and Danny Chau (The Ringer) and Tankathon. Aside from the top two, there’s quite a lot of disagreement amongst prospects, so plenty of food for thought as we all continue to watch tape and analyze ourselves.
Keep checking back, as I’ll be updating this post throughout as more big boards are released this month. And follow @hoopsdistillery on Twitter for update alerts or search #bigboardcomp.
Here’s the March Madness edition of our big board comparison with new boards from ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo Sports, The Ringer, No Ceilings, Tankathon, and Hoop Intellect.
March Madness has finally arrived! And with it, a fresh set of mock drafts from Sam Vecenie/The Athletic, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo/ESPN, Jonathan Wasserman/Bleacher Report, Kevin O’Connor/Yahoo Sports, No Ceilings, SB Nation, Tankathon, and your truly. Tre Johnson, Derik Queen and Jase Richardson moving up this month!
Back with the February edition of our big board comparison with new boards from Sam Vecenie/The Athletic, Tankathon, No Ceilings, and Keandre Ashley/Hoop Intellect. VJ Edgecombe moving back into the top four! Carter Bryant also on the move.
