Final Four NBA Draft prospects who will be first-round picks in 2026
We’re headed toward some big basketball moments in the coming weeks. Ones that will change the lives of many young hoopsters and the faces of several NBA franchises. They’re both interconnected, of course, and the future for players and NBA teams starts Saturday night with the two Final Four semifinal matchups (Saturday, April 4, 4:09) followed by the national championship game Monday night (April 6, 8:30 p.
m. ET/6:30 p. m.
PT, TBS/TNT/truTV/MAX). Those three games will be chock-full of NBA scouts in attendance. They’ll get a final college look at some intriguing prospects before some of them descend on Chicago for the annual NBA Draft Combine (May 10-17).
Sunday, May 10, is also the night of the momentous 2026 NBA Draft Lottery . This is a big one, this year’s lotto, because this draft is considered one of the best and deepest in league history. Most of this year’s top players won’t be playing in the Final Four, but there will be standout NBA prospects from Illinois, UConn, Arizona, and Michigan on the floor in Indy.
MORE: 2027 March Madness future stars shine in McDonald’s All-American Game Here are six prospects who should hear their name called during the first round of the NBA Draft (date TBD). Keaton Wagler, 6-6, SG (Illinois) Mar 26, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) dribbles the ball against the Houston Cougars in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the South Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Here’s a great story: The 2025 Gatorade Kansas Player of the Year wasn’t recruited by Bill Self and the Jayhawks or in-state rival Kansas State.
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