In the second round of every year, players strive to be the steal of the draft. Regarding the 2026 class, there are many options. Isaiah Evans of the Minnesota Timberwolves is one who may claim the throne, and so could Ugonna Onyenso of the Detroit Pistons. However, a name that is definitely a strong candidate for the coveted title is Nick Martinelli, a senior wing from the Northwestern Wildcats, who was drafted with the 55th overall pick by the LA Clippers.
How so? Well, not only is he skilled in various aspects of the game, but the role of a reliable spot-up shooter off the bench will be waiting for him right away, leaving an easy path for Martinelli to establish himself at the highest level of basketball.
So, the moment everything comes together, fans worldwide will be calling the Clippers extremely wise for snagging Martinelli at the very end of the draft.
Nick Martinelli could end his rookie season as the steal of the 2026 NBA Draft
While several players in the entire draft have flaws on the offensive side of the ball, Nick Martinelli is not one of them. He was exceptional, particularly in the scoring department, during his final season at Northwestern, where he displayed a strong three-level scoring ability, averaging 23.0 points on 51.0% shooting from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc.
The fact that he scored high numbers so efficiently is a great sign, as, because he did it at the collegiate level, in one of the NCAA’s toughest conferences, the Big Ten, he could very well do it in the NBA. Not saying this is an easy task, but he's not a stranger to effective scoring, which makes it more likely at a higher level.
In addition, Martinelli is, by no means, just a bucket getter. He can crash the glass, is physical on both sides of the ball, and has the potential to turn into a solid playmaker.
These characteristics make it easy for Clipper Nation to believe in his abilities to be known as the steal of the draft at some point during the 2026-27 regular season.
That said, the Clippers chose wisely with Martinelli. He’s already made it clear that the tools to be great are there, and if everything translates as it’s supposed to, every team will wish they'd taken the 22-year-old when they had the chance.
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