Miami Heat Big Board for the 2026 NBA Draft

Pat Riley will address the media tomorrow. We are just under two months away from the 2026 NBA Draft. It is the time of year where NBA teams are putting their scouting on the prospects into a big board. There are different types of boards. There is a general big board for ranking the talent. The one we will be focusing on today is what the Miami Heat will prioritize that fits their vision and their roster. We will do a full top 30 big board for the Heat. Let’s first explore how they will prioritize their board for pick 13 and why.

Pat Riley addresses the media live on our HEAT YouTube channel. Don’t miss it - https://t.co/ViIGSlAhIV pic.twitter.com/Z8hF0dry1A
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 26, 2026

Let’s start by eliminating positions they won’t take in round one.

The first one will be center and power forward. We can just classify these together as bigs. They already have Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware. There are only two situations I would see them taking a big. First, if one of the two top bigs fell to them at 13th overall. Second, if they are ready to move on from Kel’el Ware. These two situations are unlikely, so you will see some bigs that will be picked early in the draft ranked lower on the board.

Next, let’s start listing the priority positions. The Heat need a two-way playmaker with positional size. The player would need to be able to create on their own and be a good outside shooter. This could be a wing or a guard. They have some good players at those positions already, but not a guy as I described above. That leaves point guard, shooting guard, and small forward all as top priorities for the Heat.

The Big Board

1) AJ Dybantsa | 6’9” | 210 lbs | Freshman | BYU

AJ would be a home run pick for a Heat franchise in desperate need of a 1A guy. He has speed, athleticism, and the skill to be a three-level scorer in the NBA. His three-point shot needs work, but the bones are there to his game. He has the poise and patience to get to his spots to score. His positional size allows him to be a capable defender, but it will be up to AJ to lock in on that side of the floor.

Badge: Ceiling Raiser

2) Caleb Wilson | 6’10” | 215 lbs | Freshman | UNC

Wilson would force Miami’s hand if he somehow fell to pick 13. You would have to take him and figure out what to do with Ware later. Wilson is one of the most athletic players in the class. He also has a dawg mentality, which the Heat would prioritize. His footwork on the low block got better with every game. He can hit turnaround fadeaway middys over double teams as well. If you paired him with Bam, it would be a nightmare for any team every night.

Badge: Ceiling Raiser

Avuf — Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) drives against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

3) Darius Acuff | 6’3” | 190 lbs | Freshman | Arkansas

Acuff may not have the size most fans would want in the backcourt, but he is a can’t-miss prospect in my eyes. He is the best ball handler in the class, the most efficient scorer out of all the point guards from anywhere on the floor. He is a true three-level scorer with the ability to facilitate at a high level. He may only be 6’3”, but he is built like a tank. He is the strongest PG in the class as well. He will need to work on his defense in Miami, but if you paired him with Kasparas Jakucionis, who is a 6’6” guard that can shoot and plays defense, you would have your backcourt of the future.

Badge: Offensive Engine

4) Darryn Peterson | 6’6” | 205 lbs | Freshman | Kansas

Peterson had his share of controversy and struggles his freshman season. If he fell to 13, it would be a risk the Heat would be willing to take. He came into the season as one of the most polished freshmen I have ever seen. That did not change during the season. He struggled with injuries, and questions arose about his mentality. One thing is clear: he is one of the best two-way talents to come around college basketball in a long time.

Badge: Two Way Demon

Cam Booze — Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) shoots the ball over UConn Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. (2) in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

5) Cameron Boozer | 6’9” | 250 lbs | Freshman | Duke

Boozer falling to 13 would be too good to pass up relative to who is left on the board. He may not be your best player on a championship team, but he will raise the floor of the entire starting lineup.

Badge: Floor Raiser

6) Kingston Flemings | 6’4” | 190 lbs | Freshman | Houston

Flemings is a dynamic athlete that is capable of being a dynamic two-way player. His defense is good but not great yet. He has the ability to get downhill and put pressure on the rim. He is a good passer. He has counters depending on how you play him. His three ball was good on lower volume. I am curious how it would hold up on higher volume.

Badge: Two Way Potential

Burrioe — Apr 3, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) shoots the ball during a practice session ahead of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

7) Bradyen Burries | 6’4” | 205 lbs | Freshman | Arizona

Burries is a prototypical combo guard that is more of a slasher and three-point shooter. He isn’t going to facilitate much for you. He is strong on and off the ball. He can also play defense at the point of attack.

Badge: Combo Guard

8) Mikel Brown Jr. | 6’5” | 190 lbs | Freshman | Louisville

Brown has great positional size. He can create his own shot as well as for others. He will give you one of the bigger backcourts in the league if the Heat choose to start Kasparas next season. He is explosive once he gets to the rim. The biggest issue with Brown is his attitude and demeanor on the floor. He will settle for deep threes when facing tough defenses.

Badge: Creator

9) Keaton Wagler | 6’6” | 185 lbs | Freshman | Illinois

Wagler gives the Heat another player with limited athleticism but a high feel for the game. He is an outstanding shooter and team player. He played out of position in college at the PG spot. He was able to make it work because of his basketball IQ. His handle needs work, and he lacks explosiveness. He has good length but needs to get much stronger. He doesn’t give you much defensively.

Badge: Marksman

10) Yaxel Lendeborg | 6’9” | 235 lbs | Senior | Michigan

The Heat value positional size, experience, and versatility. Yaxel gives you all of this. Yes, he may be older, but for a franchise that always wants to compete now, he fits the bill. You can plug him in with any lineup combination, and he can excel in any of the roles from small-ball 4 to being on the wing or initiating the offense. He also has positional flexibility defensively.

Badge: Plug and Play

11) Labaron Philon | 6’4” | 175 lbs | Freshman | Alabama

Philon is as quick as they come with the ball in his hands. He has the ability to get to the cup and finish at will. He has a great feel in the pick and roll. He improved his three-point shot during his freshman season to finish at 39% on significant volume. He is wiry strong, but his weight is a concern.

Badge: Stop and Start

12) Tounde Yessoufou | 6’5” | 215 lbs | Freshman | Baylor

Tounde can be a dynamic two-way player in the NBA. He has a lot of work to do on his handle and shooting but has an NBA-ready body with a motor that never quits. He has the mentality the Heat look for, and I trust the organization to fix his jumper. He is one of those guys that may not be the guy year one or two but could be an All-Star before his second contract.

Badge: Relentless

13) Cameron Carr | 6’5” | 178 lbs | Sophomore | Baylor

Cam Carr can be as dynamic as any player in the class for five-minute bursts. Then he disappears for the rest of the game. He has the ability to shoot over the top of the defense from deep or dunk on the whole team. His wingspan makes him a very capable defender as well. My biggest concern is his build and weight. He is approaching outlier territory for weight, so the NBA Combine will be a huge part of the final evaluation.

Badge: Score in Bunches

14) Amari Allen | 6’8” | 205 lbs | Freshman | Alabama

Allen was the ultimate team player in his freshman season. He played bigger than his size and hit the boards every night. He has more scoring potential than the catch-and-shoot threes he got this season. He is a good passer and a willing one at that. He is dynamic on the fast break and can defend multiple positions. He is more of a wing than a big. He doesn’t really have any post moves. He uses his strength and quickness to finish around the basket. I believe there is more to unlock in his game.

Badge: Hidden Potential

15) Meleek Thomas | 6’5” | 185 lbs | Freshman | Arkansas

A dynamic microwave scorer. He was effective whether he started or came off the bench. He struggles with his court vision, but it got better as the season went on. He has that irrational confidence that the ball is always going to go in the basket. He prefers shooting going to his right. He has a nice floater once he gets in the lane. His defense got better as the year went on.

Badge: Microwave

16) Nate Ament | 6’10” | 207 lbs | Freshman | Tennessee

Nate is one of those picks where the mentality doesn’t really match up with the organization, but the offensive talent may be too great to pass on. He has the positional size and soft shooting touch you look for at the next level. His ability to draw fouls is an NBA trait that is underrated. The fact that he doesn’t play physically and needs to get a lot stronger would have me passing on this pick.

Badge: Finesse

17) Isaiah Evans | 6’6” | 180 lbs | Sophomore | Duke

This is the point in the draft where I would start looking to see if there is better value with the bigs. Isaiah improved over his freshman season. He is instant offense off the bench. His defense got better, but it still isn’t good. He doesn’t give you any facilitation. He is more of an attack-the-closeout guy than a dribble-by-you guy. He also needs to get stronger at the next level.

Badge: Offensive Role Player

18) Karim Lopez | 6’8” | 220 lbs | International

Lopez has improved from last season. He gives you size and ball-handling ability. He is an okay shooter, not a great one. He is just extremely slow. He is going to struggle defensively. The fact that he is very skilled and has a good feel for the game makes for an interesting project.

Badge: Skills

19) Joshua Jefferson | 6’9” | 240 lbs | Senior | Iowa State

Josh can affect the game in a lot of ways. He isn’t very athletic, but he is very skilled, experienced, and has a nice feel for the game. His offensive versatility would allow him to play in multiple lineup combinations.

Badge: Veteran

20) Dailyn Swain | 6’8” | 225 lbs | Junior | Texas

Swain really improved his footwork out of the pivot this season. He worked himself into one of the best isolation players in the NCAA. He uses his size well to get to the rim and finish. He plays the passing lanes well defensively. He will need to get stronger and improve his three-point shot.

Badge: Iso Bag

21) Ebuka Okorie | 6’2” | 190 lbs | Freshman | Stanford

This is tremendous value despite his size. Okorie is one of the best point guards in the class. He can handle the ball with the best of them. He is a strong finisher in the lane with a variety of creative finishes. He is an excellent three-point shooter off the bounce or standing still. He has terrific vision and passing ability. He is a good defender and very strong.

Badge: Creator

22) Christian Anderson | 6’3” | 180 lbs | Sophomore | Texas Tech

Christian is a small guard in terms of weight and strength. He has a terrific skill set that includes outstanding three-point shooting. He can get in the lane and facilitate out of pick and roll or isolation play. He gets swallowed up defensively, which is a concern.

Badge: Marksman

23) Bennett Stirtz | 6’4” | 190 lbs | Senior | Iowa

Bennett is a pick-and-roll specialist. You would want to bring some screens back because he isn’t overly quick, but he plays the PnR with patience and manipulation. He has the ability to shoot from deep or get all the way to the cup. He is a good passer but not a spectacular one. He will need to get stronger.

Badge: Pick and Roll

24) Chris Cenac | 6’11” | 240 lbs | Freshman | Houston

Chris had the knock coming out of high school that he was a low-motor player. He was anything but at Houston. He was a switchable, disruptive big that hit the boards relentlessly. His jumper is a work in progress, but he doesn’t shy away from letting it fly. He is still growing into his body but has the frame to support a lot more muscle. He will need to improve his low-block footwork.

Badge: Hustler

25) Morez Johnson Jr. | 6’9” | 250 lbs | Sophomore | Michigan

The most disruptive defensive big in the class. He can switch onto all players 1–5. He is disruptive at the point of attack and protects the paint. He is a lob threat on offense and terrific on the offensive and defensive glass. He has some outside shooting ability but did it on low volume.

Badge: Switch Master

26) Hannes Steinbach | 6’11” | 220 lbs | Freshman | Washington

Hannes does a lot of the dirty work and plays extremely hard. He isn’t very explosive and isn’t a great shooter. There could be more upside there, but it isn’t NBA-level yet.

Badge: Hustler

27) Aday Mara | 7’3” | 255 lbs | Junior | Michigan

Mara has superb passing ability. He has a nice jump hook over either shoulder. He isn’t a good shooter but has great coordination finishing around the rim. He uses his size and timing well to block shots.

Badge: Old School

28) Zuby Ejiofor | 6’9” | 245 lbs | Senior | St. John’s

Zuby is a wide-body post presence that has switch ability defensively. He can shoot it a little from deep, but it isn’t his thing. He is a tough, rugged low-post player that is also a good passer. He has a motor that doesn’t quit.

Badge: Relentless

29) Henri Vessaar | 7’0” | 225 lbs | Junior | UNC

Vessaar’s best trait is his ability to score the ball in a variety of situations. He is skilled with his jump hooks and can shoot the three ball. He is a good passer and competes on the glass. He isn’t very strong and will need to get much stronger at the next level. He also lacks vertical athleticism. He is purely a drop big defensively.

Badge: Stretch 5

30) Billy Richmond | 6’6” | 205 lbs | Sophomore | Arkansas

Billy Goat is a one-of-a-kind athlete. He has a rare combination of speed and explosiveness. He would make for a dynamic downhill rim finisher off those stampede cuts in the Heat offense. His jumper needs a lot of work, but he has a relentless motor that never quits. He is a disruptive defender that can take away the best offensive player out of the game by himself. He gets on top of the rim as well as anyone in college basketball. He needs to get better at ball handling and shooting. He isn’t a facilitator either.

Badge: High Flyer

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