Boston Celtics add Duke forward with 27th pick in latest mock draft

The Boston Celtics head into the offseason armed with the 27th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Brad Stevens has found some hidden gems in recent years, with Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez, both late first-round picks, playing important roles for Joe Mazzulla's team this past season. Now, all eyes will be on Stevens to see whether he can pinpoint another young talent that's ready to contribute as part of Boston's bench unit.

In his latest mock draft, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie has pinpointed Isaiah Evans, a 6-foot-6 wing out of Duke, as a potential pickup for the Celtics. Evans has just wrapped up his second season in the collegiate ranks, having started all 38 of Duke's games, averaging 15 points, 3. 2 boards and 1.

3 assists per night. "Evans had a strong close to the season up until his final game, helping Duke reach the Elite Eight," Vecenie wrote. "He averaged 15 points per game while shooting 43 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3, but over his final 15 games, he averaged 16.

5 points while shooting 46. 7 percent from the field and 39. 7 percent from 3 on over eight 3-point attempts per game.