Draft Notes: Dybantsa, Acuff, Ament, Alexis, Hoosiers
In a one-on-one interview with Ari Alexander of 7News Boston (Twitter video link), AJ Dybantsa praised both the Wizards and the Jazz and said he was confident he’ll end up being the No. 1 overall pick in a few weeks, as Jackson Payne of The Deseret News relays. Washington controls the first pick and Utah holds the second.
The former BYU star, who’s widely projected to be a top-two pick, pointed out that trades are always a possibility and said he’ll be content no matter where he ends up.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” Dybantsa told Alexander. “Anyone can trade up, anyone can trade down, but I’m going to be happy with anybody.”
Here’s more on the 2026 NBA draft:
- Darius Acuff, a projected mid-lottery pick, was in Chicago on Friday for a workout with the Bulls, reports Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report (via Twitter). The ex-Arkansas guard also worked out for the Nets on Wednesday and has upcoming sessions with the Jazz and Bucks, according to Wasserman. Acuff is coming off one of the most productive seasons for a freshman guard in NCAA history, though there are question marks about his defense. Chicago, which held a workout on Tuesday featuring four other possible lottery picks, controls the fourth and 15th selections in the first round, while Brooklyn holds the sixth pick and Milwaukee has the 10th.
- While there has been chatter about the Nets being high on Nate Ament, the projected lottery pick hasn’t worked out for Brooklyn to this point, sources tell Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). The 6’10” forward is another one-and-done prospect, having spent his freshman season at Tennessee.
- Indiana forward Sam Alexis said he’s in regular communication with former Hoosiers teammates Tucker DeVries and Lamar Wilkerson, who are also regulars in the pre-draft workout circuit, per Tony East of Forbes and Circle City Spin (Twitter video link). Alexis, a senior in 2025/26, worked out for the Pacers on Friday. He said the ex-Hoosiers are helping one another prepare by sending tips about what each team likes to do during the sessions. “It’s helpful,” Alexis said. “It’s a lot. (It helps) you mentally prepare for (the workout).” When asked by East if he wanted to be the first player to attend a team’s workout to help DeVries and Wilkerson, Alexis smirked. “Nah, I want to be the last one,” he said with a laugh.
NBA Finals Notes: Brown, Court Design, Refs, More
Knicks head coach Mike Brown has won four NBA championships as an assistant coach, including one in San Antonio (2003) and three in Golden State (2017, 2018, and 2022). But Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who had Brown on his staff for six seasons before he left for Sacramento, would be very happy to see his former assistant earn his first title as a head coach.
“I’d be thrilled for him,” Kerr told Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. “He’s a great friend, he was a wonderful assistant coach and helped us win multiple titles here. I’d love to see him win one. The problem for me is I’d also love to see the Spurs win another one because I’ve got a lot of friends there, too. I’ve got people on both sides of this one. But it would mean an awful lot to see Mike win one, for sure.”
Kerr described Brown as “much more organized and detailed than I am” and lauded him for his consistently positive attitude. He also pointed out that Brown’s lengthy NBA résumé and wide range of experiences during his time as a coach made him an ideal fit for a coaching job that came with a Finals-or-bust mandate in year one.
“I think anybody who understands the value of experience takes from that experience and applies it to the next position, and that’s what he’s done, ” Kerr said. “… He was clearly the right guy for the job, for that reason. He’s handled everything well. It hasn’t always been smooth, but they’re there. And he helped guide them there. And it’s been fun to watch.”
Here’s more on the NBA Finals, which will top off this Wednesday in San Antonio:
- The NBA formally confirmed on Sunday (via Twitter) that the image of the Larry O’Brien trophy and the script logo for “The Finals” will be returning to the Knicks’ and Spurs’ courts for this year’s NBA Finals. Fans have griped on social media in recent years about the absence of both iconic images, which were mainstays in the past, arguing that the biggest games of the year felt like regular season matchups without them.
- The 12 officials assigned to the Knicks/Spurs series include Tony Brothers and Marc Davis, who are each working the Finals for a 15th time, and Scott Foster, who is working his 19th Finals, the league announced today in a press release. Other Finals veterans who will be on the job for the series include James Capers (14th) and Zach Zarba (13th), while Curtis Blair is the lone first-timer in the group.
- Brian Mahoney and Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press explore the paths that the Knicks and Spurs took to get to the NBA Finals, while Zach Kram of ESPN considers the storylines and matchups that will decide the series. Meanwhile, ESPN’s NBA insiders, Jared Weiss and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, and Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports shared their previews of the Finals.
- A number of current, future, and former NBA players have been added to the list of media members covering the NBA Finals. According to Danielle Lerner of USA Today, former Knicks guard Jeremy Lin will join ESPN’s coverage as an analyst and is set to appear on NBA Today and SportsCenter, among other programs. Meanwhile, the league announced its player correspondents for each of the first five games, including top prospects Caleb Wilson (Game 1) and AJ Dybantsa (Game 4), as well as rookie standouts Derik Queen (Game 2), Jeremiah Fears (Game 3), and Kon Knueppel (Game 5).
- Who will win the Finals? Vote in our poll here.
Draft Notes: Momcilovic, NBA Comps, Sleepers, Dybantsa
Milan Momcilovic, who tested the draft waters this spring before deciding to withdraw and use his final year of NCAA eligibility, will be transferring from Iowa State to Kentucky for the 2026/27 season, according to Jeff Borzello of ESPN (Twitter link).
Momcilovic had been the top prospect in the transfer portal after an impressive junior year in which he led the nation with a 48.7% mark on three-point attempts. The 6’8″ forward averaged 16.9 points and made 3.7 threes per game over the course of 37 outings for the Cyclones, earning a spot on the All-Big 12 second team.
While Momcilovic would have been drafted if he had opted to go pro this spring, he’ll maximize his earnings by playing one more college season. Sources tell Adam Zagoria of NJ.com (Twitter link) that the 21-year-old’s NIL deal with the Wildcats will be worth over $6MM.
Momcilovic will now be draft-eligible in 2027.
We have more on the draft:
- ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Jeremy Woo solicited feedback from scouts and executives and assigned NBA comps to the top 12 prospects in this year’s class. For instance, their high-end forecast for Duke’s Cameron Boozer is Kevin Love with more ball skills, whereas their low-end projetion for Boozer would be Domantas Sabonis with better outside shooting. Multiple scouts have also compared Boozer to Al Horford due to his high basketball IQ, Bontemps notes.
- Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports identifies five of his favorite first-round sleepers in this year’s draft, going to bat for Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie, Santa Clara forward Allen Graves, Kentucky big man Jayden Quaintance, Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas, and Michigan forward Morez Johnson.
- With AJ Dybantsa widely projected to be the Wizards‘ pick at No. 1, Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network explores some of the BYU forward’s strengths and weaknesses, with input from Dybantsa himself.
Draft Rumors: Clippers, Boozer, Acuff, Flemings, Carr, Burries
There’s an expectation that the Clippers will listen to trade-down offers for the fifth overall pick in the 2026 draft, league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports.
Noting that reports have linked the Thunder to Cameron Boozer, who’s projected to be a top-three pick, O’Connor wonders if Oklahoma City might be able to use the 12th and 17th picks and an unspecified player to move up to fifth, and from that point potentially packaging the fifth selection to try to move into the top three with an “overwhelming offer,” perhaps including Chet Holmgren.
Obviously that’s just O’Connor brainstorming/speculating, but the Thunder have a trove of future first-round picks, plus their payroll is about to become very expensive, with roster-building restrictions in place if they’re over the second apron.
Oklahoma City also has a history of avoiding massive payrolls, O’Connor notes, having traded James Harden to Houston in the 2012 offseason when he was eligible for a rookie scale extension. Holmgren’s Game 7 performance vs. San Antonio and past history of struggling offensively in big moments could make the team more willing to part ways with him before his maximum-salary rookie scale extension kicks in next season, O’Connor writes.
Here are a few more rumors and notes related to the upcoming draft:
- Speaking of Boozer, one NBA general manager gave the following assessment of the former Duke star, who won several college Player of the Year awards as a freshman: “I don’t think he’s a franchise player, but I also know exactly what I’m getting with him,” the GM told Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68 (Twitter link). “Both (AJ) Dybantsa and (Darryn) Peterson have a chance to be franchise players in the league. Boozer can be a great second option.”
- The Mavericks are believed to have interest in trading up for Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Dallas controls the ninth, 30th and 48th picks in the upcoming draft, while Acuff is widely projected to go in the top seven. Previous reports have said the Kings, who control the seventh pick, are high on Acuff and are considered his floor. Sacramento has also been impressed by Houston guard Kingston Flemings, a projected top-10 pick, in the lead-up to the draft, sources tell Siegel.
- The Bulls and Mavericks have “known interest” in Baylor guard Cameron Carr, arguably the biggest winner at the draft combine, per Siegel. Chicago has four picks in this month’s draft: fourth, 15th, 38th and 56th. For what it’s worth, Jeremy Woo of ESPN had Carr going 15th overall in his latest mock draft.
- While Brayden Burries is considered a lock to be drafted in the lottery, his range seems pretty wide, Siegel writes. One scout from a lottery team sounded impressed by the Arizona guard before the combine, according to Siegel. “He’s simply a sound player,” the scout said of Burries. “Good vision, great instincts, good vibes around him. His teammates love playing with him. Nobody ever says, ‘Well, he can still work on this and that.’ This guy is the complete package when it comes to being cool and collected.”
Draft Notes: Brown, Mara, Johnson, Graves, Miller, More
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo has updated his top-100 big board following this week’s deadline for early entrants to withdraw from the draft and maintain their college eligibility. The top 25 prospects on Woo’s board are the same players who made the cut for his last update, but there has been a good deal of movement amongst that group.
The top six of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, Keaton Wagler and Darius Acuff remains unchanged. However, Louisville guard Mikel Brown has moved up from No. 9 to No. 7 and has a chance to be selected earlier than that next month if he continues to perform well in the pre-draft process, Woo writes.
Michigan center Aday Mara and his former frontcourt teammate Morez Johnson are two other prospects on the rise, with Mara moving up from No. 13 to No. 10 and Johnson making a huge leap from No. 24 to No. 14. As Woo notes, both big men were winners at the draft combine after excelling during the Wolverines’ run to the NCAA championship.
According to Woo, rival NBA clubs view the Nets (No. 6) as Mara’s ceiling, with the Hawks (No. 8), Warriors (No. 11) and Thunder (No. 12) also considered possible lottery suitors. As for Johnson, Woo suggests the 20-year-old’s draft range starts in the late lottery and ends in the teens.
While Santa Clara forward Allen Graves is a somewhat polarizing prospect, he has moved up to No. 17 (from No. 25) on ESPN’s board and seems to be “trending toward a top-20 selection,” Woo writes.
Here’s more from Woo’s updated big board:
- A handful of players projected first-round picks have seen their stock slip in recent weeks, according to Woo. That group includes Houston’s Chris Cenac (No. 21), Kentucky’s Jayden Quaintance (No. 22), Duke’s Isaiah Evans (No. 24) and Arizona’s Koa Peat (No. 25). Each of those players moved down either four or five spots from Woo’s last update.
- Cincinnati forward Baba Miller (No. 45 to No. 36), Arizona guard Jaden Bradley (No. 46 to No. 39) and Arkansas big man Trevon Brazile (No. 48 to No. 40) are among the potential second-round picks who have moved up several spots in the wake of the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline.
Northwest Notes: Valanciunas, Nuggets, Avdija, Jazz
After flirting with a move overseas during the 2025 offseason, Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas is once again drawing interest from teams in Europe, he confirmed during an appearance this week on the Pikenrolas podcast (YouTube link).
“I received attention,” Valanciunas said, per BasketNews.com. “Yes, there were talks with one team, another team, and the Lithuanian club. There are discussions, and we are deciding. But the final word belongs to Denver. First of all, it depends on whether they trade me, keep me, or not. That’s their decision.
“Right now, I think the bigger question for them is what they will do with the roster overall: who stays and who goes. As I understand it, only Nikola (Jokic) is untouchable, and everyone else can be moved. I think everything will be clear in the first week of July, or maybe even earlier.”
A year ago, Valanciunas appeared to be on the verge of joining the Greek team Panathinaikos, but Sacramento traded him to the Nuggets, who wanted to him to honor his NBA contract and become Jokic’s primary backup. This time around, the cap-strapped Nuggets seem less likely to retain Valanciunas, whose $10MM salary is partially guaranteed for just $2MM. A move to the EuroLeague would become a whole lot more viable if the big man is waived by Denver.
Citing a report from the outlet Sport24, Alessandro Maggi of Sportando says Panathinaikos is once again in the mix for Valanciunas this offseason, with the Turkish team Fenerbahce and Lithuanian club Zalgiris Kaunas also reportedly showing interest.
We have more from around the Northwest:
- There are three types of trades the Nuggets could make this offseason, according to Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette, who weighs the merits of a salary-dump deal, a sign-and-trade involving Peyton Watson, or a more significant move involving an impact player like Jamal Murray or Aaron Gordon.
- Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link) takes a look at the potential paths the Trail Blazers could take with Deni Avdija‘s next contract, observing that a standard veteran extension is unlikely because Portland’s maximum offer would be well below the forward’s market value due to his modest $11.9MM salary for 2027/28. If they want to avoid waiting until Avdija’s free agency to negotiate a new deal, the Blazers will likely have to open up cap room next summer in order to renegotiate that ’27/28 figure, Highkin writes. Bumping up that ’27/28 figure would increase Avdija’s maximum extension, which could be completed at the same time.
- While there has been some chatter about the possibility that the Jazz could trade up or down in the draft, Tony Jones of The Athletic argues that the team’s approach to the No. 2 pick should be straightforward: take whichever of AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson is available. As Jones outlines, Utah’s roster lacks a starting-caliber shooting guard, and either Dybantsa or Peterson is capable of filling that hole while providing elite long-term upside. In the event that Cameron Boozer is the surprise No. 1 pick, Jones advocates for the Jazz taking Dybantsa over Peterson.
Draft Rumors: Wizards, Jazz, Mara, Bucks, Nets, Kings, Suns
While AJ Dybantsa has emerged as the “presumptive favorite” to be selected No. 1 overall in next month’s draft and is the first player off the board in the latest mock draft from ESPN, Jeremy Woo reiterates that rival teams don’t view the BYU forward as a lock to be taken by the Wizards with the top pick.
As Woo writes, there’s a consensus top four in the 2026 draft, with Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson joining Dybantsa in that group. However, there isn’t a consensus No. 1. Peterson goes No. 2 to the Jazz in Woo’s mock, followed by Boozer at No. 3 (Grizzlies) and Wilson at No. 4 (Bulls).
Team sources tell Woo that Peterson “came across as quiet but serious” in interviews at last week’s combine and “handled that part of the process well.” Peterson faced questions about the cramping issues that plagued his freshman season at Kansas, Woo writes, and NBA clubs are still waiting for his medicals.
There was plenty of chatter about the Jazz potentially moving up to No. 1 at the combine, according to Woo, who says any talk on that front is speculative at this time. Like Sarah Todd of The Deseret News, Woo suggests the Jazz are far more likely to stay at No. 2 and take the best player available rather than trade up.
Here are some more rumors on the upcoming draft:
- Michigan center Aday Mara, one of the stars of the NCAA tournament as the Wolverines won their first championship since 1989, is selected by the Hawks with the eighth pick in Woo’s mock. Atlanta is expected to consider several guard prospects at that spot, but the Spanish big man is rising up draft boards and is considered a lock to be selected in the lottery, Woo reports.
- Milwaukee only controls the 10th pick in the 2026 draft, but rival teams tell Woo that the Bucks have been acting as though they’ll end up with multiple selections. As Woo notes, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last week that the Bucks are listening to trade offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo, with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps citing a growing belief around the league that the two-time MVP will be moved before the draft.
- Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports has also updated his mock draft, and although he has Brooklyn taking Illinois guard Keaton Wagler at No. 6, he hears from league sources that the Nets have been connected to Mara and Tennessee forward Nate Ament. Woo has also heard the Nets aren’t considered a lock to take a guard, and suggests Brooklyn will consider moving up or down in the draft. For what’s worth, Woo and O’Connor both have Ament going 10th overall to the Bucks.
- The Kings, who control the seventh pick, are “widely believed” to be targeting Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, according to ESPN and Yahoo Sports. As O’Connor writes, there are several connections between Acuff and Sacramento’s front office, plus the Kings need a point guard.
- Phoenix currently only has one pick (47th overall), but league sources tell O’Connor the Suns will explore the possibility of acquiring a first-round selection.
Jazz Considered ‘Unlikely’ To Trade Up From No. 2 To No. 1
The Jazz, who hold the No. 2 pick in next month’s draft, have reportedly reached out to the Wizards about the possibility of acquiring the No. 1 overall selection. However, Sarah Todd of The Deseret News hears a deal involving those two picks is improbable.
“Countless people” broached the topic to Todd after the draft lottery, but she was unable to nail down where the speculation was coming from beyond the team’s connections to BYU, where AJ Dybantsa played his freshman college season. Owner Ryan Smith, CEO Danny Ainge, and president of basketball operations Austin Ainge are all BYU alums.
Either way, Utah is “highly unlikely” to trade the second pick, according to Todd, citing conversations with league executives and members of the Jazz.
That doesn’t mean the Jazz won’t — or haven’t already — talk to Washington about potentially moving up, Todd writes. Utah will also listen to calls regarding the possibility of moving down. But Todd suggests those conversations are just the Jazz performing their due diligence, rather than a sign of a trade being imminent.
As Todd observes, there’s no consensus No. 1 pick in this draft, and whomever is available at No. 2 is widely considered to be a franchise-changing type of talent. Dybantsa and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson are regarded as the top two prospects, though some teams are very high on Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson as well.
Boozer’s father — former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer — is currently a scout with the Jazz, but that won’t have any impact on their draft process, Todd adds. Just like many other teams around the league, Utah is focused on taking the best player available, with college or family ties essentially irrelevant compared to the “talent and belief” in the prospects.
Eastern Notes: Wizards, Brown, Celtics, Pacers
The Wizards have won 15, 18, and 17 games in the past three seasons, but team owner Ted Leonsis has no regrets about pivoting to a full roster tear-down – or, as he calls it, a “deconstruction” – after several years mired in mediocrity, he tells Barry Svrluga of The Athletic. Leonsis indicated that he’s happy with the job team president Michael Winger has done to position the Wizards for a more promising future.
“(Winger) said to me three or four times, ‘You know, this could take four or five years,'” Leonsis said. “And I said, ‘I totally understand. I’ve been through the deconstructing stage with the (NHL’s Washington Capitals). I lived through it the first time with the Wizards. I’m prepared. … I don’t see any other path to get out of where we are than deconstruct.’ And they executed it very, very well.”
Of course, the Wizards’ future looks much more positive after the May 10 draft lottery than it did before it — armed with the No. 1 overall pick in a loaded 2026 draft, Washington is in position to add a long-term franchise cornerstone to its young core. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Wizards will become a contender overnight. Leonsis told Svrluga that he considers the rebuild to be “just starting” rather than ending.
“I think it’s an important point on this long, long journey that we’ll be on.” the Wizards’ owner said, before pausing and adding, “The deconstruction, though, is over.”
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- So what exactly should the Wizards do with that first overall pick? One rival front office official told Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic that figuring that out is a “great (expletive) problem to have.” Of the 13 executives and scouts who spoke to Robbins and Aldridge, seven said they’d take AJ Dybantsa, two expressed a preference for Darryn Peterson, one said he’d want Cameron Boozer, and three didn’t commit to a specific prospect.
- While Jaylen Brown will technically be eligible for a contract extension as of July 26, Brian Robb of MassLive.com notes that the Celtics will likely feel no sense of urgency to get a new deal done at this point, given that there are still three years left on Brown’s current super-max contract. Robb doesn’t expect a Brown extension to be among Brad Stevens‘ offseason priorities.
- Observing that the Celtics want to get more athletic and add another ball-handler this summer, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscription required) explores whether the club might be able to address either of those needs with the No. 27 overall pick in the draft. Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie, Duke forward Isaiah Evans, and Texas wing Dailyn Swain are among the prospects Washburn considers as possible targets for Boston.
- After losing their first-round pick on lottery night, what’s next for the Pacers this summer? Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) attempts to answer that question, noting that the team may want to add another wing with size. Dopirak examines which trade and free agent targets might be realistic for Indiana and weighs whether it would make sense for the club to trade back into the draft, likely in the second round.
Draft Notes: Dybantsa, Ejiofor, Momcilovic, Updated Mock
Among the ways AJ Dybantsa stands out from the rest of his draft class is his openness about wanting to be the No. 1 pick, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. Todd notes that Dybantsa’s bravado was among his characteristics that were on display during this week’s draft combine in Chicago.
“It’s definitely a goal of mine,” Dybantsa said of being the first name off the board. “I’ve been number one in the ranking since what, ninth grade? And I ain’t dropped. So, I’m not planning on dropping in the draft.”
Todd adds that the ultra-confidence can be interpreted in various ways by different team executives. While some may be concerned about drafting a diva, there’s an understanding that most highly successful professional athletes have a certain level of ego. Dybantsa’s stated desire to become a “Hall of Famer” should appeal to decision makers who are looking for someone to carry their franchise.
Although Dybantsa is considered the favorite to go to Washington with the top pick, he met with several other teams at the combine as well as the Wizards, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link). Dybantsa also had sessions with the Jazz, Bulls, Kings, Nets, Hawks, Mavericks, Grizzlies and Clippers.
There’s more on the draft:
- St. John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor raised his draft stock at the combine with a strong shooting performance, states Brian Lewis of The New York Post. During the shooting drills, Ejiofor connected at 17-of-30 off the dribble and 12-of-25 in the three-point star drill. He went 16-of-28 in a side-middle-side drill and 13-of-25 on spot-up shots. “I feel like it’s something I could’ve shown a little bit more in college,” he said. “And then I had the opportunity to just come out here and just prove, not only to myself, but to everybody around that I could do it. And I had decent numbers. And I was pretty proud of it.” Ejiofor’s agent believes he’ll be selected somewhere between 25th and 35th, Lewis adds.
- Iowa State’s Milan Momcilovic is still focused on the draft, but he’ll be the top player in the transfer portal if he decides to pull out, per Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog. An NBA source tells Zagoria that Momcilovic is likely to earn more than $5MM in NIL money if he stays in college. Momcilovic recently told Ben Roberts of The Lexington Herald Leader that he sees Kentucky as “a good fit.”
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report updated his mock draft in the wake of the combine with Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson as the top four. Wasserman reports that “the needle didn’t move in either direction” for Peterson at the combine, while Boozer left the event with no new concerns regarding his size or athleticism.