2026 NBA Draft: Biggest Surprise Picks from Draft Night

Round 1 of the 2026 NBA Draft concluded last night, and the top prospects in college basketball have now found new homes in the NBA. There were plenty of trades, surprise picks, risers and players who slid during the first round. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest risers and surprise selections from draft night.

Biggest Surprises:

Morez Johnson Jr.:

The first surprise selection of the night came when Morez Johnson Jr. was drafted ninth overall by the Dallas Mavericks. The first eight picks largely went according to most mock drafts and where prospects were projected to go, but the Mavericks had several different directions they could have gone at No. 9.

One day before the NBA Draft, Dusty May, the former Michigan head coach who had just won a national championship in April, was announced as the new head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. With several Wolverines declaring for the draft and projected as first-round selections, it’s not surprising in hindsight that Johnson was May’s pick.

Johnson was one of the biggest risers on draft boards in recent weeks, performing well at the combine and consistently showcasing his elite intangibles and skill set. His size at 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds certainly translates well to the NBA level, and it was clear that both May and the Mavericks valued those traits.

Despite this, many analysts expected his teammate Aday Mara to be the first Wolverine selected and were surprised to see Johnson come off the board in the top 10. Although Johnson is certainly as talented as the rest of the players in that range, the fit in Dallas and May’s familiarity with him likely influenced the selection, making Johnson one of the biggest risers and surprises of draft night.

Dailyn Swain:

Another surprise selection in Round 1 came when the Chicago Bulls used their second first-round pick, No. 15 overall, to select Texas guard Dailyn Swain. Swain had a great season at Texas, averaging 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game.

Despite his strong season, one of the knocks on Swain is that he can be prone to questionable shot selection at times and scores most of his points inside the paint rather than from the perimeter. His 17.3 points per game show that he can consistently attack the rim and score at a high level, but it remains to be seen how that will translate to the NBA against bigger, stronger and more developed defenders.

The Bulls clearly believe Swain is a good fit for their roster and trust his game enough to think he will continue to develop at the next level.

Check out our draft profile on Dailyn Swain to learn more about the Bulls’ newest guard.

Ebuka Okorie:

Ebuka Okorie was another player who rose significantly during the first round of the NBA Draft. Many projected Okorie as a late first-round pick, but he ultimately went to the Detroit Pistons at No. 17 overall. Okorie had an excellent freshman season at Stanford, averaging 23.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

Although he had a great offensive season, there is still a limited sample size when it comes to evaluating Okorie, and he is also one of the smallest guards in the draft at 6-foot-1.25 and 186 pounds. The Pistons have enough talent and depth that Okorie won’t be asked to contribute immediately, but it will still be important to see how he handles himself defensively and how he finishes at the rim against larger NBA opponents.

The most interesting part of the Okorie selection is that the Pistons traded up four spots to acquire him, giving up three future second-round picks in the process. Detroit clearly believes Okorie has the tools to succeed at the next level and provide an offensive spark for the team’s future.

Check out our draft profile on Ebuka Okorie to learn more about the Pistons’ newest guard.