Multiple Duke prospects rise in mock drafts leading up to 2026 NBA Draft

Recently, Duke and head coach Jon Scheyer have been among the leading schools when it comes to developing NBA talent.

This will be on display at the 2026 NBA Draft once again, as a former Blue Devil is expected to be selected within the top-three picks. Of course, this would be recent AP Player of the Year Award winner Cameron Boozer.

However, it’s worth noting that Boozer and one of his former Duke teammates seem to be on the rise. In a recent mock draft conducted by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, O’Connor has Boozer rising to the No. 2 overall spot, despite hovering around No. 3 for nearly the entire draft process.

O’Connor has Isaiah Evans set to join the Minnesota Timberwolves, going No. 28 overall. While this ranking is a few spots below his highest projection in previous mock drafts, it’s worth noting that Evans is a perceived top-24 prospect, as he was among 24 players to be invited to the NBA Draft green room by the league.

Last is former Duke center Maliq Brown. Originally considered as a possible undrafted free agent candidate following the college basketball season, Brown has proven his worth in pre-draft workouts. So much so that he’s moved all the way up to the No. 36 overall pick in a previous mock draft. That said, O’Connor has Brown being selected No. 42 overall by the San Antonio Spurs this time around, which would be a great outcome for the 22-year-old center compared to where he was when the draft process began.