TUCSON, Ariz. - The Arizona men's basketball program has a long history of sending players to the NBA and that list grew by two more on Tuesday night when two freshmen, Brayden Burries and Koa Peat, were selected in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Â
Â
Burries was selected 10th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks and Peat went 30th overall to the Dallas Mavericks, with a proposed trade that would send Peat to the Phoenix Suns. They are the sixth and seventh draft picks in five seasons under head coach Tommy Lloyd at Arizona. Â
Â
Â
Burries is the 81st NBA Draft pick in program history and Peat is the 82nd. They are also the 28th and 29th Wildcats to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, the seventh-most first round selections from a college or university in the country. Â
Â
"We are proud of the work that Brayden has put into himself and his game that has led to him being one of the top picks in the draft," said Lloyd. "The Milwaukee Bucks are getting an excellent player and an incredible young man that has grown so much and I know his best basketball is ahead of him. Watching Brayden in practices, workouts and games over the past year makes me confident that his game will translate very well to the NBA from the start and we can't wait to see him take those next steps."Â
Â
Burries is just the second Arizona player selected by the Milwaukee Bucks, joining Jim Rappis in 1976. Peat joins Deandre Ayton, Ben Davis, Anthony Cook, Steve Kerr, Al Fleming and Bill Davis as former Wildcats that were drafted by the Suns. Â
Â
Â
"Koa does so many things on the court at such a high level, and impacts winning in so many ways, but he also knows how to make an impact off the court as well," said Lloyd. "He is a special young man, and I know that the Suns are thrilled to have him join their organization because he treats everyone around him the right way. I know that Koa is excited to get the next chapter of his basketball journey started and all of Wildcat Nation and the state of Arizona will be right there rooting for him."Â
Â
The pair of Wildcats were part of a record-setting nine players from Big 12 schools to hear their name called in the first round, topping the previous high of seven in 2010. Â
Â
The the draft shifts into the second round Wednesday night (5:00 p.m. MST, ESPN), Jaden Bradley, Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell'Orso will all look to hear their names called to begin their professional careers.Â
Â
Bennedict Mathurin – 2022, 6th overallÂ
Dalen Terry – 2022, 18th overallÂ
Christian Koloko – 2022, 33rd overallÂ
Pelle Larsson – 2024, 44th overallÂ
Â
Top 10 NBA Draft Picks from Arizona (16)Â
Larry Demic – 1979 (9th)Â
Sean Elliott – 1989 (3rd)Â
Brian Williams – 1991 (10th)Â
Damon Stoudamire – 1995 (7th)Â
Mike Bibby – 1998 (2nd)Â
Jason Terry – 1999 (10th)Â
Andre Iguodala – 2004 (9th)Â
Channing Frye – 2005 (8th)Â
Jordan Hill – 2009 (8th)Â
Derrick Williams – 2011 (2nd)Â
Aaron Gordon – 2014 (4th)Â
Stanley Johnson – 2015 (8th)Â
Lauri Markkanen – 2017 (7th)Â
Deandre Ayton – 2018 (1st)Â
Bennedict Mathurin – 2022 (6th)Â
Â
#BearDown Â
