The 2026 NBA draft's first round has come and gone, and on Tuesday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, five players from the SEC realized their NBA dream. Six, if you count Baylor Bears star and former Tennessee Volunteers guard Cameron Carr.
For the sake of continuity, we'll make it a clean five draft picks from the "It Just Means More" conference. The Arkansas Razorbacks, Vols, Texas Longhorns, Kentucky Wildcats, and Alabama Crimson Tide were all represented in the 2026 NBA draft's first round.
Here is the news from the draft, as it pertains to the SEC:
Darius Acuff (Arkansas), No. 6 pick to the Sacramento Kings
On paper, Darius Acuff is the likeliest to become a franchise player in the NBA from the SEC, as evidenced by his No. 6 selection by the Sacramento Kings. Sac-Town is desperate for a franchise point guard after watching De'Aaron Fox take off with the San Antonio Spurs and Tyrese Haliburton really take off for the Indiana Pacers. Acuff could be the next short king to thrive at the NBA level.
Acuff was one of the greatest players in Hogs history, breaking single-season program records with 845 points and 232 assists in his one-and-done campaign in Fayetteville. After watching Jalen Brunson win the New York Knicks an NBA Championship this past season, the Kings are going for broke with a shorter ball-handling guard whose game speaks for itself.
Nate Ament (Tennessee), No. 13 to the Milwaukee Bucks (via the Miami Heat)
Nate Ament is now officially part of the return for Monday's blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo trade between the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat. Ament joins a rebuilding Bucks squad that could have enough talent to be interesting, but probably won't have enough to win games.
That's the perfect place for Ament's development to come along slowly. Ament has great size and an intriguing skill set, but he needs to prove himself offensively before getting big minutes. He wouldn't have been able to do that on a contending team.
Dailyn Swain (Texas), No. 15 to the Chicago Bulls
Ex-Longhorn Dailyn Swain is going to one of a handful of NBA markets bigger than Austin, and it's a great on-court fit. Like the Kings and Bucks, the Chicago Bulls are going to be able to take it slow with Swain in 2026-27.
Swain is strong offensively and could be a nice microwave scorer off the bench during his first few seasons.
Jayden Quaintance (Kentucky), No. 20 to the San Antonio Spurs
We did not get to see much of Jayden Quaintance during the 2025-26 season in Lexington after he tore his ACL in February 2025 while with the Arizona State Sun Devils. Quaintance joins a Spurs team that doesn't need him playing anytime soon.
That indefinite recovery timeline should help him get his health right, which makes him one of the steals of the draft if his recovery goes well.
Labaron Philon Jr. (Alabama), No. 22 to the Philadelphia 76ers
Lbaron Philon Jr. was, indirectly, swapped with Jared McCain when the Oklahoma City Thunder shipped off picks, including this one, to the Philadelphia 76ers at the 2026 NBA trade deadline. Philon has the chance to quickly work into the exact role McCain had.
It's not clear if the Sixers are rebuilding or not, but Philon will have a role regardless of the direction this team goes under new GM Mike Gansey.
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