When the Golden State Warriors finally come on the board at 11th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, they'll have a wide range of options no matter how the selections above them break down.
This draft class is deep enough that a top-10 talent is almost certain to fall into their lap. Brayden Burries, the shooting guard out of Arizona, is a major candidate for that sort of drop. So is Yaxel Lendeborg out of Michigan, as scouts reportedly have serious doubts concerning his age and continued development.
But there's almost no prospect with a wider range of outcomes than forward Nate Ament out of Tennessee. Of course, the Warriors are likely looking to add a league-ready contributor to their roster with their lottery pick. But a player with Ament's upside could prove to be too tempting to pass up if he ultimately falls outside of the top-10. It would be a wild swing, but it would be a defensible one.
In Kevin O'Connor's latest mock draft for Yahoo Sports, Golden State takes that gamble, selecting Ament at 11th overall. Here's what O'Connor had to say about the pick:
"Golden State has been desperately searching for a young star to extend Curry's championship window, and bridge into whatever comes next. It will be harder to do that here after not getting lucky in the lottery. But maybe the Warriors will find a star. Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-10 don't grow on trees... Steve Kerr re-signed for a two-year deal and would probably rather have a pro-ready player, but maybe Ament will be the young guy who exceeds expectations and turns into a star." Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo Sports
Nate Ament could be the wild swing the Warriors need to take in the 2026 NBA Draft
For a team who's had poor luck with drafting and player development throughout the Stephen Curry era, the 11th overall pick is a gift that cannot be taken lightly. Outside of moving the pick for an additional star (which, at this point, feels highly unlikely), there's two major lines of thought on what Golden State should do here.
They could play it safe, taking a prospect with a clear fit— like Lendeborg or Burries— in an effort to provide an immediate boost to their rotation. This would help them achieve short-term competitiveness, but it could limit the long-term upside of the selection.
They could also take a major swing on a raw prospect like Ament, using this pick as an opportunity to land their next potential star beyond the Curry era.
Ament measured in at 6'10" with a 6'11.5" wingspan and a 9'1.5" standing reach. He has a strong all-around skill-set as a three level scorer, a fluid ball-handler, and a formidable downhill threat. The problem is that we haven't truly seen a sustained stretch of high-level play out of the 19-year-old forward. He only truly turned the lights on in the second half of his freshman campaign at Tennessee, averaging 20.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 38% from beyond the arc across his final 13 regular season appearances.
He then suffered an ankle injury that limited him severely heading into March Madness.
Typically, prospects of Ament's physical archetype are highly regarded in the draft regardless of sample size. But in a class so full of talent, there's certainly room for Ament to fall outside of the top-10.
On the high end of outcomes, he's a two-way star in the making— one that can help bridge the Warriors into a new, post-Curry era. On the low end, he's another limited, inefficient forward. The latter outcome is not something Golden State can truly afford.
But if Ament falls to them as O'Connor predicts, don't be surprised if they're willing to take a major swing.
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