Ranking the Most Likely Pick for the Atlanta Hawks After Their Draft Lottery Fall

The Atlanta Hawks were not able to get the lottery luck they were hoping for, falling to No. 8 instead of jumping into the top four, but Onsi Saleh and the rest of the Hawks front office are still going to be in the range to draft a really talented player that could help their team now and in future years.

If the Hawks would have jumped into the top four, it would have really narrowed their choices of who they would have selected, but at No. 8, there are a number of possibilities.

Let's break them down.

1. Mikel Brown Jr- Louisville

The top four of the draft is going to be (in some order): AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson. At No. 5, a run on guards might begin, with Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown Jr widely expected to go in the top 8-10 picks. Of the four, Brown Jr is the most likely to fall to the Hawks at No. 8 and he would check a lot of boxes for the Hawks.

Brown is an electric scorer and an underrated playmaker as well, but he had injury issues down the stretch of the season and he is not the strongest defender in the draft either. I think Brown could certainly be there for the Hawks at No. 8 and would bot be a bad addition to the team.

2. Aday Mara- Michigan

Interior size and defense have been issues for a couple of years for the Hawks and they tried to fill that hole with the Kristaps Porzingis trade last summer. For the 17 games he played, it worked, but he was traded due to his lack of availability, and Jonathan Kuminga was brought in.

Arguably, no player has risen faster than Mara thanks to his performance in the NCAA Tournament and he had some crazy measurements yesterday at the NBA Combine.

Michigan's Aday Mara measured 7'3 barefoot and 260 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine, with a 7'6 wingspan and 9'9 standing reach.

Absolutely absurd measurements. Tied with Mark Williams for the second-longest standing reach in Combine history, behind only Tacko Fall. pic.twitter.com/FvZ41Kv1jo
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 11, 2026

Mara brings rim protection, great passing ability, and the ability to finish at the rim, with his biggest weakness being movement and pick and roll defense, though that will be easier for him if he is on a team with Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Mara would check a lot of boxes and is very much in play for the Hawks.

3. Kingston Flemings- Houston

Another one of the four guards that is expected to go in the top 10, Flemings would fill the backcourt hole that the Hawks currently have, but in a different way than Brown Jr.

Of the four guards we mentioned earlier Flemings is far and away the best defender of the group, but concerns about his size (especially after the combine measurements) and his uneven performances in the NCAA Tournament seem to have hit his stock a little bit.

I think Flemings would be a great addition to the Hawks and there is a solid chance he could fall. However, Brooklyn (6th) and Sacramento (7th) both needs point guards.

4. Yaxel Lendeborg- Michigan

A lot of the talk centered around the Hawks and who they could pick centers on the guards and Mara, but Yaxel Lendeborg would make some sense for Atlanta and would be ready to play right away.

Whenever Lendeborg is discussed as a prospect, his age is the first thing that is brought up. Lendeborg is 23, but he is an all-around prospect who can defend, shoot threes, and pass at a high level. I don't know that he would ever be an All-NBA player, but he is too skilled and experienced to not be an impact player.

This might feel like a reach at No. 8 and if the Hawks wanted him, they could explore trade down scenarios.

5. Brayden Burries- Arizona

Burries does not get mentioned with the top guard group often enough, but he probably should be.

Burries would give the Hawks the backcourt shot creation and offensive firepower they need and he seems likely to be there at No. 8 overall.

Leading one of the best teams in the country last season, Burries averaged 16.1 PPG on 49% shooting from the field and 39% shooting from three on an average of 4.6 attempts per game. Burries should be a real option for the Hawks when it is their turn to pick.

6. Darius Acuff- Arkansas

Acuff is going to be a polarizing player due to his defense, but he is arguably the top offensive prospect in the class and should be a high level scorer at the next level. His ability to create shots is also super underrated.

However, I don't think that the Hawks are going to be all that interested in Acuff. Atlanta just traded Trae Young to the Wizards because of his defense and their unwillingness to give a small guard who does not defend well a big contract. Acuff is by far the worst defender in the entire draft and it would be hard to build a team around him, no matter how good he is.

Also, he is linked heavily to the Nets at No. 6 and the Kings at No. 7, both of whom needs guards and talent. It is not impossible, but Acuff is one player that I don't think fits into what this Hawks front office is trying to build.

7. Keaton Wagler- Illionis

I think that Wagler is the perfect prospect to pair with this Hawks roster and they would spring to the podium if he fell to them at No. 8. So why is he ranked so low?

I would be floored if Wagler made it to No. 8, and of the four guard prospects, he is the least likely to make it that far. He is an incredible scorer and was the lead guard for arguably the best offense in college basketball. He would fit like a glove in this Hawks team, but unless they move up in the draft (which is very possible), I don't think the Hawks are going to have a chance to take him.

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