In the game of basketball, like life, there are winners and losers.One team inevitably will score more points than the other teams in the games that matter most.Finding the players who project to be on those winning teams based on their skills is how teams win.Who are the biggest winners of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft?To paraphrase the great Sean Connery in The Rock talking to the great Nicholas Cage, "Your 'best'?Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and Draft Cameron Boozer."Ranking The Top-10 First Round Winners of the 2026 NBA Draft10 – San Antonio SpursJan 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Jayden Quaintance (21) reacts after a play during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn ImagesIf there's a team that can take a swing late in the first round on a potential lottery talent, its the team that has Victor Wembanyama and Dylan Harper under contract on rookie deals for the foreseeable future, let alone the rest of San Antonio's impressive young core.The Spurs are aiming to contend right away and compete now, coming off an NBA Finals appearance, but since they arrived early, they do still have a runway to think longterm.Quaintance possesses arguably the single most impressive defensive skills in the class between his effective length wingspan ratio; his instincts, active hands, and mobility; and his overall defensive impact indicators.How Christian Anderson's 3pt Gravity & Connective Playmaking Fits Toronto"He inspires Primal Angry Happiness for me when I watch him... When he heats up, I'm just like [*INAUDIBLE NOISES*]" - @ChuckingDarts@SwishTheory𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥2026 NBA Mock Draft pic.twitter.com/SBWgCIBAOo— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) June 17, 20269. Charlotte Hornets – Christian Anderson & Hannes SteinbachJun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the eighteenth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson Jr. after he was selected by the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesChristian Anderson is a walking flamethrower ready to erupt with volcanic lava from beyond the arc at any moment's notice.One of the most 3pt happy teams adding yet another 3pt specialist sniper to its mix who brings shooting versatility, volume, and efficiency to a team already featuring Kon Knueppel, LaMelo Ball, and Brandon Miller is scary; that's an offense so metal it might get to hot to turn off.Anderson's mix of elite 3pt shooting and impressive connective playmaking as a natural point guard make him a home run fit for Charlotte's backcourt to add what they already do and provide another hand that can catch fire any night.Adding Anderson, 12th on my board, is the incredible value play for me at 18. The Hornets also leaving the draft with a serviceable utility big in Hannes Steinbach only adds to their draft night haul. Steinbach should provide Charlotte another plug-and-play big to help crash the glass, defend 4s and 5s, and play finish at the rim off their many perimeter creators.— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) May 13, 20268. Toronto Raptors – Allen GravesJun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the nineteenth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Santa Clara forward Allen Graves after he was selected by the Toronto Raptors at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesAllen Graves has one of the highest overall impact ratings in the class from his winning traits like impressive defensive strength, offensive rebounding rates, team-first decision making feel, scoring efficiency and developing 3pt shot.The Raptors doubling down on defense in the frontcourt should be no surprise, despite some worries about spacing, this Toronto team tends to be dynamic enough to figure it out.As Graves flashed the hot hand from deep as the season went on, Graves proving to be a legit 3pt threat to go with his other versatile skills could level his impact up to Top-10 levels. I rank Graves 8th, so Toronto plucking him at 19th is a steal.Why Yaxel Lendeborg Should Go Top-10Atypical age curve case3.0 A/TO7'4" WingspanPlays both sides of the ballImproves every year by adding skill"Top-10 pick to me" - @ChuckingDarts𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 @SwishTheoryMost Underrated 2026 NBA Draft Prospects pic.twitter.com/nVCSaWMQQb— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) May 29, 20267. Golden State Warriors – Yaxel LendeborgJun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the eleventh pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg after he was selected by the Golden State Warriors at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesYaxel Lendeborg to the Warriors is one of the best fits of Draft night; Yaxel and Steph is the match made in mock draft hoops heaven.Lendeborg is as tough as they come, a powerful big forward/small center who can score inside, make connective passes, dominate defensively, and proved the 3pt jumper this season at Michigan.With his incredible basketball development journey, he's found himself in the perfect basketball situation; flank Curry with defense and find the Chef on offense and finish the plays on the scoring opportunities he creates with his gravity. I rank Yaxel 7th on my board, landing him at 11 is great value.6. Philadelphia 76ers – Labaron PhilonJun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the twenty second pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. after he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesLabaron Philon slipping to the 22nd pick is the most surprising fall of this first round.Philon is an excellent scoring creator prospect as a versatile scorer, impressive shooter on and off the ball, clean ball-handler and herky jerky driver who moves effectively with purpose. Labaron flashed enough hustle instincts with his class-average wingspan ratio to project as a neutral or better defender, as opposed to the bad defensive reputation he earned this season.Philon has two-way feel and scoring prowess to make an immediate impact for Philadelphia's already nuclear offense, and has enough on-ball juice creativity to become a potential star offensive piece. I rank Philon 6th overall in the class, making him being picked at 22 the most valuable selection of this first round for me.Labaron Philon is one of the most scalable 2026 NBA Draft Scoring CreatorsShooting gravity on & off ballHunts bump-&-finish contact on herky jerky drivesEfficient scoring versatility & self-creation creativity@Z_Dubz26 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 @SwishTheory pic.twitter.com/zsbR59e9rv— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) June 22, 20265. Detroit Pistons – Ebuka OkorieJun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the seventeenth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie after he was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesEbuka Okorie is the best advantage creator in the class, a master of the craft that is playing basketball. The handle, the speed, the touch, the feel, the indicators are all through the roof.Detroit acquiring a player who will help compete now next to Cade and be a P&R Maestro to run the system without him is already a big win. Add in how this prospect can potentially lead the team alongside him as a two-way star one day; with all those outcomes at the 17th pick, this is incredible value for a prospect I rank 4th, especially for a team fresh off earning the East's 1-seed.Okorie is one of the best bets in the 2026 NBA Draft for two-way star upside due to his feel for the game, his advantage and scoring creation, and his overall impact on winning.Ebuka Okorie Top-5 > AJ Dybantsa ?!I see Okorie's Speed, Skill & Processing Super Powers as the better bet to impact winning in the NBAElite First Step+6.5" WingspanMasterful HandlesRecord-Low TOV%High-Volume 3PA & FTA𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 @SwishTheory pic.twitter.com/Mot4sBC5tp— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) May 30, 20264. Atlanta Hawks – Kingston Flemings & Zuby EjioforJun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the eighth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Houston guard Kingston Flemings after he was selected by the Atlanta Hawks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesAtlanta may have made the biggest heist of the first round, selecting two players I ranked in my lottery because of things like their two-way versatility and scoring upside, between Zuby Ejiofor's (11th on my board) impactful defense and Kingston Flemings' (5th on my board) elite playmaking skill.Flemings projects to be a potential franchise cornerstone two-way creator and offensive engine in his own right, while Ejiofor looks to be a dynamic downhill mover and high-impact defender.The Hawks file in two more players bringing two-way versatility to their roster, only strengthening their core team identity, while adding a table-setter in Flemings who will make life easier for everyone.on Zuby Ejiofor's development at St. Johns:"Big East Player of the Year, DPOYReally improved ball skills, footwork, passingDefensively – the calling card, 6'9", special mover, physicality, strength, quickness"- @CTFazio24 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 @SwishTheory pic.twitter.com/h7ipxlmcGj— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) June 23, 20263. Chicago Bulls – Caleb Wilson & Dailyn SwainJun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver announces the fourth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson after he was selected by the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesChicago found a way to add the Best Player Available at 4 and 15 with two first round picks who impact the game in similar attributes that should relatively stack together well, such as positive if not elite defensive indicators, strong scoring capabilities on the ball, tough shot making capabilities, north-south athleticism, and a developable 3pt shot.Swain brings a rare ball-handling ability for his height that allows him to get to any spot on the floor he pleases; Wilson possesses another level of downhill force and vertical athleticism mixed with defensive impact that projects to level up to a truly elite two-way player.All these skills should translate to winning impact and Chicago's up-tempo style of play. Wilson ranks 3rd on my board and Wilson ranks 10th; these selections at 4 and 15 equates to incredible value for two potential high impact two-way players with on-ball upside.2. Utah Jazz – Darryn PetersonJun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Draft prospect Darryn Peterson poses for photos on the red carpet before the 2026 NBA draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesDarryn Peterson is the most electric talent in this class, a tough shot making middy pull up assassin who moves any direction and gets to any spot at will to rise and fire and splash any jumper he wants.A sniper from beyond the arc with turnover-forcing defense instincts, Peterson shows real two-way impact with on-ball superstar upside.Peterson ranks 2nd on my board and has as high of potential as anyone in the class, despite Boozer being the safer bet for higher overall winning impact.What Differentiates Cam Boozer from past Duke Stars?"Snappy decision-making... the ability to read the floor... Having the physical profile to deliver timely accurate passes that really punctuate the brilliance" - @bgeis_bird𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 @SwishTheory pic.twitter.com/7IZu0XrL5N— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) April 9, 20261. Memphis Grizzlies – Cameron Boozer & Karim LopezJun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; The third pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Duke forward Cameron Boozer after he was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesWhen you pick Cameron Boozer, you win the 2026 NBA Draft; those are just the rules.When you do so at the 3rd overall pick, without even having to add extra trade assets to move up to a Top-2 pick, you win the Draft again.For this reason alone, the Memphis Grizzlies are the biggest winners of the 2026 NBA Draft, and especially when just considering the first round.While the pick for Karim Lopez came a bit early for my taste given other potential guard stars on the board, Lopez should provide an ancillary piece to round out the Memphis frontcourt with some much-needed secondary playmaking to keep the ball moving to its strong play-finishers.Cameron Boozer is the Grizzlies power forward franchise player of the future ready to kickstart the next era.... a scoring hub who should fit right into their current structure next to Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, and their pool of intriguing guard prospects. 2 Bonus 2026 NBA Draft First Round Winners!11. Los Angeles Lakers – Cameron CarrJun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the twenty fourth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Baylor guard Cameron Carr after he was selected by the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesCameron Carr is an impressive athlete and 3pt shooter who looks the part of an NBA player between his plus defense and scoring abilities; pair that play-finishing talent with Luka Doncic's heliocentric creation, and you may have a clean match made in heaven.Carr bring a rim-rolling threat from the perimeter with incredible lengthy wingspan ratio to his height, a knockdown catch-and-shoot jumper, providing both a pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop partner for Doncic, on top of projecting to be mobile and agile and strong enough to hold his own defensively.— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) November 27, 202412. Boston Celtics – Chris Cenac Jr.Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the twenty seventh pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Houston forward Chris Cenac Jr. after he was selected by the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesBoston drafted Chris Cenac Jr. with the 27th pick, a lottery-level talent ranked 17th on my big board who fell due to being seen as a bit raw.After proving toughness under coach Kelvin Sampson at Houston, along with showing more than his fair share of ball skills, defensive instincts, outlier rebounding traits, and a clean midrange pick and pop jumper that projects to stretch out to three, Cenac showed how his all-around skill-set can help teams win basketball games, especially as he fills out and develops in his impressive frame as a defender, scorer, and shooter.Boston offers a prime opportunity to take his talent and help the team win in small ways where he can help right away in the right role as he carves out his full game in a system that needs a versatile stretch big to rebound and protect the rim.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow