Iowa Stars Stirtz and Jefferson Projected in AI NBA Mock Draft
The 2026 NBA Draft is less than two weeks away, and mock draft season is heating up. While the top four picks seem locked in, the rest of the first round remains a guessing game. A new AI-powered mock draft from USA TODAY Sports and Microsoft Copilot paints an exciting picture for Iowa basketball fans, projecting two local standouts as first-round selections.
Top of the Board Remains Unchanged
BYU's A.J. Dybantsa remains the favorite to go No. 1 overall to the Washington Wizards. Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke's Cameron Boozer, and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson are expected to round out the top four. Beyond that elite tier, predictions get murky fast.
USA TODAY Sports used Microsoft Copilot to build its latest mock draft, feeding the AI chatbot information from national mock drafts, prospect analysis, team needs, and pre-draft rumors. The AI adjusted its predictions from just one week prior, moving Illinois guard Keaton Wagler and Michigan's Aday Mara up the board, while Arizona's Koa Peat and Houston's Chris Cenac Jr. saw their stock drop.
Of course, AI models still struggle with accuracy. USA TODAY noted that Microsoft Copilot needed additional prompts after incorrectly assigning several picks to the wrong teams. The real results will stay a mystery until draft night on June 23.
Iowa's Bennett Stirtz Lands at No. 19
Hawkeye fans have plenty of reason to watch the draft this year. Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz is projected to go No. 19 to the Toronto Raptors, matching his average mock draft position across national outlets.
The AI praised Stirtz's reliable playmaking, noting that Toronto would be getting a