2026 NBA Draft grades, second-round pick-by-pick analysis

We handed out grades for every first-round pick of the 2026 NBA Draft. Now it’s time to grade the second round:

Bruce Thornton, 6-0, Ohio State senior guard

Grade: A+

The Rockets traded up to acquire Thornton from the Knicks, giving them a third small guard alongside Fred VanVleet and Reed Sheppard. Could this make Sheppard, the third pick in 2024, more expendable? Perhaps so, because Thornton is a three-level scorer with playmaking feel and the competitive fire that lifts a locker room. And even though he’s short, he weighs 223 pounds and has a 6-foot-5 wingspan. Players with his intangibles can prove to be important to winning teams though. He was a four-year captain at Ohio State, and improved every year on his way to becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer.

Grade: A+

Saunders might turn 25 years old as a rookie, but he’s a hard-nosed, two-way wing who plays with manic energy, hustling around the floor hunting for steals on defense and jumpers on offense. When he appeared on my podcast, he discussed his recovery from a torn ACL that ended his career at BYU and said when he returns to the court he’s most looking forward to using a swim move on an opponent to crash the offensive glass — that’s exactly the hustle the Grizzlies know they’re gonna get from him. He’s also skilled, though, with a quick-trigger jumper, soft touch on floaters, and a feel for moving the ball.

Isaiah Evans, 6-6, Duke sophomore wing

Grade: A+

With Donte DiVincenzo sidelined due to a torn Achilles, it makes perfect sense for Minnesota to take Evans. He’s a legitimate sharpshooter with the off-ball chops to thrive without even running any offense for himself, which is the key playing next to Anthony Edwards. Evans is the kind of shooter that defenses guard and think they’ve got him contained, then he uses a screen and catches it off a full sprint, moving away from the rim, and he somehow manages to rise into a perfect 3-pointer. But after serving as a shooting specialist as a freshman, he showed off a developing handle as a sophomore which could eventually unlock more creation chances.

Meleek Thomas, 6-3, Arkansas…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/2026-nba-draft-grades-second-round-pick-by-pick-analysis-002235518.html

Author : Kevin O'Connor

Publish date : 2026-06-25 00:22:00

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