Who are the Top Draft Prospects From the Men's Final Four Teams?
With the 2026 men's March Madness Tournament officially over, it is now time to look forward to the NBA draft. There isn't a set draft date yet, but it will likely be in late June. Throughout the tournament, many standout players will make it to the NBA, but the Final Four in particular featured a handful of projected lottery picks. Even if the top prospects do not end up panning out the way mock drafts are predicting, it is still important to highlight the special achievement of being a top 14 pick.
Out of the Final Four teams, Keaton Wagler is predicted to be one of the higher-drafted players across many mock drafts. Wagler is looking at the five-to-seven range, which would put him in either the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies, or Atlanta Hawks. Wagler was the leading scorer for the Fighting Illini, averaging 17.9 points, 4.2 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game, while shooting an impressive 39% from the three-point line. The six-foot-six guard could have been looking at a safe fifth overall pick, but his performance in the Final Four game against UConn could have hurt his projections. Illinois lost 71-62 to the Huskies, and while Wagler had a 20-point and eight-rebound performance, it was not the result of an efficient night. He shot seven for 16 from the field and shot an awful two for 10 from the three-point line.
Brayden Burries is another player predicted to be in the same range as Waglor. The California native also struggled in their Final Four game, where Arizona suffered a blowout loss to the Michigan Wolverines, 91-73. In this game, Burries had 13 points and six rebounds, but shot an unimpressive four for 16 from the field and two for 10 from the three-point line. On the season, the freshman guard averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, while also shooting an inspiring 39% from behind the arc. While Burries is a safe top-eight lottery pick, his position in the draft could fluctuate due to his poor performance in the elimination game.
Yaxel Lendeborg is projected to be in the latter half of the lottery, ranging from picks eight to 13. While this range is rather wide, the Miami Heat have said they will look to draft the Michigan forward. This is a wide range of picks, most likely due to him becoming a national champion, but also to his lackluster performances in both the Final Four and the championship game. In the Final Four game, Lendeborg took a step back from being the leading scorer, where he only had 11 points and shot only four times. In the championship game, the New Jersey native scored 13 points but shot just four-for-13 from the field and missed all five of his three-point attempts. While his final two games were mediocre at best, Lendeborg still averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on the season, where he also shot a skillful 51% from the field and 37% from three.
Koa Peat is the last player from the Final Four teams with projections of becoming a lottery pick. While the previous three players are safely considered top-14 picks, Peat is the only player on the verge, viewed as the last pick of the lottery, which could land him in Miami. The Arizona freshman averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He also shot an excellent 52% from the field, but he also shot a below-average 35% from the three-point line. This shooting percentage is most likely a key reason why he could fall out of the lottery. In the Wildcat's elimination game, Peat ended up being the leading scorer for the team despite shooting a deficient six for 18 from the field. He ended with a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
