2026 NBA draft thread

[Winter]

If you told me that some win-now team with a mid first wanted PJ and we could pick Yaxel at 9/10 and someone else in the teens, then that starts to become more interesting to me.

That's where I was going. It doesn't seem impossible, but finding a dance partner is impossible to predict.

[dirkfansince1998]

Someone to keep an eye on. Young Serbian big that plays for Mega (Suigo is on the same team). Really feels like he is going for the Jokic comp. From his style of play to his shooting form (especially hook shots). Trying his very best to copy Jokic.
Don't think he stays in the draft. Probably just trying to get a read on his draft stock. But if he stays in the draft I would take him over other euro gambles like Suigo or de Larrea.

https://x.com/BigBlueDylan/status/2052462488545792452

[Mavs2021]

Someone to keep an eye on. Young Serbian big that plays for Mega (Suigo is on the same team). Really feels like he is going for the Jokic comp. From his style of play to his shooting form (especially hook shots). Trying his very best to copy Jokic.
Don't think he stays in the draft. Probably just trying to get a read on his draft stock. But if he stays in the draft I would take him over other euro gambles like Suigo or de Larrea.

https://x.com/BigBlueDylan/status/2052462488545792452

Mega is an NBA troll farm like Ulm in Germany (Hayes, Saraf, Essengue). Funny Masai connection. Bruno led Ulm to a German title as an 8th seed.

The Mega players that amounted to anything are Jokic, Zubac and Goga, who were dominant at the same age in the ABA. Otherwise you get a bunch of Luwawus, Kabas, and a lot of 2nd round picks that never amounted to anything. 

I honestly don´t see anything in Suigo. He´s also Italian, not Serbian.

[dirkfansince1998]

Mega is an NBA troll farm like Ulm in Germany (Hayes, Saraf, Essengue). Funny Masai connection. Bruno led Ulm to a German title as an 8th seed.

The Mega players that amounted to anything are Jokic, Zubac and Goga, who were dominant at the same age in the ABA. Otherwise you get a bunch of Luwawus, Kabas, and a lot of 2nd round picks that never amounted to anything. 

I honestly don´t see anything in Suigo. He´s also Italian, not Serbian.

Less likely to happen in the future. Already seeing it with this years class. NIL money changed the game. Best euro prospects are playing college basketball.

[Smitty]

https://x.com/nbafuturenow/status/205247...56340?s=20

I think if he would have chosen to go back to school, there's a high chance he goes #1 overall in next year's draft. I'm still not totally "out" on Ament like some are. There are scenarios where I can see him being a Maverick.

[Chicagojk]

https://x.com/nbafuturenow/status/205247...56340?s=20

I think if he would have chosen to go back to school, there's a high chance he goes #1 overall in next year's draft. I'm still not totally "out" on Ament like some are. There are scenarios where I can see him being a Maverick.

It is funny.  I think most fan bases would leave the draft upset their team drafted Ament.  I think he will go higher than most are projecting.  He will need time and it may be bumpy at the start.

[Chicagojk]

Was not familiar with Malachi Moreno. Pedestrian stats but he looks good. I assume he returns to school. Probably the best bet. Make some money, get a lot of quality minutes and enter next year. I do wonder if a team late in the first pushes for him to stay in and count him as an asset to draft a year early.

https://x.com/nbadraftwass/status/205244...66863?s=61

[Smitty]

@Fullcourtpass
Darryn Peterson reveals taking a high dosage of creatine led to his cramping issues at Kansas and he was taken to the hospital by ambulance in September because he thought he was going to die, per @ramonashelburne

"I made it to the training room and just started begging them to call 911. They were trying to get a vein to get me the IV, get me back hydrated. But I was cramping so hard they couldn't get a vein. I thought I was going to die on the training table that day."

[Winter]

@Fullcourtpass
Darryn Peterson reveals taking a high dosage of creatine led to his cramping issues at Kansas and he was taken to the hospital by ambulance in September because he thought he was going to die, per @ramonashelburne

"I made it to the training room and just started begging them to call 911. They were trying to get a vein to get me the IV, get me back hydrated. But I was cramping so hard they couldn't get a vein. I thought I was going to die on the training table that day."

Wow. I hope he's getting the proper medical advice now.

At least we know a little more than we did.

[Chicagojk]

So there were 7/8 teams who were tanking for better lottery odds this year, but who needs lottery luck the most.   Any of the dregs will pray to get lucky but my choices are Utah, Memphis and Sac.   As Masai said in the press conference, the West is filled with studs and they aren't going anywhere.  If you have one, you at least can hope.   If you don't, you have no hope.   

Utah is the best positioned of the three.   Get a top 4 pick, and they may have a route to be one of the teams to watch in the future.   Memphis has draft capital and some young players, but they don't have "The Guy" and could be stuck in no man land if they do not land in the top 4.   Sacramento is obvious.

In the East, I guess I would say MIL and the Nets.   The Nets got a lot of praise for getting picks in past trades, but a few years later and they appear to be in the same spot.  With Houston getting their pick next year, the Knicks being good, and them being irrelevant in NYC, they need to make a splash.

[Chicagojk]

Get ready for draft workout video season.

https://x.com/draftexpress/status/205275...54602?s=61

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

So there were 7/8 teams who were tanking for better lottery odds this year, but who needs lottery luck the most.   Any of the dregs will pray to get lucky but my choices are Utah, Memphis and Sac. 

Nope, I'm fresh outta hope and wishes for Utah and Memphis for the ways they tanked. I don't want them rewarded. I especially don't want the Jazz to land a top pick because, along with my spite, I can see that adding Dybantsa to their team makes them dangerous. That's all the Mavs need is yet another young West team to have to go through along with OKC, SA and Minnesota.

At the very least, I'd want the Jazz to have to trade for Dybantsa, which I think that they'd gladly overpay for since he's the rare athlete that actually WANTS to go to Utah. 

I'd love to pair Cooper with AJ, but I'd definitely entertain offers from Utah if the Mavs could come away with Caleb Wilson, Ace Bailey, Isaiah Collier and another 1st. That seems like a lot, but AJ would be a marketing coup for them.

[dirkfansince1998]

@Fullcourtpass
Darryn Peterson reveals taking a high dosage of creatine led to his cramping issues at Kansas and he was taken to the hospital by ambulance in September because he thought he was going to die, per @ramonashelburne

"I made it to the training room and just started begging them to call 911. They were trying to get a vein to get me the IV, get me back hydrated. But I was cramping so hard they couldn't get a vein. I thought I was going to die on the training table that day."

There have been numerous studies when it comes to creatine and potential side effects. Not a single one provides any evidence for cramps as a potential issue. Unless he wasn't drinking enough and that would have been a problem with or without the use of creatine.

We would have to assume that he took a dose that is higher than anything that has ever been tested in a medical environment to cause unknown side effects. Or simply come to the conclusion that he is lying. Either way not a good look for him.

Personally I think he is lying. There are other performance enhancing drugs that can cause electrolyte imbalance and dehydration. And I am pretty sure that most D1 programs are turning a blind eye (encouraging) on the use of them. NCAA drug testing program is a complete joke and everyone knows it.

[F Gump]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4871...d-cramping

Long detailed article on Peterson and the what and why of his cramping issues. Very open and explanatory, and the narrative fits what we saw (and couldn't understand) during the season, because he didn't want to talk about it since he had no clue what the issue really was. It apparently began from nowhere before the season, in an episode where the cramping was so severe he was scared he might die. At the time they had no explanation, and tried various remedies. He tried to play through it, but it freaked him out (and made him cautious) since he was afraid he might die on the court (and those around him kinda did too). After the season he apparently went through a long battery of tests to find the problem, once and for all, and as he explains it, it turned out to be his use of creatine which was way too much because they discovered he had a naturally high creatine level in his body.

Read the article. It makes perfect sense of everything. NBA teams can validate the medical narrative. But assuming it's not BS, I would wager he's a lock for no lower than 2.

[Chicagojk]

Sounds like Ricardi is still going to the lottery and will be in the room.  Hopefully there is no bad juju there.

[DallasMaverick]

Sounds like Ricardi is still going to the lottery and will be in the room.  Hopefully there is no bad juju there.

Aren't they just repeating what they did last year?

Most people are pretty superstitious about stuff like that.

[dirkfansince1998]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4871...d-cramping

Long detailed article on Peterson and the what and why of his cramping issues. Very open and explanatory, and the narrative fits what we saw (and couldn't understand) during the season, because he didn't want to talk about it since he had no clue what the issue really was. It apparently began from nowhere before the season, in an episode where the cramping was so severe he was scared he might die. At the time they had no explanation, and tried various remedies. He tried to play through it, but it freaked him out (and made him cautious) since he was afraid he might die on the court (and those around him kinda did too). After the season he apparently went through a long battery of tests to find the problem, once and for all, and as he explains it, it turned out to be his use of creatine which was way too much because they discovered he had a naturally high creatine level in his body.

Read the article. It makes perfect sense of everything. NBA teams can validate the medical narrative. But assuming it's not BS, I would wager he's a lock for no lower than 2.

Nothing he describes can be explained by any known creatine related issue. Full story makes it even less plausible. Medical workers learn to go step by step. Most likely and most dangerous conditions are always the priority. In this case we have to ignore all the evidence at hand and just accept that Peterson has an underlying condition that has never been described before that potentially caused a strong reaction after he "overdosed" on creatine. Or we dismiss the creatine story and focus on the symptoms. What else could have caused cramping like this.

But you are right. NBA teams can easily validate this. Not sure if it helps his draft stock though.

[Smitty]

@KevinOConnor
My NBA Draft Guide just launched with my newest mock draft, 60 full scouting reports, player comparisons, and two big boards: my personal rankings + an estimated NBA consensus ranking based on league-wide feedback. Many more updates to come in weeks ahead.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/draft/mock/

[Smitty]

@KevinOConnor
My NBA Draft Guide just launched with my newest mock draft, 60 full scouting reports, player comparisons, and two big boards: my personal rankings + an estimated NBA consensus ranking based on league-wide feedback. Many more updates to come in weeks ahead.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/draft/mock/

Christian Anderson player comps of Quickley and VanVleet... Future Maverick. ha

[Smitty]

@Fullcourtpass
Darryn Peterson reveals taking a high dosage of creatine led to his cramping issues at Kansas and he was taken to the hospital by ambulance in September because he thought he was going to die, per @ramonashelburne

"I made it to the training room and just started begging them to call 911. They were trying to get a vein to get me the IV, get me back hydrated. But I was cramping so hard they couldn't get a vein. I thought I was going to die on the training table that day."

@BrianSuttererMD
I want to clarify my point better:
 
In normal physiology and conditions, creatine supplementation shouldn’t be blamed for causing whole body cramps that require hospitalization.
 
We also have to be careful of the difference between creatine and creatine kinase.
 
Creatine kinase (CK) is a biomarker of muscle damage and is different than creatine. CK is released into the blood with muscle breakdown and then it can damage the kidneys and cause death. This is caused rhabdomyolysis and you’ve seen it in the news with other athletes.
 
Rhabdo occurs in athletes with intense bouts of exercise. Medical conditions and supplements can contribute to the risk of rhabdo, but creatine does not directly cause rhabdo. There have to be a lot of other contributing factors that lead to full body cramps and hospitalization.
 
So blaming a very concerning health event on taking too much creatine means either he was taking SIGNIFICANTLY more than the label recommended AND wasn’t hydrating well AND had an intense workout.
 
Creatine is just piece of what was probably a far more involved episode and brushing it off like it was a simple creatine dose issue puts unfair blame on what’s a very safe and well studied supplement.