We’re not going to dwell on Sunday! (much more) What’s done is done! (no, it isn’t, not really) Time to move on! (can I have a moment to cry again please before we do that??)
Yes, the Brooklyn Nets who had a 14.0% chance at the overall No. 1 and a 52.1% shot at a top four — aka “franchise changer” pick— wound up at No. 6. Truth be told, that shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise. The lottery slot with the highest odds Sunday was … No. 6 … with a 26.0%. Nets may have “dropped” three spots but
such are the vagaries of the current draft rules. Ping pong balls are unforgiving as we’ve noted. Plus, we’re cursed, you know.
So now two days after the Lottery, the Nets are left with a diminished field to choose from on June 23 at Barclays Center. The top four are basically set, in some order: Cam Boozer, A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson. After that it’s a group of similar candidates between Nos. 5 and 8. Candidates there include Darius Acuff, Mikel Bridges Jr., Kingston Flemings and Keaton Wagler. Plus Nate Ament, a big man who once was seen as a possible No. 4 but had a disappointing season for the most part at Tennessee and will now try to recover lost reputation at the NBA Combine, a possible “agent day” after the combine and at workouts around the league.
That’s the basics, but of course a lot of things can and likely will change between now and the Draft. There was a report Monday by Brett Siegel of Clutch Points that the Nets and Jazz are “expected” to talk to the Wizards, holder of the top pick, about trades. That seems like a pipe dream, but the possibility of moving up (or adding a second first) cannot be dismissed easily. Did the Nets even prepare for this eventuality. One NBA decision-maker told ND before the Draft that teams don’t accumulate all those firsts unless you plan on being “opportunistic,” which was the same word Sean Marks used following the Lottery to describe how he sees the Nets situation.
They do have an excess of unprotected firsts between their own selections and picks they acquired from the Knicks and Nuggets, first round swaps from the Knicks and Suns (both in 2028), a protected first from the 76ers as well as two picks they may have to swap with the Rockets. Plus 22 seconds, including two in this draft at Nos. 33 and 43. You all know the numbers.
But for the moment, it’s about the sixth pick. So we went around the internet and gathered up all the latest mock drafts. Assuming they keep No. 6, the general consensus is that the Nets will wind up with Acuff, the 6’3” combo guard from Arkansas who is most explosive of the prospects and has the most star quality, both of which Brooklyn is in need of.
In fact, of the ten mocks we surveyed, Acuff was linked to the Nets in five of them, followed by Wagler in three. Mikel Brown Jr. and Kingston Flemings get the other votes. In the second round, no consensus (and only seven post second round projections) but Tounde Yessoufou, the 6’5” Baylor wing, gets two nods.
Enjoy (as much as you can.)
ESPN
Jeremy Woo takes note of the Nets bad luck over the last two drafts and will have to make the best of a bad situation.
This was a second consecutive tough draw for Brooklyn, which fell from No. 3 in the default sequence to No. 6. The Nets have operated in anticipation of the 2025 and 2026 drafts ever since reacquiring control of their picks in a trade with Houston two years ago. After dropping all the way to No. 8 last year, they will again have to make the best of the situation. The Rockets still have swap rights to Brooklyn’s 2027 first-rounder, giving the Nets an incentive to be more competitive next season.
He thinks Acuff would be a wise pick.
[T]here’s little doubt he has the chops to help run a team next season. There is an expectation that Acuff will need to be insulated defensively on a winning team, but he is highly skilled and the most polished point guard in this group.
Here’s his full take:
- #6 – Darius Acuff, PG/SG 6’3” Arkansas freshman
- #33 – Tounde Yessoufou, SF, 6’6” Baylor, freshman
- #43 – Malachi Moreno, C, 7’0” Kentucky, freshman
Tankathon
As we’ve noted before, Matt Hoover is long on video, short on individual analysis. Since he likes Keaton Wagler of Illinois to the Nets, here’s his Wagler highlights.
No, he is not the athlete the other guards are but he has the smarts and the shots. Plus, he’s the tallest at 6’6”.
- #6 – Keaton Wagler, PG/SG 6’6” – Illinois freshman
- #33 – Alex Karaban, SF 6’8” – UConn senior
- #43 – Jaden Bradley, PG 6’3” – Arizona senior
Bleacher Report
We always pay attention to Jonathan Wasserman who after all got three of the five firsts right last year, even if in a different order. He too likes Acuff and argues that despite a perceived overlap with last year’s picks of three playmakers, Nets need to go BPA.
The Brooklyn Nets should be focused on drafting the best player available over filling needs. That could lead to Darius Acuff Jr., who could play on and off the ball next to big playmaker in Egor Demin.
Perceptions of Acuff have shifted over the season’s final two months, when he averaged 27.8 points and 6.7 assists while consistently carrying Arkansas during important stretches. With diverse, accurate shotmaking, advantage-creating handles and quickness, finishing craft and convincing playmaking IQ, he’s poked enough holes in the belief that limited size, athleticism and defensive resistance cap his ceiling.
- #6 – Darius Acuff, PG/SG 6’3” Arkansas freshman
- #33 – Luigi Suig0, C/PF 7’2” Mega Basket, 19 years old
- #43 – Izaiyah Nelson, PF 6’9” South Florida, senior
NBADraft.net
Aran Smith’s venerable and data heavy site may be a bit quirky (less so this year in our opinion) and he thinks that Wagler has real potential, a “swing” candidate for sure who could be a “foundational young perimeter star.”
Brooklyn continues its long-term rebuild by adding one of the premier upside swings in the class in Wagler, a dynamic scoring guard with outstanding pace, shot-making ability, and offensive creativity. At No. 6, the Nets can afford to prioritize talent and star upside, and Wagler offers the type of offensive centerpiece potential the franchise has lacked in recent years. His ability to operate both on and off the ball gives Brooklyn lineup flexibility moving forward, while his advanced feel and shot-making instincts allow him to impact games.
- #6 – Keaton Wagler, PG/SG 6’6” – Illinois freshman
- #33 – Trevon Brazile, PF, 6’10”, Arkansas, freshman
- #43 – Jakobi Gillespie, PG, 6’1”, Tennessee senior
The Athletic
Sam Vecenie is like Smith, Wasserman and Jonathan Givony of Draft Express a veteran in this competition. His mocks are consistent and regular, a lynchpin. And he has long been enthusiastic about Acuff and to the Nets. (In his last mock, he projected the Nets at No. 6 based on a single spin of the Tankathon simulator, proving him smarter than us.) Still, he offers a balanced appraisal.
Acuff might be the most polished freshman guard prospect I’ve ever evaluated. His footwork and balance are pristine, and he tends to make efficient decisions. He plays off two feet and moves well without the ball to set up his on-ball moves. His passes are always crisp and on-target, even if his vision isn’t always elite.
But can he consistently get paint touches against NBA length, and can he guard anybody? In terms of the former, he’s done just about everything in his power to make me a believer that he can separate, thanks to the threat of his shot and elite pace. But the latter is another story. Even though Acuff is stocky and strong, he’s easily the worst defender among the top 10 prospects. He struggles to get through screens and shows a lack of off-ball engagement too regularly.
He, too, thinks Nets should go BPA and offers a not-so-positive comparison between and last year’s draft.
Brooklyn just took multiple guards in last year’s five-man, first-round draft class, but none of them is remotely at Acuff’s level. Their presence should not stop them from taking him if he’s the best player available on their board.
- #6 – Darius Acuff, PG/SG, 6’3”, Arkansas freshman
- #33 – Joshua Jefferson, SF, 6’9”, Iowa State senior
- #43 – Baba Miller, C, 6’11”, Cincinnati senior
SB Nation
The home team.
Ricky O’Donnell, as prolific as they come in SB Nation annals, was one of the first to file his post-Lottery mock draft. He’s one of several writers who doesn’t delve into second round prospects. He likes Kingston Flemings for Brooklyn, thinks while there may be concerns about his size, particularly after Monday’s combine measurements, he has “bankable” NBA skills.
Flemings stood out in a loaded freshman guard class for his quick-twitch athleticism and two-way aptitude. The 6’3 guard plays bigger than his size with a strong chest, impressive lateral quickness, and disruptive hands on the defensive end. The Cougars star is so hard to contain as a driver with the standstill burst to get by the first defender, and awesome change of direction ability when he’s attacking off the bounce. Flemings is at his best as a scorer elevating for mid-range shots, but his driving is most dangerous because of his live-dribble passing ability. NBA teams will want to see Flemings up his three-point volume, prove he can finish over NBA rim protectors, and get to the line more often. He still has enough bankable NBA skills that he should be a good lead guard for a long time.
- #3 – Kingston Flemings, PG/SG, 6’3”, Houston freshman
CBS Sports
CBS Sports has THREE writers who provide mock drafts: Adam Finkelstein, Carmen Salerno and Gary Parrish. No analysis or video, just a list and they only project the first round. Finkelstein and Parrish like Darius Acuff, Salerno likes Wagler. So chalk one up for Acuff. Majority rules.
- #3 – Darius Acuff, PG/SG 6’3” Arkansas freshman
Yahoo! Sports
Kevin O’Connor, master of the exhaustive NBA Draft Guide, posted his latest mock draft Tuesday morning which gives him, alone among the draftniks, access to the first NBA Combine measurements and athletic testing. Put him down as a Kingston Flemings supporter. He’s got Houston lead guard between Keaton Wagler at No. 5 and Darius Acuff at No. 7.
Like the others, he has no concerns about the Nets drafting another playmaker, particularly since he thinks other than Egor Demin the Nets did themselves few favors in the 2025 Draft. Flemings, he acknowledges, has flaws that could hurt him.
What a bummer for Brooklyn to fall so far. The Nets took four guard-ish players in last year’s draft, but Egor Demin looks like the only real keeper and that decision shouldn’t necessarily stop them from taking an even better guard prospect here. Flemings plays with surgical midrange touch, an explosive first step, and passing vision of a true point guard who can run an offense. But he is also 190 pounds, midrange-heavy in a 3-point league, and watched his efficiency crater against the stiffest competition late in the season. The question is whether his scoring package translates to NBA length and spacing, or whether opposing scouts figure him out the same way late-season defenses did.
Thanks for the kind words, KO’C. They’re needed.
- #3 – Darius Acuff, PG/SG 6’3” Arkansas freshman
- #33 – Sergio De Larrea, PG, 6’5” Valencia (Spain) 20 years old
- #43 – Zuby Ejiofor, PF, 6’9” St. John’s senior
Eijofor is the only local product mocked to the Nets. Here’s what O’Connor says about him:
Ejiofor found success with foundational skills: motor, length, and defensive versatility. The question with Ejiofor is the fact he’s undersized for a center and his jumper is still a work in progress. But he’s developed enough to deserve a chance to figure it out in the league.
Pooch would agree.
Clutch Points
Brett Siegel is new to the mock draft game. He covers the draft, free agency, etc. for Clutch Points and has broken some news over the past years so we’ve moved him into the queue. Credit to him, he did a two-round mock which we love, content whores that we are.
He likes Mikel Brown Jr. who had some (back) injury issues this year but seems recovered. A bigger lead guard, Siegel had these thoughts about Brown’s fit in Brooklyn.
All indications point to the Brooklyn Nets being opportunistic (that word again) this offseason and searching for ways to immediately turn around their recent misfortunes. While unfortunate that the Nets fell out of the top four of the draft and into the No. 6 spot, there is still plenty of opportunity for Brooklyn to add a long-term, high-level scoring option. That player would be either Brown, Flemings, or Acuff, depending on what type of player this organization truly wants.
Brown was limited at Louisville this past year because of a back injury, but his pure-scoring abilities and positional size make him intriguing for the Nets. Unlike Acuff, who is a pure scorer, and Flemings, who still needs to work on his overall shot selection and perimeter abilities, Brown would join Brooklyn immediately ready to take on the responsibilities of being a lead guard.
And he doesn’t believe Brown would take a back seat to Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf.
Although the Nets selected Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf last year, Brown brings a new dynamic to this team and would be the ideal type of scoring guard to play alongside Michael Porter Jr.
- #6 – Mikel Brown Jr., PG/SG 6’5” Louisville freshman
- #33 – Tounde Yessoufou, SF, 6’6” Baylor, freshman
- #43 – Rueben Chinyelu, C/PF, 6’10” Florida Junior
USA TODAY
Bryan Kalbrosky is another veteran NBA writer who annually comes up with mock drafts annually. He only goes 30 deep in his mock and he’s a Keaton Wagler supporter. Like others, he points to Wagler’s “athletic limitations” but loves his “cerebral game.”
During this rebuilding chapter, the Nets would love to add a player like Illinois standout Keaton Wagler. The 19-year-old guard played a crucial role in helping the Fighting Illini earn a spot in the Final Four, where he recorded 20 points and 8 rebounds against UConn in the national semifinals. The freshman also dropped 25 points in the Elite Eight. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 39.7 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman, while connecting on as many as nine 3-pointers in a game. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year has athletic limitations but is a cerebral basketball player who averaged 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season.
- #3 – Keaton Wagler, PG/SG 6’6” – Illinois freshman
There are a few others out there but we have to limit things somewhere. Brian Lewis of the Post, goes only lottery-deep. He likes Keaton Wagler, stating “Shoots like a two-guard and maps the court like a lead playmaker. Yes, his modest athleticism and lack of downhill juice are a worry next to Egor Demin, but the Nets go with the best available player.”
