Best Available Players in Second Round of 2026 NBA Draft

Duke’s Isaiah Evans was the lone green room invitee to not be picked Tuesday night, but he likely will hear his name early in Round 2.

Shooting bigs are in short supply, so teams will undoubtedly value a near 7-footer who shot 43% from deep like Henri Veesaar. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The first round of the NBA draft has come and gone without a ton of surprises. The top played out as expected, with AJ Dybantsa headed to the Wizards and Darryn Peterson off to the Jazz. And later in the first, there weren’t many head turners: All 30 picks were in the top 33 of Rookie Scale’s consensus big board, which surveys draft prognosticators across the country. There could be more variety in the second round, especially in the latter half as teams negotiate two-way deals in exchange for getting picked. And the second round isn’t overly strong given the vast majority of those who weren’t out of college eligibility returned without assurances they’d land in the first round. 

Still, there’s always value to be found in the second round, whether future stars like Nikola Jokić and Jalen Brunson or simply useful role players who can defend or space the floor at a high level. 

Who are the best available prospects as we head into Wednesday’s second round? Sports Illustrated updated its board overnight with the 10 names you should know. 

1. Henri Veesaar, North Carolina 

Veesaar had strong interest from a number of the frontcourt-needy teams with picks in the mid-20s but ended up drawing the short straw and will have to wait for the second round. Shooting bigs are in short supply, so teams will undoubtedly value a near 7-footer who shot 43% from deep like Veesaar did as a junior at North Carolina. He’s not a major lob threat though and could struggle defensively at the next level. 

2. Meleek Thomas, Arkansas 

I had a first-round grade on Thomas coming out of Arkansas. While he has work to do to add strength so he can guard bigger NBA wings, there’s a lot to like here. He’s a big-time shooter who made 80 threes alongside Darius Acuff Jr. in the Arkansas backcourt in his lone college season, and he’s confident playing off the bounce or the catch. He shouldn’t wait long to hear his name called Wednesday night. 

3. Isaiah Evans, Duke 

Evans was the lone green room invitee to not get picked Tuesday, an indicator that teams around the league were surprised he fell out of the first. He did himself no favors with a poor showing at the NBA draft combine in May that put on display his athletic limitations, and after the playoffs saw teams really value size and physicality the slender Evans likely had less appeal in the 20s. Still, someone with his lightning-quick release as a shooter is a solid bet in the 30s at worst. 

4. Baba Miller, Cincinnati

Miller got late steam in the past few weeks about potentially sneaking into the first round in the final few picks. Instead, he’ll likely be among the first picked on Wednesday. Teams value his rare skill level for a big, even though his three-point shooting has been inconsistent. He’s worthy of a multiyear guaranteed deal with real upside if he continues his upward trajectory. 

5. Richie Saunders, BYU 

Everyone needs more shooting, and Saunders is arguably the best available sharpshooter on the board. He’ll likely miss the start of the regular season as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in February and there isn’t a ton of upside in drafting someone as old as Saunders. But if you told me Saunders was making meaningful contributions in next season’s playoffs it wouldn’t shock me. 

6. Braden Smith, Purdue

There’s no question Smith is fighting an uphill battle given how short he is. He measured a hair over 5'10" without shoes at the combine. But Smith is a pick-and-roll savant with all kinds of game, incredibly crafty with his floater game to find ways to score against elite size in college basketball. The Pacers are known to love him and could try to trade their way into this draft to grab him, but that’s likely not the extent of his interest. The success of another tiny PG in Ryan Nembhard who went undrafted last year might help Smith’s case. 

7. Vsevolod Ishchenko, Lokomotiv Kuban (Russia) 

Ishchenko is a man of intrigue coming over from Russia, moving the needle with his defensive versatility after a strong season with Kuban. Teams could also look to negotiate a stash scenario here depending on how much he falls in the second round as well, but there’s intrigue in bringing him over this year. 

8. Jack Kayil, Alba Berlin (Germany) 

Kayil spurned a college commitment to Gonzaga to head straight to the NBA from Germany. He had some hope he’d sneak into the first round, but the early part of the second was always more realistic. But in a second round full of college upperclassmen, Kayil represents a younger, higher-ceiling option. 

9. Emanuel Sharp, Houston

Sharp’s toughness, defensive intensity and three-point shooting give him clear equity as a role player. There’s a reason Kelvin Sampson found him indispensable on some of the best teams in college basketball over the last three seasons. If the Rockets remain at No. 39, he’s a logical fit there. 

10. Ugonna Onyenso, Virginia 

We saw throughout the first round teams really value rim protection after a playoffs that saw size, strength and control of the paint be critical. Onyenso was perhaps the best shot blocker in college basketball last season at Virginia and has an elite frame. His hands are rough and he’ll likely never turn into much offensively, but that might not stop him from turning into a valuable bench commodity. 

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