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Houston Rockets' Bruce Thornton tops list of potential second-round gems

The No. 31 pick went first in Round 2 and had a great Summer League showing
Tony Mejia|
Mar 18, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Mar 18, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Houston Rockets

The NBA draft’s second round can be a treasure trove of talent, routinely yielding rotation players and occasionally, a starter. 

The Houston Rockets’ Bruce Thornton is on the short list of players who have an opportunity to break through sooner than later from the 2026 class. Last season’s top second-round pick was Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud, who ended up starting 56 times, averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds. He made the All-Rookie Second Team and was one of a number of players who heard their names on the second night of the draft who ended up producing.

Phoenix forward Rasheer Fleming, Charlotte guard Sion James and center Ryan Kalkbrenner, Golden State wing Will Richard, L.A. Clippers wing Kobe Sanders and Cavs guard Tyrese Proctor joined Raynaud in playing at least 50 games and starting once. 

Second-round pick Ajay Mitchell has become an invaluable part of the Oklahoma City Thunder rotation.
May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (25) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the first half in game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

OKC’s Ajay Mitchell, Memphis’ Jaylen Wells, Miami’s Pelle Larsson, Utah’s Kyle Filipowski, Toronto’s Jamal Shead and Phoenix’s Oso Ighodaro have become fixtures on their team’s rotations. Quinten Post played so well with the Warriors that the Grizzlies gave him a poison-pill deal to pry him away from Golden State as a restricted free agent to come play with another second-rounder, standout shooter Cam Spencer.

On down the line over the past few years, we’ve seen Ayo Dosunmu (Timberwolves), Ryan Rollins (Bucks), Andrew Nembhard (Pacers), Toumani Camara (Blazers) and Moussa Diabate (Hornets) become invaluable players, making a lot of money since they weren’t stuck in rookie scale deals. The success rate isn’t great, but gems are mined annually.

That doesn't include undrafted studs like the Lakers' Austin Reaves, OKC's Alex Caruso or Houston's Fred VanVleet, so while rare, it's possible to add a piece the way the Rockets are hoping to after trading into pick No. 31 for Thornton. As things stand, he's looking like one of the best second-round breakout candidates.

1. Bruce Thornton, G, Houston Rockets

Thornton was handed the keys to the Summer League Rockets and didn't disappoint, leading the team to the semifinals. He's got a pro-ready build, will be tenacious defensively and has an opportunity to excel immediately since veterans Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart will be eased into action. The Rockets have only guaranteed one of the four years he signed ($9.3M deal), so he'll have to play with a chip on his shoulder all season. After a record-setting career at Ohio State, he averaged 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.6 steals over five Summer League contests.

2. Trevon Brazile, F, Denver Nuggets

The 35th pick, Brazile looked extremely impressive for the Nuggets in Las Vegas and may be versatile and explosive enough to play early. He hit six 3-pointers against OKC, dunked on people, handled, rebounded and even hit a 37-footer. He was the biggest snub among players left of the Vegas Summer League First and Second teams. The 6-foot-10 Brazile averaged 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and shot 47.4 percent from 3-point range. He has a chance to leapfrog guys like Zeke Nnaji and Deuce Holmes and already has four-year deal.

3. Meleek Thomas, G, Cleveland Cavs

He's not up at the top of this list because of the guard glut in front of him, but no one who saw him in Las Vegas would doubt that if there's a breakout star in this class set to walk the path Michael Redd and Gilbert Arenas once navigated, it's Thomas. A one-and-done at Arkansas who was overshadowed by lottery pick Darius Acuff, the 6-foot-5 Thomas poured in an event-high 27.3 points over four games in just 29 minutes per contest, shooting 50 percent from the field and lighting it up from everywhere. "God wanted me to wait an extra day to stay hungry," was a cold thing to say, so you know he's going to attack his first opportunity. He's got time on his side, not turning 20 until August.

4. Baba Miller, F, L.A. Clippers

Miller stood out at Florida State and Florida Atlantic before a strong season in the Big 12 at Cincinnati. He's a versatile 7-footer with a 9-foot-3 standing reach, so it was a bit surprising that he was still available at No. 36. The Clippers gave him a four-year deal (two guaranteed), so they're hoping he can step right in and contribute up front in what is likely to be a transition year at the Intuit Dome. Born in Mallorca, Spain, Miller came up with Real Madrid and will just need to fill out more to be a factor in the NBA given his instincts and robust skill set. He averaged just 12 points per game in Vegas but still looked like one of the better frontcourt prospects in the event.

5. Isaiah Evans, G/F, Minnesota Timberwolves

Evans shot the ball poorly from the perimeter, which is something he'll have to work on in order to be a factor early. His defensive chops are there, so even though he shot just 27 percent (20.5 on 3-pointers), averaging just 10.5 points, he'll have an opportunity to play his way into Chris Finch's rotation as a difference-making wing defender. The Duke product had a frustrating draft night, not hearing his name called in Round 1 despite a green room invite, and struggled offensively in Las Vegas, but he's a prototypical 3-and-D guy at 6-foot-6 if he can straight out his shot.

6. Emanuel Sharp, G, Sacramento Kings

After struggling from the field in the Bay Area at the California Classic, the top defender from Houston was more efficient in Vegas and had three games where he had three or more steals. His effectiveness will likely hinge on how well he'll shoot the 3-ball, but he's got a game similar to Keon Ellis, who had a nice run with Sacramento before a stop in Cleveland prior to his signing with Brooklyn. Given where the Kings are in their rebuild, Sharp has a chance to see action and have an impact.

7. Dillon Mitchell, F/G, Boston Celtics

The Celtics have been successful plucking solid role players over the past few drafts and may have landed another one ready to compete for minutes. His college career included stops at Texas, Cincinnati and St. John's where he hustled and defended with passion, showing off elite athleticism. His lack of a jumper kept him out of the first round, but the 6-foot-8 Mitchell had a six-steal game in Vegas and will earn minutes by locking in on that end of the floor.

8. Ryan Conwell, G, Miami Heat

The Heat drafted him to make the roster as a shooter, so they were thrilled with the early returns and sent him home from the desert early, having seen enough. Playing in both San Francisco and Las Vegas, Conwell shot the ball often and effectively, but showed he can be a passer and get after it on defense. After a strong college career that wrapped up at Louisvlle and featured four stops, the 22-year-old will get a chance to show he can contribute immediately at a position of need for Miami.

9. Henri Veesaar, C, Atlanta Hawks

Veesaar broke hearts in Chapel Hill since Michael Malone badly wanted him to return to man the middle, but after a strong single season at UNC following three years at Arizona, the Estonian 7-footer was ready to turn pro. The Hawks can use his size and like his versatility since he can step out and shoot the 3-ball effectively and moves fluidly for his size. He'll have to continue filling out and get tougher, but the 22-year-old landed with a team that needed a legitmate center on the roster.

10. Bryce Hopkins, Denver Nuggets

Following an ACL tear suffered at Providence, Hopkins closed out a college career that began at Kentucky by choosing to put in a demanding senior season under Rick Pitino at St. John's, where he started 37 games. Hopkins was still getting back his groove in Queens, but could be a steal in the pros if he continues getting comfortable. The powerfully-built small forward showed off his great feel in Las Vegas and should get an opportunity to make an impact as a two-way player.

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Tony Mejia
TONY MEJIA

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