New 2026 NBA Mock Draft Includes Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn
In this story:
All NBA mock drafts released in recent weeks have included Purdue guard Braden Smith, who most consider to be a second-round selection. None of his Boilermaker teammates had been mentioned until one was released from The Athletic.
Sam Vecenie recently released his two-round 2026 NBA mock draft, which included both Smith and forward Trey Kaufman-Renn. It is the first projection including the Sellersburg, Ind., native as a selection in this year's event.
In his mock draft, Vecenie projects Smith going No. 39 overall to the Houston Rockets. He then has Kaufman-Renn getting picked up by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 59 selection.
Kaufman-Renn had a tremendous senior season in West Lafayette to cap off his career. He averaged 14.2 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-9 forward also dished out 2.5 assists per contest.
The former Boiler also had a strong showing in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT), an event in which college seniors can showcase their abilities in front of pro scouts. In three games, Kaufman-Renn averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He also shot nearly 61% from the floor.
This year's NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23 and 24. Will both Smith and Kaufman-Renn hear their names called at some point?
Purdue last produced two NBA Draft picks in 2011
Purdue has had several players selected in the NBA Draft over the years, especially recently. But it has been rare for the Boilermakers to produce multiple draft picks in the same class. There's a possibility that both Smith and Kaufman-Renn are selected in June.
When was the last time that happened? Both JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore were selected in the 2011 NBA Draft. Johnson was selected in the first round with the No. 27 pick by the New Jersey Nets, but was immediately traded to the Boston Celtics.
Late in the second round, the Celtics selected Moore with the No. 55 overall pick. Both played in Boston for just one season before landing with different teams.
Before the 2011 NBA Draft, the Boilermakers produced two selections in 1988. Everrette Stephens (Philadelphia 76ers) and Todd Mitchell (Denver Nuggets) were both picked in the second round that year.
If both Smith and Kaufman-Renn are selected in this year's draft, it will be just the fifth time since 1980 that the Boilermakers have had multiple picks in the same class (1980, 1982, 1988, 2011).
Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can't-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
Follow SchutteDustin