CHICAGO — The impact of the 2026 NBA Draft Scouting Combine on the actual draft is an annual debate.
After years of evaluating players during high school, grassroots and college basketball games, NBA teams gathered in Chicago this week to conduct medical exams and put the best draft prospects in the world through measurements, agility testing, shooting drills and scrimmages. Hundreds of front office executives were at Wintrust Arena, and inevitably a few draft narratives emerged along with the wingspans, vertical jumps and medical reports.
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The early speculation is the top-four players in this class are set but the order in which they’ll be selected remains up for grabs during the pre-draft process. There’s also a promising group of guards projected as the next best available prospects, so much so there could be promising wings and big men capable of jumping into the top-10 and late lottery picks. The late first round outlook could change in the coming weeks, with several players poised to return to college due lucrative NIL opportunities.
USA TODAY Sports was in the building in Chicago during the NBA Draft Scouting Combine sifting through the latest rumors and speculation after the NBA Draft lottery. Some picks have changed based on the intel. Here’s our updated 2026 NBA mock draft based on what we learned from Combine workouts and interviews:
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The NBA playoffs bring out more than high‑stakes basketball, as stars showcase their sneaker style on the league’s biggest stage.
See the coolest kicks worn during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where footwear becomes part of the spotlight.
Above, The shoes of Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
1 / 9
Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The NBA playoffs bring out more than high‑stakes basketball, as stars showcase their sneaker style on the league’s biggest stage.
See the coolest kicks worn during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, where footwear becomes part of the spotlight.
Above, The shoes of Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen before Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
Shoes worn by Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter during Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026, in Denver, Colorado.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The Nike Lebron XXIII shoes worn by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) against the Houston Rockets in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, at Crypto.com Arena.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
Shoes worn by Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter during Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Ball Arena on April 18, 2026, in Denver, Colorado.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 18: The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen during the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
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Coolest kicks of the NBA playoffs as stars show their sneaker style
The shoes of Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks are seen during the third quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 18, 2026, in New York City.
2026 NBA DRAFT: Why AJ Dybantsa is on a mission to be the No. 1 pick
2026 NBA mock draft: Post-scouting combine edition
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa
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2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer
Cameron Boozer participates in the 2026 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 12, 2026.
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler
6. Brooklyn Nets: Darius Acuff Jr.
7. Sacramento Kings: Mikel Brown Jr.
8. Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings
9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament
Nate Ament shoots the ball for Tennessee during an NCAA Tournament game against Virginia on March 22, 2026.
11. Golden State Warriors: Aday Mara
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Yaxel Lendeborg
13. Miami Heat: Labaron Philon
14. Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach
15. Chicago Bulls: Jayden Quaintance
16. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Carr
17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chric Cenac Jr.
18. Charlotte Hornets: Karim Lopez
TEAM: International (Australia)
19. Toronto Raptors: Bennett Stirtz
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20. San Antonio Spurs: Morez Johnson Jr.
21. Detroit Pistons: Christian Anderson
Christian Anderson brings the ball up the court for Texas Tech during a game against BYU on March 7, 2026.
22. Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Graves
23. Atlanta Hawks: Isaiah Evans
24. New York Knicks: Koa Peat
25. Los Angeles Lakers: Henri Veesaar
26. Denver Nuggets: Amari Allen
27. Boston Celtics: Luigi Suigo
TEAM: International (Serbia)
28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Ebuka Okorie
29. Cleveland Cavaliers: Malachi Moreno
30. Dallas Mavericks: Dailyn Swain
Contributing: Bryan Kalbrosky
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NBA mock draft: Did scouting combine shake up first round?
