2026 Fantasy Basketball Mock Draft: Wemby or Nikola Jokić for first overall pick?

With most of the dust having settled in free agency and Yahoo! having opened up fantasy basketball leagues for the 2026-27 campaign, it’s “mock draft season.” Recently, NBC Sports fantasy basketball writers Raphielle Johnson and Noah Rubin participated in a 12-team, nine-category head-to-head industry mock draft organized by Menace Podmen‘s Steve St-Pierre. And, in an interesting twist, they held the first two picks in the 14-round draft (no third-round reversal). Below is how the draft played out, with Johnson offering some thoughts along the way.

Round 1

After a few seasons in which the question of who should go first overall focused on Nuggets center Nikola Jokić and Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, we’ve begun a new era. SGA certainly hasn’t dropped off in his play, but Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has replaced him in this conversation. Wemby was second in nine-cat, per-game value last season, trailing only Jokić, with SGA coming in third. With another year of experience under his belt, the 7-foot-4 Spurs center has everything needed to take over the top spot in the fantasy rankings next season.

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Between Wembanyama and Jokić, there really isn’t a bad choice. I went with the former due to the ability to sew up the blocks category immediately, not to mention everything else that Wemby brings to the table. Given his offensive skill set, it would be unsurprising if Jokić put together another top-ranked fantasy season. However, Denver’s depth has taken a hit with Peyton Watson‘s departure, even if they signed DeMar DeRozan shortly after losing the young wing via sign-and-trade. That may require Jokić to do even more, which could slightly affect his efficiency numbers.

As for the rest of the first round, Tatum and Flagg’s draft positions caught the eye. The former will be further removed from the Achilles tendon rupture he suffered during the 2025 playoffs, and Jaylen Brown has been replaced by Paul George, whose availability was an issue in Philadelphia. A healthy Tatum is an elite fantasy player. The return of Kyrie Irving should help Flagg’s value, and the reigning Rookie of the Year has the skill set required to be an elite category-league option.

Maxey going in the middle of the first round makes sense, even with the additions of Brown and LeBron James. His role will change somewhat because of the latter’s playmaking ability, but that may open things up even more for the jet-quick guard. Maxey getting downhill immediately, playing on the side opposite James, should be a terrifying prospect for opposing defenses. Haliburton is fully healthy and has shown he’s one of the best players to build a fantasy team around. His return should also benefit the other key Pacers after a disappointing 2025-26.

Round 2

The most surprising second-round pick for me was Davis. Even though he has been an elite fantasy option when healthy, the injuries make it challenging to trust him this soon in drafts. Davis played a total of 29 games in one-plus seasons in Dallas, and he’s surpassed 60 games twice in the last seven seasons. Essentially, fantasy managers have to operate under the idea that Davis will have at least one extended absence. Hopefully, if that happens, it won’t be at a critical point in the fantasy basketball calendar.

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With Wemby already on my roster, I targeted guards for the second/third-round turn, selecting Reaves and Jalen Brunson. The former should benefit from LeBron’s departure, while the latter is capable of offering more in fantasy basketball than he did last season. Brunson’s value did not meet his ADP (21), but he remained a top-50 player; the dip wasn’t too severe.

Round 3

Despite coming off the most productive season of his NBA career to date, Duren may be the biggest question among the players selected in the third round. The consensus is that the restricted free agent will remain with the Pistons, as no other team has the cap space needed to tender a worthwhile offer sheet. However, negotiations between Duren and the Pistons have been anything but smooth. Regardless of the conclusion, how will this affect his productivity? That’s something to keep in mind, and the question may affect Duren’s ADP in drafts.

Is there a player in this group capable of offering first-round value? Young is one, even with the turnover concerns. A fully healthy Wizards rotation would benefit the point guard, especially if rookie AJ Dybantsa hits the ground running. Thompson may not have first-round potential, but his skill set can be beneficial in category leagues, even with the lack of three-point production.

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Round 4

The Murray selection in the fourth round was an eye-opener. However, he did play 14 games last season after returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon. And while Jeremiah Fears is on the roster, he still needs time to develop as a playmaker going into his second season. Murray is a solid defender, which should mesh well with new head coach Jamahl Mosley. Another interesting pick this round was Avdija, who’s coming off the most productive season of his NBA career. With Damian Lillard returning from his Achilles injury and the Trail Blazers acquiring Ja Morant, it’s fair to be concerned about how those changes will impact Avdija’s usage.

The two Hornets selected in this round, Knueppel and Miller, offer higher ceilings now that LaMelo Ball is no longer in the fold. This was also a round in which managers are counting on players to bounce back after injury-plagued 2025-26 seasons. Markkanen, Jackson and Williams are three, and Sabonis is someone to watch given the trade speculation and Maxime Raynaud‘s solid rookie campaign.

Round 5

Yes, LeBron will turn 42 in December. However, given his production in recent years, I felt relatively comfortable pairing him with Miller at the four/five turn. He’s averaged at least seven assists each of the last three seasons; LeBron could offer more given the firepower he’ll be surrounded with in Philadelphia. As for his new 76ers teammate, Brown’s usage will decrease compared to last season in Boston. Can he become a top-50 fantasy player despite that? Sure.

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Siakam is well positioned to bounce back from a 2025-26 season that was anything but smooth, thanks mainly to Haliburton’s return. Sharing the court with an elite playmaker should only help Siakam. What happens with Herro and Ware in their new home? And the same question applies to Randle, who moved from a contender (Minnesota) to a rebuilding situation (Brooklyn).

Round 6

The first rookie came off the board in the sixth round, with Grizzlies forward Boozer being the choice. While being on a rebuilding team can be a concern for rookies in terms of their efficiency, that may not be the case for the former Duke forward. Based on his play this summer, Boozer has already established good chemistry with Cedric Coward, another key building block in Memphis.

Zubac and Anunoby are two players who could exceed their draft position by a solid distance next season, and then there’s Embiid. When healthy, he is one of the most dominant players to roster in fantasy basketball. However, “The Process” has played 39, 19 and 38 games in the three seasons since winning league MVP honors in 2023. I used my sixth-round pick on Reid, who should boast a higher fantasy ceiling in Charlotte than he did coming off the bench in Minnesota.

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Round 7

The sprint on centers in the middle of this seventh round was interesting. While Allen is coming off another solid campaign, Turner was a disappointment in his first season with the Bucks. Will he bounce back? And how does the addition of Ware impact the veteran center? Regarding Claxton, he gets a needed change of scenery with the trade to Chicago. When “on,” he can offer excellent value, especially to those punting free-throw percentage. Getting the run the floor and receive passes from Josh Giddey should benefit Claxton, especially considering the point guard options in Brooklyn last season.

Jerome going this early is a byproduct of the Grizzlies finally trading Morant, and he offers the highest fantasy ceiling among the team’s point guards. Edgecombe appears to be the player most likely to see his fantasy value take a hit in Philadelphia with the roster changes, but he shouldn’t fall too far (if there is a dip). Like Kawhi Leonard, Ingram is in a bit of a holding pattern as we wait for the Raptors and Clippers to finalize the trade initially agreed upon in late June. Ingram’s first season in Toronto was better than many expected, and he’ll take on a marquee role in Los Angeles once traded.

Round 8

How much should we value availability when drafting our fantasy teams? Mikal Bridges has yet to miss a game in his NBA career, and he exceeded his ADP (80) last season. That may happen again this season, especially if the veteran forward continues to get picked outside of the first 75 picks. Murray-Boyles has the makeup of a potential fantasy stud, especially if fellow Raptor Jakob Poeltl can’t rebound from an underwhelming 2025-26 that was influenced by a lower back injury suffered during training camp.

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Two more rookies came off the board in this round, with Wilson going 90th overall and Dybantsa five picks later. The former put up some big scoring nights at summer league, and Chicago’s need for scoring puts Wilson in a position where he can be a fantasy standout immediately. Dybantsa also boasts significant potential, but the presence of Young and Davis in the lineup may limit his fantasy ceiling early on.

Round 9

Picking at the Round 8/9 turn, I decided to use my picks on two versatile players who may not offer elite fantasy upside in Hart and Dosunmu. The latter’s ceiling may have taken a slight hit with the Timberwolves’ acquisition of Ball. Still, the team’s failure to address its need for a true power forward may force Chris Finch to start Dosunmu in a smaller lineup (shifting Jaden McDaniels to the four). Sharpe will have every opportunity in Brooklyn to lock down the starting center role, but uncertainty at point guard is a concern.

Looking for excellent value? That’s Quickley, who was nearly a top-50 player last season. Adding Leonard to the mix may lower his points output, but IQ is a great addition at this point in any draft. Watson should start in Cleveland, raising his ceiling, and the same may be true for Wallace in Oklahoma City now that Luguentz Dort is gone. However, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain also bear watching as late-round options on the Thunder roster.

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What will Morant provide in Portland, especially with Lillard’s return? Add in the availability issues, with fantasy managers needing to plan for at least one extended absence, and it’s understandable why Morant was not a top-100 pick. Powell could offer excellent value in Chicago, but he’s played 60 games or fewer in four of the last five seasons.

Round 10

VanVleet may have been selected outside the first 100 picks after missing last season with a torn ACL, but he’s capable of offering top-50 value. And with the Rockets having addressed some of their spacing issues by adding Kevin Durant last offseason, VanVleet’s field-goal percentage may receive a slight bump. Of the centers selected in this round, Hartenstein may be the safest from a fantasy standpoint, especially if he can remain relatively healthy. Nurkić going this early had a lot to do with Kessler’s move to the Lakers; Jaren Jackson Jr. is much better starting at power forward than at center, which bodes well for Nurk.

Round 11

For the Round 10/11 turn, I went with Collins and McCollum. For the former, the move to Detroit locks him into the starting lineup, filling the void left by Tobias Harris. As for McCollum, his value increased in Atlanta once he was moved into the starting lineup. It would be unsurprising if he were to come through with a top-100 2026-27 campaign. Another veteran selected in the 11th round who could outperform their draft position is DeRozan, who can now share the court with Jokić and Jamal Murray in Denver.

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LaVine is expected to take a back seat in Sacramento due to the team’s youth movement, but he should still begin the season as a starter. Also in Sacramento, Acuff is an intriguing fantasy rookie, especially for managers in nine-cat leagues who will punt on turnovers. Efficiency can be an issue for rookie point guards, so it would be unsurprising if Acuff encountered some struggles next season. As for potential surprises in this round, Mitchell and Dëmin are players to watch.

So far, the latter has looked the best of the five first-round picks the Nets selected in the 2025 draft. As for Mitchell, whether he starts or comes off the bench, he is another Thunder guard who stands to benefit from the team’s decision to trade Dort (Atlanta) and Isaiah Joe (Detroit) this summer.

Round 12

There were some good value options in the 12th round, starting with Mitchell and Bey. The former will start at point guard for the Heat, where he may benefit from the addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo via trade. As for Bey, he locked down a consistent role for himself in New Orleans last season, and that’s unlikely to change in 2026-27. Given the team’s injury history, Bey may also have moments when he takes on an even bigger role if someone else is out.

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Barrett has never been a great option in category leagues, and Toronto’s expected addition of Leonard may lower the Canadian’s ceiling. However, RJ’s field-goal and free-throw percentages improved last season, boosting his category-league value. Lendeborg is another rookie who can impact fantasy basketball immediately, as he can consistently fill a stat line. With Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody expected to miss the start of the season as they recover from knee injuries, the Warriors will need Lendeborg to hit the ground running. And he could even start.

Round 13

At the Round 12/13 turn, I went with Johnson and Holiday. As for the former, I’m betting he’ll be far more comfortable in his second season with the Nuggets than he was last season. Also, injuries limited Johnson to 54 games in 2025-26. Johnson has exceeded 65 games once in his seven NBA seasons; that should be of far greater concern to fantasy managers than whether he’ll be able to improve his production in 2026-27.

As for Holiday, while adding Morant doesn’t help given Portland’s glut of guards, his defense will ensure Jrue plays plenty. Rookies Brown and Johnson went off the board in back-to-back picks; the former could very well be the Nets’ starting point guard on opening night. Neither Nolan Traoré nor Ben Saraf produced consistently as rookies, and the latter did not play this summer because his knee was scoped. Johnson’s motor and defensive ability should get him on the court immediately in Dallas, especially when considering the recent injury histories of Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively II.

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Round 14

The final round is usually when fantasy managers reach; if a player doesn’t pan out, it’s not too hard to move on and find another option. I went with Draymond despite the dip in production that he experienced in multiple categories last season, including steals and blocks. In hindsight, I really like rookie Allen Graves in Toronto, even though we still don’t know for sure how the Kawhi trade will affect the frontcourt rotation. The first-round pick offers a versatile skill set that allows him to fill a stat line. Graves may not provide excellent value immediately, but he should be a favorite of those competing in dynasty leagues.

Rookies Wagler and Steinbach may take on important roles in their new homes, with the latter’s rebounding prowess giving him a slight edge when assessing their chances of making an immediate impact. Braun will look to rebound from a disappointing 2025-26, and the Nuggets will need him to do so with Watson no longer in the fold.

Raphielle’s Final Team

C Victor Wembanyama
G/F Austin Reaves
G Jalen Brunson
F Brandon Miller
F LeBron James
F/C Naz Reid
F Michael Porter Jr.
G/F Josh Hart
G Ayo Dosunmu
F/C John Collins
G CJ McCollum
F Cameron Johnson
G Jrue Holiday
F/C Draymond Green

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Noah’s Final Team

C Nikola Jokić
F/C Chet Holmgren
G Trae Young
F/C Domantas Sabonis
G/F Jaylen Brown
C Joel Embiid
G Ryan Rollins
F AJ Dybantsa
C Day’Ron Sharpe
G Kevin Porter Jr.
C Wendell Carter Jr.
G/F RJ Barrett
C Maxime Raynaud
G/F Quentin Grimes