3 Second-Round Picks Pelicans Should Consider Drafting

The New Orleans Pelicans enter the 2026 NBA Draft with only the No. 58 pick at their disposal. They will likely try to move up in the draft or add more selections through trades, but as of now, it's difficult to imagine the Pelicans drafting anywhere higher than a mid-to-late second-round pick.

That doesn't necessarily mean that they can't find a difference-maker, but it will certainly be difficult. Teams regularly find solid rotation players among the last ten picks of the draft, but it is generally a crapshoot.

The best approach to have is to draft for your specific needs and hope that the player turns out to be a contributor. Here are some candidates to be the Pelicans' second-round pick in this year's draft.

William Kyle III, PF/C, Syracuse

The most likely position for the Pelicans to target in the draft is center. Not only is that their most obvious need, but centers are generally easier to find later in the second round.

William Kyle of Syracuse is one of those big men expected to be available at the end of the draft. The 22-year-old spent his collegiate years between South Dakota State, UCLA, and Syracuse, and will now hope to land an NBA contract.

There are a ton of weaknesses in Kyle's game, but that is to be expected from any second-round prospect. He is a very limited offensive player and doesn't have a shooting or scoring touch from anywhere on the court. He is also undersized for his position at six-foot-nine.

Where Kyle becomes an intriguing prospect is on the defensive side of the ball and on the boards. Kyle averaged 2.8 offensive rebounds per game in his final season at Syracuse. He added a steal and 2.5 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game. He is an explosive athlete who makes defensive plays, including protecting the rim at an elite level.

This makes him a good fit next to Derik Queen and Zion Williamson in the long run. If he can add to his offensive game a little bit, he could become an NBA player.

Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia

The Pelicans may have to trade up to draft Onyenso, as he is expected to be more of a mid-second-round pick. If they can find a way to do so without giving up anything of real significance, the Pelicans would be wise to target the Virginia center.

Onyenso is the big man archetype New Orleans needs to anchor their defense. He blocked a whopping 2.9 shots in only 18.6 minutes per game last season. Very few prospects can match his rim protection prowess.

He is also a limited offensive player, but it's nearly impossible to find a two-way big man at this point in the draft. The Pelicans have to make do with a potentially elite defender who can clean up messes in the backline, even if they are an offensive liability.

Alex Karaban, SF, Connecticut

If the Pelicans don't have a big man that they like, they could pivot to shooting. Adding size and shooting is the top priority this summer, and the second round of the draft could be a decent way to find a capable shooter.

UConn's Alex Karaban fits the mold of a player the Pelicans should covet. Back-to-back national champion in Connecticut, the six-foot-seven forward played a big role for the Huskies over the last four seasons. He is a shooting specialist who can get his jumper off in different situations and over defenders.

Plus, he has decent size and positional awareness, which has made him a solid defender at times during his UConn tenure. His lack of athleticism will likely prevent him from becoming a starter, and he will turn 24 during his rookie campaign, so the upside is limited. But, for an immediate contributor who fills a clear need, the Pels could do worse than Karaban.

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