Mikel Brown Jr. and Kingston Flemings, two players of Puerto Rican descent, and Yaxel Lendeborg, born in Puerto Rico, were selected in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. Brown Jr., 20, was chosen by the Brooklyn Nets with the sixth pick, while Flemings, 19, was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the sixth pick. Lendeborg, 23, was chosen by the Golden State Warriors with the eleventh pick.
Brown Jr. averaged 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game in his first season with Louisville. Flemings averaged 16.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game in his only year with Houston. Lendeborg, who has expressed interest in representing the Dominican Republic in FIBA tournaments, averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game in the past season with Michigan.
Analyst Raúl Álzaga compared Brown Jr. to LaMelo Ball and Flemings to Jaylen Brown and Allen Iverson, and noted that Lendeborg will have an immediate impact.