Four Undersized Guards who Could Earn a Spot in the 2026 NBA Draft

After the New York Knicks won an NBA title led by Jalen Brunson, teams could be more open to selected undersized guards.

Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) drives the ball in the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The NBA season is officially over with the New York Knicks' victory against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.

The next event on the NBA calendar is the 2026 draft, which will give teams the opportunity to add young talent to their rosters.

After the Knicks victory, teams may be more open to selecting small guards in the 2026 NBA Draft. New York was led by Jalen Brunson, who capped off the NBA Finals with a 45-point performance in Game 5.

Brunson, who measured 6-foot-1 without shoes at the 2018 NBA Combine, and Jose Alvarado, who is listed at 6-feet tall, proved that undersized guards can compete on the biggest stage.

While there likely won't be a player of Brunson's caliber in the 2026 NBA Draft, there are multiple undersized guards who could benefit from Brunson and Alvarado's performances in the NBA Finals.

Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee

After stops at Belmont and Maryland, Gillespie averaged 18.4 points, 5.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 41% from the field and 33.8% from beyond the arc.

As a junior at Maryland, Gillespie shot 40.7% from deep on 5.9 attempts per game.

At the NBA Combine, Gillespie measured 5-foot-11-and-three-quarters without shoes, notching a 6-foot-4 wingspan.

In a recent projection, Derek Park of NBA Draft on SI paired Gillespie with the LA Clippers at No. 52 overall.

Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State

As a senior at Iowa State, Lipsey averaged 13.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 45.9% from the field and 31.6% from 3-point range.

The Cyclones point guard started 137 games during his four-year college career and earned All-Big 12 and Big 12 All-Defense honors three times.

At the G League Combine, Lipsey measured 6-foot-1-and-a-half without shoes, recording a 6-foot-2 wingspan.

Parker paired Lipsey with the Dallas Mavericks at No. 48 overall in his latest mock draft.

Braden Smith, Purdue

After finishing a record-breaking four-year career at Purdue, Smith has the potential to be a 2026 NBA Draft selection despite measuring 5-foot-10-and-a-quarter without shoes at the NBA Combine.

Smith averaged 14.3 points, 8.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 44% from the field and 36.2% from 3-point range. The veteran point guard helped Purdue to a national title appearance alongside Memphis Grizzlies big man Zach Edey, and finished his college career as the NCAA's all-time assist leader.

Smith also recorded a 6-foot-3-and-a-quarter wingspan at the combine.

Parker slotted Smith to the Houston Rockets at No. 39 overall in his most recent mock draft.

Bruce Thornton, Ohio State

As a senior, Thornton tallied 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 55.4% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.

At the combine, the former four-star recruit measured 6-feet tall without shoes, recording a 6-foot-5 wingspan and weighing 223 pounds.

Parker paired Thornton with the Boston Celtics at No. 40 overall in his latest mock draft.