Houston Cougars 2026 NBA Draft Preview and Draft History
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The Houston Cougars are prepared for a special night in the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23 and 24. Houston could make program history during this year's draft as four players could get selected for the first time.
Houston's 2026 NBA Draft class features two former freshman stars and two veteran graduate guards that headlined a star-studded 2025-26 team.
While the Cougars only reached the Sweet 16, the top individual talents on the team are all capable of being strong NBA players. Here's a preview of what the two draft days look like for Houston.
Two Projected First Round Picks
Kingston Flemings is the crown jewel of Houston's draft class and is expected to be a top 10 draft pick. Most mocks have him in the 7-9 range, with the eighth overall pick to the Atlanta Hawks seeming most likely. It's also possible for him to get taken with the seventh overall pick to the Kings.
Flemings can be a true star player out of Houston and a point guard an NBA team can build around. He was one of the best players in the country last season and ignited Houston's offense.
Forward Chris Cenac Jr. is also expected to be a first round pick towards the end of the round. He was initially thought of as one of the top lottery picks, but it was clear during the season that more development is needed. He's still a raw prospect with plenty of talent who could develop into a star.
Cenac Jr. is expected to be taken in the 20's, with most projections around No. 22-23 as a versatile big man.
Two Veteran Guards In the Second Round
Both Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan are both expected to be taken in the second round. Sharp is expected to be the first of the two taken near the top of the round around the the early 40's. it could be a homecoming for Sharp as he was projected to go to the Houston Rockets with the 39th overall pick on multiple sites.
His elite and deep 3-point shooting along with his physical defense and experience makes him an ideal candidate for a team looking to add a spark off the bench. Meanwhile, Uzan is expected to be taken towards the end of the second round somewhere in the 50's. His experience as a winning point guard who doesn't turn the ball over with the ability to get hot shooting-wise has drawn teams' interest.
NBA Draft History
A total of 21 different teams have selected a Houston player in the draft. Point guard Jamal Shead was the last player to get drafted from Houston, 45th overall in the 2024 draft to the Toronto Raptors. 14 Houston players were selected in the first round, and that includes two No. 1 overall picks in Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984 and Elvin Hayes in 1968. Both players were taken by the Rockets.
There have been three drafts with multiple Houston players selected. That most recently was in 2023 with both Marcus Sasser and Jarace Walker taken. Those two are the most recent first round picks as well.
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Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.