The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is done, and it largely went by the book. Of the 30 players I projected to go in the first round, 28 were picked, and I have no top-25 players remaining on my personal board.With how the name, image and likeness marketplace has impacted the pool of potential players, teams have certainly been negotiating with players throughout the week to try to come up with advantageous deals that make sense for everyone involved before the draft. Don’t be surprised to see two-way contracted players get taken in the 30s, and don’t be surprised to see some shocking stashes later in the draft.You might be wondering how possible it is to do well on a second-round projection given the craziness of trades and movement that is expected every year. Well, last year, I drilled seven of the first 11 picks on the money.NBA Draft 2026: Winners and Losers from Round 1Zach Harper and CJ MooreHere’s a quick projection of Wednesday’s second round:31. New York Knicks (via WAS)Isaiah Evans | 6-6 wing | 20 years old | DukeEvans is the lone player who was invited to the green room who ended up not hearing his name called in the first round. His projection is very easy. If you think he can get stronger, improve on defense and clean up his decision-making, he’s a good bet to turn into the kind of shooter every team wants in the NBA. He’s big and has a clean shot with great footwork and a high release point. Plus, he’s comfortable already within NBA-style actions at knocking down shots off movement. However, he’s just not a good defender or playmaker with the ball in his hands. He’s a bit limited. But for the Knicks at the top here, he could be a nice replacement for Landry Shamet or Jordan Clarkson.32. Memphis Grizzlies (via IND)Jack Kayil | 6-4 guard | 20 years old | Alba BerlinKayil took a big leap this year, but the German league is not a particularly athletic league, and you could see him struggle to separate at times. Still, he does a lot of things well. He has the potential to shoot and handle the ball at a reasonable level, plus he can guard his man at 6-4. He’s kind of a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none right now, but in an NBA where weak links get exploited, he doesn’t have many unfixable flaws.I would think this Memphis pick has a real chance to be auctioned off, as the team has a full roster.33. Minnesota Timberwolves (via BKN)Meleek Thomas | 6-3 wing | 19 years old | ArkansasThomas was an early entrant as a freshman out of Arkansas who probably should have gone back to school. He’s fearless and could become one of the 30 or so best shooters in the world once he hits his prime. That has a ton of value. But there is too much to clean up for my liking, and I’m skeptical that he can fix all of it by the time his rookie deal runs out. First and foremost, Thomas is a poor team defender who ball-watches so much that I don’t think coaches can have him on the floor in the NBA early on. Second, his shot selection and lack of vision are completely out of whack.34. Cleveland Cavaliers (via SAC)Henri Veesaar | 6-11 center | 22 years old | North CarolinaVeesaar probably should have cashed in on his extra year of collegiate eligibility. He needs to add about 15 to 20 pounds over time without diminishing his movement skills on offense or becoming more injury-prone, while playing more consistently with bend. His offensive skill set as a floor-spacing big man who can attack closeouts, pass and finish at the rim with touch is difficult to find. But he was quite poor in ball-screen defense this year and needs a bit of work.