NBA scouts and executives have converged on the Final Four, with Monday night's Michigan-UConn national championship game offering a final high-stakes evaluation opportunity featuring four players projected as first-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The mock draft update serves as a refreshed look at the board rather than a complete reshuffle, with the top five prospects remaining unchanged from previous projections. The first movement occurs at pick No. 6, reflecting team fit, front-office tendencies, and intelligence about how NBA teams are expected to approach the June 24 draft.
Cooper Flagg of Duke maintains his position as the projected top pick. "Flagg finishes his college career as the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick," said one NBA scout familiar with draft evaluations. "He's a jumbo wing who is 6-foot-9 with a better than 7-foot wingspan. He's athletic with an elastic body type, capable of creating his own shot at virtually any point and the leading scorer in college basketball."
At pick No. 2, AJ Dybantsa from BYU is projected to land with the Washington Wizards. "There are still plenty of people who believe that Dybantsa may be the best long-term prospect in this draft with his potential overlap of shot-making, creation and on/off ball versatility, along with backcourt size and length," an Eastern Conference executive noted. "In Washington, he'd be the type of grand prize they've yet to find."
Cameron Boozer of Duke sits at No. 3, described by evaluators as potentially the safest pick in the draft. "Executives are terrified of missing on Dybantsa or Flagg if they end up reaching their full potential, but there's little doubt that Boozer -- the National Player of the Year no matter which award you subscribe to -- will be a long-term impact player," said a veteran NBA scout. "His resume of winning is unmatched, he's physically ready for the next level and one of the smartest players in the draft."
The Sacramento Kings are projected to select North Carolina's Drake Powell at No. 4 as they begin their rebuilding process. "The Kings need to rebuild and Powell is a terrific prospect to get that process started," an NBA personnel director explained. "He is a high-flying athlete with a high-motor, budding defensive versatility and an offensive game that proved to be ahead of schedule this year."
Rounding out the top five, Illinois guard Jase Butler is projected to Utah at No. 5. "This would be a tricky spot for Utah given the breakout year of Keyonte George, another quality young point guard behind him in Isaiah Collier and the quartet of young lead guards headlining the list of best available prospects," said a Western Conference executive. "Of that group, Butler may be the best fit because of the combination of size and shooting that would give him on/off ball versatility."
Monday's championship game will feature intense scrutiny on Michigan's Koa Peat and VJ Edgecombe along with UConn's Cooper Flagg and AJ Dybantsa, all projected first-round selections. The NBA draft lottery on May 10 will finalize the selection order, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated drafts in recent memory.
