Four teams clearly won the N.B.A. draft, but they weren’t alone

June 24, 2026

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE, via Getty Images

The Winners and Losers of the N.B.A. Draft’s First Round

Typically, Sam Vecenie, a columnist for The Athletic, has had no problem finding teams that he thinks did exceedingly well or extremely poorly. This year was different though, he writes.

Read the full article on The Athletic.

After Wemby, every team expects its top pick to become its savior. →

The Wizards got their man in AJ Dybantsa. Can he cast a spell to lead them out of the dark? →

Who will pick Meleek Thomas and Isaiah Evans? →

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