Atlanta Hawks add son of NBA great in latest 2026 mock draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Hawks are in an interesting position.
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They have made some notable trade this season, including sending Trae Young to Washington Wizards and Kristaps Porzingis to the Golden State Warriors. Currently, the Hawks are the 10 seed in the Eastern Conference despite a very mediocre season.
However, because the teams behind the Hawks in the standings appear to be TRYING to lose this season, it’s very likely the team makes the Play-In. Thanks to a trade during the 2025 NBA Draft though, the Hawks will have a high lottery pick in 2026 regardless.
That’s because the Hawks own the first round pick of the New Orleans Pelicans and the Pelicans have the second-worst record in the Western Conference.
Fran Leiva of Fadeaway World recently published an updated mock that has the Hawks picking at No. 3. This class is considered to have three elite stars, so the Hawks would be perfectly happy in this scenario.
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Leiva has the Hawks going with Cameron Boozer out of Duke. Regarding this potential selection, Leiva offered the following:
Cameron Boozer is the cleanest “safe star” in the class after Peterson and Dybantsa. The stat line is not subtle: 23.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 38.3% from three as a freshman big. That blend is why he stays glued near the top of every mainstream board. He is producing like a centerpiece, not like a prospect trying to survive.
The scouting case starts with decisions. Boozer plays like an NBA forward already. He makes quick reads, he keeps the ball moving, and he does not need to force wild shots to get to his numbers. The assists matter here. A 4.0 APG big at this age usually means he sees the floor and can punish help when defenses load up.
As Leiva mentioned, Boozer is arguably the safest pick in this class. As the son of former NBA star Carlos Boozer, Cameron has solid fundamentals and versatility to play and guard multiple positions.
In 2025-26 for the Blue Devils, Boozer is averaging 22.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. The big man is shooting 57.5% from the field and 38.8% from deep, showing his range and spacing ability.
Boozer’s fit would be interesting in Atlanta. The Duke product is capable of playing as a small-ball center or a true power forward, but the Hawks already have Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu.
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Perhaps Johnson could play at the three, Boozer at the four, and Okongwu at the five. There would still be plenty of spacing as all three of those players are capable of stepping out and hitting from deep.