Despite the Grizzlies sitting at 23-39, this is still a very intriguing time of the year for them given how many developmental opportunities they'll give their young players. March Madness is also heating up soon, making this the perfect time for the prospects of this stacked 2026 NBA Draft to keep boosting their draft positioning.
Bleacher Report just did a mock draft using the Tankathon simulator to determine the lottery order. To say the least, the results are interesting and a bit surprising for the Grizzlies. The mock draft has the Grizzlies selecting polarizing freshman Nate Ament 10th overall out of Tennessee. With their other first-round pick, the Grizzlies selected sophomore point guard Christian Anderson Jr. 17th overall out of Texas Tech.
Ament would stay in Tennessee like Jahmai Mashack
This year, the Grizzlies acquired the draft rights to Jahmai Mashack, who built a great reputation defensively in Knoxville. The Tennessee Volunteer pipeline would continue if the Grizzlies were to draft Nate Ament. Ament entered the season with a lot of hype and got off to a poor start but has improved as the season has progressed.
For the season, Ament is averaging 17.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. At 6-foot-10, Ament remains intriguing due to his size and the fact that there is likely still some untapped scoring potential. Ament is also capable of guarding multiple positions and has been able to get to the free throw line at ease. However, he could be more efficient as a shooter.
The mock has the Grizzlies taking Ament over other promising talents such as Karim Lopez and Hannes Steinbach, but Ament still has intriguing upside.
The Grizzlies also took their potential Ja Morant successor
Christian Anderson Jr. has taken a significant offensive leap as a sophomore and is currently averaging 19.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 7.8 assists. Anderson Jr. is able to hit threes at a high volume and also thrives as a pick-and-roll ball handler. He has raised his scoring average by almost nine points this season and has made a major leap as a playmaker.
At 6-foot-3, there will likely be some concerns about him as a smaller guard entering the league. However, his offensive tools give him a strong chance at being an impact player at the next level. With Ja Morant's future in doubt, the Grizzlies will very likely draft a point guard this summer, and Anderson Jr. would be a great option.
Even though this latest mock draft is not exactly the dream scenario for the Grizzlies, there is still intriguing enough upside worth considering for both players. With how loaded this draft class is, the Grizzlies have multiple paths to immediately boost the talent level of the roster. The rest of the season will be challenging for Grizzlies fans, but there is a lot to look forward to this summer.