Let's project every Round 2 pick: Our NBA mock dra...
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- The 2026 NBA Draft Round 2 begins Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, with the champion New York Knicks selecting first at No. 31 via Washington.
- The Knicks are projected to take North Carolina junior Henri Veesaar at No. 31, a stretch-5 whose offensive game took off after transferring, with Woo noting New York 'likely considered' him at No. 24 before trading down — and cautioning that trading the pick 'is entirely possible.'
- The Knicks' trade activity on Tuesday left them with five second-round picks after three moves, giving them unusual Day 2 flexibility in a 59-pick draft.
- Round 1 saw BYU's AJ Dybantsa go No. 1 to Washington, Kansas' Darryn Peterson go No. 2 to Utah, and Dallas take Morez Johnson Jr. at No. 9 to reunite him with new Mavericks head coach Dusty May, hired Monday.
- The Brooklyn Nets are called the most fascinating Round 2 team by Golliver, still holding the No. 43 pick after sending one second-rounder to Minnesota in the Julius Randle trade, despite having already drafted guard Mikel Brown Jr. at No. 6.
- Louisville's Ryan Conwell is Woo's favorite under-the-radar prospect, a career 37% three-point shooter with strength and toughness, projected to come off the board in the 30s.
- Purdue's Braden Smith, the NCAA's all-time assists leader with 1,103, is mocked to Boston at No. 40 despite being the smallest player at the combine (5-foot-10, 166 pounds).
Why it matters: The champion Knicks' haul of five second-round picks after three Day 1 trades gives them rare flexibility — they can develop a stretch-5 like Veesaar for depth, flip the No. 31 for a veteran, or simply stockpile assets. For the Brooklyn Nets, who already selected four guards in last year's draft and added Mikel Brown Jr. at No. 6, the No. 43 pick offers their best chance to address pressing non-guard needs.
