Knicks 2026 NBA Mock Draft Roundup: Is New York on the hunt for size?

The Knicks just finished off a season in which they ended a 53-year long championship drought by hoisting the Larry O’Brian Trophy after beating the San Antonio Spurs, 4-1.

They’ll now look to defend their title next year and will do so by adding some young talent to the roster in this year’s NBA Draft. New York owns the No. 24 pick, as well as the No. 31 pick (via the Washington Wizards) and the No. 55 pick.

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So, here’s what the draft experts have the Knicks doing in the first round.

Isaac Trotter, CBS Sports

No. 24: PF Karim Lopez, Mexico

Lopez possesses a powerful, yoked frame and projects as a big-bodied forward who can, in theory, be a three-and-D threat. Both the jumper and the defense are a work in progress, but the good thing for the Knicks is that they have time to wait to see if the potential can turn into production. New York would be a strong landing spot because Lopez wouldn’t be overextended.

Zach Buckley, Bleacher Report

No. 24: C Chris Cenac Jr., Houston

The Knicks hadn’t even enjoyed their championship parade yet when team governor James Dolan warned of possible spending restrictions this summer. If Mitchell Robinson didn’t feel like a major flight risk in the afterglow of that title run, the bouncy big fella sure feels like one now.

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Frontcourt reinforcements might be a must here, in other words, and Cenac could intrigue for the possibility of filling multiple roles within it. He lacks polish (with his skills and his approach), but he has big man size and swingman fluidity, so with the right amount of patience, he could handle minutes at the 4 and the 5 with ease.

Bryan Kalbrosky, USA Today

No. 24: G Ebuka Okorie, Stanford

The Knicks have prioritized scrappy, high-motor players capable of winning the possession battle through rebounds and turnovers like Stanford freshman Ebuka Okorie.

The first-team All-ACC guard was a day-one starter in the NCAA who is potentially capable of earning rotation minutes for a team like the 76ers. He averaged 23.2 points per game, recording 40 points against conference rival Virginia Tech and seven other games with at least 30 points. Okorie has…

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Publish date : 2026-06-20 17:41:00

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