ESPN NBA Draft 2026 grades not kind to Phoenix Suns’ Koa Peat pick

After the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, we did a roundup of grades for the Suns’ selection of Koa Peat with the No. 30 pick, with Phoenix mainly earning As and Bs for the pick by national sites.

But one national site is not nearly as high on the pick of Peat in its overall NBA draft team grades.

ESPN handed the Suns a D for the selection of the Arizona product with the final pick in the first round.

It was tied with the New Orleans Pelicans for the second-lowest grade in the draft (the Blazers got an F because they were the only team that didn’t make a pick).

ESPN’s Ben Golliver explained his grade for Phoenix in the 2026 NBA Draft.

He wrote: “Peat left Arizona after a solid freshman season, but there’s a strong case to be made that he should have returned to college for more seasoning. The 6-foot-8 forward looked overwhelmed against Michigan’s frontline of lottery picks in the Final Four, shooting just 6-of-18 from the field in a blowout loss. Questions about Peat’s undersized frame, shot selection and defensive versatility will follow him to the NBA. On the bright side, he will have every opportunity to earn minutes for the Suns, who preferred smaller lineups last season but were slaughtered inside by the Thunder in a first-round playoff sweep.”
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Some other overall NBA Draft 2026 grades were higher on the Suns’ selection of Peat.

For The Win ranked Phoenix’s draft No. 19 overall, giving the Suns a B-.

Charles Curtis wrote: “Is Peat going to be a sleeper or did he slide for a good reason? That’s why this pick lands here.”

USA TODAY Sports handed the Suns a B for the Peat pick.

Bryan Kalbrosky wrote: “Even if he isn’t exactly ready for NBA minutes, the Suns took a swing on Peat, who went to college nearby. It was a smart move for a team that could use young talent.”

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Koa Peat NBA Draft 2026 grade from ESPN low on Phoenix Suns’ pick