Mock Drafts Lift Mikel Brown Jr. to No. 5 as Cameron Boozer Emerges at No. 2
Updated
Updated · Bleacher Report · Jun 16
Mock Drafts Lift Mikel Brown Jr. to No. 5 as Cameron Boozer Emerges at No. 2
3 articles · Updated · Bleacher Report · Jun 16
Summary
One week before the first round, the latest expert mocks show the biggest movement near the top: Kevin O'Connor projects Duke's Cameron Boozer to Utah at No. 2, breaking from the usual Darryn Peterson consensus behind AJ Dybantsa at No. 1.
O'Connor said the Boozer call was a gut feel rather than sourced intel, arguing Peterson carries more question marks while Boozer's polish and versatility could fit a Jazz frontcourt already featuring Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen.
Mikel Brown Jr. appears to be climbing within the crowded guard tier, landing as high as No. 5 in O'Connor's mock and no lower than No. 8 in three of four major projections after what analysts described as a strong predraft process.
Yaxel Lendeborg's range is moving the other way, with projections stretching from No. 11 to No. 20 as teams weigh rumors about workouts, a past leg injury, his maturity and the fact he would be 24 as a rookie.
With the 2026 Finals over and draft boards hardening, the latest mocks suggest upside and workout momentum are increasingly shaping lottery decisions in a class viewed as unusually strong.