Pair of former UConn stars selected in first round of NBA Draft

BROOKLYN (WFSB) - A couple of staples from the University of Connecticut men’s basketball were selected by NBA teams on Tuesday night.

Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. were busy over the last few weeks showing off what they can bring to the table.

Karaban ended up with the Sacramento Kings.

Reed went to the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs.

The 2026 NBA Draft started Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

Karaban, a noted Boston Celtics fan and Massachusetts native, was projected to be a late first round or early second round pick, according to The Athletic and ESPN. He was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 29th overall pick and subsequently traded to the Sacramento Kings.

Mock drafts connected the two-time national champion with the Sacramento Kings, the New York Knicks, which pick 24th in the first round and 31st and 55th in the second, and his hometown Celtics, which had the No. 27 pick in the first round.

Reed was also linked to the Celtics. A league source told Sports Illustrated’s John Karalis that recently Reed did a pre-draft workout for the 18-time NBA champion franchise.

The 2026 First Team All Big East selection has a 7′4″ wingspan and was projected as a late first or early second round pick. He was selected with the 26th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets, who then traded him to the San Antonio Spurs.

Braylon Mullins, a standout who completed his freshman season, elected to stay at UConn for the 2026-2027 season.