In the latest episode of the Thinking Basketball podcast, Ben Taylor and Cody Houdek explored the intriguing concept of a re-draft that combines players from the last three NBA drafts. The discussion centered on ranking prospects from the 2024, 2025, and 2026 drafts, mixing players yet to experience a full season with those who have played in one or two full seasons.
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Taylor and Houdek placed Dylan Harper and Caleb Wilson as their top two picks, which prompted disagreements from fans, including one who felt they overlooked Ajay Mitchell, who they ranked tenth but could not make it into their top 15.
Listeners are encouraged to check out the episode for both its engaging discussion and the expertise shared by the hosts. In their final rankings, Taylor and Houdek initially aimed to select 14 players but finalized a top 10.
The creator of this draft exercise provided a broader list of 28 players, detailing the players from each draft class. The rankings highlighted a belief that prospects from the 2026 draft are particularly strong, followed by 2025, with the 2024 class lagging behind. Notably, the top overall pick from 2024, Zaccharie Risacher, was deemed less favorably according to evaluation metrics, raising questions about his projected success.
For the 2026 draft, three players stand out as top candidates: AJ Dybantsa, Cooper Flagg, and Cameron Boozer. While all exhibit tremendous potential, the creator believes Boozer may have the best career outlook among them. Dybantsa was selected first by the Wizards, evidencing confidence in his athletic and scoring abilities.
Flagg was at the top of the 2025 draft due to his standout performance at a young age, while Boozer became the most productive player in college basketball at 18, showcasing elite potential despite concerns about his physical attributes.
Following the top three, the next selection included Alex Sarr, who showed significant defensive prowess, along with Caleb Wilson and Dylan Harper. The latter two are expected to contribute meaningfully in the long term, with Harper impressing during his rookie season.
As the exercise continued, a drop in perceived talent quality was noted after the top seven picks, with the following group seen as possibly solid players rather than future stars. This led to further selections, including Ace Bailey, Jeremiah Fears, and Collin Murray-Boyles.
Ultimately, the top 15 selections from the re-draft process were as follows: Cameron Boozer from the Memphis Grizzlies was chosen first, followed by AJ Dybantsa for the Wizards, and Cooper Flagg to the Dallas Mavericks. Other notable names include Alex Sarr, Caleb Wilson, and Dylan Harper in the subsequent picks.
The re-evaluation sparked discussions about player trajectories and career potential, reflecting a dynamic view of the current NBA landscape.