Warriors take former Wolverine Yaxel Lemdeborg with eleventh pick
Make that two Wolverines taken in the past three picks, as Yaxel Lendeborg will join Steve Kerr and the Warriors.
The 2025-2026 Big Ten Player of the Year transferred twice before landing in Michigan, averaging 15 points and seven rebounds before helping lead the Wolverines to the national championship just a few months ago. Now Lendeborg brings some youth and his 6’9″ size to an aging core of Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler.
Brayden Burries taken by Bucks with tenth overall pick
The Bucks use one of their two first round picks, selecting guard Brayden Burries from Arizona as they look to move forward after reportedly trading franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo last night.
Burries averaged 16 points and almost five rebounds a game as a 6’4″ freshman guard, now becoming the first pick for the Bucks in the post-Antetokounmpo era.
Kingston Flemings goes eight overall, former Wolverine Morez Johnson Jr. is taken by Mavericks with ninth pick in NBA Draft
Make it four straight guards taken in this draft, and another freshman, as Kingston Flemings heads to Atlanta. Flemings averaged 16 points and five assists playing for Houston.
The Mavericks take Morez Johnson Jr. as new head coach, and former Michigan coach, Dusty May is in attendance to catch a glance at his first rookie draft pick. May and Johnson led the Wolverines to a national championship, as Johnson averaged 13 points and seven rebounds in his sophmore season.
May and Johnson reunite in Dallas, joining last season’s Rookie of the Year in Cooper Flagg as the Mavericks look to continue their rebuild.
Former Cass Tech guard Darius Acuff Jr. taken seventh overall by Kings
The wait is finally over as Darius Acuff Jr. is headed to the NBA. Acuff led Cass Tech to its first state championship in 2023 before transferring to IMG Academy in Florida. As a freshman, Acuff averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists in 36 games, then averaged 29.3 points in the NCAA tournament before losing in the Sweet 16.
Acuff was the first player to lead the SEC conference in points and assists since Pete Maravich did it in 1970. Now Acuff looks to lead a Kings franchise looking for it’s next point guard since trading De’Aaron Fox two seasons ago.
Mikel Brown Jr. goes sixth overall to Nets
Nets fans could be heard loud in Barclays Center as their team took guard Mikel Brown Jr. sixth overall in this 2026 NBA Draft.
Brown averaged 18.2 points and 4.7 assists in his freshman year at Louisville, as the Nets have had six overall first-round selections over the past two drafts. The 6’5″ guard is the sixth straight freshman taken in this draft, and that trend looks to continue.
Keaton Wagler taken by Clippers with fifth overall pick
The Clippers had a few players to choose from, but decided to go with Keaton Wagler from Illinois, making it five straight freshman being selected in this draft. Wagler averaged 17.9 points a game and scored 20 or more points in his final two games of the NCAA tournament, bringing a 3-point average of 41 percent.
He also had a career-high 46 points in a season where he earned 2025-2026 Big Ten Rookie of the Year. The 6’6″ guard now heads to Los Angeles to join a team that went 42-40 and earned a play-in berth last season.
Caleb Wilson headed to Bulls after being taken fourth overall
Make that four straight freshman being taken in this 2026 NBA Draft, as Caleb Wilson heads to Chicago.
Standing at 6’10” with an impressive shooting touch at his size, he averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds in 24 games played at North Carolina, as he’s the first top five pick for the Tar Heels in over 20 years. So far there’s been no surprises as the draft has followed most mock draft projections.
Cameron Boozer selected third overall by Grizzlies
The Naismth Men’s College Player of the Year is off the board and he’s headed to Memphis, as the Grizzlies take Cameron Boozer with the third pick.
The son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer, Cameron averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds in his only season playing for Duke. He won every national and conference award imaginable in his freshman season, as the Grizzlies may have found their franchise piece in a possible rebuild.
Darryn Peterson goes second overall to Jazz
No surprises in the first two picks, as Darryn Peterson is taken second overall by the Utah Jazz.
Peterson had a confusing freshman season at Kansas, as the guard averaged 20.2 points in just 24 games as missing games due to constant cramping issues among other injuries became the main concern for those scouting Peterson. Despite not working out for the Jazz, he’s met with the team and that was enough for Utah to take him.
AJ Dybantsa goes first overall to Wizards in 2026 NBA Draft
The pick is in, and the Washington Wizards select AJ Dybantsa from BYU. Dybantsa starred in his only collegiate season, leading all of college basketball in scoring by averaging 25.5 points in 35 games played and being named a consensus All-American along with earning many more honors.
Dybantsa was seen as the top prospect by most people, and he’s on his way to the nation’s capital.
2026 NBA Draft officially starts, Wizards are on the clock
Welcome to the 2026 NBA Draft, held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. For 30 players, their lives will be changed forever as their names will be called to start their NBA journeys.
This draft class is full of talent, but where they will land? It’s time to find out, as the Washington Wizards have the No. 1 pick and look for a young star to pair with veterans Trae Young and Anthony Davis.
Intro
A new NBA season begins as the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft takes place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday night.
This year’s draft class has been touted as one of the most talented in a long time. The Washington Wizards hold the No. 1 pick after winning last month’s draft lottery, with top prospects like AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson linked to being taken first overall. Other players such as Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, Keaton Wagler, and Mikel Brown Jr. are listed as possible franchise-changers taken early in the draft.
The Pistons hold the No. 21 pick, their only selection this year and their lowest in the first round since 2008. Despite a 60-win season, the team is looking to add an impactful piece to the roster after a second-round exit in the playoffs last season. Detroit has plenty of options in what seems to be a deep draft class, even hinting that a trade-up may occur if the right player is available.
Former Cass Tech and Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. has been projected to go in the top 10 after averaging 23.5 points and 6.4 assists in his only collegiate season. Former Michigan players Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson Jr. are also projected to be taken in the first round months after winning the national championship.
Follow along here for live updates from Detroit News contributor Kameron Goodwill.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Lendeborg taken eleventh overall by Warriors: NBA Draft, live updates
Reporting by Kameron Goodwill, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Kameron Goodwill, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
