As new majority owner Mark Walter continues to put his stamp on the Los Angeles Lakers, the organization recently made an intriguing hire of former NCAA championship coach Tony Bennett as an NBA Draft advisor to general manager Rob Pelinka. With March Madness approaching, and the Lakers owning their first round pick, there are a few NBA Draft propsects whom the team should be watching within the next month.
It’s no secret that the Lakers need a viable, long-term option at center. The Deandre Ayton experiment has had mixed results, and while Jaxson Hayes has done an admirable job, he is at his best as an energy big off the bench. The Lakers also could use size on the wings.
With that said, here are some of the top prospects who will be playing in March Madness, that the Lakers should target in the 2026 NBA Draft.
1. Morez Johnson Jr. – PF/C, Michigan
Think of Johnson as a little like current Laker Jarred Vanderbilt with better offense and little more size. Johnson is precisely the kind of player the Lakers should be targeting in the draft. He is able to slide between power forward and center, kind of what Vanderbilt’s role is for the Lakers currently.
Johnson has been an impactful defensive player for Michigan this season, and he is projected to be drafted in the late first round, which is where the Lakers should land. He is a versatile defender with the ability to cover wings and then drop down and body up on bigger players.
But where he also excels is on the offensive end. He is an adept finisher around the basket, and he’s shooting 66.7 percent from 2-point range. But that’s not all. He’s shown he can space the floor with his 41.7 percent shooting from the 3-point line. His 3-point shot is something he worked on as he did not attempt a single three last year as a freshman.
Johnson should be the Lakers’ main priority in the draft. With a late first-round pick, you can afford to draft by positional need rather than best player available.
2. Jayden Quaintance – C, Kentucky
Quaintance is probably the best center prospect who could be available in the NBA Draft. He’s just a bit of an enigma. For one, it’s not clear yet whether he intends to declare for the draft or return to school. Second, he’s dealing with a major knee injury that has kept him out for the majority of this season. In fact, his status for Kentucky’s upcoming March Madness appearance is in doubt.
But should Quaintance declare for the draft, he should be a top-two prospect at worst for the Lakers. The only thing is they’re going to need a little luck for him to fall to their projected draft spot. It could happen though if teams are wary of his injury status.
The injury is for sure a risk, but his upside almost outweighs that. He’s still incredibly young and in the mold of a true center. During his freshman year at Arizona State, he showed the ability to be a real defensive anchor in the paint, averaging 2.6 blocked shots. On the offensive end of the court, he finishes well around the basket. He’d be perfect as a lob threat from a playmaker like Luka Doncic.
If he was healthy, there would be no chance we’d be discussing the Lakers potentially nabbing him in the late first round. But there is always the off-chance teams are scared away by the injury bug and he slips, as has happened to plenty of players in the past. If Quaintance is available when the Lakers pick, you take him and don’t look back.
3. Patrick Ngongba II – C, Duke
In any other year, Ngongba would be a for sure lottery pick. A mobile big with high upside who plays defense and even has a little playmaking to his game. Lottery pick for sure. But this is no ordinary draft. Most experts consider 2026 to be among the best draft classes in recent memory. That could benefit the Lakers as it means Ngongba slips to the late first round.
If one of the above mentioned prospects are unavailable, Ngongba wouldn’t be a bad option for the Lakers in the NBA Draft. He is still raw and could stand to gain a little muscle before he hits the NBA. But the talent is there. His offensive skill-set works well with Doncic as the primary ball-handler.
On the defensive, end Ngongba is a rim protector, something the Lakers would benefit from greatly. He also possesses the ability to play strong post defense and hold his ground in man-to-man situations. He contests well and he’s averaging 1.1 blocked shots this season.
One potentially concerning thing though is Ngongba’s current injury status. He was sidelined for the ACC Tournament, and his status for the NCAA Tournament is not yet 100 percent certain. Just something to monitor should he declare for the NBA Draft.
4. Flory Bidunga – C, Kansas
Bidunga is one of the more imposing players potentially in the draft due to his size and strength. The aforementioned players are probably better long-term prospects, but if they are all off the board by the time the Lakers pick, then the front office needs to give a long, hard look at Bidunga.
His offensive game is tailor-made to Luka Doncic. He’s a finisher at the rim. He’d be the perfect compliment to a playmaker like Doncic who’s always ready to throw a lob pass. Bidunga is adept in the pick and roll as well as the roller. He’s shooting 64.5 percent from the field this season, all 2-point attempts. He moves very well off the ball.
Defensively, he is an anchor in the paint. He’s a solid man defender and good weak side defender as well. He can have success switching on the perimeter as well. 6.1 of this 9.2 rebounds this season are on the defensive end.
Bidunga probably has a lower ceiling than the other players on this list, but he is an NBA rotation big man without question. He isn’t flashy or anything like that, he just gets the job done. A strong big man profile. He is definitely someone who should be on the Lakers’ radar in terms of NBA Draft prospects.
5. Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke
While the majority of the players on this list are bigs, the Lakers are also in need of 3&D wings with size. Evans is among the top players potentially in the draft who fit that profile. Should he declare for the draft, he will also likely be available in the Lakers’ draft range.
Evans is in the midst of a breakout season, averaging 14.9 points as a full-time starter and shooting 36.5 percent from the 3-point line. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective offensively, another trait needed to play alongside Doncic.
On the defensive end, he is a solid on-ball defender and has the skills to be a main point-of-attack defensive player. Envision him as a potential starting wing in the NBA one day based on his ability on both ends of the court.
The upcoming draft really boils down to what the Lakers prefer. Obviously if someone slips in the lottery, then all bets are off and you go best player available. But if it comes down to position of need, any of the five players listed above should do nicely. It’s a deep draft, and assuming all of the above declare, at least one of them should be available when the Lakers pick.
