Cameron Boozer projected to go No. 2 to the Jazz as Clippers draft board centers on Mikel Brown

As the 2026 NBA Draft approaches, CBS Sports published a mock draft that shapes one central storyline around the class, its collective anticipation, and the early picks that could set careers in motion. In that projection, Cameron Boozer is selected by the Utah Jazz with the No. 2 overall pick, a spot that typically carries immediate expectations because it sits just one level below the draft’s certainty at the top.

In the same exercise, CBS Sports has the Los Angeles Clippers targeting Mikel Brown with the fifth selection. Mock drafts are not guarantees, but they often reflect how teams value positional fit, developmental runway, and the kind of upside that can change how a frontcourt or perimeter group looks over the next few seasons.

The mock also frames the 2026 class as unusually “hyp[e]d and anticipated,” a phrasing CBS Sports uses to describe the overall talent level and the level of attention the draft has attracted. That context matters because drafts with high external pressure tend to produce more public debate over ceilings, readiness, and whether early selections should prioritize immediate impact or longer-term projection.

For the Utah Jazz, the importance of a No. 2 pick is straightforward: it is a franchise-altering slot even when a team’s near-term roster picture is evolving. A projection for Boozer at that spot places Utah at the center of the draft conversation, not only because the Jazz would be selecting a highly discussed prospect early, but because second-overall selections can become foundational pieces that set the tone for a team’s identity.

For the Clippers, the fifth pick is a different kind of pressure point. Los Angeles is typically built around competitiveness, and a top-five selection has to do more than flash in workouts or highlights. The CBS Sports projection of Mikel Brown at No. 5 suggests the organization sees a path to meaningful growth, and that the fit in the lineup and coaching plan could be the driving logic behind the pairing.

It is worth emphasizing what this is and what it is not. This is a mock draft published by a national media outlet, not an official selection announcement, and it does not reflect league-wide consensus. Draft order can shift with transactions, the evaluation process can evolve quickly in private settings, and the gap between projections and reality is often determined by how front offices weigh traits that are harder to measure than raw production.

Still, the specific pairings in CBS Sports’ mock draft create a useful lens for what to watch in the final week. If Boozer is truly viewed as a near-mandatory top-two choice, questions will follow about how other teams adjust their plans around him, including which prospect profiles become the leading alternatives. If Brown is the likely name attached to the fifth pick in early projections, teams with selections around that range will be watching whether he stays in the same tier as the draft boards move closer to the stage.