NBA Mock Draft 9.0: Updated projections with a week to go!

It’s one week until the 2026 NBA Draft! Here’s my full two-round mock draft with analysis for every choice based on all the latest intel:

“Ask Kevin O’Connor” Check out our new interactive feature on the NBA Draft Guide, which delivers AI-powered answers to your NBA Draft questions written in Kevin O’Connor’s style and drawing from his in-depth analysis.

AJ Dybantsa, 6-9, BYU freshman forward

On Monday, Shams Charania reported that both AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson think they’ll be the first pick. Dybantsa worked out for both Washington and Utah, while Peterson worked out only for Washington and did multiple times. Dybantsa still gets the nod here, at least for now.

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Dybantsa could become one of the NBA’s most unstoppable shot creators. At 6-9, he has a special blend of athletic tools with the way he bends, shifts, and explodes with the ball in his hands. He gets to the rim at will, cooks in the midrange, draws fouls at a high rate, and displays point-forward potential. In Washington, the pressure will be alleviated on him early in his career, now that he’s teammates with veterans Trae Young and Anthony Davis. In the longer term, Dybantsa fits: Alex Sarr already looks like an effective two-way big, while guards and wings like Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Will Riley, and Bilal Coulibaly have all shown flashes. But none of them project to be a superstar like Dybantsa, whose upside will be determined by whether he can become a knockdown 3-point shooter, as well as a more impactful defender to take full advantage of his physical tools. But even with those areas for improvement, Dybantsa has an MVP ceiling.

At 6-8 and 253 pounds, Boozer is the most polished player in the class. He scores from the post with both footwork and power, hits 40% of his 3s on high volume, and has enough handle to run offense as a point forward. He shifts between those modes based on what the defense gives him, and that adaptability led to a 35-win season at Duke and the Naismith Player of the Year award. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen are both more perimeter-based players, so Boozer can play inside with them….

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nba-mock-draft-90-updated-projections-with-a-week-to-go-162407099.html

Author : Kevin O'Connor

Publish date : 2026-06-16 16:24:00

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