It’s just July, we’re all still digesting the 2025 NBA Draft, but mock drafts never sleep, so what’s 2026 looking like?
Well, CBS is happy to take a whack at that piñata, and once again, Duke looks to have a good year.
That’s a big deal because success feeds on itself and other young players will see Duke as a way to get to the league. There are ups and downs about that, but basketball-wise, it’s very positive.
Okay, God help us, on to the 2026 mock draft.
#1. Utah Jazz – Cameron Boozer. Could Duke have back-to-back #1 picks? That’d be amazing. Boozer may be good enough to justify that hype.
#6 – Memphis Grizzlies – Dame Sarr. That didn’t take long, did it? We’ll have to see where he is, but the early hype is impressive.
#20 Atlanta Hawks – Isaiah Evans. He should be much better this season. Already a very dangerous shooter, Evans was limited by two things last season: his weight and his defense. He made huge strides on defense last season and his strength should be improved considerably, even if his weight isn’t much higher. And what can you do? Some guys – Reggie Miller, Reggie Williams and George Gervin to name a few – never bulk up. That could happen to Evans, but it doesn’t mean he can’t become great.
#27 – New York Knicks – Cayden Boozer. He gets less attention than brother Cameron but Cayden is a very, very smart point guard. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can accomplish at Duke.
#28 – Oklahoma City – Nikolas Khamenia – As we’ve gotten hints of as Team USA (U19, that is), Khamenia is a very nice passer. You could see him becoming a pretty special wingman for Boozer and possibly much more than that. Those guys should have great chemistry.
If that comes to pass, then Duke will see ten guys drafted in two years. That would be amazing.
Other ACC players listed:
#4 – Charlotte – Mikel Brown, Louisville
#13 – Milwaukee – Caleb Wilson, UNC
