Warriors Projected to Land ‘Top Overseas-Based Player' in NBA Draft
The Golden State Warriors have some rebuilding to do during the offseason, and they’ll get started on that during the NBA draft.
New mock NBA drafts are out, since the early entry deadline for basketball prospects to declare for the 2026 NBA draft has passed. Now, 71 college players have submitted their applications.
The deadline for early entry candidates to take their names out of the pre-draft process while still being able to keep collegiate eligibility is May 27.
So, who will the Warriors get to beef up their lineup and help kickstart this rebuild?
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ESPN’s Jeremy Woo has released a new mock, out on April 28, he has the team selecting the most sought-after international player in Karim Lopez of the New Zealand Breakers at No. 11.
“The top overseas-based player in a thin international prospect class, Lopez has a chance to help himself in pre-draft workouts, where teams will gain a better sense of his physical traits and skill level coming off a positive year in the NBL,” he says in the piece.
He adds: “Showing progress as a perimeter shooter in those settings would help his case to sneak into the top 10, as he jockeys for position with Ament and Yaxel Lendeborg, two other versatile forwards.”
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Over at USA Today, Bryan Kalbrosky predicts him going to the Thunder at No. 17. “While the Mexican-born forward still needs some development, he is physically gifted and widely seen as the top prospect from this class currently playing overseas,” he states in the piece.
No matter where Lopez goes in the draft, it’s likely that he’ll be the first international player selection this year, since the international roster just isn’t as strong as usual. He’s a talented player and is versatile enough that he’d add value to any team.
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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 8:01 PM.