NBA Mock Draft — All 58 picks
NBA Draft's second round will have it's own separate date and with only 28 picks.
The NBA draft is now only 16 days away!
I've made some tweaks to last week's Mock Draft, with Reed Sheppard, Stephon Castle, and Tidjaun Saluan rising, while Nikola Topić and Ron Holland have fallen to the back end of the lottery.
With so much trade talk swirling around, it’s possible that a number of these picks will be on the move. Where trade talk is happening, I’ll note it.
Here is a new and updated look at the full NBA draft in a little over 11,500 words, based on my personal opinion.
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1. Atlanta Hawks
Alex Sarr
Perth Wildcats (Australia)
International
PF/C
7’1” | 224
Age on draft night: 19.1
Atlanta faces significant decisions this summer and might contemplate trading players like Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and Clint Capela as part of a potential full rebuild strategy.
Alternatively, the Hawks could leverage the top overall pick in a package to upgrade their roster with a win-now player, aiming to overcome their struggles in getting past the first round of the playoffs since their surprising run to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals.
Sarr has the tools to be one of the better two-way players in the NBA. He has the size and length to serve as a rim protector, along with the speed and agility to switch out and guard wings on the perimeter.
Though his defense is the skill he’ll hang his hat on early in his career, offensively he’s just scratching the surface of his potential and checks several boxes that NBA teams seek in a modern-day big man.
He’s an athletic vertical lob threat with a promising low post game, also showing flashes as a ball handler, floor spacer, and is comfortable attacking the rim on closeouts. Nonetheless, his blend of size, length, defensive capabilities, and shooting potential solidify him as the top prospect in my view.
If Sarr is indeed the pick, the Hawks will likely move either Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu, who are set to earn a combined $36.2 million next season, to make room for him.
2. Washington Wizards
Zaccharie Risacher
JL Bourg (France)
International
Wing
6’10” | 205
Age on draft night: 19.2
I’ve had my reservations about Risacher, but even as one of his biggest critics, I can’t deny his impressive season playing professionally in France's premier league at just 18 years old. He started strong, shooting an impressive 44.8% from downtown over 41 games. However, he hit a rough patch, averaging just 7 points per game on 31% shooting from the floor and 17% from three over an 11 game stretch, which highlighted my concerns about his effectiveness when his shot isn’t falling.
However, Risacher finished the season on a high note, averaging 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 52% from the field and 37.8% from deep during JL Bourg’s playoff run.
Arguably the safest pick in an uncertain draft class, Risacher’s combination of size, skill, athleticism, and shooting makes him an immediate plug-and-play option and a potential replacement for Kyle Kuzma, who turns 29 next month and doesn’t fit the Wizards' timeline or youth movement.
Washington has significant gaps to fill at point guard and center, making Nikola Topić and Donovan Clingan potential options for the Wizards at the No. 2 pick.
3. Houston Rockets
Reed Sheppard
Kentucky
Freshman
Combo Guard
6’3” | 182
Age on draft night: 19.9
Houston might consider trading the No. 3 pick for established talent, given the Rockets don't have any glaring positional needs, but will look to find ways to improve their offense this summer. The team has been linked to players like Brandon Ingram, Mikal Bridges, and Donovan Mitchell, indicating a strong interest in bypassing another young prospect to help transform the Rockets—who are picking in the top 5 for the fourth time in five years— into a legitimate contender.
Should the Rockets choose to keep the pick, they may look for shooting as the Rockets were 20th overall in offensive rating last season and just 23rd in three-point shooting.
Sheppard emerges as a compelling option, as his lights-out shooting would be particularly beneficial for a Rockets team that features athletic slashers in Jalen Green and Amen Thompson who need space to operate.
He has a defined role as a shooting specialist and his game is adaptable to any offensive system. In today’s NBA, where floor spacing holds significant value, he could serve as the ideal complement to Alperen Şengün and Jalen Green.
Sheppard shot a ridiculous 52% from deep 4.4 attempts per game. Not only is he a deadly shooter off the catch, draining 51.6% of his catch-and-shoot attempts, he’s also dangerous off the dribble, where he connected on 52% of his shots.
4. San Antonio Spurs
Stephon Castle
Connecticut
Freshman
Guard/Wing
6’6” | 210
Age on draft night: 19.6
Opinions on Castle's draft potential vary widely: some scouts believe he could contend for the top pick if he showcases improved shooting in pre-draft workouts, while others see him as a jack-of-all-trades, master of none, with a shaky jumper.
Outside shooting remains a consistent concern, with Castle only connecting on 26% of his attempts from beyond the arc this season.
Castle's main appeal lies in his versatility on both ends of the floor. He can play and defend multiple positions and was a star in his role on UConn’s national title team. At 6’6”, Castle's size, length, and strength are intriguing, and his team-first and unselfish style of play make him an attractive target for Gregg Popovich.
While the Spurs appear to have redundancy on the wings, Castle would offer defensive toughness, rebounding, and playmaking in a multi-playmaker system aimed at involving Wembanyama more in the offense. However, Castle's potential upside ultimately hinges on his ability to improve his outside shooting.
5. Detroit Pistons
Matas Buzelis
G League Ignite
Wing
6’10” | 197
Age on draft night: 19.6
Detroit finished the season with a league-worst 14-68 record and, unfortunately, fell to the fifth pick in the draft lottery. This marks the sixth consecutive season that the team with the worst record failed to secure the top spot, and it's the third consecutive year the Pistons will hold the No. 5 pick.
Detroit has been rumored to have a strong interest in Buzelis, with speculation centered around his strong ties to the Pistons front office. He’s represented by Michael Tellem from Excel Sports Management, whose father, Arn, is the vice chairman of the Pistons.
However, Buzelis is a legitimate top 5 pick regardless of his representation. He fits the mold of the modern-day versatile jumbo wing with the potential to score on three levels. At 6'11", Buzelis has a unique blend of size and skill, making him a tough matchup as he can use his size to elevate over smaller opponents and beat slower bigs off the dribble.
Adding Buzelis to the Pistons' current core comes with risk, as the team ranked dead last in the NBA in 3-pointers made and is in dire need of perimeter shooting. Buzelis struggled to adjust to the longer NBA 3-point line, finishing the season shooting only 26% from deep. This could be a red flag for Detroit, who selected Ausar Thompson, an 18% 3-point shooter, fifth overall last summer.