The LA Clippers had a 47.8% chance to win the No. 5 pick after acquiring the Indiana Pacers‘ 2026 first-round pick in the Ivica Zubac trade, which was top-four protected. The best-case scenario for the Clippers came true at the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, as the pick conveyed at No. 5 and went to them, causing the Pacers President to issue an apology.
The Clippers now get to add a highly-rated pick to their roster, which took a turn for the younger with their acquisitions of Bennedict Mathurin and Darius Garland. The franchise is still being led by forward Kawhi Leonard, but there are swirling trade rumors around the 35-year-old. This pick might get traded as a win-now move around Kawhi, or might be tasked with being the new franchise cornerstone in a post-Kawhi era.
The Clippers likely won’t get the chance to draft the top four prospects: AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, but there is still great talent available after these players, with the Clippers having the first right of refusal on the second tier of potential lottery picks after the top four have likely been selected.
Let’s take a look at the prospects the Clippers will likely evaluate with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
4. Kingston Flemings – Guard, Houston
Kingston Flemings is coming off his freshman season with the Houston Cougars, averaging 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 47.6% from the field and 38.7% from three.
Flemings measured in at 6’2.5″ barefoot and 183 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine, with a 6’3.5″ wingspan and 8’2.5″ standing reach. That’s good size for a player expected to be a starter in the NBA, but a backcourt of Flemings and Garland might be a major problem defensively. Flemings projects to be a strong point-of-attack defender in the NBA, but his small wingspan and slender size might cause him to struggle as a rookie, especially when faced with bigger star guards like Luka Doncic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
He likely will develop as a bench guard option behind Garland, being able to develop at his own pace against second units around the league. He is a strong passer and can develop his playmaking skills better as a bench option as compared to sharing the backcourt with Garland. His 40.5″ max vertical might allow him to be an explosive threat who can attack the rim, but he might need to develop a lot more strength before he can do that consistently.
Selecting Flemings at No. 5 might be a stretch, but he’s an interesting prospect the Clippers have to evaluate with strong long-term upside.
3. Mikel Brown Jr. – Guard, Louisville
Mikel Brown Jr. is coming off his freshman season with the Louisville Cardinals, averaging 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 41.0% from the field and 34.4% from three. He projects to be a potential high-usage guard star in the NBA, but his skills might not be ideal for a role-playing guard who can adjust to a contending team as a rookie.
Despite his poor efficiency numbers, Brown Jr. is one of the best shot-makers in the Draft. He’s among the rangiest shooters who measured in at 6′3.5” barefoot, 190.2 pounds, 6′7.5” wingspan, and 8′4.5” standing reach in the NBA Draft Combine, showing he has the size required to potentially be a two-way threat in the NBA. He has the physical tools to be more effective as a defender than Flemings or the next prospect on this list, so he could be developed as a better-fitting long-term guard option alongside Garland, with the upside to potentially be the lead guard in the future.
His decision-making and shot selection coming into the NBA show the need for development. He might be a really good shot to go No. 5 due to his long-term upside, but this is the kind of pick they’d make if Leonard was definitely on his way out. Brown Jr.’s developmental arc might need more patience than something a win-now team can afford. He’d be the kind of player the Sacramento Kings might take a swing at No. 5, but it seems hard for the Clippers to take this risk with their current position as a franchise.
2. Darius Acuff Jr. – Guard, Arkansas
Darius Acuff Jr. was one of the best guards in the NCAA last season with the Arkansas Razorbacks, averaging 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. Acuff is likely the pick the Clippers make if they’re targeting long-term upside, as his measurements of 6’2″ barefoot and 186 pounds, with a 6’7″ wingspan and 8’2.5″ standing reach might cause him to be a tough sell for the Clippers if Garland is also going to be their long-term point guard.
Acuff’s production in college shows he can immediately enter the NBA as a difference-making player. The Clippers could select him as a bench option behind Garland to allow him to develop at his own pace and groom him to be the long-term point guard of the Clippers. His scoring efficiency makes him an eye-watering prospect given his skills as a three-level scorer and a high-level playmaker who had a strong 3:1 turnover-to-assist ratio last season.
In terms of pure talent, Acuff might be the best option for the Clippers. His wingspan might allow him to be a more effective defender than his height would indicate, but that would require some development. His offense is NBA-ready, but the Clippers don’t have a desperate need to find a mercurial offensive talent here. That’s why he’s the No. 2 prospect on this list, although his talent might make him the best available prospect.
1. Keaton Wagler – Guard, Illinois
Keaton Wagler was our pick to go to the Clippers after the NBA Draft Lottery, and that stance hasn’t changed. He’s the best prospect the Clippers could select considering their current situation with Garland expected to be the franchise’s point guard in the coming future. Thankfully, Wagler could be an immediate fit in their starting five as well as having the long-term upside to potentially be a future cornerstone for the roster.
Wagler is coming off a strong freshman season with the Illinois Fighting Illini, averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks, shooting 44.5% from the field and 39.7% from three. He measured in at 6’5″ barefoot and 188 pounds, with a 6’6.25″ wingspan and 8’4″ standing reach at the Draft Combine. That’s great size for a long-term two-guard, with his scoring ability and efficiency well-established over his season with the Illini.
The Clippers could comfortably accommodate Wagler as the shooting guard next to Garland, with his ability as a combo guard allowing him to be a genuine secondary playmaker who can also provide the size and defense required next to Garland. He’s clearly a solid pick if the Clippers intend to retain Leonard and use their draft pick, but he’s also a great pick if the Clippers are intending to build for the future.
His ceiling might not be as high as Acuff’s, but he has a dependable floor and a high-enough ceiling for the Clippers to be comfortable with selecting him, regardless of what Leonard’s trade status might be or if they retain Mathurin in free agency.
