ESPN Projects AJ Dybantsa at No. 1 in 60-Pick 2026 NBA Mock Draft

Q: Which team will win the high-stakes bidding war for Giannis Antetokounmpo before the NBA draft?

The Miami Heat look like the most likely team to win the Giannis Antetokounmpo bidding before the draft, though no deal is done yet. The strongest reporting points to Miami as the frontrunner because there appears to be mutual interest, and league insiders continue to connect Antetokounmpo to the Heat more than any other team. Miami is also highly motivated, with Pat Riley openly signaling the roster needs major improvement. Its package — built around Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., first-round picks and swaps — may not be overwhelming, but it is viewed as credible and close to what Milwaukee wants. Boston remains the clearest challenger. The Celtics have the stature, future picks and potential star-level trade pieces to make a serious push, and Antetokounmpo has publicly praised coach Joe Mazzulla. But a Celtics deal is more complicated, likely requiring a multi-team structure involving Jaylen Brown or another major core piece, which makes it harder to execute quickly before the draft. New York has appeal because Antetokounmpo has reportedly been open to the Knicks, but their Finals run makes a breakup of the current core less likely. Golden State, Portland and other Western teams have been linked, yet reports suggest Giannis prefers to stay in the East, weakening those bids. So, if Milwaukee moves him before June 23-24, Miami is the best bet, with Boston the main threat and the field trailing behind.

Q: How far will defensive unicorn Jayden Quaintance fall in the draft due to his chronic knee issues?

Jayden Quaintance now looks more likely to land in the mid-to-late first round, with a realistic range around picks 15 to 25 and a worst-case slide toward the back end of the first round. The reason is almost entirely medical. Quaintance was once viewed as a top-five talent because of his rare defensive profile: a 6-foot-10 big with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, elite rim protection, switchability and unusual mobility. But teams are weighing that upside against a serious right-knee history — an ACL tear in February 2025, associated meniscus damage, and then recurring swelling that limited him to only four games at Kentucky before he shut it down again. That combination has made him one of the draft’s most medically dependent prospects. Public projections now reflect that uncertainty. ESPN has him around No. 20, while other mocks have placed him anywhere from the low teens to the high 20s. Some evaluators still believe he could go in the lottery if team doctors are satisfied, but others see him slipping into the 20s because clubs in that range are often more willing to gamble on upside. So the most defensible answer is that he probably falls out of the lottery, but not out of the first round. If his medical reviews are reassuring, he could stop around the teens. If teams remain uneasy about chronic swelling and long-term durability, he could slide to the 20s, with the end of the first round as the true danger zone.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jun 15

Eight days before the June 23-24 draft, ESPN’s latest full 60-pick mock has AJ Dybantsa going No. 1 to Washington and Darryn Peterson No. 2 to Utah, with the order still viewed as unsettled.
Washington has narrowed its choice to Dybantsa and Peterson after recent visits and workouts, while rival teams broadly expect the pair to be the first two players off the board.
Cameron Boozer is projected No. 3 to Memphis, Caleb Wilson No. 4 to Chicago and Keaton Wagler No. 5 to the Clippers, where trade-down scenarios are also in play.
Milwaukee’s No. 10 slot remains one of the draft’s biggest variables because teams are waiting on a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, which ESPN says could reshape draft-night movement and the wider offseason.