What Bill Simmons has said about 2026 NBA draft

14 quotes · 7 episodes · May 11, 2026 – Oct 6, 2026

Bill Simmons, Sportswriter and founder of The Ringer, host of The Bill Simmons Podcast, has been quoted on 2026 NBA draft 14 times in 7 episodes of The Bill Simmons Podcast, most recently on October 6, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.

In their words

Simmons says Caleb Wilson's potential seems limitless.
“But then Caleb, it just feels like the ceiling has been removed for where it could go”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA One Guy (the East!), a Man City Punishment Primer, and Tom Cruise’s Bomb With J. Kyle Mann, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan (Oct 6, 2026) · Listen from 5:07
Simmons argues the first twelve picks were the twelve best players in the draft, leaving no surprises.
“I had the first 12 picks regardless of the order. I thought were the 12 best guys in the draft”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 NBA Draft Winners and Losers With Joe House and J. Kyle Mann (Jun 24, 2026) · Listen from 1:20
Simmons praises Daryl Morey for turning Jared McCain into the pick used on Phylon.
“McCain was a declining asset. He just turned him into Phylon and two more years on a rookie contract”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 NBA Draft Winners and Losers With Joe House and J. Kyle Mann (Jun 24, 2026) · Listen from 1:04:22
Simmons grades the draft an A for talent but a C-minus for entertainment.
“draft from a talent standpoint was an A. And from an entertainment standpoint, probably a C-”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: 2026 NBA Draft Winners and Losers With Joe House and J. Kyle Mann (Jun 24, 2026) · Listen from 1:52:07
Simmons called Brandon Burris the best player available at No. 8 and a guaranteed good pro, comparable to Stephon Castle.
“I feel the same way about him that I did about Castle two years ago. I think he's a guaranteed really good pro”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Giannis Never-Trade and a Mega-Mailbag With Zach Lowe, Plus Wyndham Clark’s Second U.S. Open Title With Joe House (Jun 22, 2026) · Listen from 13:15
Simmons argues that 'playoff guys' such as switchable wings and rim-protecting bigs are consistently drafted a few picks too late behind guards.
“These guys that we know are going to be playoff guys, and yet they always go three, four, five picks too late”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA Draft Questions, Harper vs. Fox, and the USMNT’s World Cup Ceiling (Jun 19, 2026) · Listen from 7:55
Came true
Simmons predicts Washington will draft AJ Dybantsa first overall.
“By the way, Washington's taking him. That's, that's how this is playing out. They're going to take him”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA Draft Questions, Harper vs. Fox, and the USMNT’s World Cup Ceiling (Jun 19, 2026) · Listen from 14:30
Didn’t happen
Simmons predicts Cameron Boozer will go to Utah and Darryn Peterson to Memphis, while acknowledging uncertainty.
“I think Boozer is going to go to Utah and I think Peterson will go to Memphis, but who the hell knows?”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA Draft Questions, Harper vs. Fox, and the USMNT’s World Cup Ceiling (Jun 19, 2026) · Listen from 30:45
Simmons says Aday Mara's limited college minutes make him too risky for a top-10 pick in such a deep draft.
“I can't take a guy who played 23 minutes a game last year. I just can't”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA Draft Questions, Harper vs. Fox, and the USMNT’s World Cup Ceiling (Jun 19, 2026) · Listen from 58:04
Came true
Simmons says he and House are convinced Washington will take AJ Dybantsa with the first pick.
“we're both convinced that Washington is going to take AJ to banter with the first pick”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: Why Brunson Is Top 50 All Time, a Finals Mega-Mailbag, and NBA Fake Trade Season With Joe House (Jun 15, 2026) · Listen from 5:34
Came true
Simmons confidently predicts AJ Dybantsa will be the first pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
“I would bet anything AJ is going to be the first pick. Anything”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: New York Wins the Title, Brunson Wins Immortality, and Knicks Fans Have a Zihuatanejo Moment With Zach Lowe (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 1:13:32
Simmons said Dybantsa should go first but that Utah ending up with Darryn Peterson and additional assets would be a good outcome.
“i think aj should be first but i also feel like if you end up with peterson and more stuff that's a nice place to be”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Wizards Win (Something!) and More Lottery Reactions, Plus the Juggernaut Knicks With Joe House, Tate Frazier, and Chris Vernon (May 11, 2026) · Listen from 14:26
Simmons suggested Atlanta could trade up in the draft if it became enamored with a point guard.
“Atlanta is another one that I think could trade up if they got excited about a point guard”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Wizards Win (Something!) and More Lottery Reactions, Plus the Juggernaut Knicks With Joe House, Tate Frazier, and Chris Vernon (May 11, 2026) · Listen from 46:07
Simmons said Boozer seemed a natural Memphis fit but that Caleb Wilson's upside on tape was hard to pass on.
“But I think the Wilson upside is I just can't believe the tape with him”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: The Wizards Win (Something!) and More Lottery Reactions, Plus the Juggernaut Knicks With Joe House, Tate Frazier, and Chris Vernon (May 11, 2026) · Listen from 1:35:04

Predictions

Came true
Simmons predicts Washington will draft AJ Dybantsa first overall.
“By the way, Washington's taking him. That's, that's how this is playing out. They're going to take him”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA Draft Questions, Harper vs. Fox, and the USMNT’s World Cup Ceiling (Jun 19, 2026) · Listen from 14:30 · 2026 NBA draft
On June 23, 2026, at Barclays Center, the Washington Wizards took BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, ahead of Darryn Peterson (No. 2, Utah) and Cameron Boozer (No. 3, Memphis). That was within the June 30 deadline.
Sources: NBA draft 2026: AJ Dybantsa goes first overall to the Washington Wizards · Washington Wizards select AJ Dybantsa No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft - CBS News · 2026 NBA Draft: Wizards select AJ Dybantsa at No. 1 overall · 2026 NBA Draft: Wizards select AJ Dybantsa over Darryn Peterson with No. 1 pick - CBS Sports
Checked Oct 7, 2026
Didn’t happen
Simmons predicts Cameron Boozer will go to Utah and Darryn Peterson to Memphis, while acknowledging uncertainty.
“I think Boozer is going to go to Utah and I think Peterson will go to Memphis, but who the hell knows?”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: NBA Draft Questions, Harper vs. Fox, and the USMNT’s World Cup Ceiling (Jun 19, 2026) · Listen from 30:45 · 2026 NBA draft
In the 2026 NBA Draft, Utah took Darryn Peterson at No. 2 and Memphis took Cameron Boozer at No. 3. That is the reverse of Simmons's prediction that Boozer would go to Utah and Peterson to Memphis.
Sources: 2026 NBA Draft Results: Picks 1-60 · 2026 NBA Draft First Round Results: AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer Picked Top-3 - RealGM Wiretap
Checked Oct 7, 2026
Came true
Simmons says he and House are convinced Washington will take AJ Dybantsa with the first pick.
“we're both convinced that Washington is going to take AJ to banter with the first pick”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: Why Brunson Is Top 50 All Time, a Finals Mega-Mailbag, and NBA Fake Trade Season With Joe House (Jun 15, 2026) · Listen from 5:34 · 2026 NBA draft
On June 23, 2026, the Washington Wizards took BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. That matches what Simmons predicted on June 15 and came before the June 24 deadline.
Sources: Wizards select AJ Dybantsa first overall in 2026 NBA Draft · NBA draft 2026: AJ Dybantsa goes first overall to the Washington Wizards in the 2026 NBA draft
Checked Oct 6, 2026
Came true
Simmons confidently predicts AJ Dybantsa will be the first pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
“I would bet anything AJ is going to be the first pick. Anything”
The Bill Simmons Podcast: New York Wins the Title, Brunson Wins Immortality, and Knicks Fans Have a Zihuatanejo Moment With Zach Lowe (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 1:13:32 · 2026 NBA draft
On June 23, 2026, the Washington Wizards took BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the first pick of the 2026 NBA draft, before the June 30 deadline. The Utah Jazz took Kansas guard Darryn Peterson second.
Sources: Wizards tab AJ Dybantsa with No. 1 overall pick in 2026 NBA Draft · NBA draft 2026: AJ Dybantsa goes first overall to the Washington Wizards in the 2026 NBA draft · Washington Wizards select AJ Dybantsa No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft - CBS News · NBA Draft 2026: Wizards select teen sensation AJ Dybantsa with No. 1 pick
Checked Oct 7, 2026

Episodes

NBA One Guy (the East!), a Man City Punishment Primer, and Tom Cruise’s Bomb With J. Kyle Mann, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Oct 6, 2026 · 2 h 13 min
Bill Simmons and J. Kyle Mann pick one key player per NBA Eastern Conference team, then Chris Ryan and Van Lathan discuss cable stars, Tom Cruise's 'Digger,' and Manchester City's punishment.
2026 NBA Draft Winners and Losers With Joe House and J. Kyle Mann
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Jun 24, 2026 · 1 h 59 min
Bill Simmons, Joe House, and J. Kyle Mann react live on Netflix to the 2026 NBA draft's first round, naming winners and losers team by team.
The Giannis Never-Trade and a Mega-Mailbag With Zach Lowe, Plus Wyndham Clark’s Second U.S. Open Title With Joe House
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Jun 22, 2026 · 1 h 56 min
Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe discuss the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga and a listener mailbag, then Joe House recaps Wyndham Clark's U.S. Open win.
NBA Draft Questions, Harper vs. Fox, and the USMNT’s World Cup Ceiling
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Jun 19, 2026 · 2 h 11 min
Bill Simmons previews the 2026 NBA draft and Finals fallout with Tim Legler, then discusses the USMNT's World Cup outlook with Anthony Dabbundo.
Why Brunson Is Top 50 All Time, a Finals Mega-Mailbag, and NBA Fake Trade Season With Joe House
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Jun 15, 2026 · 2 h 4 min
Bill Simmons and Joe House debate Jalen Brunson's all-time standing after the Knicks' 2026 title, NBA draft and trade scenarios, and a Finals mailbag.
New York Wins the Title, Brunson Wins Immortality, and Knicks Fans Have a Zihuatanejo Moment With Zach Lowe
The Bill Simmons Podcast · Jun 14, 2026 · 1 h 41 min
Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe react live to the Knicks winning the 2026 NBA Finals in Game 5, Jalen Brunson's 45 points, the Spurs' fallout, and offseason storylines.
The Wizards Win (Something!) and More Lottery Reactions, Plus the Juggernaut Knicks With Joe House, Tate Frazier, and Chris Vernon
The Bill Simmons Podcast · May 11, 2026 · 1 h 46 min
Bill Simmons, Joe House, Tate Frazier and Chris Vernon react to the 2026 NBA draft lottery won by the Wizards, preview top picks, and discuss the playoffs.

Others on 2026 NBA draft

Tim Legler · 4 quotes
J. Kyle Mann · 3 quotes
Alex Karaban · 3 quotes
Joe House · 3 quotes
Zach Lowe · 3 quotes
Ryen Russillo · 2 quotes
David Jacoby · 2 quotes
PFT Commenter · 1 quote

Bill Simmons on other topics

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Cleveland Cavaliers · 8 quotes