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Spurs and Thunder Go Big and Other Takeaways From the NBA Draft
The first eight picks were college freshmen, while Oklahoma City and San Antonio targeted bigger frontcourt players to add physicality.
- On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara as the 12th pick in the NBA draft in Brooklyn, while the Washington Wizards opened the two-day event by taking AJ Dybantsa.
- College freshmen accounted for nine of the top 10 picks, matching records set last year, as teams like San Antonio shifted strategies after Victor Wembanyama's 2023 selection altered draft priorities.
- The Brooklyn Nets selected Mikel Brown Jr. from Louisville with strong crowd approval, while the Knicks remained cautious, with owner James Dolan stating he wanted to avoid the second apron.
- Second-Round trades yielded German guard Jack Kayil and Vanderbilt forward Tyler Nickel, as Arkansas guard Acuff, the SEC Tournament MVP, entered the league after averaging 23.5 points.
- Darryn Peterson emphasized the competitive mindset of the draft class, stating, "We're going to continue to compete. I'm coming for these guys like I've been coming for them my whole career.
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16 Articles
16 Articles
Associated Press News+11 Reposted by 11 other sources
Spurs and Thunder go big, Acuff-Brown is a matchup to watch and other takeaways from the NBA draft
The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder were thinking big. Darius Acuff Jr. and Mikel Brown Jr. might be a rivalry to watch among smalls.
·New York, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources16
Leaning Left7Leaning Right2Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution47% Left
Bias Distribution
- 47% of the sources lean Left
47% Left
L 47%
C 40%
13%
Factuality
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