Three Early Prospects to Watch After Nets Land No. 6 Pick in 2026 NBA Draft

One day after Brooklyn's draft lottery disappointment, who are some prospects to watch with the No. 6 pick in June?

Feb 23, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) with the ball in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Almost two years ago, the Brooklyn Nets made a major trade with the Houston Rockets to bring back their first-round picks in 2025 and 2026. It was a move that many fans received well, as it was clear the organization was rebuilding and would land a franchise player in one of the two drafts.

Fast forward to today, just over 24 hours after the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, and many look back at that trade with disdain. 2025 saw Brooklyn land the No. 8 pick (Egor Dёmin), moving two spots down in the lottery. This year, the Nets were met with heartbreak, dropping three spots to pick No. 6 after a 20-62 season.

For reference, they sacrificed two first-round picks and two swaps in the deal with Houston.

But all we can do is move forward, because the 2026 class is still loaded with talent. It hurts to likely lose the opportunity to take AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer, but at No. 6, potential stars are still available.

There is a wide range of prospects the Nets can take with their lottery pick, but three are showing up in their range consistently. Here are three early players to watch for Brooklyn, just over a day following the lottery:

Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Acuff was a scoring machine this season and has the chance to be one of John Calipari's next great guards in the NBA. The freshman took over a young Razorbacks squad, particularly standing out in the SEC and NCAA tournaments.

There are questions regarding Acuff's defense at 6-foot-2, but his offensive upside may be too good to pass up. He uses his explosiveness to attack the basket at an elite level, finishing around the rim in every way possible. The Detroit native can all pull up for tough jumpers, making him an impressive three-level scorer.

If the Nets take Acuff at No. 6, they're getting a go-to scorer, but may have to attract elite defenders to make up for a lack thereof. Nevertheless, 23.5 points and 6.4 assists on 48-44-81 shooting splits make him a Jalen Brunson, Damian Lillard-type prospect.

Keaton Wagler, Illinois

While Acuff's size may hold him back in the pros, Wagler could go as high as fourth or fifth due to his scoring ability and 6-foot-6 frame. Highly disregarded coming out of high school, Illinois found a gem, as he averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game en route to the Fighting Illini making the Final Four.

Wagler is another three-level scorer, but loves to score beyond the arc. He does it efficiently, shooting 39.7% from the field.

The 19-year-old is a taller guard, but he is extremely wiry at 180 pounds. His athleticism isn't highly regarded as well, but Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokić have proven that you don't have to be as strong as an ox or jump out of the gym to be one of the best players in the NBA.

Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville

With Wagler projected by many to go No. 5 to the LA Clippers and Acuff's defensive limitations raising concerns among scouts, Brown may be the guy for Brooklyn. The Louisville guard has all of the tools the Nets would want in a franchise point guard: shooting, defense and playmaking. There's not much else you can ask for.

But can Brown do any of those things at a truly elite level and stand out as the franchise cornerstone? His efficiency from deep is a concern, although he certainly doesn't lack any confidence in the scoring department (18 PPG on 41-34-81 splits).

Defensively, his near-6-foot-8 wingspan is a major plus, as he averaged 1.2 steals per game this season. Brown could fit in well with Brooklyn's other playmakers, standing out as a scorer while also running the offense.