Funky Winners Who Could Be 2026 NBA Draft Sleepers | The Prospect Overview
They're unorthodox, but they're productive, and they're key parts of the best teams in college basketball. Can they cut it in the NBA?
There are two types of prospects that I’ve struggled to evaluate in the last two years. The first type is the super-productive guy who doesn’t fit neatly into a prototypical box, like Brandin Podziemski or Santi Aldama. Though vastly different sizes, they were each a type of tweener that gave me pause, causing me to undervalue them on my final boards. The second is a newer phenomenon, which is the funky winner in the transfer portal era. While I feel that my placement on Sion James last year was correct, I did undervalue Will Richard, who I thought lacked a go-to NBA skill. It turns out that he just really understood how to play a role in a winning context, and he had the goods to do it in the NBA.
The success of players like James and Richard during their rookie season flies in the face of what prior data had told us about lower usage upperclassmen on the margins. In the transfer portal era, guys who started out at mid-majors that likely would have evolved into high usage players at their same school in the past now instead find themselves playing lesser roles on super teams. This week, I wanted to focus on a few productive prospects on top ten teams that I felt like I hadn’t done enough homework on, just to make sure I’m not missing anything. We’ll be going through them in order of position/size.
Duke Miles, 6’2”, Vanderbilt, Graduate
17.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.7 TOV, 2.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG
46.9/36.6/87.5
Why It Might Work
Duke Miles has been a dynamite creator for the Vanderbilt Commodores this season. Per Synergy, Miles ranks in the 88th percentile in frequency for pick-and-roll possessions, including passes, and he ranks in the 87th percentile in efficiency on that playtype. Much of Miles’ pick-and-roll prowess can be attributed to his herky-jerky, stop-start movement patterns. He’s exceedingly difficult to telegraph because it feels like he’s constantly changing speeds, shifting directions, and mixing in ball fakes (both pump fakes and pass fakes). As a result, he’s often able to get clean looks at the rim, where he’s made 58.8% of his shots in the halfcourt this season. If help defenders get in his way, though, his fluid process enables him to make slick passes at the last possible second to find open teammates, leading to his 25.0 AST% and 2.59 A:TO. Plus, he can bring off-ball value thanks to his movement shooting, having drilled 40.2% of his threes between this year and last.
What makes Miles all the more interesting is that he’s an excellent defensive prospect, too. His 5.3 STL% is the top mark in the SEC this season. At the point-of-attack, he does a good job of staying square and mirroring the ball. He’s also got fast hands, which help him to get the occasional reach-in takeaway. He’s most valuable off the ball, though. Miles does gamble a lot, but his instincts for when to do it are sublime. He knows when he can get into a passing lane or leave his man to strip an inattentive ball-handler. He knows where to be when it’s time to rotate, and he excels at getting in low when big guys catch the ball inside.
Why It Might Not Work
Duke Miles is an old prospect who turns 24 next month. This leads to a lot of concerns. For starters, he won’t have a lot of time to figure things out at the NBA level before organizations move on from him. Secondly, it raises questions as to whether he’s genuinely great or if he’s just a more physically developed, more experienced player who is outclassing younger, lesser opponents. That’s a particularly scary question in this case, as Miles is in his sixth college season. When you look at his numbers after his fourth season at High Point, when most players would’ve exhausted their eligibility, they’re run-of-the-mill, “good senior at a mid-major” numbers, not dominant, NBA prospect type numbers. I also wonder if Vanderbilt’s style of play allows him to juice his defensive playmaking metrics. Lastly, he’s not a great athlete, tallying one total dunk on the year and occasionally having a hard time generating separation.
Conclusion
I go back and forth on Duke Miles. On one hand, he’s not a great athlete; he’s about to turn 24 and didn’t really turn on the gas until he played for an awesome coach with an awesome team in an awesome system that allows him to play to all of his strengths. Conversely, a big part of the reason that team is so awesome is because of Duke Miles. His on-ball rhythm makes him a nightmare to contain, he can score inside, and he’s thoughtful about his passing angles. Defensively, the fact that he’s such a menace off the ball will go a long way to cover for his lack of size. Miles is probably an “Elite Camp” type of guy, especially since this class is so loaded with guards. But I’m more interested in him as a potential NBA target than I ever would’ve imagined coming into the year.
Emanuel Sharp, 6’3”, Houston, Redshirt Senior
15.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.0 TOV, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
43.1/38.5/84.5
Why It Might Work
Generally, offensive role players at the NBA level are tasked with shooting threes on volume and taking care of the ball. Emanuel Sharp does both of those things well. He’s made just a hair under 40% of his threes over the past two seasons, showing an ability to drill threes in dynamic fashion from the NBA line. Sharp is always decisive and ready to fire. Plus, like many NBA marksmen in their pre-draft campaigns, Sharp is great at avoiding turnovers (6.9 TOV%, 2.0 APG to 1.0 TOV). He keeps the offense flowing and rarely takes unnecessary dribbles. Sharp has the goods on defense, too. He’s had a 3.1 STL% over the past three seasons, getting in on the ball at the point-of-attack, stripping handlers, and picking off bad passes. My favorite trait of Sharp’s on defense is his ability to navigate screens both on and off the ball. He does an excellent job of avoiding contact and sticking with his man regardless of the context. Sharp’s combination of shooting, ball control, event creation, and motor are intriguing.
Why It Might Not Work
While Sharp is really good at doing what he’s asked to do at Houston, I’m skeptical that he truly qualifies as an “overqualified role player” in the way that someone like Will Richard did last year. At 6’3”, that’s daunting. Sharp doesn’t have a lot of on-ball equity. He ranks in the 42nd percentile on pick-and-roll possessions, including passes, per Synergy. He doesn’t have a dynamic handle nor is he quick, so he doesn’t pressure the rim or bend defenses often. And while he’s a great college defender, his lack of size will limit his ability to guard multiple positions at the next level. Lastly, and I’m putting this last because I’m bucking the data here, I worry a little about the functionality of his release at the next level, as his shot has a low apex and he brings the ball up the opposite side of his body.
Conclusion
Sharp’s profile scares me a little bit, as he might slide into the dreaded “Not Quite Wing” territory. He hasn’t shown a great degree of dynamism with the ball in his hands, he’s positionally undersized, he doesn’t rebound a lot, nor does he block many shots. It’s definitely going to be an uphill battle. But the fact that Sharp has an accurate, versatile shooting arsenal, a hard-charging defensive playstyle, and at least knows to keep an offense flowing gives him a shot. I don’t anticipate that he’ll be an impact player out of the gate, but part of me wonders if he could be one of those dudes that spends time in the G, rounds out his offensive skill set, and then ends up finding a place further down the road.
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Pryce Sandfort, 6’6”, Nebraska, Junior
16.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG
47.4/40.4/80.6
Why It Might Work
Pryce Sandfort is one of the best shooters on the planet. He’s hitting 40.4% of his threes on over 10 attempts per 100 possessions. What makes him all the more special is how dynamic he is from distance. Sandfort can hit threes from NBA range, drill threes off screens, convert in transition, or make defenses pay when they go under a handoff action. In particular, I love the “pop time” on his shot. When he catches the ball and is going to shoot it, sometimes it’s out of his hand before it’s even registered to me that he’s in possession of the thing. He’s also capable of launching no-dip threes off the catch. His game when run off the line is quite nice, too. While he’s not the bounciest guy in the world, his soft touch and length have enabled him to convert 72.7% of his half-court rim attempts, per Synergy. Plus, he reads the floor well, too. Sandfort can react to help quickly when he charges hard to the rim, or he can slow himself down, play off two feet, and utilize pace to set up teammates. His 14.0 AST% and microscopic 4.7 TOV% are in line with what we’ve seen from “shoot it and move it” players who ended up sticking at the next level.
Why It Might Not Work
I worry if Sandfort is physically up to the NBA task, more so on defense. His on-ball defense is inconsistent. Sometimes he cedes too much ground to opponents. Other times, he’ll play tight but subsequently open up his hips too easily. Bigger wings plow through him pretty easily. His ground coverage leaves a lot to be desired. There’s not much vertical pop here, either, as he’s only registered two blocked shots and one dunk on the year.
Conclusion
Unlike the other players on this list, Sandfort still has another year of eligibility. I wanted to shine a light on him, though, because A) he’s been spectacular this season and B) anytime someone is this good of a shooter, they have a chance to at least eat innings in the NBA. My concern is that relative to another dead-eye wing shooter with athletic questions like a Baylor Scheierman, who has been solid in a smaller NBA role, I’m not quite sure that Sandfort has the same level of skill, feel, or functional strength. That said, he’s got time and an elite skill. It’s been a joy to see him thrive in a new context this season, and I’m eager to see what he’ll look like with another offseason under his belt.
Trey Kaufman-Renn, 6’9”, Purdue, Redshirt Senior
13.2 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 TOV, 0.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG
56.1/28.6/62.9
Why It Might Work
Trey Kaufman-Renn has an unorthodox offensive playstyle. There’s an interesting marriage of old-school fundamentals and new-school flair going on here. His most common play type on Synergy is post-ups. TKR likes to go back to the basket. He can bully smaller opponents or beat bigger ones with finesse before finishing with touch. But he’s not just a throwback. He’s got a smooth dribble game, and he can create for himself downhill. Best of all, he sees the floor well. TKR is an excellent passer (16.8 AST%). He can make quick decisions from the short roll, whip it from the post to the weakside corner, and find teammates in a hurry after collecting on the glass. Speaking of the glass, TKR is a big-time rebounder, with a 17.5 ORB% and 24.0 DRB% that both grade out extremely well. Defensively, he knows where to be, and he uses his body well. Whether he’s walling up at the rim to stop a driver or making himself big to contain a ball-handler on the perimeter, he makes the most out of what he has.
Why It Might Not Work
Unfortunately, TKR is a positional tweener. The biggest issue is that I have no idea what he does defensively at the next level. I worry about him playing the center position because he’s completely ground-bound. Kaufman-Renn has a 0.9 BLK% this season. For context, that’s lower than the block rate Tyler Herro had during his lone college season. For a player who’s often tasked with operating as the low man, to call it a red flag would be an understatement. Danny Wolf was criticized for being unathletic last year, and like TKR, he spent a lot of his time at the floor. Wolf’s block rate was 4.6%. Putting him at the four is a dicey proposition because he’s heavy-footed, doesn’t get steals (1.3 STL%), and he can’t shoot at this point.
Conclusion
Even though I doubt I’ll rank TKR high on my final board, he’s one of those players that’s going to make me think long and hard about my skepticism. His extremely poor defensive metrics, outdated shot diet, and murky positional fit are too much for me to fully buy into him. Still, I get a little queasy any time I have to bet against a player who is really big and really smart. I likely undervalued Oso Ighodaro during his pre-draft process because of similar concerns about how he would score on the floor and what position he would be able to play. The difference is that Ighodaro was a much more mobile, explosive player. As a result, TKR will likely need to become a reliable floor spacer in time in order to find a place on an NBA floor, and I don’t love the odds of that happening given his age. If it does work out for him, I think it’s after a year or two refining his jumper.
Graham Ike, 6’9”, Gonzaga, Redshirt Graduate
17.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.6 BPG
54.2/30.0/76.0
Why It Might Work
Graham Ike is an inescapable presence on the interior. He’s a force on the boards, posting a career 10.5 ORB% and a 23.6 DRB% that are top-of-the-line marks for a big man prospect. He loves to establish post positioning when he gets mismatches inside, and he has the touch to convert through contact. On the topic of touch, Ike has it. While he’s only made 30% of his threes this year, I’m intrigued by his prospects as a shooter given his coordination, strong marks at the free-throw line, and the flashes he’s put on tape this season. He has confidence and skill, even bringing the ball up the floor before scoring on an iso this past week against Santa Clara. Ike can pass the ball, too, boasting a 14.6 AST% while carrying only an 8.8 TOV%. His intersection of size, physicality, and skill is intriguing.
Why It Might Not Work
Ike is a frustrating defender. While he has serious length and strength at his disposal, he doesn’t weaponize them the way you’d hope. His 2.8 BLK% and 0.9 STL% are both red flag-level marks. His effort waxes and wanes both at the point of attack and in terms of rotational ground coverage. He’s a passive defender in ball screen defense, and he has his hands down around the basket more often than I’d like to see. Given that he’s a bit short for the five-spot, he’ll need to be far more active to succeed at that position at the next level.
Conclusion
There are games where I watch Graham Ike, and I think, “I don’t see it.” Against Oregon, he showed lackluster effort on closeouts, gave up way too easy a baseline drive to Kwame Evans, and allowed Nate Bittle to pin him in the post way too easily prior to an uncontested layup with no second effort coming from Ike. Then, against Santa Clara, he looked unstoppable. He was dominating inside, bringing the ball up the floor, and draining jumpers. Watching those two games back-to-back gave me scouting whiplash. Still, Ike’s blend of power, skill, rebounding, finishing, and potential shooting has me intrigued. I also like that he appears to have slimmed down over the past few seasons, and he’s moving better in space. Ike will need to develop defensively, and he has to be more consistent. He probably ends the cycle in my Top 100 once attrition sets in, with his pre-draft process swinging how high he can climb from there.
Quick Hits
*All stats in this section are as of 1/16/2026
-Amari Allen keeps catching my eye. Alabama’s 6’7” freshman wing has a rock-solid frame, and he knows how to use it. He makes his mark on the glass on both ends (7.0 ORB%, 18.8 DRB%) and makes his opponents uncomfortable with his physicality on defense. Offensively, it’s rare to see a guy that young with that type of body who is so comfortable with the ball in his hands. He’s got the feel and handle to grab-and-go, and the coaching staff there has already shown a high degree of trust in him despite his relative inexperience and the fact that he’s playing in college basketball’s toughest conference. Given that he’s struggled inside both this year and at prior levels, it’s going to be important for him to keep shooting the three effectively on volume. Right now, he’s at 37.1% from distance on 7.3 attempts per 100 possessions, which I dig. Where that number settles will determine whether he climbs higher or drops a little bit.
-I love Stanford’s Ebuka Okorie. I get it, he’s 6’2”, he has a hard time staying in front, and he’s going to have a really tough time when he gets cross-matched onto bigger guys at the next level. But the offensive stuff…sheesh. He ranks in the 90th percentile in pick-and-roll ball-handler frequency and the 91st percentile in pick-and-roll ball-handler efficiency this year, per Synergy. Few guys are more capable of effectively putting their team on their backs. He’s great at keeping his dribble alive, weaving through traffic, countering, and using his ball fakes to get to his spots. Plus, he’s got that NBA-level speed that is so critical for a smaller guard. I buy his scoring. Even though he’s only shooting 32.6% from three, his volume (10.1 attempts per 100 possessions), 39.5% mark on catch-and-shoot threes, shot difficulty (57 of his 96 attempts have been pull-ups), and effectiveness at the charity stripe (81.5%) are all reasons to believe in his outside shooting prowess. And while his 3.3 APG won’t knock your socks off, his fluid process and creativity on the move are noteworthy. Whether he accepts a giant NIL bag or goes pro this year, I’m interested in him as a long-term NBA pro.
-Texas’ Dailyn Swain is really growing on me. The 6’7” junior has long been a solid defensive playmaker with a smooth handle. This year, he’s been excellent on the glass despite his highest usage role to date. And while his jumper is still far from actualized (27.5% from three), I do like that he’s more than doubled his number of attempts on the year. The biggest thing that’s pulling me in is the fact that he’s built for an NBA tempo. He gets up and down the floor really well, and he makes decisions quickly. While he’s a non-shooter currently, the fact that he’s so big with such a good first step still enables him to get downhill and force help enough of the time that I think he can get away with being subpar on that front at the next level. I’d long been a skeptic, but I’m starting to change my tune.
-Since the main topic of the column focused on players who are a bit funky, let’s throw in one more of those—Tennessee’s Bishop Boswell. He’s an odd case, as the 6’4” sophomore isn’t a prolific scorer, he’s extremely low usage (11.5 USG%), and he has a frightening turnover rate (26.0 TOV%). But he’s one of those guys who feels so important to winning every time I watch the Volunteers. He’s a high-energy defender (3.8 STL%), he plays way bigger than his size on the glass (6.1 ORB%, 14.1 DRB%), and he’s awesome running out in transition. The feel and physicality are off the charts here. I have a lot of questions about how viable a player he’ll be in the halfcourt on higher usage, so it’s important to have some pause here. But I’m really excited to see if he can develop into a bigger role down the road.
-Nebraska’s Braden Frager caught my eye as an intriguing long-term proposition. The 6’7” freshman will need to refine his defense, but the tools are solid. Offensively, he’s ready to shoot off the catch and is comfortable off movement. He’s hit 38.2% of his triples on the year while taking 11.3 attempts per 100 possessions. Plus, when he’s been run off the line, he’s showcased some serious bounce and thrown down some violent jams. He’s decision making is solid, too. The blend of size, athleticism, inside-out scoring, and baseline feel is all worth noting.
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