Atlanta Hawks Mock Draft Following the Lottery: The No. 8 Pick Presents Plenty of Options

It's official - the Atlanta Hawks will be making the No. 8 selection in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Hawks probably didn't envision being in this situation when they were heading into the 2025 NBA Draft a year ago. They were set to give their pick away to the San Antonio Spurs and live with the consequences. However, one of the most surprising decisions in NBA Draft history allowed them to get a juicy pick from the Pelicans and choose between the best of the Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks' draft odds. As a result, the Hawks are going to be adding a lottery pick with tons of upside to a roster that won 45+ games and finished as the No. 6 seed. They'll be able to place their names in the mix for the Eastern Conference if they're able to nail this pick - which is something the Hawks have not been able to claim in quite a long time.

Now that the lottery odds have been decided, what might the first round of the NBA Draft look like? Here's what the Hawks might see on the night of June 23rd.

New 2026 Mock Draft

#1 - Washington Wizards - Cameron Boozer, F, Duke

#2 - Utah Jazz- AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU

#3 - Memphis Grizzlies - Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas

#4 - Chicago Bulls- Caleb Wilson, F, UNC

#5 - Los Angeles Clippers- Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois

#6 - Brooklyn Nets - Kingston Flemings, G, Houston

#7 - Sacramento Kings - Darius Acuff, G, Arkansas

#8 - Atlanta Hawks - Yaxel Lendeborg, F/C, Michigan

Even though he's an older prospect, Lendeborg would fix a lot of the Hawks' issues in terms of passing outside of Johnson, half-court creation, defense, and additional rim protection. He was the engine of Michigan's championship team, and there aren't many players who impact the game in the number of ways that Yaxel does. This selection has slightly less theoretical upside than some of Atlanta's other options, but the Hawks are getting a ready-made starter that increases their ceiling in the immediate future.

#9 - Dallas Mavericks - Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona

#10 - Milwaukee Bucks - Mikel Brown Jr, G, Louisville

#11 -Golden State - Aday Mara, C, Michigan

#12 - Oklahoma City Thunder - Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky

#13 - Miami Heat - Nate Ament Jr, F, Tennesee

#14 - Charlotte Hornets - Morez Johnson, PF/C, Michigan

#15 - Chicago Bulls - Chris Cenac Jr, PF/C, Houston

#16 - Memphis Grizzlies - Karim Lopez, F

#17 - Oklahoma City Thunder - Allen Graves, PF, Santa Clara

#18 - Charlotte Hornets - Isaiah Evans, SF, Duke

#19 - Toronto Raptors - Labaron Philon, G, Alabama

#20 - San Antonio Spurs - Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State

#21 - Detroit Pistons - Dailyn Swain, SG/SF, Texas

#22 - Philadelphia 76ers - Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa

#23 - Atlanta Hawks - Henri Veesar, C, UNC

Veesar probably doesn't have star upside, but there's always room for a seven-footer who shot 42.6% from deep last season on decent volume. He's a great rebounder, solid passer for his size and the idea of him as a OO backup makes a lot of sense. The problem is his defense - he's slow and lacks the strength to truly be a dominant force on both ends of the floor. He could get stronger with time, but he's already 22. This isn't a ceiling bet for the Hawks, but they'd have a good young room of centers with Onyeka Okongwu, Veesar and Asa Newell in the pipeline.

#24 - New York Knicks - Koa Peat, F, Arizona

#25 - Los Angeles Lakers - Tounde Yessoufou, SF, Baylor

#26 - Denver Nuggets - Cameron Carr, G, Baylor

#27 - Boston Celtics - Christian Anderson, G, Texas Tech

#28 - Minnesota Timberwolves - Tyler Tanner, G, Vanderbilt

#29 - Cleveland Cavaliers - Amari Allen, SF, Alabama

#30 - Dallas Mavericks - Meleek Thomas, SG, Arkansas

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