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2026-27 · Regular season
Jeremy Sochan, a 2026 NBA champion, goes No. 1 in the G League Draft to the Mavericks’ Texas Legends, and any NBA team can still sign him
The Texas Legends took Jeremy Sochan with the first pick in the 2026 NBA G League Draft. The former No. 9 NBA pick won a title with the Knicks last season, and his G League deal leaves him free to sign with any of the 30 NBA teams.
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Four months after winning a championship with the New York Knicks, Jeremy Sochan was the first name called in the 2026 NBA G League Draft. The Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks’ affiliate, took the 23-year-old forward with the No. 1 pick on Saturday, Oct. 24. The draft was held virtually and began at 2 p.m. ET (9 p.m. in Cairo).
Sochan was the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He is now the most recognizable player in a G League pool made up mostly of undrafted college players and players cut in training camp. Michael Scotto first reported that Sochan would go first, about an hour before the pick was made.
How a lottery pick and champion ended up in the G League pool
Sochan spent three and a half seasons in San Antonio, where he scored more than 11 points a game in each of his first three years. His role shrank last season, and the Spurs waived him after the trade deadline. He played 28 games for San Antonio and 16 for New York in 2025-26, then played in the playoffs as the Knicks won the title.
In August he signed a non-guaranteed camp contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, who waived him on Oct. 17 and left their 15th roster spot open, as we reported in our story on his release. No team claimed him, and no team signed him before the season started. Across 228 NBA games he has averaged 9.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists. The hesitation has always been his shooting: he is a 28.6 percent career three-point shooter.
A two-way contract, the usual route back for a young player in his spot, was not an option. Those deals are limited to players early in their careers, and after four NBA seasons Sochan no longer qualifies. To keep playing and stay in game shape, he signed with the G League itself and entered its draft pool.
What the pick means for the Mavericks and everyone else
Sochan will sign a standard G League contract, not an affiliate deal tied to Dallas. That means the Mavericks do not hold his NBA rights. Any of the 30 NBA teams can sign him to an NBA contract at any point this season, and a strong start in Frisco would put him back on the radar of teams that need a forward who can guard several positions.
Texas worked to get the pick. In late September, the Legends traded for the No. 1 selection in a four-team deal with the Windy City Bulls, the Osceola Magic and the Sioux Falls Skyforce, sending the No. 3 pick to Osceola and the No. 6 pick to Windy City. It is the second time in four years that Texas has picked first. The Legends also made two more first-round picks: Jevin Muniz of Colorado State at No. 10 and Matthew Lane of Molloy College at No. 17.
The rest of the top of the draft
The Motor City Cruise, the Detroit Pistons’ affiliate, took Drake’s 6-foot-11 Isaiah Carr second. The Osceola Magic picked Louisville forward Kasean Pryor third, the Grand Rapids Gold took California’s Chris Bell fourth, and the Oklahoma City Blue drafted Virginia Tech guard Jailen Bedford fifth.
| Pick | G League team | NBA affiliate | Player | Last school |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Legends | Mavericks | Jeremy Sochan | Baylor |
| 2 | Motor City Cruise | Pistons | Isaiah Carr | Drake |
| 3 | Osceola Magic | Magic | Kasean Pryor | Louisville |
| 4 | Grand Rapids Gold | Nuggets | Chris Bell | California |
| 5 | Oklahoma City Blue | Thunder | Jailen Bedford | Virginia Tech |
| 6 | Maine Celtics | Celtics | Josh Roberts | Manhattan |
| 7 | Sioux Falls Skyforce | Heat | Tyler Cochran | Rhode Island |
| 8 | Capital City Go-Go | Wizards | Pierre Brooks | Butler |
| 9 | Oklahoma City Blue | Thunder | Yusuf Mohamed | Westminster (Utah) |
| 10 | Texas Legends | Mavericks | Jevin Muniz | Colorado State |
The draft ran two rounds and 62 picks. Teams passed on eight selections in the second round, so 54 players were taken. Late picks included two former NBA guards: Jordan Bone went to the Laketown Squadron at No. 30, and Vander Blue went to the Grand Rapids Gold at No. 59.
When the G League season starts
The 2026-27 G League season tips off on Friday, Nov. 6, with 31 teams. Two franchises have new homes this season: the Coachella Valley Lakers, the Los Angeles Lakers’ affiliate, and the Laketown Squadron, the New Orleans Pelicans’ affiliate. Every NBA team now has its own G League affiliate, which also serves as the home for two-way players.
For Sochan, the timeline is simple: play well enough, early enough, that an NBA team spends a roster spot on him. The key dates for the NBA season, including the Feb. 11 trade deadline, are in our 2026-27 NBA calendar. Follow every league-wide story on our Around the league page.
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