The 2026 NBA draft class is loaded with talent, and the first round produced clear winners and losers. Tanking teams reaped rewards, the Jalen Brunson Effect reshaped guard selections, and certain players and coaches faced disappointment.
Winners: Tanking Teams Triumph
After a season marred by egregious tanking, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced new rules to curb the tactic, effective next season. This meant the biggest losers of the season became the biggest winners on draft night. The Washington Wizards (AJ Dybantsa), Utah Jazz (Darryn Peterson), Memphis Grizzlies (Cameron Boozer), and Chicago Bulls (Caleb Wilson) each landed generational players in one of the deepest drafts in years. The Wizards, in particular, stand out: adding Dybantsa No. 1 overall to a roster with two former All-NBA picks, Trae Young and Anthony Davis, could propel them to their first playoff appearance since 2021.
The Jalen Brunson Effect
Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship since 1973, proving that shifty, scoring guards can anchor title contenders. This shifted the draft landscape: six guards were selected in the top 10, including Peterson, Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, and Brayden Burries. These aggressive guards, like Brunson, can dominate in the fourth quarter and decide critical games. Peterson will contend for Rookie of the Year with Dybantsa, while Brown (Brooklyn Nets) and Acuff (Sacramento Kings) are expected to have explosive scoring nights. Wagler (LA Clippers) and Flemings (Atlanta Hawks) will serve as essential lead guards for playoff-bound teams.
New Big Men for Thunder and Spurs
Big men Aday Mara, Jayden Quaintance, and Tarris Reed Jr. are set to play key roles for the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. Mara (7ft 3in) aims to solve the Thunder's inability to stop Victor Wembanyama. For the Spurs, Wembanyama showed fatigue battling Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson in the NBA Finals, and backup center Luke Kornet failed to stabilize non-Wemby minutes. Quaintance (6ft 10in) and Reed (6ft 11in) will allow Wembanyama to play more power forward, freeing his skillset. The Thunder hope Mara's pairing with Chet Holmgren becomes Wembanyama's kryptonite.
Losers: Labaron Philon Jr.
Labaron Philon Jr. likely entered the draft a year too late. The Alabama guard averaged 22 points per game and erupted for 35 against Michigan in the NCAA Tournament. In the 2025 draft, he would have been a late lottery or mid-first-round pick. However, an abundance of elite guards in 2026 dropped him to the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 22. Philon would start on most lottery teams but begins his career behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Dusty May's First Draft
Dusty May was announced as the Dallas Mavericks' head coach within 24 hours, and his former Michigan player Morez Johnson Jr. was drafted by the Mavs at No. 9. Johnson is an enforcer who will do dirty work alongside Cooper Flagg, but the pick appears to be an overreach. Johnson was projected as a mid-first-round pick with a high-value role player ceiling. With Kyrie Irving returning from injury, the Mavs should have drafted a high-scoring guard like Burries or Dailyn Swain.
Blockbuster Moments Missing
Past NBA drafts featured dramatic blockbuster trades like Kobe Bryant to the Lakers, Jayson Tatum to the Celtics, and Luka Dončić to the Mavericks. This year's draft lacked such suspense and controversy. However, the overall talent will be analyzed for years to come.
