Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports wrote "NBA Draft Combine winners and losers: Darius Acuff's stock rises, Koa Peat struggles in early shooting drills" in an article published on Tuesday. Salerno named Peat among the 2026 NBA Draft Combine losers.
Salerno noted Peat's struggles in the three-point shooting drill. Peat performed well in almost every other test at the combine, per Salerno. Salerno noted Peat finished at the top of the no-step vertical at 34.5 inches and with one of the best three-quarter sprint times as a 6'7, 245-pound forward.
The knock on Peat coming into the combine was the shooting, per most NBA Draft analysts and Salerno. Salerno stated. "Peat was very consistent inside the paint at Arizona, but beyond that, he didn't showcase an ability to stretch the floor." Peat made 53.8 percent of his two-point field goal attempts in 2025-26.
Salerno continued to note that Peat attempted just 20 three-point shots in 2025-26, making seven. Peat made six out of his 25 attempts in the three-point shooting exercise. Peat had mixed results in the other drills, finishing 21st or below in five exercises.
"Peat will likely be a first-round pick if he stays in the draft, but it's unclear where that would be. In our latest mock draft, Peat went No. 20 to the San Antonio Spurs. He is the one player who would benefit from another year of college basketball. If he returns to school and showcases an improved jumper, he could be a top-five pick next summer."Cameron Salerno, CBS Sports
A major decision to make
Peat continues to be one of the most polarizing draft prospects at the NBA Combine. There has been some debate if Peat returning to Arizona would make a difference in his NBA Draft prospects for 2027. Some state Peat is what he is, while others, like Salerno, believe he can improve his jump shot.
The CBS Sports projections of 14th by Adam Finkelstein and 20th by Salerno illustrate the variance of Peat in NBA Mock Drafts. Peat is projected as low as 30th, the last pick in the first round, of 2026 NBA Mock Drafts. Peat will have to decide if it would be beneficial for him to return to college for another year to improve his NBA Draft prospects.
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