Picks 1-30 are officially in the books for the 2026 NBA Draft. BYU basketball's star freshman AJ Dybantsa went first overall to the Washington Wizards, as many expected in the days leading up to draft night (the first BYU alumni to be picked first overall). But the second Cougar up for grabs, senior sharpshooter Richie Saunders, is still at large and awaiting the announcement that he'll be an NBA player.
Unfortunately the difference between being a first-round and second-round pick is astronomical in the NBA, with second-round picks not guaranteed a contract with the team who drafts them and the honus remains upon the player to prove to the team that they can contribute at the highest level.
But being an early second-round pick can be a major difference-maker, as going in the top 40 has a much higher success rate in the prose than picks 41-60 typically hold.
BYU's Richie Saunders deserves to be a top-40 NBA Draft pick
Saunders is near the top of ESPN's best players available, and has been steadily climbing up draft boards in recent weeks, crawling from the 56th pick or going undrafted altogether to falling in that key 31-40 zone. It's a tragic result for a player who was reportedly a first-round graded prospect prior to tearing his ACL against Colorado near the end of the regular season.
That, plus Saunders' practically elderly status among his fellow classmates -- 24 years old today, 25 by the beginning of the 2026-27 season -- and he has understandably tumbled a bit further down the order than he likely deserves.
So with the draft's second day rapidly approaching and Saunders still up for grabs, I'm staking my claim right here, right now. I predict that Saunders
CBS Sports projects Richie to be taken early in the second round, coming off the board 35th to the Denver Nuggets.
CBS Sports projects Richie Saunders going No. 35 to the Denver Nuggets.
— Diggin’ Brigham (@DigginBrigham) June 24, 2026
This would be IDEAL. Win-now team with a solid roster and culture.
Imagine Richie spotting up on the 3-point line as Nikola Jokic draws defenders and sets up a cross-court pass… pic.twitter.com/hELHT7YkZ0
If you ask me, that's a very strong prediction, as the Nuggets are searching for day-one difference-makers -- Saunders fits the bill. But if Denver passes on the BYU veteran, I expect Oklahoma City to dip in with the 37th pick and bolster their already stuffed roster.
Facing uncertainty at the wing position, and likely needing to offload more contracts in the offseason to make way for the expensive contracts of Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, Saunders is an ideal player to fill the role of a Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, or Isaiah Joe type.
We'll never know until we know, but Richie Saunders holds his destiny in his hands, regardless of the organization that selects him. And if we've learned anything about how Saunders plays basketball, it'll be hard to keep him off the court this upcoming season.
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