A new mock draft from ESPN has the Chicago Bulls taking an Arizona Wildcats star in the top-10.
The Chicago Bulls are currently looking to fill key roles in their front office (VP of Basketball Operations, General Manager) and on the bench (head coach) as they ramp up for what promises to be a busy offseason. Without a front office or head coach in place, it is, of course, impossible to say exactly what the Bulls are looking for in terms of draft day-fits. But we still have a general idea of the draft ranges of the prospects in the--somewhat small--2026 draft class. The latest 2026 NBA Mock drafts have started to get more in line with each other across different sites as the May 10 draft lottery fast approaches.
Mock drafts are based off of the evaluators opinion, but the ESPN mock draft we are discussing today does state that it is also based of off "the informed by ongoing conversations with NBA executives and scouts."
Seeing as ESPN's mock draft is partly based off of intel from around the league, we decided to take a closer look at their latest 2026 mock, which has the Bulls selecting Arizona star freshman Brayden Burries with the 9th overall pick.
In ESPN's mock, the Bulls don't get a chance to select local star Keaton Wagler from Illinois, as he goes 6th overall to the Memphis Grizzlies. Talented guards Kingston Flemings (Houston) and Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville) go 7th and 8th respectively in ESPN's mock, ahead of Burries at nine.
Based off my personal big board and those of most evaluators, getting Burries at nine would be great value for Chicago, and about as good as it gets if they don't move up in the draft order during the lottery.
Burries--someone we have covered extensively here at Bulls Roundtable--is 6-foot-4, 205 lbs. Although he plays as a shooting guard in most lineups, his strength and willingness to take on a variety of defensive assignments make him a capable wing in most situations.
In terms of prospects who fit neatly with the Bulls assumed core of Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, it doesn't get any simpler than Burries' fit. Burries is not a natural point guard but can handle a decent chunk of secondary playmaker duties (4.6 assists per 100 possessions). He rebounds well for his position--9.2 rebounds per 100 possessions--and is a physical defender capable of forcing turnovers. Burries is also a bit of an analytical darling, as his +5.7 Defensive Box Plus/Minus is among the highest in the top-10 on most draft boards.
If the Bulls walk away with Burries on draft night, that means they likely didn't get lucky in the draft lottery. But in that scenario they should be pleased knowing they added a prospect that has the potential to plug-in and play a significant starting role from Day 1.