NBA Draft grades: Ranking all 30 teams' 2026 draft classes

The two days of the 2025 NBA Draft are over, with all 60 selections being made. There were a few trades here and there, but not a ton (unless you count the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster).

And now, after we graded every pick in the first round and watched Day 2 play out, it’s time to hand out some grades and rank all 30 teams by their draft classes. Some teams, as you’ll see, were big winners. Others did not in what feels like a mixed bag when it comes to draft classes. So we’ll rank each of the teams by how they did, and we’ll count trades in these, too. And if you didn’t draft anyone? You’ll end up with a low grade, of course.

What a weird offseason for this franchise so far, right?

They got a bad grade mostly because their No. 5 pick wasn’t lottery-protected enough and went to the Clippers. And Smith is just OK.

They dealt away their first-rounder in the Derik Queen trade last year, so let’s factor that in here. Pierre is slightly intriguing.

The champs actually did what they were supposed to do and traded a ton out of the first round and down the second to stay below the second apron. I do think Nickel could become a solid off-the-bench shooter.

Trevon Brazile (35), Bryce Hopkins (49)

Another contender trading out of the first. Maybe these two develop into bench players?

Isaiah Evans (33), Trey Kaufman-Renn (59)

Getting Evans where they did was a nice grab, but the Wolves are tinkering more with the contending roster than building for the future.

Chris Cenac Jr. (27), Dillon Mitchell (40)

We’ll see if Cenac develops into anything down the road.

I dig the Thomas pick a lot. If the Cavs were going to trade back, at least they made it count.

Seems like he could be an immediate backup on a contender. Good pick.
(B-)

We have to factor in a certain trade for a certain superstar big man. So they’ll land here.

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

What’s with him sliding? But I do like the pick at this point in the draft.

There’s a lot of guards in Philly, but also: This is a team that has developed guards well. I like it.

Allen Graves (19), Jaden Bradley (50)

A lot of mixed reports on Graves, but ultimately… it makes sense?

Hannes Steinbach (14), Christian Anderson (18)

Morez Johnson Jr. (9), Sergio De Larrea (25), Tobi Lawal (48), Vsevolod Ischchenko (56)

This all depends on Johnson developing under his Michigan coach, Dusty May. But it felt like a reach at the time.

Ebuka Okorie (17), Ugonna Onyenso (53)

They moved up to grab Okorie, who could end up being a steal.

Yaxel Lendeborg (11), Lajae Jones (54)

Count me as someone who liked the Lendeborg pick. He can help the aging Dubs right away.

Brayden Burries (10), Nate Ament (13), Malique Lewis (60)

The Giannis trade factors in and the Bucks’ first-rounders are swings for the fences. That’s good when you’re figuring out what’s next.

Kingston Flemings (8), Zuby Ejiofor (23), Henri Veesaar (52)

I love the Flemings pick and getting Veesaar late feels like a steal.

Mikel Brown Jr. (6), Joshua Jefferson (28), Tyler Bilodeau (43)

I know there are concerns about Brown, but I see a whole bunch of upside there, as did the Nets.

Caleb Wilson (4), Dailyn Swain (15)

Is Wilson secretly going to be as good as the three other players taken ahead of him? And is Swain going to find his shot?

Keaton Wagler (5), Baba Miller (36), Nick Martinelli (55), Narcisse Ngoy (57)

Wagler was a really good pick and the others felt like they had a lot of upside.

Jayden Quaintance (20), Tarris Reed Jr. (26), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (42), Maliq Brown (44)

This felt like a bunch of moves to help out Victor Wembanyama, and that can only be a good thing.

Aday Mara (12), Bennett Stirtz (16), Otega Oweh (31)

The Mara pick felt like a move to battle Victor Wembanyama, and that can only be a good thing.

Darius Acuff Jr. (7), Alex Karaban (29), Emanuel Sharp (45)

Acuff might be the steal of the draft.
(A+)

An easy choice to take the Kansas guard when Dybantsa was gone.

I was a Dybantsa over Peterson guy, so this feels like the right spot.

Cameron Boozer (3), Karim Lopez (21), Richie Saunders (32)

Boozer might be the best player in this draft and they maneuvered so well in trades to get Lopez. You have to hand it to them: It was perfect.