Who Experts Predict Warriors, Kings Will Pick In First Round Of 2026 Nba Draft

Who experts predict Warriors, Kings will pick in first round of 2026 NBA Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 2026 NBA Draft lottery has come and gone, so that means now comes the fun part: mock drafts.

The Kings, who finished the 2025-26 NBA season with a 22-60 record, lost a tie-breaking coin flip that would have given them the No. 4 slot in the lottery — which ultimately turned into the No. 2 pick for the Utah Jazz — and dropped two spots to the No. 7 selection.

As for the Warriors, they were projected to get the No. 11 pick and that’s exactly what the team received after a 37-45 campaign. With Steve Kerr returning to lead the charge, it’ll be interesting to see what the team whether the team uses the pick as trade-bait or not, but for now, here are some of the projected picks if the team keeps the selection.

ESPN

Kings (No. 7): Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston

“Flemings’ explosive speed and winning intangibles swayed NBA executives this season, and he projects as a lead playmaker who puts downhill pressure on defenses and should also add value as a defender. The continued progression of his jump shot is key for him and something he’ll need to demonstrate effectively in team workouts, but he got positive results at Houston (38.7% from 3, 84.5% from the line) and has shown growth already in that area.”

Warriors (No. 11): Karim Lopez (Mexico), SF/PF, New Zealand Breakers

“The top player in a thin international prospect class, Lopez has a chance to help himself in pre-draft workouts, where teams will gain a better sense of his physical traits and skill level coming off a positive year in the NBL. Showing progress as a perimeter shooter in those settings would help his case to sneak into the top 10.”

– Jeremy Woo

CBS Sports

Kings (No. 7): Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston

“Flemings is an elite athlete who can get a piece of the paint on demand, rise up explosively at the rim, get to his pull-up at virtually any time, and be solid on the defensive end. His swing skill is his shooting, and if it holds up, then he too has legit star-type outcomes. In Sacramento, Flemings will have an opportunity to earn the starting point guard job from day one.”

Warriors (No. 11): Aday Mara, C, Michigan

“Mara kept getting better as the college season went on and ultimately led Michigan to a national championship. At 7-foot-3, he’s a giant, even by NBA standards, and a tremendous rim protector. He’s also got sneaky mobility, good hands, real passing ability, and provides vertical spacing. With Steve Kerr returning next season, the Warriors’ style of play will be staying largely the same, and Mara’s facilitating ability fits that.”

– Adam Finkelstein

USA Today

Kings (No. 7): Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas

“The Kings need a potential star like Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. in this class. …He led freshmen for field goals made in transition (72) and field goals made from both the left and right side of the court. He was among the freshmen leaders in alley-oop assists (17) as well. He has significant defensive deficiencies but is one of the most exciting offensive prospects in recent memory.”

Warriors (No. 11): Karim Lopez (Mexico), SF/PF, New Zealand Breakers

“Lopez had a low usage rate and played few minutes than other players in this range while playing against pros but was still very productive for the NBL Next Stars program in Australia. The Mexican-born forward is physically gifted, athletic, and universally seen as the top prospect from this class currently playing overseas.”

– Bryan Kalbrosky

The Athletic

Kings (No. 7): Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston

“Flemings has potential to use his speed and athleticism on offense and defense to make an impact — which is how Fox was described as a young player. The Kings need to find a young player with All-Star potential, and Flemings might be that player as he joins some young players who showed potential to be rotational pieces in the NBA.”

— Jason Jones

Warriors (No. 11):Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan

“The big man fills a lot of gaps for the Warriors. He can shoot from the outside, he has length and he comes from a Michigan team that just won a national title. He averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 37.2 percent from beyond the arc. He should be able to play well off the space Stephen Curry creates (shouldn’t everybody?) while providing a stabilizing presence on both ends.”

— Nick Friedell

Yahoo! Sports

Kings (No. 7): Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas

“Acuff is a wiry scorer who can get a bucket from anywhere on the floor with a quick trigger, slippery handle, and a feel for manipulating defenses. He has a knack for clutch moments too. He is not the biggest guard or the most explosive athlete, but he reads defenses like someone who’s been in the league for a decade. He emerged as a freshman as a skilled, low-turnover playmaker. The question that follows every undersized guard into the draft is whether the brilliance survives contact with bigger, longer, faster defenders.”

Warriors (No. 11): Karim Lopez (Mexico), SF/PF, New Zealand Breakers

“Lopez is the best basketball prospect Mexico has ever produced. He left Hermosillo at 14 to play professionally in Barcelona, then at 17 moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where he shined for two years in the NBL Next Stars program. He checks a lot of boxes with his excellent physical tools, a hardnosed approach, and a well-rounded ability to defend multiple positions, handle the ball, and a blossoming shot.”

– Kevin O’Connor

Sports Illustrated

Kings (No. 7): Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas

“Acuff was a revelation for the Razorbacks this season, thriving despite his being smaller with 23.5 points and 6.4 assists on 48% shooting. The league is seemingly moving away from small-ish guards, but Acuff might just have the poise and pace to blow away expectations anyways.”

Warriors (No. 11):Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan

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– Derek Parker

Hoops HQ

Kings (No. 7): Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston

“Flemings is the quintessential Houston guard and was consistent throughout conference play in the Big 12. In the month of January he averaged 19.8 points, and 6.3 assists and had a 42-point game against Texas Tech. He’s a tough two-way player who gets to his spots and shoots well off the dribble.”

Warriors (No. 11):Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan

“Lendeborg was a buzzy name coming out of last year’s draft combine and his decision to return to school paid off in a big way while helping Michigan win a national title. He has great size as an interior player and moves well for his size.”

– Krysten Peek

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