The 2026 NBA draft may be more than four months away, but the consensus about the top-three picks in this year’s loaded class hasn’t changed as the best college basketball players approach March Madness.
Darryn Peterson of Kansas, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Duke’s Cameron Boozer are seen as prized prospects capable of becoming franchise players, with only what order they go in and what NBA teams are picking in the top-three slots in question before the draft arrives in June.
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The rest of the draft is wide open, but there’s a sense among NBA front offices that this class will yield a slew of impact players. It’s why more NBA franchises than usual are in tank mode coming out of the All-Star break.
With that in mind, USA TODAY Sports sought the input of AI to get a sense of what the 2026 NBA mock draft landscape looks like as the 2025-26 NBA regular season restarts and the 2026 NCAA Tournament looms ever closer:
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards’ Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns’ Grayson Allen at Ball Arena.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 24: The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 22: The New York Knicks’ OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.
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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents
Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.
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2026 NBA mock draft: AI picks first round
USA TODAY Sports asked Microsoft Copilot AI to generate a mock draft for the first round of the 2026 NBA draft featuring only college and international players who could be eligible this year.
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Microsoft Copilot assigned the draft order based on current NBA records, with the worst record getting the No. 1 pick and the best record getting the No. 30 pick. It used current mock drafts from reputable websites, as well as team needs and prospect analysis, to determine the draft picks for each team.
Here’s a 2026 NBA first-round mock draft, according to Microsoft Copilot AI:
Note: In this scenario, the Pelicans’ No. 3 pick would belong to the Atlanta Hawks based on last year’s draft night trade involving Derik Queen
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4. Indiana Pacers: Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
5. Brooklyn Nets: Kingston Flemings, Houston
6. Utah Jazz: Nate Ament, Tennessee
9. Milwaukee Bucks: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
10. Chicago Bulls: Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
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Before NBA glory: How Jordan, Bird, Magic and Curry ruled in college
Magic Johnson college dominance: Led Michigan State to the 1979 NCAA Championship, defeating Larry Bird’s Indiana State. NBA: 5× NBA champion in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988 with the Los Angeles Lakers. 3× NBA Finals MVP in 1980, 1982 and 1987. 3× NBA Most Valuable Player in 1987, 1989 and 1990. 12× NBA All-Star: 1980, 1982-1992. 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1990 and 1992. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
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Before NBA glory: How Jordan, Bird, Magic and Curry ruled in college
Magic Johnson college dominance: Led Michigan State to the 1979 NCAA Championship, defeating Larry Bird’s Indiana State. NBA: 5× NBA champion in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988 with the Los Angeles Lakers. 3× NBA Finals MVP in 1980, 1982 and 1987. 3× NBA Most Valuable Player in 1987, 1989 and 1990. 12× NBA All-Star: 1980, 1982-1992. 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1990 and 1992. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
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Before NBA glory: How Jordan, Bird, Magic and Curry ruled in college
Carmelo Anthony college dominance: In his lone season (2003), led Syracuse to a national championship and earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors. Averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds per game as a freshman. NBA: 10× NBA All-Star. 2012–13 NBA scoring champion, averaging 28.7 points per game.
11. Atlanta Hawks: Brayden Burries, Arizona
Note: In this scenario, the Clippers’ first-round pick would belong to the Oklahoma City Thunder based on a previous trade.
15. Miami Heat: Chris Cenac Jr., Houston
17. Orlando Magic: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Note: In this scenario, the Magic’s first-round pick would belong to the Memphis Grizzlies based on a previous trade.
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Note: In this scenario, the 76ers’ first-round pick would belong to the Oklahoma City Thunder based on a previous trade.
Note: In this scenario, the Suns’ first-round pick would belong to the Charlotte Hornets based on a previous trade.
23. Cleveland Cavaliers: Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers (NBL)
24. Houston Rockets: Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
25. Denver Nuggets: Dash Daniels, Melbourne United (NBL)
26. New York Knicks: Ivan Kharchenkov, Arizona
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA mock draft 2026: AI makes first round picks for all 30 teams
