As March fast approaches, NBA mock draft season is heating up, with the Chicago Bulls predicted to land a true difference-maker in the 2026 NBA Draft.
As March fast approaches, NBA mock draft season is heating up, with the Chicago Bulls predicted to land a true difference-maker in the 2026 NBA Draft. Mock drafts usually do a solid job of outlining both the ranges where the highest potential prospects will be picked, and the positional/skill set needs of each team.
The problem when trying to narrow down who Chicago will select is that there are many, many needs; and with the team adding 6+ new players at the trade deadline who may or may not be a part of the team's future, the positional makeup of the roster is as uncertain as the franchise's goals. But this roundup is to provide Bulls Nation with a solid idea of what basketball pundits are thinking that the Chicago front office is thinking.
Koa Peat (6-foot-8, 235 lbs.): Freshman, Forward, Arizona
The Bulls are no stranger to drafting prospects out of the University of Arizona in recent years, and Koa Peat has a solid shot at being the next Wildcat to land in Chicago. Peat is a stocky, 6-foot-8 and 235 lbs., and does almost all of his work in the paint, which has led to him being 6th in the Big 12 conference in FG% (54.2%) at the time of this writing.
Peat will need a lot of fine tuning to become the player he could be at the NBA level, but the fact that he comes in a big body not scared to get physical will help. He has some passing chops from the forward spot, posting a 16.5% assist rate over 25 games so far for Arizona. Peat also has a surprisingly solid handle for such a well-built forward, allowing him to dictate pace and get to his preferred spots on the floor with ease. Whether or not he ever developed a 3-point shot, it isn't hard to imagine Peat working in Chicago's system.
Nate Ament (6-foot-10, 207 lbs.) - Freshman, Forward, Tennessee
Out of all the prospects likely to be available when the Bulls make their pick, Nate Ament feels the most like "an Arturas Karnisovas prospect." Before people assume this is slight, I simply mean the type of prospect the Bulls have favored as of late.
A lanky, 6-foot-10 forward who has improved rapidly which each passing game, Ament has some similarities to Bulls 2025 1st round pick Noa Essengue. Just like Essengue, Ament has impressed with his ability to generate free throws, averaging 7.4 FTA per game for Tennessee over 26 games at the time of this writing.
Ament is averaging 18.0 PPG, but putting up a robust 22.8 PPG over his last six games, a stretch where Tennessee went 5-1.
Keaton Wagler (6-foot-6, 185 lbs.) - Freshman, Shooting Guard, Illinois
Wagler has burst onto big boards all over the country following an incredibly hot stretch that saw the lanky SG drop 46 points, including shooting 9-11 from 3-point range in a six-point win over the Purdue Boilermakers.
He is a great shooter at 42% from 3-point range on 5.8 attempts per game from deep, and 81.3% from the free throw line on a healthy 6.3 free throw attempts per game. The main concerns for Wagler come on defense, where it is not certain that he will hold up while listed at a likely generous 185 lbs. On top of that, there are some slight offensive concerns that Wagler doesn't have enough athleticism and speed to continue to rack up free throws at the same rate the NBA level, which would make him strictly a shooter and a very different prospect from what he is imagined as now.
Jayden Quaintance (6-foot-10, 255 lbs.) - Sophomore, Center, Kentucky
Bulls fans likely wouldn't be thrilled if the franchise selected Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance in the 2026 NBA Draft. Whether or not that reaction would be fair, only time would tell. Quaintance came into the year as one of the--if not THE--best center prospect in his class. The-still-18-years-old Quaintance is your prototypical rim-running, shot-blocking, menace in the paint, old-school big man.
The main problem?
Quaintance has missed 13 straight games due to lower body injury issues. He tore his ACL in February of 2025 while a member of the Arizona State Sun Devils, and while he was expected to have a smooth recovery and relatively steady year in Lexington, it has been pretty much the exact opposite.
Over the four games Quaintance has played for the Wildcats, he has averaged 5.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 16.8 minutes per game.
Obviously, the history of big men who rely on athleticism dealing with early and nagging lower body injuries isn't great. But if Quaintance can make a full recovery at some point, he would be a steal and likely a key part of the defensive success of whatever team he lands on.
Chris Cenac Jr. (6-foot-11, 240 lbs.) - Freshman, Forward/Center, Houston
Chris Cenac Jr. was a five-star recruit and McDonald's All-American out of boarding school Link Academy. I mention this because it ended up being a bit of a shocker that an offensively gifted big like Cenac Jr. was open to the tough, defensive-focused coaching of the great Kelvin Sampson.
Sampson prepares prospects to lock in defensively and play physically every single night, but it was no guarantee that Cenac Jr. would get to showcase his offensive skill to a large degree at Houston.
To his credit, Cenac Jr. has still managed to flash what makes him an intriguing NBA center prospect despite a small role on offense. He is shooting 33.3% from 3-point range on 2.7 attempts per game from deep, but has started to get more aggressive albeit less efficient in conference play.
Cenac Jr. will take a lot more projection than most prospects when you factor in his small role. But watch a full Houston Cougars game, and it isn't hard to imagine him as a versatile, stretch-five down the line. At 19 years old, there is plenty of time for Cenac Jr. to grow his game in the pros should he choose to come out this season.