This has been one of the events circled on my calendar for months. Unfortunately, I won’t be there this year after making the move back to Dallas this weekend, but it’s a tournament I’ve attended several times in the past. I was in Belgrade last summer, and one of my favorite editions was the loaded 2019 tournament that featured future NBA players Alperen Sengun, Franz Wagner, Santi Aldama, Moussa Diabate, Adem Bona, and Ariel Hukporti, just to name a few.

This year’s field has a chance to be another strong one. While it may not have the same depth as the 2019 class, there are two prospects with legitimate lottery potential for the 2027 NBA Draft, along with several others who could significantly boost their stock over the next nine days.

Whether you’re an NBA Draft junkie, a fan of basketball’s continued globalization, or a college coach looking to identify the next wave of international prospects before the rest of the country catches on, this tournament is one of the best scouting opportunities of the summer.

Here are my thoughts on a handful of players I’ve spent a lot of time scouting over the years who will be competing in Trentino from July 25 through August 2.

Stefan Joksimovic | 6’8 Point Forward | Slovenia

The headliner of this year’s FIBA U18 EuroBasket is Stefan Joksimovic, who is, without question, the most intriguing Slovenian prospect to emerge since Luka Doncic.

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Several second round picks and undrafted free agents caught my attention because some of the concerns that hurt their draft stock looked far less glaring in Las Vegas. Whether it was improved shooting mechanics, better decision making, increased defensive activity, or simply a newfound level of confidence, these players showed encouraging signs that they may already be making progress in the areas that once limited their NBA outlook. That’s certainly not true for everyone on this list, and a strong week in July doesn’t erase months of scouting. But it was enough to make me wonder whether some of these perceived weaknesses may not be long term issues after all.

With so many front offices navigating the financial restrictions of the second apron, finding productive contributors on second round contracts and two-way deals has become more valuable than ever. Teams that consistently hit on the margins gain a significant competitive advantage, making Summer League an important opportunity for these players to prove they belong and for organizations to identify inexpensive rotation pieces.

Before diving in, it’s worth noting that two of my favorite second round performers, Meleek Thomas and Bruce Thornton, were featured in a separate article earlier this week. This notebook focuses on a different group of second round picks and undrafted players whose Summer League performances raised my level of intrigue heading into training camp.

Trevon Brazile | Denver Nuggets

In my humble opinion, one of the biggest winners of the 2026 Summer League was Trevon Brazile.

Brazile was selected with the 35th pick, but I’ve always believed he possessed first round talent. In Las Vegas, his combination of athleticism, length, defensive versatility and rebounding was on full display.

I’ve always been a fan of bigs who can space the floor, protect the rim and serve as vertical lob threats. Those players are difficult to find, which is one of the reasons I was so high on Kel’el Ware coming out of Indiana in 2024. Brazile reminds me of Ware in some ways. The talent has never been the question. Instead, the biggest concerns have revolved around his motor, consistency and ability to bring the same level of intensity every night.

This summer, he answered a lot of those questions.

Brazile averaged 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 45 percent from the field, 47 percent from three and 80 percent from the free throw line. He knocked down 9 of his 19 three point attempts and delivered one of the most impressive individual performances of Summer League with 32 points against Oklahoma City, including 19 in the first half, while shooting 11-19 from the field and 6-12 from three. He followed that with another strong outing against Portland, finishing with 19 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

For a Denver team searching for more athleticism, shooting and frontcourt depth, Brazile made a compelling case for a role. The Nuggets added Marvin Bagley III this offseason and still have DaRon Holmes II and Zeke Nnaji competing for minutes, but Brazile’s Summer League performance should make that competition much more interesting.

On a personal level, it was great to see him bounce back. Early in his sophomore season at Arkansas, I thought he had firmly established himself as a first round prospect before tearing his ACL after just nine games. Since then, the flashes have always been there, but the consistency wasn’t. Too often, his production failed to match his talent.

It’s only a small sample size, but if Summer League is any indication, the Nuggets may have landed one of the biggest steals of the second round.

Bryce Hopkins | Denver Nuggets

The next player who caught my attention was Bryce Hopkins, and in many ways, his story parallels Trevon Brazile’s. Not only are they now teammates in Denver, but both had their college careers derailed by injuries just as they were building first round momentum.

Selected with the 49th pick, Hopkins looked every bit like an experienced, versatile weapon who belongs in the NBA. In four Summer League games, he averaged 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.3 stocks (steals plus blocks) while shooting 53 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three. He scored in double figures in every game and consistently filled the stat sheet with his scoring, rebounding and defensive activity.

This is another feel good story. Hopkins appeared in just 18 games combined during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons after suffering a torn ACL and later dealing with a bone bruise. Before the injuries, he had firmly put himself on the NBA radar. He first caught my attention as a sophomore at Providence, where he averaged 15.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists after transferring from Kentucky, where he saw limited playing time as a fresghman.

As of now, Hopkins hasn’t signed a contract, but I’d be surprised if he doesn’t receive at least a two-way deal. After the Summer League he put together, I wouldn’t be surprised if his representatives are pushing for a standard NBA contract instead.

Like Brazile, Hopkins entered the draft with more experience than most prospects and likely would have heard his name called much earlier had injuries not interrupted his college career. It’s still only a small sample size, but Denver may have found outstanding value by betting on two talented players whose draft stock was driven down more by health than ability.

Dillon Mitchell | Boston Celtics

Dillon Mitchell’s path to the NBA wasn’t the one many envisioned when he entered college. A former five star recruit, Mitchell arrived at Texas with lottery expectations before transferring to Cincinnati and finishing his college career at St. John’s. After what felt like a long journey through college basketball, he was selected with the 40th pick in last month’s draft.

I’ve said it before, but I’ve always felt Mitchell had the game of a center in a wing’s body. Physically, he checks every box. He’s an elite athlete with outstanding length, explosiveness and defensive versatility. The talent has never been in question. The concern has always been the skill level, particularly his shooting. He often looked more athletic than polished, and in today’s NBA, that’s a difficult profile for a complementary wing.

That’s why his Summer League performance caught my attention.

Mitchell averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.7 steals, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks, scoring in double figures in three of his four games. His best performance came against Charlotte, where he finished with 24 points, eight rebounds, six steals and two blocks. But what stood out even more than the stat line was that he knocked down 2 of his 5 three point attempts.

That may not seem significant until you consider his shooting history.

As a freshman at Texas, Mitchell didn’t attempt a three. As a sophomore, he went 0-8 from beyond the arc. He showed some progress at Cincinnati by making 10 of 34 threes (29.4 percent), but his confidence appeared to disappear at St. John’s, where he made just 1 of 15 attempts all season. Over his four year college career spanning 144 games, Mitchell made only 11 three pointers while shooting just 48 percent from the free throw line, raising legitimate doubts about both his jumper and his overall touch.

That’s why his willingness to shoot in Summer League was almost as encouraging as the makes themselves. Mitchell attempted eight threes in four games, converting three (37.5 percent). It’s far too early to declare the shooting issue solved, but simply seeing him step into open shots with confidence was a positive development.

The swing skill has always been his perimeter shooting. If Mitchell can develop into even a league average shooter, his athleticism, defensive versatility and ability to impact games without needing the ball give him a clear path to becoming a valuable NBA role player. He already showed the defensive tools in Las Vegas, finishing third in Summer League in steals at 2.7 per game while averaging 1.3 blocks. He has all the makings of a disruptive defender, transition finisher and high-energy role player.

The shooting remains the biggest question, but if Boston’s player development staff can help Mitchell become a respectable floor spacer, the Celtics may have landed one of the best value picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Quadir Copeland | Houston Rockets

Similar to Dillon Mitchell, Quadir Copeland entered the pre draft process with major questions about his perimeter shooting. But among this year’s undrafted free agents, Copeland may have been one of the biggest revelations of Summer League.

Playing for the Houston Rockets, Copeland averaged 13.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 steals while shooting 56 percent from the field and 6-11 (54.5 percent) from three. He saved his best performance for the Summer League semifinals, finishing with 24 points on 9-13 shooting, showcasing the all around impact that made him one of the tournament’s biggest surprises.

The shooting is what stood out most.

Throughout his college career at Syracuse, McNeese State and NC State, Copeland’s jumper was viewed as the biggest obstacle to his NBA future. He made just 39 three pointers in 121 career games and was often reluctant to shoot from the perimeter. While he connected on a career best 39 percent from three during his final season at NC State, it came on just 58 attempts in 34 games, leaving questions about whether defenses would have to respect him at the next level.

Summer League offered an encouraging glimpse.

Copeland averaged 2.2 three-point attempts per game, a noticeable increase in both volume and confidence compared to college, and he converted more than half of those attempts. The percentage will likely fluctuate, but the biggest takeaway was his confidence to take the shots that he often passed up in college.

I also think Copeland landed in an ideal situation. Houston, under Ime Udoka, has built its identity around toughness, defensive pressure and versatility. Copeland checks all of those boxes. He ranked among the Summer League leaders in steals, averaging 2.2 per game, recorded at least two steals in every contest, and, alongside Bruce Thornton, consistently disrupted opposing ball handlers with his activity and physicality.

Copeland has already signed a two-way contract and is expected to spend time with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he earns a few opportunities with the Rockets throughout the season. His positional size, defensive versatility and Swiss Army knife skill set already give him a chance to carve out a role. If the perimeter shooting proves to be real, he has a legitimate opportunity to become one of the undrafted success stories from this class.

Tre White | Miami Heat

Tre White is another undrafted player who significantly boosted his stock during Summer League.

Based on what I saw, White looks like the type of 3-and-D wing every NBA team is searching for. At 6’7” 210 pounds, he has solid positional size, and he put together a strong showing across both Summer League stops.

White averaged 12.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in the California Classic while shooting 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. He took his play to another level in Las Vegas, averaging 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 40 percent from three on 30 attempts.

The shooting is what stood out most.

White’s perimeter jumper has steadily trended in the right direction. After spending time at USC, Louisville, Illinois and Kansas, he finished his college career by shooting a career best 40 percent from three at Kansas. Before that, he had never shot above 30 percent from deep in a season, making his improvement one of the more encouraging developments in his game.

I’ve actually been following White since his freshman year of high school, when he played alongside former first round pick RJ Hampton at Little Elm High School outside of Dallas. He’s bounced around quite a bit throughout both his high school and college career, but hopefully he’s finally found the right situation in Miami.

I think White has a legitimate chance to stick because his skill set fits exactly what the Heat value. Miami needs shooting, especially on inexpensive contracts, to complement Bam Adebayo and newly acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo, and perhaps even LeBron James if the speculation becomes reality. If White can consistently knock down open threes while defending multiple positions, he’ll give himself a real opportunity to earn a role.

Miami currently has an open two-way contract available along with three open roster spots. I expect at least two of those roster spots to go to experienced veterans, but the Heat have built one of the NBA’s best reputations for identifying overlooked talent and developing undrafted players into rotation contributors. White has the tools to become the next player on that list.

Tre Donaldson | Miami Heat

One of Miami’s two-way contracts went to Tre Donaldson, who put together a strong Summer League and looked like one of the more polished point guards in Las Vegas.

Donaldson averaged 16.3 points, 6.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting 53 percent from the field and 43 percent from three in four games. He consistently controlled the pace, created easy opportunities for teammates and showed the toughness and decision-making that made him one of my favorite guards to watch.

His best performances came against Detroit, where he finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and a steal, and against Cleveland, where he posted 22 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal.

Miami didn’t have to look far to find him. Donaldson spent his final college season with the Hurricanes, averaging 16.4 points, 5.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals while earning Second Team All-ACC honors. Before returning home to Florida, he spent two seasons at Auburn before transferring to Michigan, then ultimately finishing his college career in Miami.

Landing with the Heat has to feel like a full circle moment. Donaldson is a Florida native who now gets the opportunity to begin his NBA career close to home with an organization representing his home state.

What stood out most wasn’t necessarily the statistics. It was how naturally his game fits what Miami values. At 6’3” 195 pounds, Donaldson is physically strong, tough, competitive and plays with poise. He’s a floor general who understands how to organize an offense, make the right reads and keep teammates involved while competing on the defensive end.

Including both Summer League stops, Donaldson averaged 13.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals while shooting 51 percent from the field and 40 percent from three over seven games.

The Heat have built a reputation for developing overlooked players into reliable rotation pieces. Donaldson’s toughness, leadership and ability to run a team make him another intriguing developmental prospect who could eventually outperform where he entered the league.

Rienk Mast | Indiana Pacers

Last but not least is Rienk Mast, one of the more intriguing undrafted bigs from this year’s class.

Mast’s journey to the NBA has been anything but conventional. The native of the Netherlands followed a long and winding path that included two redshirt seasons. He spent three years at Bradley before transferring to Nebraska, where he missed the 2024-25 season due to injury before returning last year to average 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists.

Ironically, he now joins the same franchise where fellow Dutchman and Pacers legend Rick Smits, better known as the “Dunking Dutchman,” spent his entire NBA career.

What has always stood out about Mast is his skill level. He’s not an explosive athlete or an upside swing, but he’s a polished offensive big who can score, rebound and facilitate. He’s the type of player you can usually pencil in for double figures because he understands how to play and consistently makes the right decisions.

That translated well to Summer League.

Mast averaged 15.3 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 48 percent from the field over four games. He finished fourth in Summer League in rebounding, highlighted by a 23 point, 10 rebound performance off the bench against Toronto and a 16 point, 11 rebound outing versus Cleveland.

None of his production was particularly surprising. At 24 years old, Mast is older and more physically mature than many of the players he faced in Las Vegas. He’s not the type of prospect teams draft solely because of his upside. Instead, his value comes from his experience, feel for the game and polished offensive skill set.

I don’t necessarily see him as a lock to be an NBA player, but I do think he has a chance to carve out a role as a dependable third center who can provide scoring, rebounding and passing off the bench. Those players don’t always generate headlines, but they often find ways to stick around the league for a long time.

I also understand that Summer League isn’t played under ideal circumstances. For many lottery picks, their final college game was three or four months ago. The pre-draft process is filled with individual workouts, shooting sessions, interviews, strength training, and travel, but very little live five on five basketball. No matter how hard a player trains, nothing truly replicates the speed, timing, physicality, and decision making that comes with real game action. It’s not uncommon to see players come up short on jumpers, struggle to find their rhythm, or look rusty during their first few games back. The transition to the NBA three point line can also play a role, especially for players who relied heavily on jump shooting in college.

That said, it’s human nature to watch a player struggle from three and wonder if there’s more to it than rust. Is it simply a matter of getting their legs back under them? Is it an adjustment to NBA range? Or is it reinforcing a concern that already existed before draft night?

While shooting percentages often dominate the conversation, they’re not always what I find most interesting. I’m paying closer attention to how these players adjust to NBA athleticism, how quickly they process the game, whether they embrace a new role, how they defend, compete, and respond when things aren’t going well. Those traits tend to be much more predictive than whether a few jump shots happen to fall in July.

So instead of reacting to box scores, I went back to my pre-draft scouting reports on all 14 lottery picks. For each player, I asked the same question: Did Summer League confirm what I already believed, challenge my evaluation, or reinforce one of my biggest concerns?

Let’s start with the No. 1 pick.

AJ Dybantsa - Washington Wizards

Summer League Snapshot

25.0 PPG | 7.0 RPG | 2.0 APG | 2.5 SPG | 1.5 BPG | 39.4% FG | 9.1% 3PT (1-11)

Pre-Draft Evaluation

I viewed Dybantsa as the No. 1 prospect in the class because of his combination of size, athleticism, rim pressure, and shot making ability. I believed he had the tools to become a 25 point per game scorer in the NBA and even thought he had the talent to average 20 points as a rookie. My biggest concerns centered around his shooting off the catch, defensive engagement, tendency to rely too heavily on isolation basketball, and whether he would continue to overpower defenders against NBA athletes.

What Summer League Showed Me

The production was exactly what I expected. Dybantsa averaged 25.0 points in two Summer League games and consistently put pressure on the rim. His athleticism, ability to create downhill, and knack for drawing fouls immediately translated against NBA level competition. Those were already among the biggest strengths in my pre-draft evaluation.

Where Summer League became more interesting was the shooting. Despite averaging 25 points, he shot just 39.4% from the field and 1-11 from three, with his lone make coming on a pull up in transition. More concerning, he missed every catch & shoot three he attempted. That reinforced one of the biggest questions I had entering the draft.

The defensive numbers also stood out. After concerns about his defensive engagement and relatively low block and steal rates at BYU, Dybantsa averaged 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks, showing far more activity on that end of the floor than I consistently saw in college. It’s a small sample, but the effort level was encouraging.

Confirmed or Challenged?

Confirmed

• Elite athlete who consistently gets to the rack.

• Excellent at drawing fouls and generating efficient offense inside the arc.

• Offensive upside remains as high as anyone in the class.

Challenged

• His defensive activity exceeded my expectations.

• The steal and block production suggests he may have more defensive upside than I initially projected if he maintains that level of engagement.

Reinforced Concerns

• Shooting off the catch.

• Perimeter efficiency.

• Defenses may initially be comfortable helping off him until he proves he can consistently knock down open threes, particularly playing alongside Trae Young.

Verdict

Worth Monitoring

My overall evaluation hasn’t changed. If anything, Summer League reinforced why I viewed Dybantsa as the top prospect in the draft. The rim pressure, athleticism, and scoring instincts all translated immediately. The biggest swing skill remains his perimeter shooting. Trae Young will create the opportunities. Whether Dybantsa turns those opportunities into efficient offense could be the biggest factor in his rookie season.

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As a scout, there are certain players you immediately fall in love with. There are others you eventually talk yourself out of because you’re not quite sure how they’ll translate. Then there are the rare prospects who force you to rethink your entire evaluation process.

That’s where I find myself with Cayden Daughtry.

Yesterday, I wrote about five prospects who changed my mind after watching them in NBA Summer League. But if I’m being completely honest, no player has challenged my thinking more this summer than Daughtry.

If you’ve followed my work for any length of time, you know I’m transparent. Scouting is about following the evidence, admitting when your thinking changes, and constantly refining your process.

Daughtry has done exactly that.

It’s not because he suddenly became a better player. He’s always been one of the most electric scorers in high school basketball.

What has changed is the question I’m asking.

When I first watched Daughtry this summer, I evaluated him as one of the nation’s best high school point guards. Because of his size and frame, I wasn’t projecting him through the lens of an NBA franchise cornerstone. I wasn’t asking whether he was the type of guard an organization would trust to run its offense from Day 1.

Now I am.

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Every year, a rookie has a huge scoring night and people rush to crown him a future star. Another struggles through his first few games, and suddenly questions begin to surface about whether he was worthy of his draft position.

That’s one of the reasons I haven’t rushed to publish my Summer League thoughts.

I wanted to give myself the opportunity to watch players over multiple games before drawing any conclusions. Even then, we’re still talking about a very small sample size, so it’s important to keep everything in perspective.

At the same time, Summer League also reminds you of another important lesson as a scout:

You have to be willing to change your mind.

Like every evaluator, I entered Summer League with players I believed in and others I wasn’t completely sold on. While one week in Las Vegas shouldn’t completely rewrite those evaluations, it can provide valuable new information.

Sometimes a player looks more comfortable in an NBA role than he did in college. Other times, a prospect is asked to play a completely different role, whether that’s taking on more offensive responsibility or learning to thrive with fewer touches. And sometimes you simply see a player address a weakness that concerned you throughout the pre draft process.

Over the last week, several players have forced me to revisit parts of my evaluation. Some raised what I believe is their long term ceiling. Others reinforced the opinions I already held. And a few reminded me that player development is rarely linear.

With most of the lottery picks and headline rookies now finished playing in Las Vegas, here are the prospects who changed my mind the most during the first week of Summer League.

I Was Too Low on Meleek Thomas

The easiest choice for me was Cleveland’s Meleek Thomas.

I’ll admit it. I was too low on him.

Coming into the draft, I knew Thomas could score. After all, he averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game as a freshman at Arkansas. He also knocked down 41 percent of his three point attempts on a healthy five attempts per game. The shooting ability was never in question.

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For me, Summer League has become one of the must watch events on the NBA calendar. Unfortunately, I won’t be in attendance this year, as I’m still living in Paris. That means a lot of late nights, early mornings, and alarms set for games that tip off at 2 or 3 a.m. local time. But if you’re serious about watching the next generation of NBA talent, a little lost sleep is part of the job.

I still remember my first Summer League back in 2012, long before it became the basketball spectacle it is today. I walked down the steps at the Thomas & Mack Center, found a seat just a few rows from the floor, and watched Damian Lillard make his Summer League debut. Back then, fans could move around freely, grab a courtside seat, and soak in the action without much hassle.

Those days are long gone.

Summer League has exploded in popularity. Ticket prices have skyrocketed, games routinely sell out, and Las Vegas has become the center of the basketball world every July. Last summer, when Cooper Flagg made his debut, the arena was so packed that leaving your seat to grab a drink or use the restroom felt like a gamble. If you got up, there was a good chance someone else would be sitting there when you came back.

It’s a credit to the NBA for transforming what were once glorified exhibition games into one of the league’s premier offseason events. Summer League has become more than just basketball. It’s where NBA executives, scouts, coaches, agents, media members, and diehard fans all gather for an early glimpse at the league’s future.

Over the next 10 days, I’ll be watching as many games as possible, keeping an eye on the rookie class, second year players looking to establish themselves, position battles, and some intriguing roster decisions that could carry over into training camp.

And while there are plenty of storylines worth following, none is bigger than opening night’s marquee matchup between the first two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft: AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson.

The Marquee Matchup: AJ Dybantsa vs. Darryn Peterson

Over the past few years, the NBA has done an incredible job of maximizing the excitement surrounding Summer League opening night. Rather than easing fans into the schedule, the league has consistently featured marquee matchups involving its newest stars, and this year is no exception.

The NBA wasted no time setting the stage.

Opening night features the top two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft as AJ Dybantsa and the Washington Wizards take on Darryn Peterson and the Utah Jazz. Considering the anticipation surrounding these two prospects over the past few years, this has a chance to be one of the most anticipated Summer League debuts in recent memory.

We’ve seen massive crowds tune in for the Summer League debuts of Victor Wembanyama, Zion Williamson, Cooper Flagg, and Lonzo Ball. Dybantsa and Peterson belong in that conversation.

Part of the intrigue comes from what could become one of the NBA’s next great rivalries.

Dybantsa had been viewed as the No. 1 player in the class for most of his high school career. But during their senior seasons, the gap between him and Peterson narrowed considerably, turning what once felt like a foregone conclusion into one of basketball’s biggest debates.

Who was the better long term NBA prospect?

Dybantsa or Peterson?

Then came college, where their journeys couldn't have been more different.

Statistically, the answer appeared straightforward.

Dybantsa put together one of the best freshman seasons in recent college basketball history at BYU, leading the nation in scoring at 25.5 points per game while averaging 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Night after night, he validated why he had spent years atop the recruiting rankings and was widely projected as the No. 1 pick.

Peterson’s path was not as smooth.

Limited to just 24 games because of injuries and an up and down freshman season at Kansas, he still averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.

On paper, it looked like a no brainer.

Dybantsa had the bigger numbers, the healthier season, and one of the best freshman campaigns in recent memory.

Yet Peterson’s name never disappeared from the No. 1 pick conversation.

Whether it was genuine interest from Washington or late draft smoke screens, there continued to be speculation that the Wizards were seriously considering Peterson with the top pick. That only added another layer to a rivalry that had been building for years.

The storyline became even more compelling because Dybantsa spent his final high school season at Utah Prep before starring at BYU. With the Jazz holding the second pick, Utah fans knew they were guaranteed to land one of the two players who had dominated draft conversations for the better part of two years.

I’ve been an AJ Dybantsa believer ever since I watched him as a freshman in high school.

But even I couldn’t ignore Peterson’s ascension.

The rivalry, however, didn’t begin during the draft process.

It started on the court.

Their first notable meeting came in December 2024, when Peterson scored 32 points to lead Prolific Prep past Dybantsa’s Utah Prep squad.

Then came the game that elevated the rivalry to another level.

It remains one of the best high school basketball games I’ve ever watched.

The two future top picks combined for more than 100 points, with Peterson erupting for 58 points, including the game winning three-pointer, while Dybantsa finished with 49 points in an unforgettable showdown.

Earlier this year, they met again when Kansas hosted BYU.

The game itself didn’t quite live up to the enormous hype, but it added another chapter to their growing rivalry.

Kansas won 90-82, and while the box score shows Peterson finishing with 18 points and Dybantsa scoring 17 on 6-12 shooting, the numbers don’t tell the full story.

This was one of those games you had to watch.

Peterson controlled the game from the opening tip.

Dybantsa entered as the nation’s leading scorer but was strangely quiet throughout the night. He didn’t attempt his first shot until roughly nine minutes into the game and didn’t score his first basket until there were about seven minutes remaining in the first half. He attempted only 12 shots and finished third on his own team in scoring.

If you’re judging the rivalry strictly by their head-to-head meetings, Peterson has had the upper hand.

Now they get to write the next chapter.

Tonight marks the first meeting between the two as NBA players, and Peterson enters with plenty of momentum after an outstanding Salt Lake City Summer League. He opened with 28 points in his debut before following it up with 25 points and 12 assists, giving him plenty of confidence heading into Las Vegas.

Whether you’re a Wizards fan, a Jazz fan, or simply an NBA Draft junkie, this is the matchup I’m looking forward to most.

Even if it means waking up at 3 a.m. in Paris, I’ll be watching.

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It’s one of the few tournaments where you get to see many of the world’s top young prospects competing against one another in the same setting. After spending the past season traveling throughout Europe evaluating international talent, I especially enjoy seeing how players who dominate in their domestic leagues perform against different styles of play and varying levels of athleticism.

I’ll admit, one of the things I pay the closest attention to is how prospects who stand out physically or athletically in Europe fare when matched up against teams like the United States, Canada, Australia or the athletic teams coming out of Africa. It’s one thing to excel against familiar competition. It’s another to produce when facing different athletes, different systems, and different basketball cultures.

That’s what makes the FIBA U17 World Cup such a valuable scouting event.

Beyond the competition itself, the tournament also offers an early glimpse into the future of the NBA Draft. Many of the players who starred in Istanbul will headline the 2028 NBA Draft conversation, while others are likely to emerge in the 2029, 2030, or even 2031 draft classes as their games continue to develop.

Yesterday, I shared my thoughts on Team USA’s dominant run to another gold medal. Today, the focus shifts to the players who weren’t wearing red, white, and blue for the United States.

This is part one of a two-part series highlighting the international prospects who stood out, raised their profiles, and made the strongest impressions in Istanbul.

Nikola Kusturica | Serbia | Wing

If you weren’t already following European basketball or last summer’s FIBA U16 European Championship, this may have been your introduction to Serbia’s Nikola Kusturica.

Coming into the tournament, Kusturica’s name was already generating plenty of buzz, fueled in part by reports linking him to UCLA and a rumored two year NIL package worth $12 million. From the people I spoke with, those figures appear to be greatly exaggerated, but all signs still point toward Kusturica heading to Westwood.

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The FIBA U17 World Cup has become one of the premier scouting events on the basketball calendar because it offers one of the earliest opportunities to evaluate many of the world’s top young prospects competing against one another on the international stage. While there were plenty of intriguing individual performances throughout the week, one storyline overshadowed everything else.

Team USA was simply on another level.

There has been plenty of conversation in recent years about the rest of the world catching up to Team USA, and in many ways, that discussion is fair at the senior level.

But at the U17 level, this tournament was a reminder that the United States still has a massive talent advantage.

Team USA didn’t just win. It dominated.

The Americans won by an average margin of 46.5 points, extending their reign on top while capturing an eighth consecutive U17 World Cup title.

So while the world may be gaining ground in certain areas, this tournament was a clear reminder that at the youth level, Team USA remains in a class of its own.

More than anything, one thing became abundantly clear throughout the week.

No team could match Team USA’s combination of size, athleticism, depth, and relentless intensity.

The Americans overwhelmed opponents with wave after wave of NBA caliber talent, turning games into track meets while dominating the glass, forcing turnovers, and finishing above the rim. Even when opponents had a standout individual performance, they simply didn’t have enough firepower or depth to keep pace for 40 minutes.

That was the biggest difference throughout the tournament. Team USA wasn’t just more talented. It was bigger, faster, deeper, and more physical than every opponent it faced.

As if the blowout victories weren't enough, Team USA rewrote the record book by making a tournament-record 77 three pointers.

The Americans extended their all-time record to 58-0 and continues to set the standard for youth basketball across the globe.

The United States opened the tournament with a convincing 115-84 victory over France in what many believed would be one of the better matchups of the group stage. From there, the Americans overwhelmed Japan 128-66 before defeating Italy 131-80. The next rounds offered little resistance as Team USA rolled past Cameroon 141-85, Puerto Rico 149-82, Australia 114-85, and finally Serbia 107-81 in the championship game.

Ironically, the championship game was Team USA’s closest contest of the entire tournament.

Serbia needed a historic performance from Nikola Kusturica just to keep the final margin under 30 points. Kusturica finished with 37 points, setting a new record for the most points ever scored in a FIBA U17 World Cup championship game. Even with his brilliant effort, Serbia still became the only team in the tournament to finish within 20 points of Team USA.

Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje capped off a dominant tournament by recording 20 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks in the championship game. CJ Rosser added 23 points, while Beckham Black orchestrated the offense with 12 points and 10 assists to go along with three steals.

Boumtje Boumtje was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after averaging 19.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. He also established a new tournament record with 76 total rebounds, further cementing himself as one of the biggest winners from the event.

As dominant as Team USA was, the tournament also provided an invaluable early glimpse at the next generation of NBA talent.

Here are my thoughts on Team USA’s top prospects after a week of scouting in Istanbul.

Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje

I’ll admit it: Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje showed me something in this tournament.

I’ve never doubted his talent or skill set. At 6’11” with size, strength and shooting range, the tools have always been obvious. My biggest question was whether he could consistently dominate games the way his talent suggested he should.

Playing for FC Barcelona’s youth team, that was sometimes difficult to evaluate. He played on a loaded roster that could win most games whether he scored 20 points or five. Because of that, I hadn’t always seen him impose his will on games for long stretches.

That changed at the FIBA U17 World Cup.

Boumtje Boumtje didn’t just produce. He crushed his opponents spirits.

He averaged 19.6 points and 10.9 rebounds on a ridiculous 59/53/88 shooting splits.

But the shooting wasn’t what impressed me most.

What stood out was the way Boumtje Boumtje imposed his will physically. He bullied opponents. He played with an edge and a level of nastiness that I hadn’t always seen from him. There were moments when he put the ball on the floor, attacked the rim, finished through contact, rebounded outside of his area, and made opponents look like they wanted no part of him.

He was simply too big, too strong, and too dominant.

His work on the glass was just as impressive. Boumtje Boumtje finished the tournament with three games of at least 15 rebounds, despite playing more than 25 minutes only once. Even if you took away the scoring and the shooting, he still controlled games with his rebounding, physicality, and presence.

That’s what I loved most.

He didn’t settle for being a skilled big who floated around the perimeter. He used his size and strength to his advantage. He punished smaller defenders, owned the glass, and played bully ball.

I’m convinced now.

It took me a little while, but I’m convinced.

Boumtje Boumtje has put himself in excellent position to be viewed as the early favorite for the No. 1 pick in the 2028 NBA Draft.

He now heads to Durham to begin what is expected to be a two year stint at Duke, where he’ll join another deep and talented roster. And that is still the one remaining question I have.

I’d still love to see Boumtje Boumtje as the consistent alpha on a team that isn’t loaded with talent. At Barcelona, he played alongside Nikola Kusturica and North Carolina commit Sayon Keita. This Team USA roster was stacked. Now, Duke will be loaded as well.

We may not get to see him carry a less talented team before he becomes a lottery pick.

But after what he showed in Istanbul, I feel a lot more comfortable betting on the talent, the physicality, and the mentality.

Beckham Black

Joining Boumtje Boumtje on the FIBA U17 World Cup All-Star Five was Beckham Black, and after watching him throughout the tournament, it was an easy choice.

Black entered the event as a consensus top three prospect in the Class of 2027, and depending on which recruiting service you follow, he’s widely regarded as the top point guard in the country.

He did nothing in Istanbul to change that perception.

If anything, he strengthened his case.

Black averaged 12.3 points and 8.3 assists per game, but the numbers only tell part of the story. What impressed me most was his poise, decision making, and ability to control the game.

He consistently made the right read.

He manipulated defenses, delivered pinpoint live dribble passes, and played with the patience and pace of a veteran floor general. Even more impressive, he averaged 8.3 assists while committing just 1.3 turnovers per game, an outstanding assist-to-turnover ratio on any level.

Black was also efficient as a scorer, shooting 52 percent from the field and 39 percent from three on 28 attempts.

He showed he could score whenever Team USA needed him to.

In the opening game against France, Black exploded for 23 points on 9-14 shooting while knocking down five three-pointers. He followed that performance with 19 points and 10 assists against Japan on an efficient 7-11 shooting night.

As Team USA continued blowing teams out, his scoring opportunities naturally decreased. He finished with three games in single figures, but that wasn’t because he disappeared. It was because he shifted into distributor mode. He recorded three games with at least 10 assists, constantly creating easy scoring opportunities for teammates.

His chemistry with high school teammate CJ Rosser was especially noticeable throughout the tournament, and Black showed the qualities every coach wants in a lead guard. He made the players around him better while still demonstrating the ability to take over offensively when necessary.

Defensively, he was just as impactful.

Black averaged three steals per game and was a disruptive presence at the point of attack. He recorded five steals against Australia and capped off the tournament with another strong defensive effort in the championship game against Serbia, finishing with a double double (12 points and 10 assists) while adding three steals.

For years, Beckham was known as Anthony Black’s younger brother.

After this tournament, I think it’s safe to say he has established his own identity.

He’s simply Beckham Black, and in my opinion, the best point guard in the Class of 2027.

CJ Rosser

Black’s teammate at Southeastern Prep, CJ Rosser, also turned in an strong performance and reinforced why he is widely viewed as one of the top five prospects in the Class of 2027.

At 6’10”, Rosser possesses ideal NBA positional size, but what separates him is his versatility and ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor.

He finished second on Team USA in scoring, averaging 16.4 points per game while adding 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He also posted shooting splits of 51 percent from the field, 36 percent from three, and 74 percent from the free throw line.

Naturally, when you’re a thin 6’10” wing who can handle the ball and has shooting upside, the Kevin Durant comparisons are going to follow.

Personally, I think those comparisons are unfair.

While Rosser is certainly capable of making perimeter shots, I still view his jump shot as a work in progress. He’s a respectable shooter with upside, but I wouldn’t classify him as a knockdown shooter just yet.

What I think is often overlooked is his defense.

Rosser has the physical tools every NBA team covets. He’s long, agile, moves his feet exceptionally well for his size, and has the versatility to defend multiple positions. He’s also an instinctive weak side rim protector, averaging one block per game during the tournament.

His best defensive basketball came late in the event.

Over Team USA’s final two games, Rosser recorded five blocked shots while frequently drawing the assignment of defending the opposing team’s best player. He embraced the challenge and consistently made life difficult with his length, mobility, and defensive instincts.

After talking with several NBA scouts in attendance, one theme kept coming up.

They love his upside.

His defensive profile, length, athleticism, and physical tools give him an extremely high ceiling, and I actually think his defense is ahead of his offense at this stage of his development.

That’s one of the reasons my NBA comparison for Rosser is Jaden McDaniels.

McDaniels entered college and the NBA with a reputation as a gifted offensive prospect and drew plenty of Durant comparisons because of his frame and skill set. While those comparisons ultimately proved unrealistic, McDaniels has developed into one of the NBA’s premier perimeter defenders. As his defense became his calling card, his offensive game gradually caught up, allowing him to become a valuable two-way player.

I could see Rosser following a similar path.

AJ Willams

Another player who really stood out to me was AJ Williams.

Williams finished third on Team USA in scoring, averaging 14 points per game while adding 6.6 rebounds per contest. He also averaged 1.8 stocks per game, combining steals and blocks to make an impact on the defensive end.

What makes those numbers even more impressive is that he accomplished all of it while averaging just under 19 minutes per game.

Whenever Williams checked into the game, he provided an instant impact.

His best performance came against Japan (which came on his birthday) when he scored 25 points on 7-10 shooting. He knocked down five of his six three point attempts, grabbed seven rebounds, and got to the free throw line six times, all in just 15 minutes of action.

It was a reminder of just how quickly he can fill up a box score.

Throughout the tournament, Williams showcased a complete offensive package. He finished through contact at the rim, knocked down perimeter jumpers, scored off the bounce, and consistently found ways to put pressure on opposing defenses.

He finished the tournament shooting 42 percent from three on 33 attempts while averaging three free throw attempts per game and converting 87 percent of his foul shots.

What really caught my attention, however, was his overall versatility.

Williams has a strong, physical frame, rebounds well for his position, and impacts the game defensively with his length, athleticism, and activity level. He doesn’t need the offense to be built around him to influence winning.

That’s one of the reasons I believe he has one of the highest ceilings in the high school class of 2028.

I also couldn’t help but wonder what his numbers might have looked like with a larger role. Averaging 14 points in fewer than 19 minutes per game speaks to just how productive and efficient he was throughout the tournament.

This was my first opportunity to evaluate Williams in person after watching him on film, and I came away extremely impressed.

NaVarro Bowman Jr.

NaVarro Bowman Jr. was one of my favorite players from the tournament.

The numbers aren’t necessarily going to jump off the page. Bowman averaged 11.9 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.7 rebounds in just 18 minutes per game. But anyone who watched Team USA throughout the tournament understands that his impact went far beyond the box score.

Whenever Bowman checked into the game, he changed it.

He brought relentless energy, defensive intensity, athleticism, and pace. There was never a noticeable drop off when Team USA went to its bench because Bowman consistently raised the intensity level.

He was the perfect change of pace guard off the bench.

Bowman shot a blistering 71 percent on two point attempts, and one of the reasons for his efficiency was his ability to consistently get two feet in the paint. He put constant pressure on the defense, attacked the rim, and either finished through contact or created opportunities for his teammates.

Defensively, he was an absolute pest.

Bowman picked up opposing guards full court, applied relentless ball pressure, and played with a physical edge that made life miserable for whoever was bringing the ball up the floor.

He also produced one of the top dunksof the tournament.

His baseline dunk in the championship game against Serbia was one of those plays that made everyone in the gym stop and react. I already knew he was explosive. I knew he was a very good athlete.

I just didn’t realize he could get up like that.

Bowman is another member of Team USA who comes from an accomplished athletic family. His father, Navarro Bowman, was one of the NFL’s top linebackers during his career, and you can definitely see that influence in the way he approaches the defensive end of the floor.

He’s physical, fearless, aggressive, and competes with an edge on every possession.

Cayden Daughtry

Daughtry entered the tournament with a reputation as one of the best scorers in the Class of 2027, and he certainly lived up to it.

Listed at just 5’10", Daughtry plays much bigger than his size. While his ability to score and shoot the basketball has always been his calling card, what really stood out to me was the confidence, toughness, and intensity he brought every time he stepped on the floor.

He saved one of his best performances for the biggest stage.

In the championship game against Serbia, Daughtry scored 15 points while adding three assists and two steals in just 18 minutes, providing another offensive spark off Team USA’s deep bench.

For the tournament, he averaged 11.7 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.1 steals in just 17.9 minutes per game while posting outstanding 56/45/82 shooting splits.

Like all gifted scores, Daughtry knows how to get to the foul line.

Despite never playing more than 23 minutes in a game, he recorded three games with at least six free throw attempts or more. That’s a testament to his aggressiveness, his ability to attack defenders off the dribble, and his willingness to play through contact despite giving up size to almost everyone on the floor.

His combination of shot making perimeter shooting and ability to generate fouls made him one of the most efficient offensive guards in the tournament.

Defensively, he more than held his own as well.

Daughtry averaged 1.1 steals per game and competed with the same confidence and edge that define his offensive game.

Looking ahead, there’s no denying that size will always be part of the conversation. The NBA has historically been difficult for undersized guards, and players with Daughtry’s frame often face an uphill battle.

But if there’s one thing this tournament reinforced, it’s that Daughtry has the mentality to overcome those questions.

Jordan Page

Page embodied the phrase, “Be a star in your role,” and that’s exactly what he did throughout Team USA’s championship run.

The Americans didn’t need Page to carry the offense. They needed him to defend, bring energy, attack the rim, and make winning plays.

Mission accomplished.

Page averaged 9.8 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.7 rebounds per game and was crazy efficient from the floor.

He shot 23-33 from the field, good for 69 percent, and converted all 12 of his free throw attempts during the tournament.

He relentlessly attacked the paint, ran the floor in transition, finished at the rim, and drew fouls.

He understood exactly who he was as a player, and he never tried to be anything else.

That unselfishness made him an ideal fit alongside Team USA’s more gifted scorers.

His athleticism and motor also made a significant impact on the defensive end.

Page defended multiple positions, played with tremendous energy, and gave Team USA another athletic wing capable of making life difficult for opposing ball handlers.

Not every player has to fill up the scoring column to be valuable.

Sometimes the most important players are the ones who embrace their role, maximize their strengths, and do all of the little things that contribute to winning.

That’s exactly what Jordan Page did.

Asa Montgomery

Montgomery was a key member of Team USA’s “Bench Mob,” joining Navarro Bowman Jr. and Cayden Daughtry in a second unit that often overwhelmed opponents with its energy and defensive intensity.

Honestly, it felt like the second unit rarely needed to run a set play.

They simply checked into the game, blitzed ball handlers, forced turnovers, and turned defense into easy offense. It was dunk after dunk, lob after lob, and transition basket after transition basket.

Montgomery was right in the middle of it all.

He left his fingerprints all over the game on the defensive end, using his length, athleticism, and instincts to wreak havoc in the passing lanes. He averaged 1.3 steals per game in just 17 minutes, but his impact extended well beyond the box score.

Or at least that’s what it felt like in real time.

Then you look at the box score, and you realize he actually filled it up.

Montgomery averaged 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting an efficient 66 percent from the field. He was active on both ends of the floor, consistently making hustle plays that helped fuel Team USA’s dominant runs.

The only area where he struggled was from beyond the arc, finishing just 2-12 from three point range. While it’s a small sample size, he did show encouraging touch at the free throw line, converting 10 of his 12 attempts.

What impressed me most was his versatility.

Montgomery defended multiple positions, crashed the glass, moved the ball, and constantly played with energy. He wasn’t chasing statistics. He simply played hard every possession, and the numbers naturally followed.

I thought he quietly put together one of the better tournaments on the roster and raised his profile in Istanbul.

Mason Collins, Erick Dampier Jr. and Xavier Young

Last but certainly not least, Mason Collins, Erick Dampier Jr., and Xavier Young all had moments where they made meaningful contributions to Team USA’s championship run.

Collins quietly put together one of the more well rounded tournaments on the roster.

He averaged 7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. I view Collins as a connector, a player who can do a little bit of everything without needing the offense to revolve around him. He moved the ball, defended, made winning plays, and consistently filled up the stat sheet.

His best performance came against Japan, when he finished with 12 points on 6-7 shooting while adding five rebounds, three assists, and five steals. In fact, Collins recorded five steals in two different games, showcasing his instincts and activity on the defensive end.

I know my brother James has been a huge Mason Collins fan for quite some time, and after watching him throughout this tournament, it’s easy to understand why.

Erick Dampier Jr., the son of former NBA center Erick Dampier, also played an important role despite not looking to score very often.

Dampier Jr. averaged 5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting an impressive 17-22 from the field.

If anything, I thought he left some offensive opportunities on the table because he was almost too unselfish. He rarely looked for his own offense, but when the ball found him around the basket, he finished efficiently.

His rebounding was outstanding.

He’s one of those guys who seems to come away with every rebound he gets a hand on, thanks to his strong hands and physicality.

What also stood out was his passing.

Dampier Jr. made several good reads from the high post, found cutters, and displayed impressive vision for a player his size and age. His 3.3 assists per game were a reflection of just how comfortable he is facilitating offense.

Xavier Young rounded out Team USA’s deep rotation and made the most of his opportunities.

Young averaged 7.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in just 14 minutes per game while shooting an efficient 21-27 from the field.

He also showed an ability to the line, attempting 23 free throws throughout the tournament despite his limited playing time.

He runs the floor, finishes above the rim, and plays with energy.

Perhaps what’s most encouraging is that he was the second youngest player on Team USA’s roster.

The youngest was JJ Crawford, the son of former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford. Crawford entered the tournament as the consensus No. 1 player in the Class of 2029, but injuries limited his availability throughout the event.

Even without being at full strength, Crawford’s presence served as another reminder of just how loaded this Team USA roster really was.

It wasn’t just talented.

It was historically deep.

This year’s event, currently taking place in Istanbul, Türkiye is particularly special for me. Not only did I spend the 2016-17 season living in Istanbul, where I first fell in love with international basketball, but this tournament also serves as a valuable litmus test for many of the international prospects I’ve followed and evaluated over the past few years. The U17 World Cup gives me an opportunity to see these players compete against opponents they rarely face, particularly elite prospects from the United States and Canada, providing a different lens through which to evaluate their games.

More importantly, this tournament offers an early preview of the players who will dominate draft conversations in the years ahead. While the 2028 NBA Draft may still feel far away, there are numerous prospects in Istanbul this week whose names we’ll be discussing for years to come.

With that in mind, here are some of the players who have caught my attention through the first two games of the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup.

Beckham Black | USA | Point Guard

I’ve been watching Beckham Black for years.

Living in the Dallas area, I’ve had the opportunity to follow his development closely as the younger brother of Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black. For much of his young career, Beckham was known as “Anthony’s little brother,” but those days are quickly coming to an end.

Beckham is quickly creating a name for himself, and depending on who you ask, he may already be the top player in the country in the class of 2027. Through the first two games of the FIBA U17 World Cup, he’s shown exactly why he’s held in such high regard.

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The criticism of American grassroots basketball has become impossible to ignore.

Spend enough time on social media, and you’ll see the same complaints repeated over and over again.

AAU basketball is ruining players.

Kids aren’t being taught fundamentals.

Exposure has replaced development.

All they want to do is shoot threes!

People often say the game has become more about showcasing individual talent than learning how to play within a team structure.

Meanwhile, international basketball is often presented as the model everyone else should follow.

And to be fair, there are legitimate concerns about the American grassroots ecosystem. Youth basketball is becoming more expensive every year. There are too many games, too many events, and in some cases, development can take a backseat to exposure.

But after watching the 2026 NBA Draft unfold, I couldn’t help but notice something.

Everyone seems to love this draft class.

Scouts love it. Executives love it.

Fans love it and analysts love it.

The 2026 class has been praised for its depth, versatility, skill level, and star power.

Yet very few people seem willing to acknowledge where most of these players came from.

American grassroots basketball.

AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, and Darius Acuff Jr. all spent years competing on the Nike EYBL circuit. Darryn Peterson and Mikel Brown Jr. developed on the Adidas circuit. Kingston Flemings was a star on the Puma Circuit. Many of the players selected in the lottery sharpened their games on the same grassroots platforms that are routinely criticized online.

If this class is as good as everyone says it is, shouldn’t the system that developed these players receive some credit?

My Journey Into International Basketball

I say this as someone who has spent the last decade studying basketball on both sides of the globe.

Ten years ago, I fell in love with the international game while living in Istanbul, Turkey during the 2016-17 season. Being around Fenerbahçe Basketball changed the way I viewed the sport and ultimately changed the trajectory of my career.

At that point, I realized there was a lane for me as a content creator and scout.

This space is competitive. Just like players, evaluators need a skill they can hang their hat on. My goal was to become the American who knew as much about international prospects as anyone while still maintaining a deep understanding of the American grassroots landscape.

Over the last decade, I’ve traveled extensively throughout Europe and beyond, scouting prospects and studying player development models in different countries.

None of this should be interpreted as criticism of international basketball.

Far from it. I love international basketball.

I love it so much that this past season, my wife, our three year old son, and I packed up our lives and moved across the Atlantic so I could pursue my dream of working as an international scout for an NBA team.

That experience only deepened my appreciation for the global game.

I spent countless hours in gyms across Europe. I sat with coaches, trainers, scouts, and executives. I studied practice habits, player development models, and organizational philosophies.

And I became fascinated by how differently the game is taught and approached from country to country.

Because even within Europe, there isn’t one “European model.”

Spanish basketball is different from Serbian basketball.

French basketball is different from Turkish basketball.

Lithuanian basketball is different from German basketball.

Every country has its own philosophy, strengths, traditions, and developmental challenges.

And every country has complaints.

Every Country Thinks Its System Is Broken

One thing I’ve learned from traveling internationally is that every country believes its own basketball system is broken.

Spend enough time in Greece and you’ll hear complaints about the Greek system. Coaches and trainers will tell you there isn’t enough emphasis on strength training, that facilities lag behind other countries, and that the pressure to win on senior teams often comes at the expense of developing high level prospects between the ages of 18 and 23.

I’ve spent the last year living in France, and it’s not uncommon to hear people criticize the French system for failing to develop enough guards and shooters or for lacking adequate infrastructure.

Go to Spain or Italy and you’ll hear a different concern: that clubs are increasingly bringing in international prospects, particularly from Africa, which some believe limits opportunities for domestic players.

Take Spain, for example.

Spain’s U17 national team is set to compete in the FIBA U17 World Cup this week, yet relatively few players on that roster developed within the youth systems of FC Barcelona or Real Madrid.

Why?

Because many of Spain’s biggest clubs increasingly fill their academies with elite international prospects from around the world.

While that strategy strengthens club basketball and raises the level of competition within those organizations, it has also sparked debate within Spain about the long term development of Spanish born players.

I’ve heard concerns from people within European basketball that if the country’s top clubs continue to rely heavily on imported talent, it could eventually impact the depth of future of some national teams.

Again, there isn’t a perfect answer.

Like everything else in player development, there are tradeoffs.

The criticism changes depending on the country.

But the criticism never disappears.

No matter where you go, people complain about youth basketball.

No system is perfect.

What Europe Does Better And What America Does Better

There are aspects of the European model that I believe the United States should absolutely consider adopting.

The age based competition structure is one example.

European youth tournaments are generally based strictly on birth year, while reclassification has become increasingly common in the United States.

Personally, I do believe reclassification has become excessive. There are simply too many 15 year old eighth graders competing in today’s landscape.

European basketball is also more structured. In countries like Spain and Serbia, you can’t simply wake up one morning and decide to start a basketball program. Coaches are generally required to obtain certifications, and there is greater oversight throughout the system.

There are lessons to be learned from that.

There is also another uncomfortable reality that rarely gets discussed publicly. While reclassification has become a major topic in the United States, some countries have long battled allegations of age fraud and inaccurate documentation.

In America, a player may be held back a grade to gain a competitive advantage. In other parts of the world, there have been instances where players’ ages and birth records have come under scrutiny, creating an entirely different set of competitive and developmental issues.

Again, no system is perfect.

Why The American Grassroots System Deserves More Credit

As I spent more time scouting internationally, I felt that my understanding of the American grassroots landscape provided a valuable frame of reference while scouting internationally.

Whenever I watched a young prospect in Europe, I constantly found myself asking the same questions:

Could this player survive on a good EYBL team?

Could he play on the Adidas 3SSB circuit?

Would he hold his own in the SEC or the Big 12?

Those questions became my frame of reference.

Professional basketball in Europe is incredible. The atmospheres are intense, passionate, and in some cases borderline hostile.

Youth basketball is different.

Many youth games are played in front of small crowds or nearly empty gyms.

The environment simply doesn’t replicate the pressure, intensity, and athleticism that elite American prospects experience on a regular basis.

And while American basketball receives criticism for rankings, media attention, and exposure culture, I think there are benefits that often go overlooked.

American players grow up in an incredibly competitive ecosystem.

If you’re a highly ranked player, you’re constantly trying to maintain your status.

If you’re underrated, you’re trying to prove the rankings wrong.

That pressure can be exhausting, but it also creates an environment where players are constantly challenged.

While rankings and exposure culture receive plenty of criticism, I believe they also help foster an intense competitive environment that is often overlooked.

Every weekend on the EYBL or Adidas circuit, you’re likely facing another elite prospect, often someone ranked ahead of you.

Competition is relentless.

In Europe, many of the top prospects eventually concentrate on powerhouse clubs like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

Their practices may be intense, but evaluating games can sometimes be difficult because those teams often win by 40, 50, or even 60 points.

As a scout, that creates challenges.

How much can you really learn about a prospect when his team is overwhelmingly more talented than the opposition?

Of course, American basketball has its own issues.

Players often feel obligated to compete year round because missing an event can damage perception. A poor weekend can result in harsh criticism, and quite frankly, I think we are sometimes far too critical of 15, 16, and 17 year old kids.

The Anthony Edwards Double Standard

My brother James and I have had this conversation countless times over the years, and he once made a point that has stuck with me.

He said that Anthony Edwards, one of the best players in the world, will probably never receive enough credit for how fundamentally sound he actually is.

When people talk about Edwards, they talk about the athleticism.

And understandably so.

His athleticism is loud. It jumps off the screen. It’s impossible to ignore.

But rarely do you hear discussions about his footwork, his balance, his ability to change speeds, or the countless hours of skill development that shaped him into the player he is today.

It’s almost as if his natural gifts overshadow the work.

Nobody talks about the coaches, trainers, and support system that helped develop those skills.

Yet when a similarly gifted American prospect lacks polish or fundamentals, the criticism is immediate.

The blame often falls on AAU basketball, grassroots coaches, or the American development system as a whole.

That double standard has always fascinated me.

Because if we’re going to credit international development systems for producing fundamentally sound players, shouldn’t we also acknowledge that the American grassroots system helped develop players like Edwards, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Jalen Brunson and countless others?

In some cases, I believe the current discourse has gone too far.

There seems to be an assumption that international prospects inherently possess superior fundamentals simply because they developed overseas. I believe that perception has, at times, inflated everything from NIL valuations to draft stock.

The reality is much more nuanced.

There are fundamentally sound players everywhere.

There are raw players everywhere.

And there are elite developers everywhere.

Geography alone doesn’t determine whether a player knows how to play.

Why Bashing Grassroots Basketball Has Become Low Hanging Fruit

There is another aspect of American grassroots basketball that I don’t believe gets discussed nearly enough.

In today’s media environment, if you have a podcast, YouTube channel, or social media platform and you’re looking for engagement, one of the easiest ways to generate clicks is to bash American grassroots basketball.

It’s low hanging fruit.

Criticize AAU.

Complain about the style of play.

Blame social media.

And to be fair, some of those criticisms are warranted.

But I also think some of the criticism lacks perspective.

As someone who has spent years covering both grassroots and international basketball, I understand why criticizing AAU resonates with audiences.

But I also think it has become an easy talking point.

It’s simple.

It’s familiar.

And quite frankly, it’s low hanging fruit.

Every generation tends to believe that the previous generation played the game the “right way.”

A coach, scout, or fan in his 50s may dislike how today’s teenagers play basketball. But when that same person was a teenager, there is a good chance someone from an older generation felt exactly the same way about him.

That’s just the natural cycle of sports.

The NBA Players Who Continue To Pour Into Grassroots Basketball

In my humble opinion, more attention should be paid to the number of NBA players who are pouring their time, money, and knowledge back into grassroots basketball.

I’ve attended Nike EYBL events and watched Paul George sitting courtside supporting his PG Elite program.

I’ve seen Bradley Beal on the sidelines with Bradley Beal Elite.

I’ve watched Matt Barnes, Jamal Crawford, Chris Paul, Jermaine O’Neal, TJ Ford and countless others invest in youth basketball because they genuinely want to give back.

I saw the impact of that access firsthand.

Eleven years ago, I worked as the videographer for Mo Williams Academy, a grassroots program founded and funded by former NBA All-Star Mo Williams.

When Mo worked out at 6 a.m. to prepare for the season, the players in his program were invited to join him.

Those kids had access.

They were doing the same drills as an NBA veteran. They were learning habits, routines, and professionalism directly from someone who had already achieved what they were chasing.

I remember one tournament in Las Vegas when the team stayed at the Wynn Hotel. The front desk mistakenly handed me the bill because I just happened to be the last adult she saw, and the total was more money than I made in an entire year.

Considering the Wynn in July isn't cheap for a normal vacation, you can imagine what it costs to house three teams, coaches, parents, and a videographer.

I quickly explained that my name was not Maurice Williams and that I was definitely not responsible for that bill.

But what stayed with me was this:

Mo had five sons of his own.

Like most NBA players, he spent much of the season away from his family.

Yet every summer, instead of taking time entirely for himself, he chose to spend countless hours mentoring dozens of teenage boys in Dallas, a city that wasn’t even his hometown.

That level of commitment deserves recognition.

Across the country, current and former NBA players are investing their time, money, and energy into grassroots basketball.

As a result, today’s young players have unprecedented access to NBA knowledge, mentorship, and experience.

In some cases, that access has come full circle.

I know for a fact there are NBA players who have eventually shared the court with players they once coached or mentored in grassroots basketball.

Just off the top of my head, Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson played for Chris Paul’s Team CP3 program before eventually competing against Paul in the NBA.

Bradley Beal has faced Brandon Miller, who came through Bradley Beal Elite.

Thad Young’s Team Thad program has produced a long list of NBA players, including OG Anunoby, who has gone on to compete against Young at the highest level.

Think about that for a second.

How many generations before this one had the opportunity to not only learn directly from NBA players, but eventually compete against the very same people who once coached, mentored, and invested in them as teenagers?

That’s powerful.

Those relationships provide young players with something that statistics, rankings, and social media exposure cannot: firsthand knowledge, guidance, and mentorship from someone who has already navigated the path from grassroots basketball to the NBA.

I don’t think that’s discussed nearly enough.

And I believe it’s one of the reasons American grassroots basketball remains so strong despite all of the criticism.

The Value of Travel Basketball

Travel basketball receives plenty of criticism, but very few people talk about the opportunities it creates.

Basketball has allowed countless young players to leave their neighborhoods, travel across the country, and in some cases, see the world.

Over the last month alone, I attended the Adidas Next Generation EuroLeague Finals in Athens, Greece and Adidas EuroCamp in Treviso, Italy. At both events, I watched American players gain international exposure and experience cultures they may never have encountered without basketball.

Travel broadens perspectives.

It exposes young people to different cultures, different environments, and different ways of thinking.

In my opinion, travel is one of the greatest educators in the world.

Unfortunately, those stories rarely make headlines.

It’s much easier to focus on the negatives.

But there is far more good happening in grassroots basketball than people realize.

The Bottom Line

American basketball could benefit from some of Europe’s structure.

European basketball could benefit from some of America’s competitive environment.

The answer, in my opinion, isn’t choosing one system over the other.

It’s learning from both.

American grassroots basketball deserves criticism in some areas.

But it also deserves credit.

And if we’re going to celebrate the 2026 NBA Draft class as one of the strongest in recent memory (and we should) then we also need to acknowledge the people who helped shape it.

Because AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson, Mikel Brown Jr., and the rest of this talented class didn’t develop in a vacuum.

Behind every first round pick is a story.

There are parents who spent thousands of hours driving across the country, sacrificing weekends, vacations, and family time to support their children’s dreams.

There are trainers who opened gyms before sunrise and stayed long after everyone else went home.

There are grassroots coaches and high school coaches who taught fundamentals, built confidence, and challenged players to become more than just talented athletes.

There are program directors who invested their time, money, and energy into creating opportunities for young players to compete, travel, and chase goals that once seemed impossible.

Those people rarely hear their names called on draft night.

They don’t walk across the stage.

They don’t put on the hat.

They don’t sign the contracts.

But make no mistake about it: they played a role in every name announced by Commissioner Adam Silver.

American grassroots basketball deserves criticism in some areas.

But it also deserves credit.

And if the 2026 NBA Draft proved anything, it’s that despite all of the criticism, the American grassroots system continues to produce elite talent at an incredibly high level.

The system isn’t broken.

It’s evolving.

And the coaches, trainers, parents, mentors, and program directors who continue to pour into the next generation deserve far more credit than they receive.

From surprising selections to unexpected cost cutting trades, the night was full of twists and turns, particularly once the picks reached the 20s and the phones around the league started heating up.

As expected, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson came off the board with the first four selections. The suspense surrounding the race for the No. 1 pick between Dybantsa and Peterson largely disappeared once the Washington Wizards agreed to a four-year, $212 million extension with Trae Young, signaling that Dybantsa’s fit alongside Young made him the obvious choice at the top of the draft.

But once the first round was finalized and the celebrations ended, the real question became: which prospects landed in situations designed to maximize their talent?

As I’ve said for years, talent gets players drafted.

Fit often determines whether they succeed.

Every year, we see talented players struggle in situations that don’t maximize their strengths, while others exceed expectations because they land with organizations that understand exactly how to use them.

With that in mind, welcome to Basketball Matrimony, where I'm evaluating not the player, but the marriage between player and franchise for each of the 14 lottery picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Some relationships feel like a perfect match from day one. Others may require counseling. And a few have the potential to either end in a championship parade or a messy divorce.

Before we get into the individual picks, it’s important to explain the categories.

Perfect Match
I couldn’t have scripted a better landing spot. The player’s strengths align perfectly with the team’s roster, playing style, timeline, coaching staff, and developmental infrastructure. These are the marriages that look destined to work from day one.

Strong Fit
The player landed in a favorable situation, but there are still a few questions that need to be answered. Whether it’s competition for minutes, roster overlap, or long term role, there may be some hurdles to overcome. Still, the overall fit makes a lot of sense.

Interesting Fit
I see the vision, but I need more information. These are the selections that left me intrigued more than convinced. Maybe the organization is betting on upside. Maybe they’re thinking three years down the road instead of three months. Either way, these are the fits I’ll be watching closely.

Needs Counseling
I like the player. I like the team. I’m just not sure I like them together. These are the picks where I can understand the logic from both sides, but there are enough concerns about fit, role, or roster construction that this marriage may require some work.

Boom or Bust Marriage
The upside is enormous, but so is the risk. If everything breaks right, this partnership could produce a star and dramatically alter the direction of a franchise. If not, this could become one of those draft-night decisions that gets revisited for years.

As in life, not every basketball marriage lasts forever. But if history has taught us anything, context matters. And for this rookie class, the honeymoon begins now.

Let’s begin.

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The biggest move came Monday night when Milwaukee officially ushered in a new era, sending franchise icon and 10-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat. In exchange, the Bucks landed a massive package headlined by Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, multiple future first-round picks, and Miami’s No. 13 overall selection in tonight’s draft. Veteran forward Bobby Portis is also headed to South Beach as part of the deal.

Elsewhere, a three-team trade involving Minnesota, Brooklyn, and Chicago further altered the first-round order. The Nets acquired Julius Randle along with the No. 28 pick from the Timberwolves, while Minnesota moved down to No. 33 and added forward Mo Gueye from Chicago. The Bulls, meanwhile, addressed their frontcourt by acquiring center Nic Claxton.

With Milwaukee now selecting at No. 13 and Brooklyn taking control of the No. 28 pick, the board has shifted considerably heading into what should be a wild first round.

1. AJ Dybantsa

BYU
Freshman
Wing
6’9.” | 217
Age on draft night: 19.3

Mock Draft 4.0 Rank: 1

There has been a big push for the Wizards to take Peterson here from various sources, but I still think the Wizards will go with Dybantsa. I do believe that if Peterson is able to combine the slashing ability that we saw from him prior to Kansas with the improved shooting from his freshman year, then he is the best prospect in the draft.

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For years, I prepared for NBA draft meetings by challenging my own evaluations. Instead of building a case for why a prospect would succeed, I forced myself to answer the toughest questions imaginable. Why might it not work? What am I missing? What would the most skeptical decision maker in the room say? And if my job depended on defending my evaluation in front of a general manager or governor, could I do it with conviction?

Originally, these were simply notes I kept for myself. Ideas, concerns, and arguments I never had the opportunity to present in an NBA draft room. When I decided to turn those notes into an article for NBA Big Board, I had no idea The Skeptical GM would resonate the way it did. The response to Part I was overwhelming. It quickly became one of the most successful articles I’ve ever written.

If you missed Part I, where I examined prospects such as AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Mikel Brown Jr., and Caleb Wilson, you can read it here:

What If My GM Disagreed? Challenging My Biggest 2026 NBA Draft Evaluations

The response confirmed something I’ve believed for a long time: basketball fans don’t just enjoy rankings and mock drafts. They want to understand the thought process behind the evaluations.

And speaking of the draft process, today is my favorite holiday of the year: NBA Draft Day.

Don’t tell my wife I said that. Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day still rank ahead of it... at least publicly.

But for those of us in the scouting world, this is the day we work toward all year. Thousands of miles traveled, countless hours spent in empty gyms, late nights watching film, endless debates, phone calls, background work, and report writing all lead to this moment.

Today, lives will change. Dreams will be realized. Front offices will make decisions that could shape their organizations for years to come.

Before the picks start rolling in tonight, I wanted to share Part II of The Skeptical GM.

These are the questions I would expect a skeptical GM or owner/governor to ask.

These are the concerns I would have to address if my name were attached to the pick. And ultimately, these are the arguments I would make to defend my evaluations of some of the top prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft.

For this exercise, I’m evaluating each prospect through the lens of championship basketball and assigning a projected role on a title team.

The higher the projected role, the tougher the questions become.

• Cornerstone – Can be the best player on a championship team.

• Core Piece – One of the 2-3 most important players on a championship team.

• Starter+ – High level starter who impacts winning at a championship level.

• Starter – Reliable starter on a playoff team.

• Rotation+ – Rotation player who consistently closes games.

• Rotation – Regular contributor.

• Depth – End of rotation or matchup specific player.

• Developmental – Needs significant development to stick in the NBA.

The purpose of The Skeptical GM’s Conviction Test isn’t to determine whether a prospect can play in the NBA. It’s to determine how much conviction I have in the role I’ve projected for him.

The higher the projected role, the tougher the questions become.

Darius Acuff

Arkansas
Freshman
Combo Guard
6’3” | 186

Age on draft night: 19.5

Championship Equity Projection: Starter

Darius Acuff is one of the prospects I was most wrong about this season.

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When I accepted my first NBA scouting position, I knew the pre draft meetings would be my opportunity to prove I belonged. I viewed the weeks leading up to the draft the same way a player views Game 7 of the NBA Finals. I had spent so many years studying prospects, building databases, writing reports, traveling the world, and evaluating players with the hope that one day I would have a seat in an NBA draft room.

When that opportunity finally arrived, I wanted to be overprepared. I believed every report, every opinion, and every projection would eventually be challenged, and I wanted answers for every question, every concern, and every possible objection.

Unfortunately, a front office change led the organization in a different direction before the pre draft process officially began, and I never got the opportunity to participate in those meetings.

But the work wasn’t wasted.

The reports were written.

The evaluations had been formed.

The questions still needed answers.

Over the years, I had countless conversations with NBA scouts and executives who would call and ask my opinion on prospects. While most of those conversations felt informal, I viewed each one as a potential job interview. I never wanted to be caught without an answer.

One conversation, in particular, changed the way I evaluated players forever.

After discussing a prospect’s strengths, an NBA scout asked me a simple question:

“If he doesn’t succeed in the NBA, what will be the reason?”

That question really made me think.

Like many evaluators, I spent most of my time focusing on what a player could become. But that conversation forced me to evaluate differently. It taught me that scouting isn’t just about identifying strengths. It’s about understanding risk. Every prospect has highlights. Every prospect has a best case scenario. Every prospect has supporters. The difficult part is identifying the flaw, limitation, concern, or blind spot that could prevent him from reaching his ceiling.

More importantly, it taught me that every evaluation should be challenged.

That question stayed with me.

As the years passed, I developed a habit. Whenever I watched a prospect, I imagined sitting across from the most skeptical general manager or owner/governer in the league. A decision maker whose job wasn’t to agree with me, but to challenge me.

Why is he a lottery pick?

What if the shot never comes around?

Can he defend his position?

What role does he play on a championship team?

Are we evaluating the player, or are we falling in love with the talent?

And if my name were attached to the recommendation, could I defend it?

The truth is, in my opinion, whether a player succeeds or fails often has less to do with talent than people think. Some of the most talented players I’ve evaluated never reached their potential, while others exceeded expectations despite obvious flaws in their games.

More often than not, the difference comes down to information that isn’t always visible on film. How does a player respond to failure? Does he lose confidence after a rough stretch? Is he mature enough to handle being a professional at 19 or 20 years old? How does he manage the distractions, expectations, money, and lifestyle that come with being a high draft pick?

That’s why gathering intel is such a critical part of the evaluation process. Coaches, teammates, trainers, family members, support systems, habits, and daily routines often tell you as much about a prospect’s future as the film itself.

Unfortunately, those are questions I can’t fully answer from my laptop. Those answers require months of background work, relationship building, interviews, and access to information that isn’t available to the public.

This article is different.

This is purely about what I can see on the court.

The strengths.

The weaknesses.

The questions that show up on film.

The concerns that create doubt.

And ultimately, the projected role I believe each prospect can play on a championship caliber team.

This is what I call The Skeptical GM Challenge.

For every prospect, I assigned a projected championship role, then challenged my own evaluation by asking the same questions I expected a skeptical GM, owner, or decision maker to ask in a draft room.

Why might it not work?

What am I missing?

What would the most skeptical person in the room say?

And if I were sitting in that draft room, could I defend my evaluation?

I never got the opportunity to sit in those draft meetings.

But I prepared for them anyway.

These are the questions I prepared to answer.

And these are my verdicts.

The Championship Equity Scale

Before diving into the prospects, it’s important to understand how I’m assigning value.

For years, I’ve believed one of the biggest mistakes evaluators make is treating every successful NBA player the same. Making the NBA and helping a team win a championship are two completely different conversations. A player can have a long and productive career without ever becoming one of the driving forces behind a title contender.

For this exercise, I’m evaluating each prospect through the lens of championship basketball and assigning a projected role on a title team.

The higher the projected role, the tougher the questions become.

• Cornerstone – Can be the best player on a championship team.

• Core Piece – One of the 2-3 most important players on a championship team.

• Starter+ – High level starter who impacts winning at a championship level.

• Starter – Reliable starter on a playoff team.

• Rotation Plus – Rotation player who consistently closes games.

• Rotation – Regular contributor.

• Depth – End of rotation or matchup specific player.

• Developmental – Needs significant development to stick in the NBA.

The purpose of The Skeptical GM’s Conviction Test isn’t to determine whether a prospect can play in the NBA. It’s to determine how much conviction I have in the role I’ve projected for him.

The higher the projected role, the tougher the questions become.

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The invitation process is based on feedback from teams across the league. NBA officials gather input from team presidents and general managers, asking them to identify the 25 players they expect to be selected first. The goal is to avoid having prospects spend an extended period waiting in front of a national television audience.

With 24 invitations handed out so far, there’s still a chance one more prospect could receive a last-minute invite before the draft begins.

First Wave of Green Room Invites

(Previously announced on June 10)

• Darius Acuff Jr. - Arkansas

• Nate Ament - Tennessee

• Christian Anderson Jr. - Texas Tech

• Cameron Boozer - Duke

• Brayden Burries - Arizona

• AJ Dybantsa - BYU

• Kingston Flemings - Houston

• Aday Mara - Michigan

• Mikel Brown Jr. - Louisville

• Karim Lopez - New Zealand Breakers

• Labaron Philon - Alabama

• Darryn Peterson - Kansas

• Keaton Wagler - Illinois

• Caleb Wilson - North Carolina

Second Wave of Green Room Invites

• Cameron Carr - Baylor

• Chris Cenac Jr. - Houston

• Yaxel Lendeborg - Michigan

• Morez Johnson Jr. - Michigan

• Hannes Steinbach - Washington

• Bennett Stirtz - Iowa

Third Wave of Green Room Invites

• Isaiah Evans - Duke

• Allen Graves - Santa Clara

• Ebuka Okorie - Stanford

• Dailyn Swain - Texas

While green room invitations are generally a strong indicator of first round expectations, draft night surprises do happen.

In 2025, every green room invitee was selected in the first round, with Liam McNeeley and Danny Wolf being the only attendees to slip outside the top 25.

The most notable recent misses came in 2024, when Johnny Furphy and Kyle Filipowski received green room invitations but slid into the second round, serving as a reminder that draft night projections can still shift significantly in the final hours before selections are made.

The Biggest Names Missing From the Green Room

While the 24 invitees represent the players teams currently expect to come off the board early, a few notable prospects remain on the outside looking in, making their absence one of the more intriguing storylines heading into draft night.

Among them are Jayden Quaintance and Koa Peat, two players who entered the season carrying legitimate lottery buzz but have seen their draft stock trend in different directions over the past year.

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After spending the past season as an international scout for the Dallas Mavericks, I’m returning to the content side of basketball following changes and restructuring within the organization’s front office. While I’m disappointed my time with the Mavericks came to an end, I can honestly say it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Over the last nine months, I traveled across Europe evaluating prospects and getting an up close look at the next wave of international talent hoping to make the jump to the NBA and, increasingly, American college basketball. I’m incredibly grateful to the Mavericks organization for giving me the opportunity to turn a lifelong passion into a dream job.

With that in mind, it feels fitting that my first article back is focused on the international prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Before I dive in, I want to make one thing clear: the opinions shared in this article are entirely my own and are based on my personal evaluations. They are not reflective of any internal discussions, rankings, or viewpoints from the Dallas Mavericks organization. This is simply my assessment of the five international prospects who remain in the draft after spending a season evaluating talent across Europe.

After spending this season abroad, one trend became impossible to ignore: the path from international basketball to the NBA is changing.

The NBA has never been more global, yet the pipeline of international talent entering the draft is beginning to look very different.

A record 135 international players representing 43 countries across six continents appeared on NBA opening night rosters during the 2025-26 season, highlighting the league’s continued international growth. Europe remains the NBA’s most productive region, accounting for 71 players, while France set a new benchmark with 19 players on opening night rosters. Australia continued its strong presence with 13 players, and every NBA team featured at least one international player. The league has now opened a season with at least 120 international players for five consecutive years and has maintained a triple digit international presence for more than a decade.

Yet despite the NBA’s increasingly global footprint, the 2026 NBA Draft tells a different story.

Just two years ago, France delivered one of the most impressive draft classes in recent memory, producing four first round selections, including three of the top six picks: Zaccharie Risacher at No. 1, Alex Sarr at No. 2, Tidjane Salaün at No. 6, and Pacôme Dadiet at No. 25.

Last year, the 2025 NBA Draft featured 23 international players from 15 different countries, with prospects such as VJ Edgecombe, Egor Demin, Khaman Maluach, Noa Essengue, Yang Hansen, Joan Beringer, Nolan Traoré, Kasparas Jakučionis, Will Riley, Ben Saraf, Hugo González, and Yanic Konan Niederhauser all hearing their names called in the first round.

This year, however, only FIVE international early entrants have elected to remain in the draft.

The dramatic decline is not necessarily a reflection of talent. Instead, it may be one of the first visible consequences of the NIL era. For decades, Europe’s top prospects followed a relatively straightforward path: develop professionally overseas and enter the NBA Draft when ready.

Today, many of those same players can earn significantly more money, gain greater exposure, and compete against high level competition by spending a year or two playing college basketball. The result is a changing developmental landscape that is reshaping both the college game and the international draft pipeline.

With only five international early entrants still in the 2026 NBA Draft, this year’s class offers a fascinating snapshot of a new reality, one in which elite international prospects increasingly view college basketball as a more attractive alternative than staying overseas.

1. Jack Kayil

Alba Berlin (Germany)
Combo Guard
6’3.5” | 189

Age on draft night: 20.3

My top international prospect in this draft class is Jack Kayil from Alba Berlin.

Kayil is a player I’ve been watching for years, and I’ve always felt he was a little under the radar while playing for Germany’s national teams. He often played in the shadows of Christian Anderson and Hannes Steinbach, who are both expected to be first round picks in next week’s draft. But Kayil played a significant role in Germany’s success at the FIBA U16 and U18 EuroBasket championships and their runner-up finish at the FIBA U19 World Cup last summer.

Even as one of his biggest supporters, I was surprised by how quickly he established himself this season in a starting role for Alba Berlin. He helped lead Alba to the German BBL Finals, where they are battling Bayern Munich and currently trail the series 2-1. For a 20 year old point guard to play such a prominent role on a Finals team in Europe, where coaches are often hesitant to trust young players, makes his breakout season one of the biggest revelations I've seen this year.

The first thing that stands out about Kayil is his positional size. He’s a big guard who can play on or off the ball. When he played alongside Anderson on the German national team, he spent much of his time off the ball, but this season he handled primary playmaking duties and showed the ability to score at all three levels.

What I appreciate most about his game is that he impacts winning in multiple ways. He can run a team, create offense, and score, but he also embraces the dirty work. He rebounds, makes defensive plays, provides toughness, and shows natural leadership. Despite being one of the youngest players on the floor, the trust his teammates placed in him throughout the season was something that consistently stood out.

If you look strictly at the numbers, efficiency may be a concern. Kayil is averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists per game on 38/30/78 shooting splits in 21 minutes per game over 63 contests this season. While the percentages may raise eyebrows, I think they require context. He often finds himself taking difficult late clock shots and bailing out possessions that have broken down offensively. Those situations hurt his efficiency, but they also speak to the level of responsibility he carries and the trust his teammates have in him to make something out of nothing.

One of the things I like most about Kayil is his ability to get downhill and create off the dribble. His toughness and how he competes also stood out to me this season. There was a stretch in the middle of the year where he was dealing with a calf strain, and I attended multiple games unsure whether he would even suit up. Not only did he play, but he battled through the injury, even though it clearly limited some of his explosiveness attacking the rim.

If I have one criticism, it’s that I would like to see him attack the paint more consistently. Some of his reliance on jump shots can be attributed to late clock situations, and some was likely related to the calf injury. Still, for a player with his size, strength, and offensive creativity, I think there’s another level he can reach by putting more pressure on the rim.

As the season progressed, I became convinced he was a first round talent. I’ve had him graded as a first round pick since January, and I even thought that if he had gone to Gonzaga, where he was originally committed, he would have been a lottery pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.

While some were surprised that he chose to remain in the 2026 draft, I wasn’t. Based on how well he played this season, the decision made complete sense to me. And judging by the buzz surrounding him late in the process, it appears I wasn’t alone in that evaluation.

There is growing belief around the league that he may already have a promise in hand, which could explain why he decided to keep his name in the draft.

2. Sergio de Larra

Valencia (Spain)
Combo Guard
6’6” | 204

Age on draft night: 20.5

Valencia’s Sergio de Larrea, similar to Kayil, plays an important role on a team with championship aspirations. De Larrea was a key contributor in Valencia’s run to the Final Four, and by the time you read this article, the first game of the Spanish ACB Finals against powerhouse Barcelona will likely already be complete.

De Larrea is a player I’ve followed closely this season and one I’ve been tracking for several years. The first time I saw him play in person was at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament in Belgrade in 2022, an event that featured future lottery picks Zaccharie Risacher and Nikola Topić. De Larrea more than held his own, standing out with his all around production and creative playmaking. He consistently filled the box score while flashing high level passing instincts, and his blend of size, vision, and feel for the game convinced me he was among the best young playmakers in Europe.

While it now seems highly unlikely he’ll hear his name called in the lottery like Risacher and Topić, I’m glad to see him generating first round buzz again. His momentum seemed to fade entering this season, and I think a lot of that can be traced back to his struggles against Team USA at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup.

What many people may not realize is that De Larrea was playing through an injury at the time. Going against an uber athletic Team USA featuring Cooper Flagg, Ron Holland and Asa Newell while dealing with a leg injury. He looked uncomfortable, struggled against ball pressure, and appeared out of place. I believe those performances influenced how some evaluators viewed him.

This season, however, he’s done a lot to quiet those concerns.

What I like about De Larrea is his positional size. His measurements from last week’s combine were encouraging. He measured 6’6” 204 pounds, with a 6’9” wingspan, giving him excellent size for a perimeter player. I don’t know if he’s a full time NBA point guard, but with his size, passing, and shooting, I can easily envision him as a complementary ball handler and jumbo creator who can fit in a variety of systems and play on or off the ball.

This season, he played alongside Jean Montero, one of the best players in Europe, and often split ball handling duties while also spending time off the ball. He's currently shooting over 40 percent from three, and although the volume isn't high, he has established himself as a dependable spot up shooter.

At first glance, De Larrea doesn’t appear to be a great athlete, but he has the ability to get to the basket. Whether it’s through angles, timing, or craftiness, he generates more paint touches and gets two feet in the lane far more often than you’d expect. In that sense, I think his athleticism is a little deceptive.

Another thing I really admire is how he handled the ups and downs of this season. He got off to a hot start, which generated significant NBA buzz, but then went through a stretch of nearly a month where he was completely out of Valencia’s EuroLeague rotation. That’s the reality for many young players in Europe, especially in Spain, which is arguably the toughest domestic league in the world.

What impressed me was how he responded. There were games where I’d travel to watch him and he’d barely see the floor, yet he remained engaged and supportive as a teammate. Then he’d get another opportunity and immediately make the most of it, forcing the coaching staff to play him.

One example came during Valencia’s EuroLeague playoff series against Panathinaikos. I attended one game specifically to watch De Larrea, only for him to receive a DNP-CD. I was disappointed because I wanted to see how he’d respond in that environment. Thinking his role wouldn’t change, I skipped the next game. He then responded with one of his best performances of the season, finishing with 18 points on 5-8 shooting, including 4-7 from three, while adding four assists in just 20 minutes. He remained in the rotation for the rest of the playoffs.

That resilience is one of the reasons I’m high on him. He has had to navigate inconsistent minutes, a demanding coach, and the pressure that comes with playing for a team competing for championships, yet he continued to produce whenever his number was called.

Don't let the boyish face fool you. There's toughness and competitive fire there, and I thought he responded well when opposing teams tried to target him defensively. He's far from a stopper, but he competes, and he does a good job of using his size and length as a help-side defender.

And if you’re a fan of high-IQ players, you’ll probably appreciate De Larrea even more. Around Europe, he’s known for his intelligence and maturity. While competing as a professional in one of the toughest leagues in the world, he has also been pursuing studies in engineering, which speaks volumes about his discipline, work ethic, and ability to process information.

3. Karim Lopez

New Zealand Breakers (from Mexico)
Combo Forward
6’8” | 221

Age on draft night: 19.1

Now, I’m going against the grain here, as I fully expect Karim Lopez to be the first international prospect, or at least the first player who spent this season outside of the United States, selected in the draft. There’s even a chance he comes off the board in the late lottery.

I haven’t had an opportunity to watch Lopez in person, but I’ve studied a lot of film on him over the past few seasons. What immediately stands out is his NBA frame, he’s listed at 6’9” and 220 pounds with broad shoulders, a strong frame and he plays with physicality. He embraces contact, looks to punish smaller defenders, and brings a level of toughness that translates well to the NBA game.

He’s a good athlete who generates his fair share of self created dunks in the half court, has impressive vertical pop around the rim, and can make plays in the open floor. I also think there are flashes of offensive creativity that can be unlocked down the line. He has natural instincts in the paint, can make plays as a face up four, and is a productive rebounder from the wing.

While shooting remains an area for improvement and he only shot 32% from deep on the season, he did convert 41 percent of his uncontested catch & shoot threes. He also showed noticeable growth as a passer and decision maker, improving his assist-to-turnover ratio and demonstrating better overall feel for the game.

My concerns center more around role projection than talent. While Lopez is a good athlete, I don’t necessarily view him as particularly quick or explosive off the bounce. The jump shot is inconsistent, and some of the misses are concerning.

Defensively, I think there is still plenty of room for growth. He’s susceptible to getting cooked on straight line drives, is often caught watching the ball, and doesn’t consistently contest shots.

Ultimately, I have questions about what his ideal NBA role looks like. With players like Kayil and De Larrea, it’s relatively easy to envision them fitting into lineups as secondary ball handlers, which is an incredibly valuable role in today’s NBA. Lopez is a little tougher to project. He’s clearly a combo forward, but is he a three or a four? That’s the question I keep coming back to.

That said, there’s a lot to like about his long term upside, and I fully expect to hear his name called early on draft night. In fact, I would be surprised if he falls beyond the San Antonio Spurs at No. 20.

4. Vsevolod Ishchenko

Lokomotiv Kuban (Russia)
Wing
6’8” | 215

Age on draft night: 21.4

Ishchenko is probably the biggest mystery among the international prospects in this class.

The first question that comes to mind is why he didn’t seriously explore the college route. When I first saw his name as an early entrant, I assumed he was testing the waters to generate exposure among college programs looking for international talent. To be honest, that still could end up being the case. We’ve seen situations where players go through the draft process and still end up in college afterward, but I am surprised that Ishchenko chose to remain in the draft.

While I believe Kayil, De Larrea, and Lopez are all safely within the top 35 prospects and could potentially all be first round picks, Ishchenko feels like the biggest gamble of the group.

There are definitely things I like about his game. He’s listed at 6’8”, although I’ll be honest, when I first started watching him on film, I didn’t see a player who looked that tall. Maybe he grew during the season, and I didn’t have the opportunity to watch him in person, but I do have some questions about whether he’s a true 6’8”. That said, he has a mature frame and is a good athlete.

He’s one of those players who looks much more athletic when he has a runway in transition than he does in tight spaces. He’s not a particularly quick twitch or explosive athlete in the half court, but he’s at his best in the open floor where he scores a good chunk of his points.

I do think there's legitimate upside as a shooter. He connected on 46% of his shots from deep and knocked down 52% of his catch & shoot threes. While the sample size is relatively small, he also converted 11 of his 17 contested threes off the catch. In today's NBA, where shooting is one of the most valuable skills a role player can possess, those numbers are going to attract the attention of NBA scouts.

For much of the season, he operated as a second side scorer, spending a lot of time in the corners and attacking opportunities that came his way. He’s an instinctive cutter, loves to get out in transition, and plays with a level of toughness that I appreciate. I know it’s a stereotype to associate toughness with Russian players, but there is definitely an edge to the way he plays.

He’s a high risk, high reward passer who isn’t afraid to squeeze passes in tight spaces.

Most of my concerns revolve around his decision making and offensive creativity. He doesn’t really have much to offer off the bounce, he can be sped up when forced to create and too often he drives in the paint without a plan. His assist-to-turnover ratio is deep underwater with nearly more 40 more turnovers than assists, so I have big questions about his feel and basketball IQ. While he has the confidence to attempt creative passes, too many of them end up off target.

Defensively, I actually think he’s better on the ball than off it. Away from the action, he has a tendency to ball watch, over help, and lose track of shooters.

As things stand today, I have a difficult time seeing him get drafted. Maybe he sneaks into the second round, and perhaps there’s a team that likes him more than I do, which would explain why he decided to stay in the draft. But from the outside looking in, I still think college basketball would have made a lot of sense. Given the current landscape, he could likely earn more money, receive more exposure, and have an opportunity to develop his game in a larger role.

Then again, the fact that he remained in the draft suggests there may be more interest around the league than many of us realize.

5. Mohammad Amini

SLUC NancyBasket (from Iran)
Wing
6’7” | N/A

Age on draft night: 21.2

Last but not least is Mohammad Amini, and I’ll be honest, his decision to keep his name in the draft is a head scratcher to me.

Amini spent the last two seasons playing for SLUC Nancy in France’s top division. He first came onto my radar a few years ago with his strong play during the 2024 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, where he was one of the tournament’s leading scorers, averaging nearly 16 points per game while shooting 60 percent from the floor and grabbing 6.2 rebounds. He followed that up with another productive summer at the FIBA Asia Cup Division A tournament, averaging 14 points and nearly six rebounds while helping Iran capture the bronze medal.

Before making the jump to the professional level, Amini was one of the leading scorers in France’s Espoirs U21 league. This season, he carved out a rotation role for Nancy and averaged seven points per game on a team that finished below .500.

There are definitely some things to like about his game. For starters, he looks physically mature for his age and has a solid skill package. At 6’7” he shows hints of offensive creativity, and has better straight line speed and burst than you might expect. He likes to use his strength to get downhill, bully smaller defenders, and create advantages in the post.

He’s also a willing passer. He can make reads on the move, find cutters, locate shooters, and consistently looks to move the ball ahead in transition. He’s unselfish and has enough playmaking ability to create opportunities for others when defenses collapse.

My biggest question is simple: what is the defining NBA skill that he can hang his hat on?

For a player his size, the shooting numbers are difficult to ignore. Throughout both FIBA competition and his professional career, he has struggled to consistently make perimeter shots. He’s a career sub-34 percent three point shooter in international competition and connected on just 25 percent of his threes this season. More concerning, he’s often reluctant to take open threes.

When you’re 6’7” and not an elite athlete, elite defender, or reliable shooter, it becomes difficult to identify a clear NBA role.

Athletically, I also have concerns. He’s not an NBA level athlete by any means. He’s somewhat stiff, doesn’t play above the rim, and I think his balance can be an issue at times. He spends a lot of possessions on the floor, and when he’s forced to create against athletic defenders, his handle isn’t quite tight enough to consistently beat pressure on the wing.

Defensively, I see similar concerns. He’s more physical on offense than he is on defense and often looks like a one effort defender. He doesn’t generate many steals, doesn’t provide any rim protection, and I don’t see the type of defensive impact that would offset the shooting concerns.

That’s why his decision to remain in the draft is surprising to me. In today’s basketball landscape, a player with his résumé could likely earn good money and receive significant developmental opportunities in college basketball. Maybe there’s more NBA interest than I’m aware of, but based on what I’ve seen, I would have viewed college as the better path.

Still, Amini has carved out a solid professional career at a young age and has been productive on the international stage. It only takes one team to see something they believe they can develop, but among the five international prospects who remained in the draft, he’s the one I have the most questions about as an NBA prospect.

The San Antonio Spurs ultimately fell to the New York Knicks in five games in the 2026 NBA Finals, but the outcome did little to change the league’s long term outlook. With Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper all 22 years old or younger, the Spurs accelerated their timeline dramatically, jumping from the lottery to the second best record in the NBA and signaling that their championship window may already be open.

What’s even more concerning for the rest of the league is that San Antonio often looked like the better team throughout the Finals. The Spurs built double digit first quarter leads in every game and led for roughly 72 percent of the series before repeated late game breakdowns allowed the Knicks to pull away with the title.

Meanwhile, the 2025 NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder remain loaded with young talent led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For the foreseeable future, the path out of the Western Conference may run through either Oklahoma City or San Antonio.

That reality should already be influencing how front offices think about roster construction. General managers aren’t just building championship contenders anymore. They’re building teams capable of surviving playoff battles against SGA and the Thunder, as well as a seven-foot-four alien in San Antonio.

Wemby finished third in Most Valuable Player voting and won Defensive Player of the Year at age 22. Basically, it’s Year One of what looks like a historic career for the French big man.

Usually, when there are generational players, teams look for ways to neutralize them.

We’ve heard about the Jordan Rules. Hack-a-Shaq was invented. We’ve seen the Kobe Stopper. Teams dared LeBron to shoot. Defenses are still allowed to grab and tackle Stephen Curry.

Whatever it takes to try to contain these superhumans, opposing teams will try it.

But this Wembanyama kid will be one of the toughest tasks to handle.

In his playoff debut, Wembanyama averaged 23.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game. He’s increased those numbers to 26 points, 11.2 rebounds. 3.6 blocks per game in the NBA Finals.

In the opening round, he completely took Portland’s Donovan Clingan out of the series. The 7’2” Clingan shot a paltry 30% from the field and was limited to just 21 minutes per game.

In Round 2 against the Timberwolves, Wemby had his least productive series as Minnesota mixed size (Rudy Gobert) and strength (Julius Randle) to keep the alien somewhat contained. Ultimately, though, the Timberwolves’ frontcourt didn’t have enough scoring power to support Anthony Edwards.

In the Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder threw everything at Wemby. Again, they had the right combination of offense, physicality, and defense, but those skills were spread across multiple players with inconsistent results.

It’s almost like a video game when you face the final boss before beating the game.

Karl-Anthony Towns has the size and offensive ability to make Wemby work on both ends of the floor. He can space out to the three-point line, preventing Wemby from serving as the unbelievable help-side defender that he is. He’s also strong enough to push Wemby off his spots.

The thing is, Wemby isn’t even close to his final form.

He may never become a dominant low-post threat, largely because of how tall he is and how difficult it can be to maintain post leverage when your legs are at everyone else’s chest level. He doesn’t always roll to the basket because he’s far more comfortable popping out to space.

So figuring out Wemby isn’t just about his offensive skill set.

In theory, you have to make Wemby guard the ball while also matching him with a combination of length and strength on the other end.

Towns looks like he has the blueprint, but he was a non factor late in games over the finals.

The scary part for the rest of the league is that this problem isn’t going away anytime soon.

Half of this year’s lottery teams reside in the Western Conference, where the road to the NBA Finals may soon require getting through both OKC and San Antonio. General managers aren’t just tasked with building championship rosters anymore. They also have to ask themselves a new question: How are we going to survive against Wemby?

The 2026 Draft Class and the Wemby Question

The 2026 NBA Draft has a quality crop of bigs.

Are any of them the answer to the Wemby problem?

Probably not.

But playoff teams drafting for frontcourt depth will inevitably evaluate prospects with Wembanyama in mind.

“How does this player help us against the Spurs?”

Let’s try to predict how the big men in this draft class might fare against Wemby.

Aday Mara

Obviously, Mara has the size to match up with Wembanyama.

Mara measured 7’3” barefoot with a 7’6” wingspan. He’s also got good mobility, probably more mobile than Donovan Clingan.

Offensively, Mara stretches the floor with his passing ability, though he doesn’t offer much range outside the paint. His touch is inconsistent, as evidenced by a college career free-throw percentage below 60%.

Against Wemby, Mara would come close to matching his height. However, as mobile as Mara is, Wemby does much of his damage on the perimeter. Pulling Mara away from the paint to defend in space limits his defensive value.

Offensively, Mara has a solid post game. You’re probably not featuring him on post touches against Wemby, but giving the Spanish big a few opportunities would help keep Wemby honest.

Mara is also an excellent passer who could pull Wemby away from the rim through dribble handoff actions.

Out of this class, Mara may have the most success if he can consistently force Wemby to defend him away from the dunker spot and short-roll situations.

Yaxel Lendeborg

Yaxel would be an interesting matchup for a few reasons.

Because today’s NBA lacks many true back-to-the-basket centers, the Spurs can sometimes put rugged guards on opposing fives and allow Wemby to roam as a weak-side defender.

Against Oklahoma City, Wemby often matched up against guards whenever Isaiah Hartenstein was off the floor. Jaylin Williams and Chet Holmgren couldn’t consistently punish those smaller defenders, which allowed Wemby to wreak havoc defensively.

We saw what Chet did, or didn’t do, when tasked with keeping Wemby honest offensively.

Whether Oklahoma City selects him with the 12th pick or not, Yaxel fits this conversation because he’s such a well-rounded prospect.

If the shooting is real, he can provide the floor spacing necessary to keep Wemby from completely ignoring him. He also has enough offensive game to attack smaller defenders.

Prior to moving to the wing, Yaxel was a glass-cleaning power forward at UAB.

Defensively, he’s giving up several inches, but his 240-pound frame and 7’3” wingspan could allow him to push Wemby off his spots.

I believe he has as good a chance as anyone in this draft class.

Morez Johnson

No matter how many times I write about the Michigan Wolverines, it’s still hard to believe they had three frontcourt players whom I project as top-15 picks, often sharing the floor together.

Next up from that trio is Morez Johnson.

Johnson is similar to Yaxel in that he combines excellent measurements (6’9” barefoot, 7’3” wingspan) with legitimate mass (250 pounds).

Again, you’re giving up inches to Wemby, so physicality appears to be the best approach.

But there has to be mobility, too.

Essentially, Wemby is a 7’4” small forward.

The players tall enough to look him in the eye often aren’t quick enough to guard him.

Johnson is.

He can stay in front of Wembanyama on the perimeter.

The bigger challenge is on offense.

Johnson has terrific touch but must prove that his range extends beyond corner threes. It’s not enough to be effective on short rolls and paint touches.

Just ask Isaiah Hartenstein, who seemingly never missed a floater.

You also have to account for Stephon Castle’s ball pressure, which shrinks the margin for error on those push shots even further.

Johnson may ultimately become a short-push-shot specialist because he’s a better athlete in open space than in confined areas.

Hannes Steinbach

Steinbach probably isn’t the answer to the Wemby problem, but his motor and relentless activity level would provide a different look.

He reminds me of Isaiah Hartenstein, and not just because they’re both German.

Steinbach attacks the glass with the same tenacity and has enough touch indicators to suggest he can eventually extend his range.

He shot 34% from three on limited volume and converted a solid 76% from the free-throw line during his lone season at Washington.

I don’t think he’ll offer much resistance defensively against Wemby.

Despite a respectable 7’2” wingspan, Steinbach wasn’t an elite rim protector at the collegiate level.

Blocking Wemby’s shot is already difficult.

Steinbach simply isn’t that type of defender.

Chris Cenac Jr.

Cenac is fascinating because he might possess every physical tool you’d want in a hypothetical Wemby stopper.

He’s extremely mobile, owns a 7’5” wingspan, and recorded a 37-inch vertical leap.

Regardless of this exercise, Cenac has tremendous physical gifts.

I’m just not sure he knows how to fully utilize them yet.

He was a dominant rebounder at Houston but didn’t convert those measurements into shot-blocking production, totaling just 18 blocks all season.

For comparison, shooting guard Darryn Peterson recorded only three fewer blocks despite playing roughly 300 fewer minutes.

Defending Wemby isn’t necessarily about blocking shots, so Cenac could still have success on that end.

The offensive side worries me.

Cenac is viewed as a potential floor spacer and vertical lob threat, but he shot only 62% from the foul line and 33% from three.

For reference, Arizona’s Koa Peat is often labeled a non-shooter despite posting similar numbers.

No matter how you view Cenac’s shooting projection, his offensive game remains a work in progress.

I think stretch bigs will become increasingly valuable as teams search for ways to pull Wemby away from the basket.

Cenac just might not be ready for that role yet.

Jayden Quaintance

Quaintance remains one of my favorite players in this draft.

Not only is he one of the youngest prospects, just 18 years old as a sophomore, but he may have the highest defensive ceiling in the class.

He’s an outstanding athlete who measured extremely well at the combine with a 7’5” wingspan.

But he’s much more than a combine athlete.

JQ was a defensive monster at Arizona State before tearing his ACL.

Without injury concerns, I believe he’d be a consensus top-10 pick.

As far as defending Wemby goes, he absolutely possesses the tools to make life difficult, if the knee is healthy.

Quaintance is one of the rare bigs who can switch onto perimeter players while still protecting the rim.

At 250 pounds, he’s built like a tank. Physicality won’t be an issue.

The challenge comes offensively.

Quaintance is primarily a play finisher with questionable touch. That means he’s either operating as a lob threat or from the dunker spot.

Those are exactly the types of players Wemby is best equipped to defend.

His length and mobility allow him to erase mistakes and cover ground unlike anyone else in the league.

Final Thoughts

There are bodies to throw at Victor.

But unless your roster includes Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, or Nikola Jokic, you’re probably in for a long night.

Just ask the other 26 teams trying to solve the league’s seven-foot-four-inch problem.

One of the first major milestones arrived Tuesday night when the NBA sent out its initial round of Green Room invitations.

Traditionally, NBA teams vote on the 20-25 prospects they believe are most likely to be selected in the first round. While receiving a Green Room invitation is generally viewed as a strong indicator that a player is expected to hear his name called high on draft night, history has shown there are no guarantees.

Every year, a handful of invitees slide further than expected, and in rare cases, some have even fallen into the second round.

Below is the first wave of Green Room invitees, listed alphabetically by last name:

• Darius Acuff Jr.

• Christian Anderson Jr.

• Nate Ament

• Cam Boozer

• Brayden Burries

• AJ Dybantsa

• Kingston Flemings

• Karim Lopez

• Aday Mara

• Mikel Brown Jr.

• Darryn Peterson

• Labaron Philon

• Keaton Wagler

• Caleb Wilson

It’s important to note that this is only the first group of invitations. Additional prospects are expected to receive invites in the coming days.

The most notable omission from the initial list is Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, whom I currently have projected at No. 12 in my latest mock draft. While I fully expect Lendeborg to eventually receive a Green Room invitation, his absence from the first wave sparked plenty of discussion across social media on Tuesday night.

The biggest surprise, in my opinion, was seeing Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson among the first players invited. I currently have Anderson landing with Denver at No. 26 in my latest mock draft. While my board differs from the consensus in several areas, I was still somewhat surprised to see him included in the opening group.

Karim Lopez’s inclusion in the first wave also caught my attention. Being among the first players invited doesn’t guarantee lottery status, but it is certainly an encouraging sign when teams view you as one of the draft’s safest first round bets.

As additional invitations are sent out, the Green Room list will continue to provide clues about how NBA teams view this class and which prospects are gaining momentum in the final stretch before draft night.

The 2026 NBA Draft will take place on June 23 and 24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Inside Mikel Brown's Busy Pre Draft Schedule

While much of the attention this yesterday centered around the NBA's first wave of Green Room invitations, another noteworthy development involves Mikel Brown Jr., who continues to attract interest from teams throughout the lottery.

A few days ago, I reported that Mikel Brown had worked out for the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, and I’ve since received additional details from a very reliable source regarding his pre-draft process.

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The NBA is about trends.

When the Golden State Warriors were at the peak of their powers, the rest of the league tried to copy that formula for success as best they could. You weren’t going to find another Stephen Curry or even another Klay Thompson, but you could try to find another Draymond Green.

Now, teams are looking for complementary stars in the mold of Derrick White: players who can defend multiple positions, make shots, and create just enough offense to keep defenses honest. Regardless of the position they play, the best complementary players tend to share the same characteristics.

And as playoff basketball continues to expose one dimensional players, those qualities have never been more valuable. Which brings me to one of my biggest pet peeves in modern basketball discourse.

I’m not a fan of the traditional “3 & D” archetype.

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The biggest names reportedly on the fence were Arizona’s Koa Peat and Baylor’s Tounde Yessoufou, both of whom I had projected as first-round picks in my Mock Draft 3.0 released shortly after the NBA Lottery. Peat ultimately decided to stay in the draft following a strong freshman season despite a rough showing at the NBA Combine and during Klutch Sports’ pro day, where he really struggled with his outside shooting.

Yessoufou, meanwhile, not only withdrew from the draft but also committed to St. John’s after the deadline passed. Alabama’s Amari Allen, whom I had given a first-round grade, also chose to return to school, while Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. — another player I viewed as a late first-round talent for much of the season — elected to do the same.

Santa Clara’s Allen Graves was another notable name reportedly weighing his options, but after a breakout season seemingly out of nowhere, he decided to keep his name in the draft.

Other notable prospects withdrawing and returning to college basketball include Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner, Arkansas’ Billy Richmond III, and Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic, who has yet to announce where he’ll play next season.

With those decisions now finalized, the outlook for the remainder of the first round has become much clearer. Before diving into the updated back half of the first round, be sure to check out my Mock Draft 4.0 lottery projections, which were released earlier this week and featured picks 1-14 along with several post-combine risers and fallers.

15. Morez Johnson Jr.

Illinois
Sophomore
Big
6’9” | 250
Age on draft night: 20.4

Mock Draft 3.0 Rank: 15

“SLAP.” That’s the acronym Bryson Graham used to describe the type of players he wants: size, length, athleticism and physicality. Morez Johnson embodies all of it.

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