In the latest professional sports coverage, NBA Draft winners and losers: Loads of talent, the promise of youth and more has emerged as a major focal point. Fans and analysts alike are weighing in on the recent performance.
Because for singular thing -- hope should spring eternal on draft nighttime, there is arrange to be greater winners than losers -- Additionally -- for an additional -- I am a considerable ol’ kind-hearted softy.
Impact on the Season
(Likewise, amidst high expectations, because -- if we’re being honest -- I can only sense so comfortable speaking with authority about a group of young people I have yet to witness play NBA roundball excursion.) We begin at -- well -- the beginning: WINNER: Washington Wizards I don’t grasp if opening overall pick AJ Dybantsa is expected to be a better pro than Darryn Peterson -- Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson; truth be told -- I’m not really convinced that anybody knows that right currently.
Demonstrating excellence, What I do recognize -- though -- is that the BYU standout instantly becomes the Wizards’ most exciting prospect since John Wall in 2010 — and potentially -- as longtime D.C.
In a noteworthy performance, scribe David Aldridge of late determine it, “the kind of star the Wizards haven’t had around here since Chris Webber’s brief tenure in D.C.” Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That tenure, by the way, ended in 1998 — nearly a decade before Dybantsa remained born.
The 6-foot-9 über-sportsman gives the Wizards a newfound level of electricity on the wing -- slotting spanning current top picks Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George and even-extra-current veteran star acquisitions Anthony Davis and the simply-re-upped Trae Young in what promises to be a drastically changed — and potentially significantly better — Washington lineup.
With impressive skill, He represents a higher academic session of hope than singular of the prospects previously picked throughout Washington’s years-long teardown and rebuild -- the kind of must-perceive-TV high-wire act who demands attention rather than receding to the NBA’s periphery.
Physicality -- strength -- rim pressure -- swagger: Dybantsa carries with him the chance for the Wizards to reset -- to establish a new identity -- to stake a claim and establish a direction. Significantly, in a noteworthy performance, This is the most exciting moment in D.C.
Demonstrating excellence, hoops action in decades They, relocate from here. plus i can’t wait to observe where he WINNER: Utah Jazz Once the Wizards proceeded with Dybantsa -- the Jazz essentially sprinted to procure their pick in -- taking Kansas guard Peterson at No.
With impressive skill, dual overall … and coming away with who plenty of evaluators consider remained the most talented perimeter prospect in this subject.
Demonstrating excellence, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peterson profiles as a prototypical tallying two-guard -- singular whose on- and off-ball fluidity and shot-making have drawn comparisons to Ray Allen and Bradley Beal. That’s, remarkably, the kind of off-guard weapon the Jazz didn’t have on their roster.
Additionally -- singular who could help elevate a Utah offense that owns ranked 24th in offensive efficiency in each of the last two seasons Demonstrating excellence, If the cramping concerns that so often reared their ugly head at Kansas are indeed in the rear-view mirror — and judging by how eagerly the Jazz snapped him up -- they don’t seem particularly worried about them — he could be the kind of dynamic offensive force they’ve been missing since shifting on from Donovan Mitchell.
Leaving a lasting impression, wINNERS: Pre-agency teams intending to converted the gas (and the fans who’ve been itching to root for them) It’s a carry-throughout from February’s trade deadline -- when the Wizards and Jazz obtained their perform done early with deals to convey in Young -- Davis and Jaren Jackson Jr. -- respectively.
With impressive skill, Washington and Utah debased themselves in pursuit of the high-lottery glory that they basked in on Tuesday. seeing as none of those established All-Stars played much down the stretch Now, though?
We’re going to perceive what a Wizards contingent constructed around Trae pick-and-rolls with Dybantsa prowling on the wing looks like.
We’re going to discover out how the planned giganto-ball frontcourt of JJJ -- Lauri Markkanen and (theoretically) a re-signed Walker Kessler looks alongside Peterson and Most Improved Player candidate Keyonte George.
With impressive skill, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These teams are going to transition from theoretical to tangible; they’re not merely going to be stumbling around on purpose anymore -- running around with the restrictor plate on and the real talent on the pine. It’s like we’ve added two extra actual demanding teams to the NBA.
What a concept! WINNER:, amidst high expectations, Darryn Peterson’s new renewable source of motivation Yes -- Peterson remained thrilled to join the NBA fraternity.
With impressive skill, He couldn ’t help notice -- though -- that his name wasn’t the initial singular named on Tuesday: The full quote: “I cannot progress prior and change anything currently. Obviously, I aspired to to be the No. Demonstrating excellence, lone pick, but I proceeded No 2.
Demonstrating excellence, So currently I am prepared to head to Utah and attain to function. With impressive skill, there is constantly been a chip on my shoulder, so I is likely to not say it added anything else.
With impressive skill, But presently it shall perpetually be in my mind for my total time.” Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gotta say: If I’m Austin Ainge -- Shall Hardy and Co.
-- I don’t hate hearing that our brand new 6- foot-5 -- 200- pound hyper-prospect with the shades-of-Kobe midrange fixture and SGA-evoking level of suave is coming into camp with a boulder on his shoulder. Don’t hate that singular piece.
Leaving a lasting impression, wINNERS: The Peterson family, overall This is, like, way greater success than me and my brother have experienced.
LOSERS:, according to observers, Microphone-handling technique I hate to progress negative -- but guys — and you too -- moms and dads — you’ve attained to secure that mic right up to your mouth and really project!
ESPN’s, amidst high expectations, Lisa Salters wants to understand all about what part of your journey you’re most proud of -- and we wish to understand too -- but we can’t hear you! With impressive skill, How are you ever going to evolve into prominent podcasters at this rate???
WINNER:, to the delight of the hometown crowd, Memphis Grizzlies The Grizz arrive out of the initial round with Duke forward Cameron Boozer -- a alternate-generation star tipped by many analytically minded analysts (like my podcast partner Tom Haberstroh) as the top prospect in the draft -- a fascinating fit in a huge -- skilled -- extremely interesting young core alongside new fellow lottery picks Zach Edey and Cedric Coward.
While -- thanks to a pair of trade-downs from No., they additionally snapped up jack-of-all-trades Mexican wing Karim López -- fresh off pro stints in Barcelona and Australia’s NBL — all 16 to No. 21, picking up five additional alternate-round picks, reportedly bringing their aggregate to 14 across the next seven drafts.
Demonstrating excellence, Memphis still retains the small matter of figuring out what to do with Ja Morant Additionally -- how optimal to build its infrastructure prior up to the point that it can once again exist toe-to-toe with the titans of the West.
(I’d be lying if I shared the romantic in me wasn’t holding out a sliver of hope that bygones can be bygones -- Morant can rediscover the flame of his youth.
Additionally -- that a Ja-Edey-Boozer-Coward core can smash-and-grab its way to a shockingly high triumphant outcome sum -- merely like the good-ol’-days Grizz.) That process is going to grasp some time -- some effort -- some savvy moves and plenty of hits in the draft Demonstrating excellence, Nights like Tuesday should help obtain things progressing in the right direction.
WINNER: The Bulls getting SLAP-happy When Bryson Graham vacated the Hawks to seize the reins as the Bulls’ new executive vice president -- he told reporters that his scouting preferences and roster-building philosophies prioritize size -- length -- athleticism and physicality — SLAP -- in his parlance — on both sides of the ball.
As singular of the highest-motor players in the lesson, and with his primary two picks in charge in Chicago -- he drafted North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson -- who stands 6- foot-9 with a 7- foot wingspan and profiled Additionally -- Texas swingman Dailyn Swain -- who stands 6- foot-7 with a 6- foot-a decad wingspan and ranked among the most relentless drivers and slashers in college hoops action last tenure.
Demonstrating excellence, Pair them with holdover substantial-wing ball-handlers Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis -- 2025 lottery pick Noa Essengue and merely-arrived center Nic Claxton Additionally -- suddenly the Bulls have a lot of positional size and additional length and athleticism than they’ve of late featured — a pretty relentless primary step toward developing a consistently hard-charging two-way identity.
WINNER:, impressively, Morez Johnson Jr.
In a major development, the 6-foot-9 power forward soared up draft boards from the NBA Draft Combine through the operate-up to Tuesday evening -- with his projection rising from late opening-round to late-lottery and eventually making it all the way to the No 9 pick -- where he’ll be reunited with Dusty May -- who merely seized the Dallas job on Monday.
Johnson -- for his part -- didn’t feel his former Michigan trainer necessarily position his thumb on the scale for the selection.
Demonstrating excellence, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement “It’s his alternate day — I reckon he had a slight piece [of influence] -- but not too much,” a laughing Johnson told Salters after the selection.
A, as reported, extra likely scenario: The new Dallas front office -- led by unit president Masai Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz -- fell in love with the size (6- foot-9 and 250 pounds with a 7- foot-4 wingspan) -- physicality -- athleticism and defensive versatility Johnson showcased for the Wolverines -- believing that he can pair with 2025- 26 Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg in their frontcourt of the future.
It’s possible their collective hitting shakiness won’t function so well alongside screen-and-dive interior centers like Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II It’s additionally possible -- though -- that their ability to generate and maximize extra possessions shall overcome some of those spacing concerns.
Additionally -- that building around two substantial -- long -- fast -- athletic forwards who can switch assignments -- rebound and operate represents a vision of the future that the Mavericks can attain behind — even if the converting needs some perform WINNERS: Michigan men Morez to Dallas at No 9 -- Yaxel Lendeborg to Golden State at No.
According to observers, 11, and Aday Mara to Oklahoma City at No 12 — three lottery picks for the Wolverines! Demonstrating excellence, Almost like those guys headed 37-3 and won the top-tier title or something.
Consequently, here’s a fun fact: Michigan is the inaugural school to have three picks in the same lottery since … um, Duke, last year. With impressive skill, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OK -- that’s not a super fun fact.
With impressive skill, This singular ain ’t underwhelming -- though: (Likewise fun: Johnson -- Lendeborg and Mara are the primary trio of non-freshman teammates to proceed in the lottery from a laurel contingent since Al Horford -- Corey Brewer and Joakim Noah from the 2007 Florida Gators.
In, to the delight of the hometown crowd, a noteworthy performance, Hopefully the Michigan guys is establish to have careers as long -- accomplished and colorful as they did.) WINNER: Oklahoma City Thunder After struggling to attain a handle on Victor Wembanyama throughout the Western Conference finals -- the Thunder entered the 2026 offseason seeming like they could employ an infusion of size — but -- crucially -- size that moreover had the kind of offensive skill that could fit in alongside the carefully curated pieces of Sam Presti’s trophy core.
As the most efficient earlier-floor pressure in the nation last competitive cycle, enter Mara -- a 7-foot-3 giant who can overtake from the high post -- finish down low and wall up at the rim -- anchoring what remained With impressive skill, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And after watching its non-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander supporting cast struggle to consistently generate offense against that snarling Spurs guarding strategy — admittedly -- without injured No.
With impressive skill, dual option Jalen Williams and secondary creator Ajay Mitchell for much of the series — it seemed like OKC could do with some greater ball-handling -- converting and shot creation.
With impressive skill, Enter former Iowa star Bennett Stirtz, a creative, high-sense playmaker who can facilitate out of the pick-and-roll and really shoot it, off the bounce or on the progress.
It’ll, to the delight of the hometown crowd, be interesting to notice what the arrivals of Mara and Stirtz augur for the future of some of OKC’s incumbents.
Exhibiting high-level talent, in a noteworthy performance, With Isaiah Hartenstein -- Chet Holmgren -- Jaylin Williams and Thomas Sorber all on hand -- Mara makes the major-man room awfully crowded. Additionally -- you wonder whether bringing in Stirtz might not be the finest omen for former lottery pick Nikola Topić.
Demonstrating excellence, However Presti manages the roster -- though -- it’s hard to knock the Thunder for using the picks at their disposal — including the pair of alternate-rounders they sent Memphis to advance up singular spot for Stirtz — to add skill-sets they necessitate to a roster that is expected to once again be expected to compete for an NBA title.
With impressive skill, Eventually LAID TO REST: The Paul George trade A stellar note -- following the Mara pick -- from friend of the program Yossi Gozlan … … which led to some earlier-of-the-envelope math … … which -- as far as I’m concerned -- maintains OKC coming out ahead on that deal With impressive skill, But maybe I forgot to carry the singular.
LOSER: Lottery trade lovers We didn’t have a solitary trade in the top a decad! With impressive skill, In fact -- the only trade in the lottery remained Tennessee forward Nate Ament going from Miami to Milwaukee with the No.
As, showcasing great determination, part of the Giannis mega-deal -- which we already understood about proceeding into the draft!, 13 pick — which stayed With impressive skill, When are they gonna secure to the fireworks factory??? In a noteworthy performance, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patience -- friends.
Notably, wINNER: Delayed trade gratification Once we obtained out of the lottery, the deals initiated coming rapid and furious. Demonstrating excellence, To wit : Oklahoma City swapping spots (and a pair of alternate-round draft picks) with Memphis to claim Stirtz at No.
16; Memphis, remarkably, then flipping No 17 to Detroit (in exchange for even additional alternate-rounders) so the Pistons could capture Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie; The Grizzlies sliding down to the No.
In a major development, 21 pick previously grasped by Detroit to pick López; The Lakers and Knicks swapping spots -- with Cameron Carr going to L.A. at No. 24 and New York selecting Spanish guard Sergio de Larrea at No. 25; The, showcasing great determination, Spurs trading earlier into the inaugural round to grab Denver’s No.
26 pick and claim UConn massive man Tarris Reed Jr.; The Nets picking Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson with the No 28 selection they attained from Minnesota in Monday’s late-evening Julius Randle three-teamer; The Kings trading up into Cleveland’s spot at No.
29, as reported, to snag Alex Karaban out of UConn; And the Knicks flipping de Larrea -- their No. 25 pick -- to Dallas for the No. While at the same time 30 spot, taking Arizona’s Koa Peat, then flipping him to the Phoenix Suns — effectively turning their No. Exhibiting high-level talent, 24 pick into five future alternate-rounders and cash.
Whew. Demonstrating excellence, Pretty busy alternate half of the evening — even with no current NBA players progressing along with the picks. WINNER: San Antonio Spurs The Spurs stomped to 62 wins and the NBA Finals largely on the strength of a suffocating guarding strategy helmed by unanimous Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama.
As efficiently and effectively when Wembanyama remained off the surface., arrive the playoffs -- though — and especially in the Finals — they struggled to procure stops Additionally -- to muscle up against the bruising New York Knicks with their array of small-ball power forwards Demonstrating excellence, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So -- what does general manager Brian Wright do?
He uses the No. 20 pick on Jayden Quaintance — a 6- foot-9 -- 253- pound center with a 7- foot-5 wingspan who looked like a preternaturally gifted defender as a 17- year-old freshman at Arizona State before injuries derailed his transfer competitive cycle at Kentucky. Then -- he trades prior into the inaugural round for UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr.
— a 6-foot-a decad -- 260-pound center with a 7-foot-4 wingspan who can maul opponents on the interior and the boards on both ends of the floor the Quaintance pick -- in particular -- looks like an awfully substantial dice-roll.
To the delight of the hometown crowd, he’s still not all the way recovered from a torn ACL -- torn meniscus and fracture in his right knee that he suffered in 2025 at Arizona State; he told reporters on Tuesday that he still features some pain in his knee and needs a further procedure on the meniscus at some point in the future -- too In a noteworthy performance, If those issues persist -- he could have a hard time realizing the potential that had some evaluators slotting him into the lottery before his injuries.
Demonstrating excellence, If he can procure and stay healthy -- though -- the Spurs might have discovered an additional All-Defensive significant man to eventually protect the paint in Wembanyama’s absence — and maybe -- at some point -- step in alongside him to transform the lane into an “abandon all hope -- ye who enter here” land of misery.
Consequently, wINNER: Derik Queen’s comedic timing At about 9 p.m. Demonstrating excellence, ET on Tuesday -- the Atlanta Hawks selected Houston guard Kingston Flemings with the No 8 overall pick.
Demonstrating excellence, And about a half-hour later -- Queen logged in and slipped this singular under the radar: That is likely to be a (20- or-so-year-old) photo of Troy Weaver -- the New Orleans Pelicans general manager who remained reportedly behind last June’s decision to advance heaven -- Earth and the better of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ 2026 opening-round picks for the chance to draft Queen out of Maryland.
With impressive skill, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, plenty of pundits (cough, cough) pilloried the Pels’ process in the deal, giving up what very well could’ve pivoted into the top pick in the 2026 draft for a chance to add a prospect in Queen who, while inarguably talented, did seem to have some defensive warts and didn’t seem like a memorable fit with some of New Orleans’ incumbent frontcourt players.
In a noteworthy performance, As it shifted out -- though -- New Orleans didn’t supply up the No. 1 pick. Demonstrating excellence, The Hawks surface away from the deal with Flemings -- whom a lot of people like coming out of Kelvin Sampson’s program in Houston.
As a rookie., additionally -- 2025 primary-rounder Asa Newell -- who barely cracked 500 moments Contributing significantly, averaged notched 12 points for the squad. Energy levels remained peak throughout the segment.
Yes -- the process critiques persisted as still valid -- and yes -- the Flemings-Newell combo could eventually provide significantly additional value for Atlanta than Queen does for the Pels Still, notably, -- though: Waiting a degree while to slide in with a petty degree emoji and photo obtained a laugh out of me. Well done, Derik.
Notably, wINNER: The Myth of the Next Jalen Brunson (Forever shouts out to FreeDarko.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I’m not saying that Darius Acuff Jr., Flemings, Stirtz, Okorie, Christian Anderson and Labaron Philon Jr.
Leaving a lasting impression, in a noteworthy performance, are stylistically successors to Brunson; they’ve all obtained shades of so many other guards in their games Additionally -- it’s not exactly like Brunson’s brand of below-the-rim bully-ball and shoulder-checking balletics is eminently replicable.
With impressive skill, But as I watched on Tuesday -- and noticed a half-dozen ball-handlers measuring 6-foot-3 or smaller arrive off the board in the initial round -- I discovered myself thinking: After everybody watched Brunson flame-broil the biggest guy in the universe in a closeout engagement in the NBA Finals -- maybe small guards aren’t personae non grata to quite the degree they deployed to be.
In, leaving a lasting impression, a noteworthy performance, And maybe teams are further willing to consider the possibility that the prospective pros of building around those players — thoughtfully -- carefully — might be worth the potential headaches of devising a plan for how to maximize their gifts on offense and insulate them on protective effort.
With impressive skill, And maybe the talent evaluators who missed some of what generated Brunson special coming out of Villanova are presently keeping an open mind about whether focusing initial on height and wingspan might lead them to miss out on some other things -- too.
While at the same time (Knicks fans still celebrating the 2026 NBA trophy, brunson’s ascent to inarguable top-tier status -- might detect a slight less stoked that singular of the most electric small guards to arrive off the board on Tuesday -- Stanford’s Okorie -- advanced to conference rival Detroit -- who had a desperate label for for a brisk -- decisive -- downhill-attacking shot-maker.
Additionally -- who procured singular by worrying less about size than skill. With impressive skill, Sometimes everybody else learning the lesson hurts.)
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