Italian center Luigi Suigo has withdrawn from the 2026 NBA Draft and committed to Villanova, taking a potential No. 23 target off the Atlanta Hawks' board.
The Atlanta Hawks hold two picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, and as of this writing, there's no consensus on who they'll take with either.
The Hawks could use a point guard and a big man, and two first-round selections give them a path to address both. They could also draft the best players available regardless of position, then fill the remaining hole through a trade or in free agency. Either way, their plans at No. 8 and No. 23 remain difficult to read. Some mock drafts send Michigan center Aday Mara to Atlanta at No. 8, while others have the Hawks grabbing a guard early and circling back for a center at No. 23.
If a big man at No. 23 was the plan, one name just came off the board.
Italian center Luigi Suigo has withdrawn from the 2026 NBA Draft and committed to Villanova.
A Potential Hawks Pick Heads to College
There was plenty for Hawks fans to like about Suigo. He stands 7'3" with a 7'5.5" wingspan, giving him the kind of length that's hard to find. He's also more skilled than most prospects his size, with sharp passing instincts and developing range. Suigo shot 26.7% from deep for Mega Superbet last season, a modest number that still points to a floor-spacing element worth projecting forward.
Defensively, he profiles as the rim protector you'd expect at his height, though he moves better than that frame suggests. The scoring remains raw and limited for now, but the upside is real. For the Hawks, the question is settled, at least for this cycle.
The Hawks Can Still Find a Big Man
If Atlanta wants to spend the No. 23 pick on a center, options remain.
Jayden Quaintance could be available. The Kentucky big man is a hyper-athletic rim protector with a 7'5" wingspan, and while he's typically mocked higher than No. 23, lingering injury concerns could push him down the board. North Carolina's Henri Veesaar offers an offense-first profile built around floor spacing, while St. John's product Zuby Ejiofor is undersized but a relentless defender. Tarris Reed Jr. brings strong interior defense of his own. Each comes with a distinct skill set, and the Hawks could always pursue a veteran center through other channels instead.
As for Suigo, the move to Villanova is a sensible one. He needs a season of seasoning, and a strong year in the Big East could vault him into lottery range in a thinner 2027 class. If that happens, he's unlikely to ever wear a Hawks uniform.
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