When Atlanta traded down and away from Derik Queen in the 2025 NBA Draft, I wouldn't have blamed disappointed Hawks fans who already knew how special a player big DQ would turn out to be.
Even with how well Queen has performed this season, however, there's not even a remotely sound argument to justify the lunacy that Pelicans GM Troy Weaver exhibited that night. With how loaded the 2026 NBA Draft is looking, Queen may need to become who he was projected to loosely resemble (Nikola Jokic) in order for the Pelicans to come out on top of the deal.
In addition to acquiring young talent Asa Newell in the draft night deal, the Hawks famously snagged the better of the Pelicans' and Bucks' 2026 first round picks.
Even if the ping-pong balls don't fall Atlanta's way this May, falling shy of a top 3 pick (and this is highly unlikely, considering how far down in the standings both Milwaukee and New Orleans are), the projected 4th pick is perhaps the most ludicrously talented in NBA draft history.
Caleb Wilson is a coach's dream, and Atlanta's dream in particular
Caleb Wilson, prior to his fractured left hand earlier this February, has been the driving force behind an incredibly potent North Carolina squad.
UNC is a perennial elite talent development program. NBA Hall of Fame products like Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, and James Worthy are just the headliners in a storied saga of prospects from Chapel Hill. Wilson seeks to become the next man up in the NBA, and the stats back it up.
Wilson is currently averaging 19.8 PPG and 9.4 RPG as a freshman, complementing his overall evaluation metric of 12.9 BPM, good for 3rd in the NCAA behind only Yaxel Lendeborg (15.3) and Cam Boozer (17.9).
Lendeborg has leveraged his physical playstyle to dominate as a Junior in the NCAA, climbing draft boards to the mid-lottery in some mocks – his stock is capped only by his age. Boozer is the consensus 3rd pick at present, held back only by how elite the top 2 players are (Dybantsa and Peterson).
Wilson's brand of basketball is perhaps the most plug-and-play amongst the creme de la creme of the 2026 class. Dominating both on and off the ball with his insane athleticism, Wilson's offense is comprised of lots of dunks and easy rim looks. His good-looking midrange jumper lends sincere belief to the idea that he could improve his currently subpar 25% deep-range conversion rate.
In spite of how eye-popping Wilson's offense has been all year long, it's his defense that's leaving scouts foaming at the mouth.
Wilson looks to legitimately be able to guard 1-5 in the NBA. At 6'10 with a lengthy wingspan, quick feet, and his aforementioned unreal verticality, Wilson has the ability to stay in front of the ball like a guard, yet fly in for blocks like a roaming big man.
This type of versatility is unicorn-esque in the NBA and is therefore highly coveted. Should Wilson fall into Quin Snyder's hands, the defensive scheming possibilities are near infinite. Snyder was instrumental in developing a raw Rudy Gobert into one of the greatest defenders of all time, holding the NBA record for most Defensive Player of the Year awards. Could he work his magic again with the more talented, more athletic, yet less lengthy Wilson?
The best part about Wilson for the Hawks? He's an Atlanta native. Wilson spent his entire childhood in the city and played high school ball at the highest level before heading East to Chapel Hill last year. Atlanta has a chance to bring home a local talent – one that can not only bring an impact from day one, but has the potential to grace All-Defensive teams and All-NBA teams alike for the next decade.