The 2026 NBA draft is just two weeks away, as mock draft boards are dropping. Renowned NBA analyst Adam Finkelstein also joined the party as he revealed his prediction for the first 60 picks in the draft.
There were several eyebrow-raising selections, which we’ll take a look at. Here are the five most surprising picks in Finkelstein’s mock draft board.
5 Surprising Picks in Adam Finkelstein’s 2026 NBA Mock Draft
1. Yaxel Lendeborg to OKC Thunder at No. 11
Finkelstein picked AJ Dybantsa as the first overall pick by the Washington Wizards and Darryn Peterson at No. 2 by the Utah Jazz. There was little surprise there, but the most obvious surprising prediction was Yaxel Lendeborg.
The former Michigan Wolverines star performed really well in the team’s national championship run, but there are question marks regarding his future as he will already be 24 years old at the time of the draft.
The Thunder already has the NBA’s deepest young core, but drafting a 24-year-old feels unusual for their playbook. Finkelstein shared why he believes the Thunder could draft Lendeborg:
“The team in the lottery least concerned about upside is OKC, since they are trying to win now, and relying on finding impactful players in relatively low-salary slots to do it. ”
2. Koa Peat Falling Into the 20s, 76ers Picking at No. 22
The most surprising development noted in Finklestein’s mock board was of Peat, who is higher than this on the CBS Big Board. The analyst claimed that Peat dropping into the 20s is due to his shooting struggles, which require a perfect team to benefit his long-term development.
Finklestein shared why the 76ers:
“The Sixers lack a long-term solution at the four, can get their floor-spacing from Embiid’s face-up skill set, and could benefit from Peat’s strength, physicality, intangibles, winning pedigree, and ability to get downhill.”
3. Braden Smith Slipping to No. 39, Going to Rockets
Smith, who averaged 14.3 points and 8.8 assists per game last season, is considered to be one of the passers in college basketball. The reason behind the drop might have to do with his size. At 5-foot-11, executives remain unsure whether his game translates athletically.
Finklestein remarked that since Fred VanVleet holds a player option for next season, the Rockets could draft him and add depth at the point guard position.
4. Allen Graves Sneaking Into the First Round, At No. 27 to Celtics
Finklestein called Graves “an analytic darling” with “a rare overlap of defensive playmaking, passing, ball-security, and offensive rebounding.” Though many national mocks still have him outside Round 1, the Celtics are an analytic driven team, making this case a possibility nonetheless.
5. Alex Karaban Lasting Until No. 35 (To Spurs)
Alex Karaban dropping to the second round was not expected. The UConn legend is a proven winner who can offer basketball IQ and championship experience. Though it’s not surprising that it’s the Spurs Finklestein picked to draft him.
With the young core of Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle turning heads in the league, playing with them could maximize the Spurs offensively on the floor.
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