It was easy to predict who would be selected first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft more than a year in advance of commissioner Adam Silver calling names.
It was always going to be Cooper Flagg.
But the 2026 NBA Draft has more questions at the top and features at least three prospects who could reasonably lead front office big boards right now — specifically Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, each of whom will play college basketball next season. Peterson is going to Kansas. Dybantsa is enrolled at BYU. Boozer is headed to Duke. Reasonable minds can disagree on which order to list those players — but, for now, I’m going with Dybantsa first, Peterson second and Boozer third.
Dybantsa is a 6-foot-9 wing from the Boston area whom I first spent time with at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam event two summers ago in North Augusta, South Carolina. Just weeks after finishing what was his freshman year of high school, he led that tournament in scoring and looked every bit like somebody who could eventually develop into somebody who occupies space at the top of NBA Draft boards.Now here he is.
Dybantsa and Peterson are scheduled to meet once next season — at Allen Fieldhouse on a date to be determined. That’ll be a circle-the-date matchup for fans and scouts alike and among the highlights of a five-month season that’ll play a role in determining which player goes ahead of the other when picks are announced next June.Washington Wizards
AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Dybantsa has been an obvious contender to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft for years — and I’m putting him in the top spot despite the New England native having something less than an encouraging final season of high school basketball at Utah Prep. The 6-9 wing is a dynamic shot-creator and shot-maker who has the look of a future scoring champ. He’ll have scouts on BYU’s campus all season.
