Three Second-Round Picks who Could Thrive Early in Their NBA Careers

The 2026-27 NBA season is nearing, with plenty of NBA fans awaiting the career debuts of players like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and more.

Still, the 2026 class had depth as a whole, even extending to the second round.

Below are a few second-round selections who could get off to fast starts in the league:

Bruce Thornton, Rockets

The easiest selection here is former Ohio State standout Bruce Thornton, who was only one pick away from the first round. Still, he was taken in the second, and also landed in the perfect spot for his skillset.

Thornton is among the best pure bucket-getters in the class, having scored over 2,000 points in his career with the Buckeyes. In his senior season, he scored just shy of 20 points per game on white-hot 55% shooting, hitting 75% at the rim.

The Rockets are in desperate need of guard help. Last season, veteran Fred VanVleet was out due to injury, and Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard simply weren’t ready to step into point guard minutes.

Thornton could do just that, adding a scoring punch and play-making in moderation next to the team’s stars.

Trevon Brazile, Nuggets

Taken at No. 35 by the Denver Nuggets, Trevon Brazile enters the NBA following a five-year college career. He saw an injury setback midway through, but bounced back for a productive final season with Arkansas.

Brazile has a highly unique skillset, standing at around 6-foot-10 with elite athleticism even following a major injury. He’s an adept play-finisher and producer, having averaged 13.0 points, 7.3 assists and 1.6 assists in his last season. Superstar Nikola Jokic has a way of further unlocking offensive players, and Brazile could quickly be next in line.

Even more, Brazile is a potent defensive play-maker, having averaged over three steals and blocks combined at Arkansas in his final season. That type of production could help him see the floor earlier than expected.

Henri Veesaar, Hawks

Former North Carolina center Henri Veesaar had a first-round grade from plenty of pundits, but ultimately slipped deep into the second round on draft night due to a natural fall, and then eventual desired destination.

Still, his size at 7-foot mixed with his ability to score, pass and seldomly protect the rim give him a decent chance of playing time in Atlanta’s system.

It will likely boil down to 3-point shooting for Veesaar. If he can hit his threes, he’s likely to carve out a spot in the Hawks’ new-look rotation.

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