The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is done and dusted, and while there was plenty of chalk to start, there were also some real surprises as the first round developed. The ideas of calling winners and losers immediately after the draft is always a risky task, but that's never stopped us before, has it?
With so many bonafide talents being selected at the top of the draft, you could go a few different directions when determining who we immediately know had a great night. Whether it was landing a player who probably should have been drafted earlier, a player who is truly enamored with the franchise or a player who is simply just the perfect fit all around, here are three teams I believe had great nights on Tuesday.
Utah Jazz
Given the fact that Darryn Peterson only worked out for Washington and had his sights set on going there with the No. 1 pick, plus the fact that the Jazz missed out on Utah-adjacent top pick AJ Dybantsa, the situation that was unfolding could have easily descended into disaster.
Instead, the Jazz brass traveled to Peterson’s native Ohio for a meeting with the superstar guard this past weekend of Tuesday’s first round, and reportedly got a commitment from Peterson that he would be committed to the team’s rebuild and that he would do whatever the team needs to right the ship in Salt Lake City. That’s all I needed to hear. His health no longer appears to be a real concern and he’s still every bit the transcendent talent we knew he was throughout his time as a top prospect, so I think it’s safe to say Jazz fans can take a deep exhale and accept the fact that they now have a true franchise player in tow.
Sacramento Kings
I mean, when was the last time you ever heard of a player actively deciding to go play for the Sacramento Kings? Much less a player like Darius Acuff Jr., who is simultaneously among the most gifted and most electric guard prospects we’ve seen in recent drafts. Acuff Jr. is the type of player that will not only change the trajectory of a franchise on-the-court with his leadership qualities as evidenced by his SEC title run at Arkansas, but he’ll also change the trajectory of a franchise off of it.
The Kings haven’t had swagger like this come into the building since they were contending for the Western Conference in the early 2000s, and even while Acuff is in the process of turning the franchise around, his showman like qualities on the court will still give fans a reason to walk through the turnstiles. They also got another winning player in UConn's Alex Karaban via a trade with Cleveland, landing a key member of two UCONN national championship teams and another that lost in the final.
Aday Mara is selected 12th overall by the @okcthunder in the 2026 NBA Draft!
Watch on ABC & ESPN. pic.twitter.com/cY7B3eM5Pk
— NBA (@NBA) June 24, 2026
Oklahoma City Thunder
The rich continue to get richer, am I right? The Thunder somehow still had lottery picks at their disposal from Paul George’s exodus to the Clippers years ago, and with that pick they landed a center in Aday Mara, who rose up draft boards during the NBA Combine and even made a case to be drafted in the top 10 after being a relative afterthought as a prospect during his time at UCLA. Mara measured 7’3 barefoot with a 7’6 wingspan and according to draft analyst Jonathan Givony, his 9’9 standing reach is tied for second in NBA Combine history alongside Mark Williams. Imagine that next to Chet Holmgren?
Holmgren and OKC really want to find the right combination to slow down The Alien in San Antonio (i.e. Victor Wembanyama) when it matters and Mara may just be what the doctor ordered. With the roster it has already in place, it definitely could take a swing.
Mara is already used to a winning culture as well, given he was a key member of Michigan’s elite national championship-winning starting lineup. The Thunder also landed Iowa sharpshooter Bennett Stirtz via trade from Memphis, and he is certainly a prime candidate to become one of those under-the-radar offensive weapons that thrive on this OKC roster.
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