Nick Martinelli continues to gain traction ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, earning a projection to the defending champion New York Knicks in ESPN's latest mock draft.
Nick Martinelli's name continues to surface in national NBA mock drafts, as the Northwestern standout landed with the defending NBA champion New York Knicks in a new ESPN mock draft.
ESPN's Jeremy Woo projected Martinelli to the Knicks with the No. 55 overall pick in his latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft, giving the Wildcats' leading scorer another appearance in a major national projection ahead of draft night.
The projection is the latest positive development for Martinelli, who has steadily improved his draft stock throughout the pre-draft process. After returning to Northwestern for his senior season rather than pursuing professional opportunities earlier in his career, Martinelli turned in one of the most productive seasons in program history.
The 6-foot-7 wing appeared in all 33 games for the Wildcats during the 2025-26 season and averaged 23.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He shot 51.0% from the field, 41.7% from 3-point range and 80.9% from the free-throw line while finishing as the Big Ten's leading scorer for a second consecutive season.
His strong play during the season carried over to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, where he impressed scouts with his scoring ability and perimeter shooting. Martinelli showcased the offensive versatility that made him one of the conference's most difficult players to defend, creating opportunities from the perimeter, midrange and around the basket.
The Knicks projection comes shortly after Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints projected Martinelli to the San Antonio Spurs at No. 42 overall in a recent mock draft. While the exact draft position varies depending on the outlet, Martinelli has consistently appeared in the second-round conversation throughout the spring.
One interesting trend has emerged from those projections. In the span of a few days, Martinelli has been linked to both the Spurs and Knicks, the two teams that met in the 2026 NBA Finals.
While mock drafts are far from guarantees, the projections suggest evaluators see value in Martinelli's combination of size, shooting and scoring versatility as teams search for experienced prospects who can provide depth at the next level.
The changing landscape of college basketball may also be working in Martinelli's favor. With more players opting to stay in school because of NIL opportunities, experienced upperclassmen have become increasingly valuable to NBA teams.
Martinelli benefited from that trend by returning to Northwestern for his senior season, a decision that allowed him to further elevate his game and improve his draft stock.
For now, mock drafts remain projections, and several workouts and team meetings still stand between Martinelli and draft night. However, his continued presence in national mock drafts suggests he has firmly established himself on NBA radars entering the final weeks of the pre-draft process.
The 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23-24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where Martinelli will look to become the latest Wildcat selected to the NBA.
