The 2026 NBA Draft was considered one of the best draft classes in recent memory. The lottery was filled with what appears to be future stars, including AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, and Darius Acuff Jr., all of whom would be in contention for the first overall pick in a number of drafts. Some really good players who should contribute from day one were selected later in the first round, too.
However, despite the hype surrounding this class, the second round was pretty weak. Many of the players who were unlikely to be selected within the first 30 picks decided to return to school and pursue big NIL paydays. That made nailing the picks in the second round all the more important for teams. Some round two picks enhanced what was a great draft class overall, while others were big head-scratchers. So, what were the best and worst picks of round two?
Isaiah Evans was the best pick of the second round
Isaiah Evans was the near-consensus best player available heading into the second round. Some pinned him as a fringe lottery talent, so it was a shock that he fell all the way out of the first round. Once the second round came around, and teams were looking to trade up for pick 31 or 32, Evans’ slide continued, and it wasn’t ended until the Minnesota Timberwolves added him with pick 33.
It was not only the steal of the second round, but one of the steals of the entire draft. The Duke product was the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of North Carolina and was a key contributor for some very good Blue Devils teams over the last two seasons. Evans, who made 36.1% of the 7.4 3-pointers he launched per game this season, was one of the best outside marksmen in this class. He made 41.6% of his deep balls as a freshman.
Evans is much more than just a catch-and-shoot threat, though. The guard/forward can create his own shot off the bounce and score from both the mid-range and off the drive. He has great length and could be a day one contributor for a Timberwolves team that is making blockbuster moves left and right.
Minnesota scared a lot of their fans when they traded their first-round pick away for a second-rounder, just to get off Julius Randle’s contract. They have since re-signed Ayo Dosunmu and traded for LaMelo Ball in a fleece against the Charlotte Hornets, though. Evans was selected with the second-round pick acquired in the Randle deal, and he and Ball will more than replicate the lost 3-point shooting from Donte DiVincenzo’s injury. The Timberwolves have nailed the offseason, and their second-round steal of Evans is a big reason why.
The Nuggets made the worst second-round pick
The Denver Nuggets had a crucial offseason coming off a disappointing first-round exit to none other than the Timberwolves, who bested Denver despite being short DiVincenzo, Dosunmu, and Anthony Edwards for much of the series. Unfortunately, their 2026 NBA Draft was pretty disappointing.
The team had an opportunity to trade up in the first round for some great fits, but they instead opted to trade back from pick number 27, picking up pick 35 and two future second round picks in the process. Denver is so depleted of draft assets that acquiring more capital made some sense.
The team even made the most of their 35th pick by taking Trevon Brazile, an athletic freak who is 23 years old and may be able to help right away. Brazile works in the dunker spot as a play finisher, something that Aaron Gordon has thrived at with Nikola Jokic throwing him passes.
However, Denver’s next selection was a letdown. After already drafting an older prospect, the Nuggets again opted for a 23-year-old when they took Bryce Hopkins 49th overall. Hopkins isn’t near the fit that Brazile is. The five-year collegiate player is somewhat of a forward tweener. His 3-point shot is also far from consistent. The Nuggets could have used a backup big with rumors suggesting Jonas Valanciunas wants to head to Europe, and Henri Veesaar was still on the board. Veesaar is an excellent shooter who would have allowed the Nuggets to spread the floor with their backup lineups in a similar manner to when Jokic is on the court.
The poor selection of Hopkins was compounded by the fact that earlier, when the team took Brazile, Evans, and Meleek Thomas were drafted in consecutive picks right before the Nuggets were on the clock. The Nuggets were so close to being able to pick the two best players available in the second round, but they instead ended up with older prospects, one of which (Hopkins) is a questionable fit on the roster.
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