2026 NBA Mock Draft: Latest ESPN projections have 7 SEC stars in Round 1
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Now that the 2026 NFL Draft is over, we can shift our focus to the 2026 NBA Draft, which is set to take place June 23 and 24 in Brooklyn.
The SEC may not have put a team in the Final Four this past season, but there was still plenty of talent in the conference. Now we’ll see where those guys end up starting their pro careers.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo put together his latest first-round mock draft, and he has 7 SEC stars going in the first 30 picks. Check out where each guy is projected to end up below:
- No. 5 — Darius Acuff Jr., G, Arkansas — Sacramento Kings
- No. 10 — Nate Ament, F, Tennessee — Milwaukee Bucks
- No. 13 — Labaron Philon Jr., G, Alabama — Miami Heat
- No. 15 — Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky — Chicago Bulls
- No. 26 — Dailyn Swain, G/F, Texas — Denver Nuggets
- No. 27 — Amari Allen, F, Alabama — Boston Celtics
- No. 29 — Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas — Cleveland Cavaliers
The NBA Draft lottery will be held on May 10, so we’ll have more clarity on the draft order then. For now, though, this is a good look at where things stand.
Woo had another 7 SEC players going in Round 2 of his mock. Check out those projections here.
Who will be taken No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft? Here’s the latest Kalshi market:
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Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
