5 Nets 2026 NBA Draft prospects to watch in Friday's NCAA Sweet 16

The Brooklyn Nets are nearing the end of their 2025-26 NBA season after enduring another rebuilding campaign that will hopefully provide them with their next franchise player via the 2026 NBA Draft. Brooklyn has been trying to win as many games as possible while developing the younger players on the team, but the Nets are also hoping to get lucky for the Draft. Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Nets selected five players from the 2025 NBA Draft: guard Egor Demin, guard Nolan Traore, forward Drake Powell, guard Ben Saraf, and forward Danny Wolf.

While each of the rookies have had their fair share of successes and struggles, Brooklyn still needs more talent on the roster if it is going to compete as soon as next season. That's not to say that these rookies won't be a factor in the rotation next season, but the Nets are where they are in the Lottery standings for a reason given how much the team has struggled this year. With that being said, here are five players to pay attention to in Friday's NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 that could be draft prospects for the Nets (with the help of Tankathon's Big Board ): Cameron Boozer, F, Duke Boozer has been regarded as one of the best players in the 2026 class due to his ability to contribute in multiple ways on the floor while also having prototypical size to play power forward in the NBA.

However, in NCAA Tournament games against Siena and TCU, one could argue that the concerns over Boozer's relative lack of athletic pop could be a reason to push him down the board for a team like the Nets. Nate Ament, F, Tennessee Ament has great size for an NBA win (6'10", 207 pounds) so the fact that he can be a threat from the perimeter makes him a prospect worthy of a Lottery pick, though his stock may be outside of where Brooklyn lands. However, if the Nets decided to add more scoring to the frontcourt, Ament could fit the bill, especially if he's able to perform well against Iowa State.

Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan Lendeborg has shown a lot during this season at Michigan as he has displayed the ability to be a three-level scorer at the power forward spot for one of the best teams in the country. Lendeborg seems to be projected to be taken towards the end of the Lottery so it's possible that the Nets wouldn't take him early, but he would be a 23-year-old prospect that can step right in and be ready to contribute at the next level. Isaiah Evans, F, Duke Evans is projected to be a second-round pick and with his ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter, a team like the Nets can use as much shooting on the roster as possible.