ESPN projects 4 Arizona Wildcats taken in NBA Draft, including Jaden Bradley to Suns

Whether it’s one-and-done guard Brayden Burries in the lottery or Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley potentially remaining in the desert, the Arizona Wildcats are expected to play a big role in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Four Wildcats were projected by ESPN’s Jeremy Woo to go across the two rounds of the draft this week. The first round — and its 30 picks — will kick things off Tuesday, beginning at 5 p.m. MST.

Burries is expected to be the first one off the board, going 10th to the Milwaukee Bucks in Woo’s mock draft. The ESPN analyst sees Burries as a logical piece in a retool amid an expected Giannis Antetokounmpo deal:

Burries appears to have a narrow range between 8 and 11, with Dallas frequently mentioned and Golden State viewed as his backstop. He would have a best-available case here for the Bucks, giving them another ball handler and interchangeable perimeter option and a player who can immediately plug into their backcourt.

His fellow one-and-done star at Arizona, forward Koa Peat, was slotted in at 26th to the Denver Nuggets.

Woo cited continued interest in Peat from teams selecting in the 20s. Peat’s defensive versatility could make him a reasonable fit around Nikola Jokic, Woo added.

The Phoenix Suns select Bradley at No. 47 overall in the second round of Woo’s mock.

Although Phoenix is discussing potential moves up in the order, the interest appears legit, as Bradley has worked out for the Suns. His veteran playmaking could be a boost for a team that is sparse when it comes to true point guards.

Combo big man Tobe Awaka, who led Division 1 in offensive rebound percentage his final season, was the final Wildcat projected to be drafted, going 50th to the Toronto Raptors.

If all four Arizona standouts get selected, it would be the most in a single draft for the program in a quarter century. In 2001, it saw Richard Jefferson, Gilbert Arenas, Michael Wright and Loren Woods all get picked.

Former Sun Devil could go in NBA Draft’s 1st round

For further Arizona ties, former ASU center Jayden Quaintance was mocked 27th overall to the Boston Celtics.

Woo said teams remain concerned about the center’s knee following a torn ACL in his last game as a Sun Devil that limited him to just four games at Kentucky this season. Quaintance previously averaged 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game at ASU, setting a program record for total blocks by a freshman that would be broken the following season by Massamba Diop.

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