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Where Indiana's Tucker DeVries lands in early 2026 NBA mock draft

headshotby: Alec Lasley07/03/25allasley
Image 6-5-25 at 3.20 PM
Tucker DeVries during first workout for Indiana basketball. (Indiana Basketball / Instagram)

After back-to-back years with first round draft picks and three overall selections in the NBA Draft, Indiana failed to see any of its players selected in the 2025 NBA Draft last month. But, 2026 aims to be different as already wing Tucker DeVries is among the names listed in early mock projections.

DeVries is among the second round selections in Sam Vecenie’s mock draft on The Athletic. He has DeVries listed as the No. 54 overall prospect in his first mock draft.

DeVries is an intriguing prospect, and has near first round potential. At this time last summer, The Athletic had Tucker DeVries listed at No. 37 overall. But, a shoulder injury just eight games into the 2024-25 season cut his year short.

In those eight games, however, DeVries was averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists a game while shooting 47.3 percent on 3.3 made 3s a game. He made at least three 3s in five games.

Last season was his first year at the power 4 level after spending the first three years of his career with his dad at Drake where he averaged 18.0 points a game while shooting 35.9 percent on 2.4 made 3s a game in 104 appearances.

At 6-foot-7, DeVries has great size on the perimeter as someone who can both create with or without the ball in his hands. He has shown that in spurts throughout his career, but looks to do so even more with Indiana on a heightened level.

(On3+): ‘He’s a lot more than just a shooter’: Tucker DeVries bringing full offensive skillset, playmaking ability to Indiana

That’s an underrated part of his game, says well-known local Bloomington and Indianapolis trainer Jordan Basye — now the Hoosiers Connect Director of Athletic Experiences.

“He shoots the living crap out of the ball and it’s effortless. Like he doesn’t really have specific range. I mean like he’s just effortless,” Basye told TheHoosier.com of DeVries’ shooting ability. “He’s big — like he’s strong. I don’t think people realize that he can really score and he’s comfortable with using his body to create space and he’s comfortable in the mid-post and comfortable creating one on one. Like he’s a lot more than just a shooter.

“I think he can do a lot and get moved around to really take advantage of mismatches and really score from all three levels. I think people would be surprised by that and the physicality the he likes to play with. He’s not just a standstill shooter. He really — if you watch it, he’s really good shooting off the move which I think people under value.”

The last time Tucker DeVries was fully healthy and on the floor — efficiency was the first thing that came to mind. DeVries was 2nd in the MVC in Player Efficiency Rating as a sophomore and then 6th as a junior. He was 6th in Offensive Win Shares as a freshman, then 1st and then 5th during his three years at Drake. His offensive +/- was 5th, 1st and then 2nd. 

“I think it’ll be a shocking season to a lot of people to see just how good he is,” Basye added. “He’s so competitive and just a really good man who works really hard.”

Other notable second-round members of Vecenie’s mock draft are former Indiana and current Texas A&M wing Mackenzie Mgbako at No. 57 and Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn at No. 60. Purdue guard Braden Smith was at No. 28.

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