USA TODAY Sports Projects All 60 NBA Draft Picks, Slots AJ Dybantsa at No. 1

Q: How will major injury concerns for prospects like Jayden Quaintance reshape the first round on draft night?

Major medical red flags can turn the middle and back half of the first round into the draft’s biggest swing area, and Jayden Quaintance is a prime example. In the latest mock, he is still projected at No. 23 to Atlanta because his upside remains elite, but his torn ACL and meniscus history, plus persistent knee concerns, make him one of the most volatile names on the board. If teams’ doctors are comfortable with his recovery timeline and long-term durability, Quaintance’s profile as arguably the class’s best defensive prospect could push him back into the teens. If medical reviews are less favorable, he could slide out of the first round entirely, allowing healthier prospects with lower ceilings to jump ahead. That is often how draft boards shift late: teams picking for immediate rotation help tend to favor cleaner medicals, while teams with multiple picks or longer timelines are more willing to gamble on upside. The same dynamic is already visible with Yaxel Lendeborg, whose ankle issue is seen as a reason he could fall to No. 16 despite strong two-way tools. Those slides create ripple effects: contenders or asset-rich teams can capitalize on discounted talent, while rebuilding teams may decide the long-term upside is worth the wait. So Quaintance’s health will not likely alter the top of the draft, but it could materially reshape picks in the teens and 20s, changing which teams take safer contributors and which ones bet on star-level upside despite the risk.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 20

AJ Dybantsa tops USA TODAY Sports’ 18.0 mock draft, with Washington projected to take the BYU wing at No. 1 ahead of June 23-24 draft nights in Brooklyn.
No. 2 is the key swing point: Utah is projected to take Duke forward Cameron Boozer, not Darryn Peterson, after reports Peterson stopped visits after meeting only with Washington.
Peterson falls to Memphis at No. 3 in the projection, while Chicago takes Caleb Wilson at No. 4 and the Clippers land Illinois guard Keaton Wagler at No. 5.
The mock says team intel, combine testing, analytics and P3 biomechanical evaluations shaped the board, with notable risers including Brooklyn target Mikel Brown Jr. at No. 6 and Baylor wing Cameron Carr at No. 15.
The full 60-pick forecast arrives days before the 2026 NBA Draft, offering a late snapshot of shifting lottery expectations, trade intrigue and prospect momentum.