Hannes Steinbach Climbs in NBA Draft Order Following Combine

Former University of Washington big man Hannes Steinbach may have left Seattle behind after one season in his pursuit of pro basketball fame and fortune, but he's not necessarily done with the West Coast.

During last week's NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Steinbach was impressive enough that a lot of scouts no longer consider him a "tweener" -- part forward and part center -- and he's begun his ascension in the first round as someone who can play in the pivot.

In fact, Yahoo's Kevin O'Connor pegged the big German kid as the 11th pick, going to the Golden State Warriors a month from now.

"Steinbach is widely considered by executives to be one of the big winners at the Draft Combine after measuring in at 6-10 and 248 pounds with a 7-2 wingspan," O'Connor said in his analysis.

Previously, those sizing up the draft order had him going somewhere between 15th and higher when the selections are made June 23-24.

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— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnor) May 18, 2026

Before seeing him in the Windy City, the talent-seekers viewed him more as a forward type and they weren't so sure he brought anything special to that role, especially as a 3-point shooter.

Yet they see him as far more advanced inside than they had anticipated. He averaged 11.8 rebounds per game for the Huskies for a reason and they found out why.

"He has massive hands that he uses to grab every possible rebound and finish effectively around the basket," O'Connor said.

For that matter, they even saw possibilities for Steinbach as a 3-point shooter, which wasn't one of his strong points at the UW. He attempted just 53 this winter, making 18.

Yet his gracefulness, such as his shooting touch, might have surprised the guys putting him through the paces in Chicago.

Steinbach proved to be fundamentally sound in most aspects of his game, which was duly noted and, according to O'Connor, could send him to straight to Golden State and maybe have him play during the final years of Steph Curry.

"These traits all would make him a perfect frontcourt fit next to Draymond Green, and he’d bring versatility to the offensive end to support Stephen Curry," O'Connor wrote. "With Steve Kerr back in Golden State, Steinbach seems precisely like the type of pick who threads the needle between helping the present while still building a foundation for the future."

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