The Three Biggest Potential Steals of the 2026 NBA Draft's Second Round

The second round of the NBA Draft doesn't get the buzz the first round does, but for teams that approach it the right way, it's a place to land impactful contributors at a relatively low cost.

Plenty of second-round picks end up as playoff contributors. Just look at the 2026 champion New York Knicks, for example. Two of the biggest pieces of their title run were 2018 second-round picks, with Jalen Brunson leading the team in scoring and Mitchell Robinson protecting the rim and hoarding boards as a backup big.

Every year, second-round picks enter the league and carve out valuable roles across the rotation. In the 2026 NBA Draft, these three prospects have the best chance to emerge as steals who outperform their draft slot.

Meleek Thomas, Cleveland Cavaliers

No. 34 Overall Pick

Meleek Thomas joins the Cleveland Cavaliers as a knockdown shooter and a point-of-attack defender, and his creative off-the-dribble scoring plus his youth give him the upside to grow into a dynamic two-way off-ball guard. He hit 41.6% from three as a freshman and 48.7% in SEC play, so the shooting should translate early. To turn into a steal, he'll need to keep adding strength and tighten his handle to emerhe as a real off-the-dribble threat at the NBA level. If he can make a quick impact as a shooter and defender, he'll earn playing time next to Harden and Mitchell and give himself a real chance to emerge as an impactful contributor.

Trevon Brazile, Denver Nuggets

No. 35 Overall Pick

Drafted one pick after his Arkansas teammate, Trevon Brazile brings incredible athleticism at 6-foot-9.5, and that explosiveness lets him impact games as a play-finisher above the rim and from three, as a rebounder, and as a versatile, disruptive defender who makes plays along the margins. His elite bounce makes him a mega athlete, and despite his older age he fits cleanly next to Nikola Jokic, who has a track record of unlocking off-ball scorers whose size and athleticism can be weaponized in creative ways. The biggest hurdles for Brazile in emerging as a steal are handling NBA physicality, establishing his shooting, and getting comfortable as an off-the-dribble decision-maker.

Jaron Pierre Jr., New Orleans Pelicans

No. 58 Overall Pick

As the 58th pick, Jaron Pierre Jr. faces an uphill battle to NBA contribution, but the New Orleans native can impose his athleticism, spot-up shooting, versatile perimeter defense, and off-the-dribble comfort to make an all-around impact for his hometown team. To get there, he'll first need to earn a real opportunity, and that most likely comes through imposing himself defensively and knocking down spot-up threes. Once he's on the floor, he'll need to blend those skills together to hold down a scaled-down rotation wing role, with his ability to create off the dribble as one that can allow him to provide a unique value proposition as a rotation wing.

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