Grizzlies Eye Future Superstar: Elite Defender Predicted to Be their Next Big Pick in 2026 NBA Mock Drafts

 

The Memphis Grizzlies could take a chance on a big guy out of Kentucky in next year’s NBA Draft

 

The NBA Draft class of 2025 was very strong, with players like Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper at the top.

 

However, next year’s class should be even stronger. The 2026 NBA Draft is still a long way off, but there is so much ability in that draft that experts need to start getting ready for it now.

 

The best players in next year’s class are Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer. A few other players also look like they could be stars at the next level.

 

Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN posted a way too early 2026 NBA mock draft that predicted the top ten picks for next year.

1. Washington Wizards – Darryn Peterson, Kansas
2. Utah Jazz – AJ Dybantsa, BYU
3. Brooklyn Nets – Cameron Boozer, Duke
4. Charlotte Hornets – Nate Ament, Tennessee
5. Sacramento Kings – Mikel Brown Jr, Louisville
6. Memphis Grizzlies (via PHX) – Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
7. Chicago Bulls – Karim Lopez, Mexico
8. Atlanta Hawks (via NO) – Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
9. Memphis Grizzlies – Dame Sarr, Duke
10. Miami Heat – Dash Daniels, Australia

 

Of course, the Memphis Grizzlies being able to select two top-ten talents stands out, especially with who they take at the sixth pick.

Jayden Quaintance, a 6-foot-9 big man, will be 18 years old by draft night despite being a sophomore in college. The young talent reclassified to enroll at Arizona State a year early, but injuries held him back during his freshman campaign.

What makes Jayden Quaintance special?

In his freshman season, Quaintance averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game, and is now on his way to Kentucky for his sophomore campaign. While he is recovering from a torn ACL, he is regarded as one of the most promising defensive prospects for next year’s draft, especially with his 7-foot-5 wingspan and high-level tools.

“Younger than several highly touted rising high school seniors, Quaintance had a highly productive freshman season at Arizona State, ranking as one of the best shot blockers in college basketball,” Givony wrote. “He has a chiseled frame, huge hands and a 7-foot-5 wingspan and is exceptionally mobile. NBA teams will be monitoring how he bounces back from the ACL surgery he had in March, and that might require a slower start at Kentucky.”