The 2026 NBA Draft is in the books. Though the draft started out fairly chalky for the first eight or so picks, the chaos started after that. Morez Johnson Jr. rejoining his college coach in Dallas wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card, Henri Veesaar took a massive fall deep into the second round, and high-level shooters with size and plus defense in Meleek Thomas and Isaiah Evans weren’t even taken in the first round.
Now that all 60 picks in the draft have been made, let’s evaluate the winners and losers, as well as hand out some superlatives.
2026 NBA Draft Winners & Losers
GettyINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – APRIL 06: Morez Johnson Jr. #21 of the Michigan Wolverines works against Jaylin Stewart #3 of the UConn Huskies during the second half of a game in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 06, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Winner: Memphis Grizzlies
After selecting Duke’s Cameron Boozer No. 3 overall, getting a truly elite prospect and a perfect fit next to Zach Edey at center, the Grizzlies played the rest of the draft masterfully. They traded down twice with their second first-round pick, going from No. 16 to No. 17 and then to No. 21, adding seven second-round picks in the process, then took the sliding Karim López.
Memphis traded three of those second-rounders to the Pistons for Isaiah Stewart, adding a much-needed backup center behind Edey. They also selected Richie Saunders in the second round, a versatile shooting guard. This was a masterclass in draft value and addressing needs.
Loser: Milwaukee Bucks
In fairness, it was always going to be tough to replace Giannis Antetokounmpo with two late lottery picks. But Brayden Burries and Nate Ament don’t provide the most upside, especially considering who was on the board. The Bucks got a glut of picks and players back from the Heat, but Burries profiles as a role player and Ament is coming off a rough freshman season at Tennessee. It’s not the draft Milwaukee fans were hoping for.
Winner: San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs were just in the NBA Finals. But they got exposed in the playoffs during the minutes in which Victor Wembanyama was on the bench. So they went out and drafted an elite defensive prospect in Jayden Quaintance. Even though Quaintance will need a second knee surgery and will miss his rookie season, is upside is way higher than the No. 20 pick.
To provide some insurance for the Quaintance pick, the Spurs also selected Tarris Reed Jr. in the first round. A high-floor center, Reed will get easy buckets, own the boards, and protect the rim. The Spurs took multiple shots at shoring up their biggest weakness.
2026 NBA Draft Superlatives
GettySAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 28: Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles against the Arizona Wildcats during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Best Fit: Kingston Flemings with the Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks re-signed CJ McCollum to a one-year deal this offseason. Then they drafted Flemings, my favorite point guard prospect in this draft, at No. 8 overall. Flemings is an elite offensive initiator, provides a lot of rim pressure, is a great facilitator, can shoot from range, and is a good defender.
Now, he can sit behind McCollum for a year and get comfortable in a role off the bench, develop his game, and get ready to take the reins of the offense in Year 2.
Biggest Reach: Dailyn Swain at No. 15 to the Bulls
This is more than just a reach: it’s a bad fit. The Bulls need shooting badly. Swain does not provide that. He’s big, gets to the rim at will, has some defensive upside, and is a good athlete even by NBA standards.
The problem is, he doesn’t fit well next to the Bulls’ other pieces. And there were better players (and better fits) on the board. This was a miss.
Best Value: Labaron Philon at No. 22 to the 76ers
Philon tumbled down the board on night one, with a bunch of other point guards jumping him in a loaded class. But I had him ranked as a top 10 player in this class: he’s an elite shot-maker from all three levels, a plus defender, and a good playmaker. He has star potential, and the 76ers got a real gem.
Biggest Surprise: Henri Veesaar’s Fall
We all witnessed in real time the power of NBA agents. Veesaar was a projected first-round pick and widely considered one of the top available prospects entering the second night. Everyone expected him to come off the board in the first three or four picks — instead, he fell all the way to the Hawks at No. 52.
Veesaar had a promise, and his agents made sure he fell to his preferred landing spot. Sometimes, the draft is about leverage and will.
NBA Draft Winners & Losers: Best Fits, Biggest Reaches & Surprise Picks