The results are in. The Atlanta Hawks own the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

For some, that's disappointing. There was hope that this pick would make a large leap. That didn't happen. The Hawks' pick landed where it was statistically most likely to land.

Cancel the pity party. The Hawks were one of the best teams in the NBA after the All-Star break this season. Now, they have an opportunity to add a top-10 talent to their roster. That's an outstanding position to be in:

Who should the Hawks draft to capitalize on it?

Barring a shocking turn of events, the Hawks will be choosing between three options. Let's start with two.

The obvious route is to choose between whichever of the quartet of comparable guard prospects is left: Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown Jr. The top 4 are basically set in this draft. It's overwhelmingly likely that Wagler and Acuff Jr. will be picked next, in either order. That leaves Flemings and Brown Jr.

Neither would be a poor choice. Flemings is a 6'4" point guard who drilled 38.7% of his threes this year. He's a relentless point-of-attack defender. Flemings may not be a star, but he's the perfect guard to pair with a point forward like Jalen Johnson.

Brown Jr. is a less clean fit. He hit just 34.4% of his threes, and he's more ball-dominant. Still, at 6'5", he's a jumbo point guard. Brown is a more creative playmaker than Flemings. If the Hawks think his ceiling is high enough, they may look to surround Johnson and Brown Jr. with spacing moving forward.

So, both are attractive options in their own way. The Hawks could justify either selection.

Yet, a third, dark-horse option looms as well.

That would be former Michigan center Aday Mara.

He's a 7'3" behemoth with surprising mobility and plus positional passing skills. Mara's variance in mock drafts is notable. You'll find mocks that have him on the backend of the first round, and you'll find ones that have him getting picked in the top-10.

Similarly, there seems to be a disconnect between pundits and internet commentators. Mara hasn't been a popular choice for the Hawks in the post-lottery mocks so far (granted, it's been a day), but if you go online, you'll find plenty of informed opinions advocating for the Hawks to draft him.

Ultimately, none of these players would be poor choices. The Hawks will have a range of appealing options. If they're set on Onyeka Okongwu as their long-term starting big, that's defensible. That said, if they want to add some size, Mara could be a game-changer:

Even if he's not a top-four pick.

Hawks Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Hawks. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.