Nets Top 10 Prospects for the NBA Draft

The Nets are set to pick at No. 6 in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft, their highest selection in decades. 

Brooklyn will have roster-building options this offseason, with cap space and trades certainly on the horizon. Still, the selection of the sixth pick is far-and-away the most important, offering a star prospect in a historically deep draft.

Here are 10 options for the Nets at No. 6:

1. Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Illinois’ guard Keaton Wagler has enormous upside as a guard that can play both on and off the ball, and has the combination of skills that the Nets coveted at the 2025 draft. He doesn’t have high-flying athleticism, but has some of the best feel for the game in the class, able to shot-make, play-make and more.

2. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville

Outside of the top-four, Mikel Brown Jr. has the highest ceiling in the class with his combination of positional size, athleticism, shooting, passing, handling and more. He saw and up-and-down season with Louisville due to a lingering back injury, but projects to be a star-level guard with development.

3. Kingston Flemings, Houston

Houston’s Kingston Flemings has claim to being the best defender and passer of the guard bunch near the top, needing only to iron out his scoring process to see NBA-level impact. He’s a great athlete and quick-thinker.

4. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. was an offensive supernova for the Razorbacks this year, averaging 23.5 points and 6.4 assists per game while winning plenty of basketball games. The defense needs work, though the Nets could just bank of offensive potential and make him their star guard of the future.

5. Aday Mara, Michigan

At 7-foot-3, it’s hard to envision a higher ceiling for a prospect than Michigan’s Aday Mara, who has real ball skills at his size. He can rebound, pass, block shots and score on the interior, and has the early visions of a 3-point shot as well.

6. Nate Ament, Tennessee 

Previously one of the top-ranked players in the class, Tennessee’s Nate Ament left a little to be desired in his freshman season with the Volunteers, but still clearly has major upside as a fluid 6-foot-11 wing. He can shoot, dribble, pass and profiles well as a Net.

7. Brayden Burries, Arizona

There hasn’t been much buzz involving Arizona’s Brayden Burries and the Nets, though his combination of strength and skill at the guard position will be un-ignorable, even at No. 6. He was the leading scorer for one of the best teams in the country as a true freshman.

8. Labaron Philon, Alabama

When evaluating guard options, Alabama’s Labaron Philon needs mentioned, offering some of the best on-ball skill in the class. He can score, pass and has what is likely the best handling in the class, and needs only to bulk up to offer an elite guard prospect.

9. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

If the Nets are looking to compete as soon as next season, a trade-back for Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg likely makes sense on a few levels. He’s nearly 24-years-old, but has tons of immediate plug-and-play qualities such as scoring, versatile defense, passing, rebounding and more.

10. Karim Lopez, NZ Breakers

At 6-foot-9, Karim Lopez offers another trade-back option on the wing, with the ability to handle the ball well at his size.