CBS Sports projects first-round talents slip into 2026 NBA draft second round
Following a first round headlined by AJ Dybantsa’s selection by the Washington Wizards, analysts at CBS Sports have released their second mock draft, predicting several high-profile prospects will remain available for the second phase of the 2026 NBA Draft.
The conclusion of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday has shifted focus to the second phase, which is scheduled to commence on Wednesday night. CBS Sports has published its second mock draft for the event, projecting that several players previously ranked as first-round talents will remain on the board and be selected early in the second round.
The top of the first round proceeded largely as anticipated, with AJ Dybantsa selected first overall by the Washington Wizards. Darryn Peterson followed at number two to the Utah Jazz, Cameron Boozer went third to the Memphis Grizzlies, and Caleb Wilson was taken fourth by the Chicago Bulls. The freshman lead guards were also selected in expected order, with Keaton Wagler going fifth to the Los Angeles Clippers, Mikel Brown Jr sixth to the Brooklyn Nets, Darius Acuff Jr seventh to the Sacramento Kings, and Kingston Flemings eighth to the Atlanta Hawks.
Brayden Burries was selected tenth by the Milwaukee Bucks, while the most notable surprise of the early draft was Morez Johnson Jr being taken tenth by the Dallas Mavericks. Johnson was selected ahead of his Michigan teammates Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara, all three of whom were drafted in the lottery. Other significant movements included Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz going sixteenth to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie jumping to seventeenth for the Detroit Pistons.
Conversely, Koa Peat experienced a significant fall, dropping to thirtieth overall and being selected by the Phoenix Suns. With the first round complete, attention turns to the second round where CBS Sports identifies Arkansas’s Meleek Thomas, Duke’s Isaiah Evans, and UNC’s Henri Veesaar as key prospects who remain available.
The draft strategy for teams at the back end of the selection process involves bolstering rosters with rotation players and potentially finding long-term starters. This phase places a premium on scouting not only talent but also mentality, work ethic, and potential. While the New York Knicks hold the thirty-first pick in the second round, according to separate projections from ESPN, the focus for general managers is on identifying value among the remaining first-round-calibre talents.
