Walt
Live 2026 NBA Draft Grades: Round 2
2027 NBA Mock Draft
1. 
Washington Bullets: A.J. Dybantsa, F, BYU – A Grade
There was talk that the Bullets would draft Darryn Peterson because he filled a bigger need. There was also chatter that the pick could be traded. It turns out that the Bullets – yes, the Bullets; not the Wizards – finally made a good decision. Dybantsa is the best player in this class, and the Bullets need superstars on their team above all else.
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
Also, if you haven’t visited the site in a while, you may have noticed the new look. Yes, after nearly two decades, we’ve finally re-designed our site to be more modern. This was not done on a whim, but rather out of necessity because of what occurred during the 2023 NFL Draft. Our site crashed during the entire first day of the draft, which was disastrous for our revenue stream because we make more money during the draft than any other time. The site crashed because a line of code conflicted with the old format of the site, so we had to transition to this new look.
Because we lost so much money during the draft, I want to point out that you can really help support the site by paying for the ad-free version of it. It’s $7.99 per month, but you’ll get a super-fast site with no ads. My developer will be adding new features to paid subscribers as well, so look for that in the near future. If you don’t want to pay, please spread the word about the site through word of mouth. That would also be a big help!
2.
Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas – A Grade
Guard isn’t the biggest need for the Jazz, but the NBA is a superstar-driven league. Of all the non-A.J. Dybantsa players in this draft class, Darryn Peterson had the highest-percentage chance of becoming a superstar. Utah hasn’t been very relevant for a while now, and Peterson could help change that.
3.
Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, PF, Duke – A- Grade
This is a bit of a step down from the top two players in the NBA Draft, but Cameron Boozer was still the best player on the board. The Grizzlies have been a miserable team for several seasons, so they had to choose the best player available. Boozer also happens to fill a need at the four with Jaren Jackson Jr. gone.
4.
Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, PF, North Carolina – A- Grade
This pick is very similar to the one the Grizzlies just made. The Bulls are drafting the best player available at a position of need. To be fair, however, the Bulls have a need at every position except point guard. Chicago’s top need was talent, and they just got a very skilled player in Caleb Wilson.
5.
Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler, PG, Illinois – A- Grade
The Clippers could have gone in a number of different directions, but Keaton Wagler makes a lot of sense. The Clippers lost James Harden, which will be a good thing in the long run, so they needed a new guard to fill the void. Wagler is arguably the best player available. Sorry for all of these positive grades, but these teams have made the right selections thus far.
6.
Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown, PG, Louisville – B- Grade
It figures that this dumb Nets team would snap the streak of A or A- grades. Darius Acuff was the best player available. Mikel Brown was a close second, but Brooklyn is taking an inferior prospect at the same position for some reason.
7.
Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas – A+ Grade
The stupid Nets allowed Darius Acuff Jr. to fall to the Kings, who didn’t waste any time submitting their draft card. I can’t blame them, as they may have thought they were in a dream. Acuff easily could have gone No. 5, so this is great value at a position of need.
8.
Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston – B+ Grade
A point guard for the Hawks shouldn’t surprise anyone after they traded away Trae Young. This selection fills a position of need, and Kingston Flemings is arguably the best player available. However, there are some other prospects who could make that claim.
9.
Dallas Mavericks: Morez Johnson, PF/C, Michigan – C Grade
We have our first reach of the 2026 NBA Draft. It’s not an egregious one, but Morez Johnson should have gone in the 12-14 range. Did the Mavericks only make this pick because Johnson played under the same head coach in Michigan? Dallas should have drafted a guard instead.
10.
Milwaukee Bucks: Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona – A Grade
The Bucks had to be a bit surprised that Brayden Burries dropped to them. They acquired some guards in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, but they still needed a player at the position, and really, just the best player available.
11.
Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg, PF/C, Michigan – A- Grade
The Warriors made the right pick. Yaxel Lendeborg is arguably the best player on the board, and he fills a huge need for a Warriors team that was so desperate for size that they were rumored to be interested in Joel Embiid.
12.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara, C, Michigan – A- Grade
The Thunder are in a position to draft the best player available, but it’s not a surprise that they’d go after a front-court player. Chet Holmgren is terrified of Victor Wembanyama, so they needed to find a big man who can actually not cower in fear against him.
13.
Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament, F, Tennessee – A Grade
I had the Bucks drafting Nate Ament at No. 10, so I obviously love the value at No. 13. The Bucks, now without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, desperately needed a forward. They’re addressing the need and taking arguably the best player on the board.
14.
Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach, PF, Washington – A- Grade
The Hornets have talent at guard and the wing, but they needed better talent among their big men. They’re getting that here with a player I slotted at No. 13 overall, so I like the value.
15.
Chicago Bulls: Dailyn Swain, SF, Texas – C- Grade
This is the worst pick of the 2026 NBA Draft thus far. It’s not horrible, but it’s a bit of a reach, as Dailyn Swain was projected in the early 20s. Also, another forward? Bulls, you know there are other positions to address, right?
Go to Live 2026 NBA Draft Grades: Round 1 – Picks 16-30
Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.
2027 NBA Mock Draft
Fantasy Football Rankings - June 22
2027 NFL Mock Draft - June 16
NFL Picks - Feb. 9
NFL Power Rankings - Jan. 26
Washington Bullets: A.J. Dybantsa, F, BYU – A Grade
There was talk that the Bullets would draft Darryn Peterson because he filled a bigger need. There was also chatter that the pick could be traded. It turns out that the Bullets – yes, the Bullets; not the Wizards – finally made a good decision. Dybantsa is the best player in this class, and the Bullets need superstars on their team above all else.
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
Also, if you haven’t visited the site in a while, you may have noticed the new look. Yes, after nearly two decades, we’ve finally re-designed our site to be more modern. This was not done on a whim, but rather out of necessity because of what occurred during the 2023 NFL Draft. Our site crashed during the entire first day of the draft, which was disastrous for our revenue stream because we make more money during the draft than any other time. The site crashed because a line of code conflicted with the old format of the site, so we had to transition to this new look.
Because we lost so much money during the draft, I want to point out that you can really help support the site by paying for the ad-free version of it. It’s $7.99 per month, but you’ll get a super-fast site with no ads. My developer will be adding new features to paid subscribers as well, so look for that in the near future. If you don’t want to pay, please spread the word about the site through word of mouth. That would also be a big help!
2.
Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas – A Grade
Guard isn’t the biggest need for the Jazz, but the NBA is a superstar-driven league. Of all the non-A.J. Dybantsa players in this draft class, Darryn Peterson had the highest-percentage chance of becoming a superstar. Utah hasn’t been very relevant for a while now, and Peterson could help change that.
3.
Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, PF, Duke – A- Grade
This is a bit of a step down from the top two players in the NBA Draft, but Cameron Boozer was still the best player on the board. The Grizzlies have been a miserable team for several seasons, so they had to choose the best player available. Boozer also happens to fill a need at the four with Jaren Jackson Jr. gone.
4.
Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, PF, North Carolina – A- Grade
This pick is very similar to the one the Grizzlies just made. The Bulls are drafting the best player available at a position of need. To be fair, however, the Bulls have a need at every position except point guard. Chicago’s top need was talent, and they just got a very skilled player in Caleb Wilson.
5.
Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler, PG, Illinois – A- Grade
The Clippers could have gone in a number of different directions, but Keaton Wagler makes a lot of sense. The Clippers lost James Harden, which will be a good thing in the long run, so they needed a new guard to fill the void. Wagler is arguably the best player available. Sorry for all of these positive grades, but these teams have made the right selections thus far.
6.
Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown, PG, Louisville – B- Grade
It figures that this dumb Nets team would snap the streak of A or A- grades. Darius Acuff was the best player available. Mikel Brown was a close second, but Brooklyn is taking an inferior prospect at the same position for some reason.
7.
Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas – A+ Grade
The stupid Nets allowed Darius Acuff Jr. to fall to the Kings, who didn’t waste any time submitting their draft card. I can’t blame them, as they may have thought they were in a dream. Acuff easily could have gone No. 5, so this is great value at a position of need.
8.
Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston – B+ Grade
A point guard for the Hawks shouldn’t surprise anyone after they traded away Trae Young. This selection fills a position of need, and Kingston Flemings is arguably the best player available. However, there are some other prospects who could make that claim.
9.
Dallas Mavericks: Morez Johnson, PF/C, Michigan – C Grade
We have our first reach of the 2026 NBA Draft. It’s not an egregious one, but Morez Johnson should have gone in the 12-14 range. Did the Mavericks only make this pick because Johnson played under the same head coach in Michigan? Dallas should have drafted a guard instead.
10.
Milwaukee Bucks: Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona – A Grade
The Bucks had to be a bit surprised that Brayden Burries dropped to them. They acquired some guards in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, but they still needed a player at the position, and really, just the best player available.
11.
Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg, PF/C, Michigan – A- Grade
The Warriors made the right pick. Yaxel Lendeborg is arguably the best player on the board, and he fills a huge need for a Warriors team that was so desperate for size that they were rumored to be interested in Joel Embiid.
12.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara, C, Michigan – A- Grade
The Thunder are in a position to draft the best player available, but it’s not a surprise that they’d go after a front-court player. Chet Holmgren is terrified of Victor Wembanyama, so they needed to find a big man who can actually not cower in fear against him.
13.
Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament, F, Tennessee – A Grade
I had the Bucks drafting Nate Ament at No. 10, so I obviously love the value at No. 13. The Bucks, now without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, desperately needed a forward. They’re addressing the need and taking arguably the best player on the board.
14.
Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach, PF, Washington – A- Grade
The Hornets have talent at guard and the wing, but they needed better talent among their big men. They’re getting that here with a player I slotted at No. 13 overall, so I like the value.
15.
Chicago Bulls: Dailyn Swain, SF, Texas – C- Grade
This is the worst pick of the 2026 NBA Draft thus far. It’s not horrible, but it’s a bit of a reach, as Dailyn Swain was projected in the early 20s. Also, another forward? Bulls, you know there are other positions to address, right?
Go to Live 2026 NBA Draft Grades: Round 1 – Picks 16-30
Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.
2027 NBA Mock Draft
Fantasy Football Rankings - June 22
2027 NFL Mock Draft - June 16
NFL Picks - Feb. 9
NFL Power Rankings - Jan. 26
Charlie Campbell
