The 2026 NBA draft class is shaping up to be exceptionally talented. Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson have been the headliners. A terrific group of guard prospects – Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr. and Mikel Brown Jr. – add significant depth to the mid-lottery.
Conversations around tanking and the league’s efforts to combat it continue within the NBA. The strength of this draft has certainly played a role in the unusually high number of teams currently tumbling down the standings. There remains a broad expectation that many quality prospects will return to college next season, primarily among players not entrenched in the first round, as NIL payments shift financial incentives. This mock serves to project what the draft might look like if NBA teams selected today.
Peterson and Dybantsa Vie for Top Spot
Much has been discussed about Darryn Peterson and his candidacy for No. 1 over the course of a tumultuous season. His issues with cramping and inconsistent play have heightened the perceived risk around taking him first, but he remains the most gifted offensive player in the draft. NBA teams have varying levels of concern but won’t have complete information around his long-term health or other intangibles until later in the process.
The battle for No. 1 is close enough between Peterson and AJ Dybantsa to the point where league sources broadly view this as a matter of which team ultimately makes the pick. Cameron Boozer’s dominant season has also kept him in the debate.
Scouts High on Peterson’s Potential
It’s important to keep in mind how strongly many evaluators felt about Peterson coming into the season, particularly scouts who saw him play in high school. Although his role at Kansas has largely moved him off the ball, there remains optimism around his playmaking and ability to operate as a lead ball handler. It’s hard to see Peterson falling out of the top three, and he looked much healthier over the weekend against Kansas State. A big postseason run could help him change the narrative around his season.
Sacramento, in search of a new face of the franchise, has quite a bit ri
Projected Top Pick’s Season Stats
Darryn Peterson’s 2025-26 stats: 19.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 20 games.
With conference tournaments getting underway and a prospect-heavy NCAA tournament one week out, here are our latest projections looking ahead to the 2026 draft.