With the 2026 NBA Draft nearly upon us, media outlets around the NBA landscape are churning out their final iterations of mock drafts ahead of the official selections.
For the Phoenix Suns, a number of mocks have GM Brian Gregory and Co. adding University of Arizona senior guard Jaden Bradley to the fold. Other mocks have the Suns targeting Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., a sharpshooting wing out of Vanderbilt, a Tennessee guard with a familiar surname or the Vols' talented shot-blocking center.
In addition to Bradley of the Arizona Wildcats, some mocks have the Suns targeting Kentucky Wildcats bulk-scoring guard Otega Oweh. But the final mock draft from The Athletic heading into the first round of the draft starting June 23 has Phoenix targeting a different Wildcat altogether.
The Athletic’s NBA mock draft has Suns taking Northwestern star
In his final iteration of 2026 NBA mock drafts, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has the Suns selecting Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli at pick No. 47.
Martinelli was a two-time All-Big Ten Second Team member as well as a two-time Academic All-American at Northwestern.
He averaged at least 20 points per game during his junior and senior seasons, but his last year in college really stood out from a scoring efficiency standpoint. In addition to averaging a career-high 23 points per game, Martinelli converted 51% of his field goals and a sterling 41.7% of his 3-point attempts — a huge improvement from his 33.3% shooting from deep the season prior. A 6-foot-7 wing, Martinelli averaged 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game to accompany the big scoring numbers.
NBA.com's draft profile compares Martinelli to Sixth Man of the Year winner Keldon Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs, in addition to fellow Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jaime Jaquez Jr. and veteran forward Tobias Harris.
“He is a left-handed scorer who lives between the paint and the arc, using fakes, jabs and fluid footwork. He converts at a rate that puts him among the most efficient high-volume midrange shooters in college basketball,” NBA.com writes.
They also note that Martinelli already possesses an NBA-ready frame with enough footwork and strength to give him the tools to compete defensively at the next level.
The value of 3-and-D wing players in the NBA remains extremely high, and Martinelli could become a rotational piece instantaneously for head coach Jordan Ott despite his projection as a second round choice.
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