Yahoo Sports hands Memphis and Oklahoma City the only A grades after a night of high-upside swings and calculated swings in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Yahoo Sports’ post-draft report card hands Memphis and Oklahoma City the only A grades for their 2026 NBA Draft work. 3 and added two late-first upside plays, while the swung for a pair of athletic bigs who fit their rebuild timeline. 7 boards at Dayton.
” The Grizzlies’ draft strategy mirrored their 2025 approach—prioritizing positional versatility and NCAA production over raw athleticism, a formula that has kept them competitive despite roster turnover. Oklahoma City’s front office targeted athleticism and two-way upside, and the Thunder delivered. 9 rebounds at Auburn.
” The Thunder’s selections reflect their long-term rebuild plan, which has already shown dividends with young core players like Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams leading the way. The rest of the league split between Bs and Cs, with the Warriors (B+) and Spurs (B) praised for smart late-night moves, while the Lakers (C-) and Knicks (C) drew criticism for reaching on upside or trading future picks for short-term fixes. The Warriors’ late-night flurry, including a blockbuster trade for a veteran guard, underscored their commitment to maintaining championship contention despite roster aging, while the Spurs’ B grade reflected a steady stream of role players who fit their culture of development.
“Memphis and OKC didn’t just draft bodies—they drafted translatable NBA skills,” said Yahoo Sports draft analyst Jake Fischer. ” Fischer’s take highlights how the draft’s top grades weren’t just about potential but about players whose collegiate production and measurables translate directly to NBA roles. What's next: The real test begins in summer league and training camp, where rookies must prove they belong.
Memphis and Oklahoma City will look to fast-track their new pieces into rotation roles, while teams with lower grades will face pressure to accelerate development or risk falling behind in the competitive West. The summer league circuit will be critical for rookies to build chemistry with their new teammates, while training camps will reveal which late picks can carve out early-season minutes. The NBA’s draft-to-development pipeline is unforgiving.
For Memphis and Oklahoma City, the A grades are a down payment on future success, but the real work starts now. Teams like the Lakers and Knicks, meanwhile, will need to course-correct quickly or risk squandering their draft capital in a league where talent gaps widen faster than ever. Both Memphis and OKC have leaned heavily on data-driven scouting, a trend that has accelerated across the league since the 2024 draft class.
Their A grades reflect not just talent but fit: the Grizzlies’ wing brings a proven scoring engine from Gonzaga, while the Thunder’s bigs offer elite wingspans that align with the modern stretch‑big archetype. This strategic alignment suggests that the two franchises may close the gap with perennial contenders faster than peers who relied on high‑risk, high‑reward gambles. Meanwhile, the B‑ and C‑graded teams illustrate the widening stratification of draft value.
The Warriors’ B+ stems from a savvy mid‑round trade that netted a veteran guard, a move that preserves cap flexibility while adding experience. In contrast, the Lakers’ C‑ and Knicks’ C‑ grades underscore a pattern of reaching for upside at the expense of immediate contribution, a gamble that could exacerbate their roster instability in the upcoming season. Read at NewsAPI.org
Draft grades convert raw picks into early verdicts on franchise direction. High marks signal a clear rebuild path and fan optimism; low marks expose misfires that can stall progress for years. For Memphis and Oklahoma City, A grades buy time and credibility. For everyone else, the grades are a warning: talent gaps widen fast in the NBA’s arms race. The 2026 draft grades also underscore how teams are increasingly prioritizing developmental fit over raw athleticism, a shift that could redefine franchise-building strategies in the coming years.
NewsAPI.orgsports.yahoo.comBy Kevin O'ConnorJun 25, 2:57 PMen
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