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Crutcher was never likely to make the final roster, but they wanted to be sure to keep him around with the Greensboro Swarm.

Reed played two seasons at Michigan before transferring to UConn for his final two, and he would emerge as one of the best post players in college basketball during the Huskies’ run to the 2026 title game. In 35 appearances, the 6-foot-10 center averaged 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.0 blocks, shooting 60.7 percent from the field and 61.7 percent from the foul line. While he won’t offer much offensive production outside of the paint, Reed is a solid screen-setter who finishes well around the basket. He also offers reliable production as a rebounder and defender. While he was selected by the Nuggets, Reed will be headed to San Antonio. While the Spurs did select Jayden Quaintance earlier in the first round, he has some health concerns. Reed has the potential to earn consistent rotation minutes as a rookie.

A native of Valladolid, Spain, the 6-foot-6 De Larrea helped lead Valencia to the Spanish Supercup this season. One of the top young international players in this draft class, he averaged 7.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists in just over 14 minutes per game while shooting 45.0 percent from the field, 40.9 percent from three and 81.2 percent from the foul line. De Larrea’s combination of basketball IQ, size and shooting ability makes him one of the most intriguing prospects in this class. New York traded back from 24 to 25 and got cash considerations in return, and it is possible de Larrea is a draft-and-stash, which would save the Knicks even more money.

After appearing in just 18 games over the course of one-plus season at Tennessee, the 6-foot-5 Carr transferred to Baylor during the 2024-25 campaign. After playing well in the 2025 World University Games, he took another step forward in his lone season with the Bears. A third-team All-Big 12 selection, Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.3 blocks and 2.3 three-pointers per game, shooting 49.4 percent from the field, 37.4 percent from three and 80.1 percent from the foul line. A standout performance at the NBA Draft Combine helped Carr even more, essentially locking him into the middle of the first round. While the Knicks made the pick, he will be a Laker after Los Angeles moved up a spot in the draft order in exchange for cash considerations. With Dalton Knecht unable to earn consistent rotation minutes, Carr will have every opportunity to provide value as a rookie.

After one season at Kansas, Ejiofor spent the next three at St. John’s, breaking out during his junior campaign. The 6-foot-9 pivot was even better as a senior, averaging 16.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.1 blocks while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 71.8 percent from the foul line. After being crowned the Big East’s Most Improved Player in 2024-25, Ejiofor won conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2025-26. His length, athleticism and motor are most evident on the defensive end of the floor, which gives Ejiofor a shot at making an immediate impact in the NBA. He’ll likely fill in as a rotational reserve in the frontcourt, which may not give him much of an opportunity to provide much for fantasy managers.

After a solid freshman campaign, Philon was one of the most productive guards in college basketball last season. Earning multiple All-America honors, he averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.5 three-pointers, shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 79.8 percent from the foul line. While Philon needs to cut down on turnovers, he flourished in Nate Oats’ fast-paced system at Alabama. And he’s a more than capable shooter from beyond the arc, having shot 39.9 percent from deep as a sophomore. Philon played at an incredibly high pace at Alabama, which may serve him well at the NBA level. The 76ers add another perimeter playmaker who’s ready to compete immediately, and learning from Tyrese Maxey should benefit Philon.

The 6-foot-8 Lopez, who recorded solid numbers for the New Zealand Breakers last season, is the first native of Mexico to become a first-round pick in NBA Draft history. Last season, the 19-year-old averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game, and he was most effective offensively from 15 feet and in. However, Lopez has the potential to expand his offensive game and the size and athleticism to be a factor defensively. Memphis traded down twice from pick 16 but was still able to add a talented piece in López. He’ll provide value on both ends of the floor and should fit well next to Cameron Boozer, who the Grizzlies added with the 3rd pick.

The 6-foot-9 Quaintance was one of the biggest question marks in his draft class, due to the status of his right knee. He suffered a torn ACL in February 2025 as a freshman at Arizona State and later transferred to Kentucky. Unfortunately, Quaintance played just four games last season before being shut down due to a lingering issue with the same knee. He looked healthy and reasonably explosive at his pro day, alleviating some of the concerns that teams may have had. In San Antonio, Quaintance gives the Spurs another big man to help shield Victor Wembanyama from some of the physicality that he’ll have to deal with. While the offensive ceiling is limited, Quaintance may still provide value as a rebounder and rim protector.

After one season at Santa Clara, Graves both entered his name into the NBA Draft pool and the transfer portal. However, as the draft process wore on, it was clear that the versatile 6-foot-8 forward would be a first-round pick. A first-team All-WCC selection, Graves averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 steals, 0.9 blocks and 1.1 three-pointers. He was productive enough to win WCC Sixth Man of the Year honors, and the ability to fill multiple roles on both ends of the floor is what makes Graves such an intriguing prospect. He’s an analytical darling, but he’ll be an interesting fit alongside Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles. It will be tough for him to carve out a role with the other two in the mix.

Anderson is considered by many to be the best perimeter shooter in this draft class. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound guard was one of the most improved players in college basketball this season, averaging 18.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 3.3 three-pointers in 38.4 minutes. Anderson shot 47.2 percent from the field, 41.5 percent from three and 80.5 percent from the foul line. While Anderson needs to get better defensively, his offensive tools make him incredibly valuable. The Hornets needed another perimeter shooter, especially if they don’t re-sign Coby White, and selecting Anderson addresses that issue. In addition to being able to provide playmaking when LaMelo Ball sits, he can also play off the Hornets’ star point guard because of his catch-and-shoot ability.

Okorie’s lone season at Stanford was an excellent one, as he led the ACC in scoring and was one of the conference’s best freshmen. Averaging 23.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.0 three-pointers, the 6-foot-1 guard shot 46.5 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from three and 83.2 percent from the foul line. Okorie does have room to grow as a perimeter shooter, but his playmaking instincts are excellent. The Pistons sent the Grizzlies three second-round picks to move from 21 to 17 to add Okorie, which came after the Thunder traded two second-round picks to move from 17 to 16. Detroit desperately needed to add another ball handler, and Okorie should fill that void flawlessly. He may not see the volume of minutes that he would need to be a fantasy star, but he’ll be very helpful for the Pistons in the non-Cade Cunningham minutes.