2026 NBA Mock Draft: Crain & Cone projects top 10 picks, includes late surprises

The 2026 NBA Draft Combine is in the books and teams have had a chance to sort through the additional data. Naturally, since then plenty of NBA mock drafts have come out attempting to project the latest.

The guys at Crain & Cone opened up on their thoughts on the potential top 10 picks in the draft. Most of the names are pretty familiar, but there might be a surprise or two in the bottom half of the projection.

So who did they have going where? Let’s take a look inside.

1. AJ Dybantsa, BYU – Washington

After a lot of back-and-forth during the season, Dybantsa has emerged as the favorite to go No. 1 overall in most current mock drafts. Washington would do well to land the BYU standout, who had an incredible freshman season.

During the year, Dybantsa scored an incredible 25.5 points per game. Meanwhile, he also filled the stat sheet in other ways, averaging 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He can do it all.

2. Darryn Petterson, Kansas – Utah

The big question about Peterson is his usage rate, which was very up and down at Kansas. His talent, though, is unquestionably at the top of the draft class along with the likes of Dybantsa and Boozer. Can he be a consistent every night presence?

If so, the Jazz would be getting a monster. Peterson tallied 20.2 points per game, while also grabbing 4.2 boards per contest, dishing out 1.6 assists and snagging 1.4 steals per game. He has one of the best shooting strokes in the class.

3. Cameron Boozer, Duke – Memphis

Boozer takes no longer to come off the board. Most view him as a very high floor player, though there are question marks about whether his ceiling is quite as high as some others at the top of the draft class.

In any case, Memphis lands an instant-impact player here in the mock draft. Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals per contest as a freshman at Duke.

4. Caleb Wilson, North Carolina – Chicago

Some NBA mock drafts, notably one from Gary Parrish of CBS Sports, has Wilson going above Boozer. Not here, as Crain & Cone like Wilson to come off the board at No. 4.

In any case, it would be an excellent pick for Chicago. Wilson has some of the best upside in the draft. In his one year at North Carolina, he went for 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. The Tar Heels were never the same after his injury.

5. Keaton Wagler, Illinois – LA Clippers

The Illinois star really developed over the course of the season and turned into the kind of player that Clippers might have a hard time looking past at No. 5 overall. He just does so many things well.

Wagler was remarkably good in his lone season with the Fighting Illini. He was a floor captain who shot 39.7% from 3-point range. He also averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

6. Darius Acuff, Arkansas – Brooklyn

Acuff’s size won’t blow anyone away, and that’s the primary hurdle he’ll have to overcome at the next level. But his scoring ability is absolutely remarkable. He was a night-in, night-out threat in one of the toughest leagues in college basketball.

He finished the year averaging 23.5 points per game, shooting 44.0% from 3-point range. That’s deadly. He also averaged 6.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game.

7. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville – Sacramento

Some analysts have Brown as a potential top-five talent in the draft, available this late mainly due to injury concerns that limited him to just 21 games this season for Louisville. But when he was on the floor he was a huge difference-maker for the Cardinals.

Brown averaged 18.2 points per game, to go along with 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds. His shooting has room for improvement; he finished the year shooting 34.4% from 3-point range. Can he stay healthy?

8. Aday Mara, Michigan – Atlanta

Not every NBA mock draft has Mara going in the top 10 picks, but the guys at Crain & Cone like the potential this high in the draft. They have Atlanta reaching and taking the former Michigan man.

Mara, who has incredible size and reach, averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.4 assists per game at Michigan. After winning a national title, it’s also clear he is not intimidated by playing on the big stage.

9. Kingston Flemings, Houston – Dallas

In a deep point guard class, Dallas dips into the well at this point in the mock draft to grab another insanely good one. Flemings has good size and has definite star potential at the NBA level should he continue to develop.

He’s also coming from a Houston system where he knows how to play quality defense. Fleming shot 38.7% from 3-point range — quite good — and averaged 16.1 points, 5.2 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game.

10. Nate Ament, Tennessee – Milwaukee

Ament is still a bit of a raw prospect but the tools are out of this world. He’s got excellent length and is just starting to understand how to use it. Milwaukee would be hoping to get him the rest of the way there.

The Tennessee star averaged 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He also dished out 2.3 assists per game and shot 33.3% from 3-point range — respectable enough for a player with his length and the ability to do multiple things offensively.