Why the Memphis Grizzlies Should Take Chris Cenac Jr. in 2026 NBA Draft

The Memphis Grizzlies enter draft night with incredible ammo to work with, starting off the festivities with the 3rd overall pick and the 16th pick to boot.

Since the 3rd pick all but guaranteed to go one of four ways between Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson, and AJ Dybantsa, the Grizzlies could look to build out their depth of young talent with the 16th pick down a few different paths.

In a draft as talented as this one, the options likely to be still available at 16 are really impressive; follow along with the the On SI team’s Snapshot Scouting Report series breaking down potential draft targets for each team here.

With the 16th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select…

Houston F/C, Chris Cenac Jr.

Scouting Report on @chriscenacjr, the #1 Ranked Center in the 2026 NBA Draft class who just committed to @UHCougarMBK

Broke down The Best Prospects Alive in the 2025 + 2026 NBA Draft classes with @slipthescreen on today's 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 @SwishTheory Pod pic.twitter.com/DRYeE9KfTS
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) November 27, 2024

Chris Cenac Jr. – Snapshot Scouting Report

Cenac shoots — Mar 26, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars center Chris Cenac Jr. (5) shoots the ball against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

1) Draft Profile Strengths 

Chris Cenac Jr.'s strongest super power is his outlier rebounding instincts, especially offensively; his game combines an old school power forward skillset with a modern twist of touch, range, and two-way feel.

Cenac's strengths are in his midrange jump shot that promises to stretch out to three, his postup fundamental mismatch scoring when attacking closeouts, his feel showing up on tape from timing up help-side blocks, postup kickout passes, grab-and-go handle pushing the pace, and that elite rebounding skill.

The defensive versatility to switch between forwards and centers is there due to his mobility, awareness, and physical tools.

In the NBA, effective length is measured in a ratio of Wingspan to Height +/-. From official NBA Combine data, Chris Cenac Jr. ranks 3rd in that Wingspan Ratio, visualized below. Combine that great length indicator with his feel for the game, and one can project a plus defender who can guard 4/5s and potentially hold his own when switching out onto the perimeter.

Projecting 2026 NBA Draft Defenders

Top-5 Effective Length:

+8.3 Cameron Carr/Jayden Quaintance
+6.8 Chris Cenac
+6.5 Ebuka Okorie/Yaxel Lendeborg/Zuby Ejiofor/Morez Johnson/Tarris Reed

Top-5 Activity & Feel:

1.9 Castro
1.6 Brazile
1.5 Wilson
1.4 Yaxel/Ebuka/Zuby pic.twitter.com/s0ZDfVQcXS
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) June 8, 2026

2) Development Areas 

Looking to force a higher volume of turnovers through his defensive instincts and effective length is key to taking his defensive impact from potential to effective.

While his body, strength, and overall game is still a bit raw, at just 19 years old, he has time to fill out his final form in the NBA, and put the final touches to refine his skills into sharper blades.

Cenac's one of the more intriguing upside plays in the draft, because he has an outlier elite skill to bet on, with legit development areas in multiple skillsets that are more than just a flash in the pan. Honing in his strengths into weapons at the NBA level could make Cenac one of the more modern, versatile big men in the league.

3) Cenac Fit & Opportunity with Grizzlies

Coward helps up teammate — Mar 28, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Adama Bal (72) and forward Cedric Coward (23) help forward GG Jackson (45) up during the second quarter against the Chicago Bulls at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

With Zach Edey and Cedric Coward considered the closest things to cornerstones in Memphis, the roster is relatively wide open to build.

The Grizzlies are invested in quite a few interesting guard prospects, such as Walter Clayton and Ty Jerome, on top of the impressive perimeter defender Jaylen Wells; if one had to guess, Memphis will probably favor bulking up its frontcourt this draft.

The initial pick Memphis makes at #3 will likely affect who they target at #16, but they could wind up using both picks on forwards for reasons such as depth and opportunity at that position. Cenac complements just about anyone they could take #3 as a secondary connector play-finisher pick-and-pop rebounding specialist long-armed defender.

Adding a big downhill force two-way wing like Caleb Wilson and his downhill force athleticism next to a long, skilled play-finisher in Cenac seems like a natural match on paper for the tough grit-n-grind culture in Memphis.

With the current roster, Cenac slots right in at the 4 to replace Jaren Jackson Jr. in theory as the resident unicorn on the team, with Chris able to play stretch 4 of sorts next to Edey, offer a dual-threat double-pick and roll option in Horns and Double Drag type plays, and offer a backup-5 option for small-ball matchups and to placate Edey injuries.

Add us as a preferred source on Google