We are just under one week from the 2026 NBA Draft, which means it is time for another mock draft round up to see who the experts have the Clippers taking at 5.
ESPN: Keaton Wagler (Formerly Wagler)
“Rival teams believe Wagler is among the top options for the Clippers if they make this pick. Last week, he opted to cancel multiple workouts inside the top 10, a sign he feels comfortable with his standing. His versatility and fast-rising trajectory have given him broad appeal with every team in the 5-10 range, and he isn’t expected to be on the board long if he falls past No. 5.
The Clippers are said to be looking for a player who can immediately complement the smaller Darius Garland, the key return for James Harden at the trade deadline. Mikel Brown Jr. and Brayden Burries are two prospects who fit that mold, with Brown scheduled to work out in LA later this week. Of that trio, Wagler best marries long-term upside with immediate rotation value, thanks to his size, shooting and feel as a ball-moving offensive conduit at both backcourt spots.”
The Athletic: Keaton Wagler (Formerly Wagler)
Hasn’t been updated since last roundup
SB Nation: Mikel Brown Jr. (Formerly Wagler)
“The top-4 feels like the top-4 in this draft. Ask 20 people who they think is the fifth best prospect in the class and you might get 10 different answers. That means the Clippers have the biggest decision in this class after earning the pick from the Indiana Pacers in the Ivica Zubac trade. I could see the Clippers going with Keaton Wagler or Kingston Flemings or even Yaxel Lendeborg or Aday Mara. In this mock, I’m giving them my pick for the fifth-best player in the class, Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. Brown’s shot selection can get wild at times, and it’s scary that he was already hampered by a back injury at age-20, but his intersection of pull-up shooting, three-point volume, passing creativity, and rim pressure sets him apart from the other guards in the class in my mind.”
Yahoo Sports: Mikel Brown Jr. (Formerly Mikel)
“Mikel Brown Jr. offers the highest ceiling of any non-Peterson guard prospect and all signs are that he has aced the pre-draft process. It should come as no surprise that Brown has thrived in workout settings; his size, athleticism, creativity and shot-making are all traits modern NBA front offices covet. Brown plays with a freedom few guards can match. He can touch every corner of the floor as a passer, with the pull-up shooting gravity and herky-jerky handles to break an opposing defense.
Brown’s length and anticipatory defense – with the potential to keep filling out his frame – makes him the easiest guard to project next to Darius Garland in the backcourt. While Illinois’ Keaton Wagler is another strong candidate in this spot, his grave athletic limitations will be harder to mask next to Garland, who clearly factors into L.A.’s short- and long-term plans. With Brown putting his Louisville back injury in the rearview mirror, a home with the Clippers appears well within reach.”
Bleacher Report: Keaton Wagler (Formerly Wagler)
“The Los Angeles Clippers are expected to be involved in trade talks leading up to the draft, with rival teams thinking they could try to move.
Keaton Wagler is right now earning looks in the No. 5-9 range with his crafty creation, special shotmaking, high IQ and adaptable game.
After measuring 6’5″ barefoot, he should look like the best fit alongside Darius Garland in Los Angeles, with Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings and Mikel Brown Jr. lacking height for a 2-guard/secondary ball-handler.
Wagler will be considered interchangeable with his size and shooting, but he showed enough off-the-dribble navigation, passing, pull-ups and floaters at Illinois for the Kings to feel confident that they can give him initiator duties.”
The draft experts are split between Wagler and Brown, though there are still mentions of trade downs, which could muddy the waters. If we are getting more specific, the guys in this group I trust the most on draft intel are Sam Vecenie (Athletic), Jonathan Wasserman (Bleacher Report), and Jeremy Woo (ESPN), and all of them have Wagler. At least one week before the draft, it seems as though the Clippers are deciding between those two guards – but there are probably still workouts and interviews between now and the draft, as well as trade discussions. But right now, if I had to bet on the Clippers making a pick at 5, it would be either Wagler or Brown.
