The Brooklyn Nets have the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft after the Lottery gave them disappointing results for the second year in a row despite the percentages. In a draft that some pundits consider to be deeper than others in the past, Brooklyn could go with a variety of options, including one of the best shooters in the draft that has had quite the rise.
“The Nets shocked a lot of people when they took Egor Dёmin with the eighth pick one year ago. And maybe they will shock again this year… in this mock, we’re sticking with the best guard available,” Kevin O’Connor wrote in his latest mock draft for Yahoo! Sports. O’Connor projected the Nets to take Illinois guard Keaton Wagler with the No. 6 pick after the Los Angeles Clippers pass up on Wagler to take Arizona guard Brayden Burries.
“Wagler showed up at Illinois as a four-star recruit with no expectations of becoming a one-and-done. But he quickly became the orchestrator of a high-powered Illinois offense with his high-IQ playmaking and crafty scoring,” O’Connor continued. “To become an NBA star, Wagler needs to overcome a lack of traditional athleticism. But the best case is that his feel for the game is enough for him to continue ascending.”
One of the interesting storylines related to the Nets will be which direction they decide to go with the No. 6 pick knowing that the backend of the top-10 is filled with guards. Most mock drafts appear to have the Clippers taking Wagler with the No. 5 pick to pair with Darius Garland, leaving Brooklyn to choose between Burries, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., and Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr., just to name a few.
At this point, it seems that most mock drafts have the Nets taking Acuff or Brown, but given that O’Connor reported that Brooklyn is linked to Michigan center Aday Mara and Tennessee forward Nate Ament, it looks like the Nets could make a variety of moves when Jun. 23 comes around. As of this writing, it looks like Brooklyn would be choosing a guard and Wagler seems to be one of the candidates for the pick.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Yahoo! Sports projects Nets to take Keaton Wagler in 2026 NBA Draft
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
