Top Midrange Players for the 2026 Class

Derkack is a high-flying inside type of player who uses his skillset to the maximum. He can control the post with his bag of moves he can go to. He has a strong pump fake that always gets defenders biting for it. Derkack has good handles allowing him to work the midrange game and hit tough fading shots over tough contests. He can stop on a dime and hit the pull-up shot before a defender even gets a hand up.

Santiago is a shot-maker and is always looking to get his shots up quickly before defenses get set. He has a quick and smooth release allowing him to need very little room to get it off. He has a great ball fake that he uses to dribble past defenders to hit the pull-up midrange shot. Santiago can also come off of pick-n-pops to create that extra space. In the post, he can back down smaller defenders to go straight up over them.

Lin plays fast and downhill and likes to get his teammates involved in any way he can. He does this by commanding lots of attention in the midrange area drawing double teams so he can kick out to open shooters. Lin’s ability to weave in and out of the defense allows him to pick and choose his spots. His tight handles allow Lin to break down his defenders quickly and then hit them with the eye fake to create space for the open shot.

Boyd does all of his damage on the offensive end in the midrange and posted area with his 6’4″ size. He is very crafty down low with how he scores using pump fakes and effective up-and-under moves around the rim. He can step out from the paint and work pick-n-pops to hit open midrange shots. Boyd’s long hook shot makes it tough for defenders to try and block it. He can even hit fading-away jump shots no matter how strong the defense is.

Smith is a do-it-all type of player who never stops moving and has unlimited energy throughout a game. He uses that to his advantage over tired defenders late in games. He attacks the rim with a purpose and looks to draw contact any way he can. Smith has a nice floater he will go to and can stop and hit the pull-up shot. He will post up players if he has a mismatch and can do some crafty moves to get to the rim.