In a new mock draft, the Atlanta Hawks are projected to select guard prospect Brayden Burries at No. 8 overall.
The Atlanta Hawks are equipped with a solid arsenal of picks heading into the 2026 NBA Draft, as they're currently scheduled to make three selections.
The highest and most notable pick they have is at No. 8 overall. They also have the No. 23 overall pick later in the first round and the No. 57 overall pick near the end of the second round.
Most attention is understandably on Atlanta's pick at No. 8. And in the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, the Hawks are projected to pick guard prospect Brayden Burries from the University of Arizona.
It sounds like Burries' draft stock may be rising behind the scenes.
"There's a growing sense from teams and agents that Brayden Burries is going to go earlier than expected," Wasserman wrote.
Burries did more than enough in his lone season at Arizona to justify being a high pick in the draft. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from beyond the arc.
The 6-foot-4 guard took home a number of personal accolades, including All-Big 12 honors. He is set to become Arizona's latest one-and-done player.
There have been mixed reports about what the Hawks plan to do with the No. 8 pick. There has been some talk of a possible trade, but it's unclear if that is truly in the cards. Moreover, the clock is ticking if they do plan to move the pick, as the first round of the draft is now just a day away.
Atlanta will have a chance to add an impact player at No. 8 overall if it opts to keep the pick. It isn't entirely clear what the board will look like by the time the team is on the clock, but there should be quality options regardless.
Burries would certainly be an intriguing addition. He -- or whoever joins the Hawks in the draft this year -- will look to help the franchise move in a positive direction in the post-Trae Young era.
Atlanta made the playoffs after trading Young this past season, but it was eliminated in the first round. The Hawks are still in search of their first playoff series win since 2021, when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals. Eventually, the franchise is hoping to get over the hump, and this week's draft could go a long way toward getting there.
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