2026 NBA Mock Draft: Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa headline full first-round projection
The 2025 NBA Draft class -- led by top-three picks Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe -- was very good at the top, though its depth was kneecapped by NIL packages that coaxed players back to the college ranks.
However, the 2026 NBA Draft class -- led by a trio of potential superstars in Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa and bolstered by a deep group that present real value into the second round -- has a chance to be great.
It's still very early, to be clear, given we are still 11 months out from realizing the potential of the 2026 class. But NBA teams are ecstatic about what next year's incoming class could bring both in terms of top-end star power and in impact players elsewhere.
Ultimately, just like any draft class, it will be judged on stars it produces -- of which there are many candidates at the top. There are three early No. 1 pick candidates in 2026 led by Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa, all of whom bring different things to the table.
Dybantsa is the most toolsy wing in the class. Peterson is the most polished guard. Boozer is the most well-rounded forward. It could present a preference of style and substance at No. 1, depending on which team wins the draft lottery.
For now, I have Boozer at No. 1, thanks in part by Utah being projected at No. 1 currently, according to Tankathon. Boozer's father played in Utah, so there's an obvious connection there. But Dybantsa finished his high school career and will play at BYU in Utah, so even what seems like an obvious decision for this front office may be tricky. By next summer we will perhaps have a more clear picture of how teams view this class after the upcoming college season, but right now the projected first round below is a snapshot in time of how things may unfold.
Let's get to it.
1. Utah JazzCameron Boozer, DukeThe son of NBA legend Carlos Boozer and the twin of another potential one-and-done from Duke, Cayden Boozer, Cameron is a near can't-miss talent because of his built-out 6-foot-9 frame and powerful game. He can score inside and out and has guard-like versatility with the ability to score at every level and make advanced reads for his position. Both Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa are exciting prospects who could be the No. 1 pick, but Boozer is the one of the current big three I feel most confident will have a long and fruitful NBA career as a multi-time All-Star. One added wrinkle to watch here is that his father, Carlos, who played with Utah from 2004-2010 and was a fan favorite, joined the team's front office earlier this year.
2. Washington WizardsDarryn Peterson, KansasThe polish and pizazz Peterson possesses as a preternatural combo guard gives him a real shot at being the No. 1 pick next summer. He's more a shooting guard than a lead guard -- though I suspect Kansas coach Bill Self will turn the keys over to him this season -- but his shot-making and overall skill with the ball is good enough to put him in almost any situation and thrive.
3. Brooklyn Nets AJ Dybantsa, BYUThe idea of Dybantsa as a built-in-a-lab, 6-foot-9 scoring wing -- the archetype NBA teams so covet building around -- puts him firmly in the mix to go No. 1. I prefer Peterson and Boozer to him right now because he has stretches of inconsistency smattered in with the flashes of star power, but he has the overall talent and potential to become the biggest star of this class. How he fits at BYU this season in a situation likely to be built around his strengths will be among the more interesting storylines this season.
4. Charlotte Hornets Mikel Brown Jr., LouisvilleLouisville has a star on its hands in Mikel Brown Jr., who could be the first true point guard taken in the 2026 draft. He has been highly productive on the FIBA circuit with Team USA on the U18 and U19 national teams, which included a gold medal in 2024, and the combo of his skill and feel as a lead initiator will have plenty of teams excited for him as a potential top-five pick.
5. Portland Trail BlazersTounde Yessoufou, BaylorEach time I watch Yessoufou I have to squint my eyes and shake the optical illusion that I am watching him, not Anthony Edwards. They are near-twins in size, girth and movement skills, and Yessoufou similarly profiles as a big-bodied scoring wing who has real flashes of stardom. I'm a bit higher than consensus on him right now, but I can see him rising into this range by season's end as he walks into a great situation for guards playing under Scott Drew at Baylor.
6. Memphis GrizzliesDame Sarr, DukeSarr has spent the last three seasons playing for FC Barcelona and heads to Duke as a freshman this season where he will be prominently featured alongside potential No. 1 pick Cameron Boozer and the No. 1-ranked incoming recruiting class. He's a 6-foot-8 wing with a long wingspan and a true defensive playmaker who can enter the mix as a No. 1 pick contender if he grooms his shot into a more consistent weapon over the next 12 months. Pick acquired via Phoenix..
7. Chicago BullsDarius Acuff Jr., ArkansasJohn Calipari has another true freshman superstar on his hands in Acuff Jr., who heads to Arkansas this season with a chance to be a stat-stuffing monster with the Hogs. My colleague Adam Finkelstein called him "the most dominant and dynamic lead guard in the class" after scouting him last April. Pick acquired via Philadelphia.
8. Sacramento KingsNate Ament, TennesseeRanked as the No. 4 overall player in the Class of 2025 and viewed almost universally as a future top-five pick, here I have Ament slipping a bit to No. 8. He's an awesome prospect, to be sure: he's 6-foot-10 and can score inside and out, with a high shooting release and tools to be a defensive menace. But he's still very much a work-in-progress physically and on the skinnier side in need of adding weight and physicality to round out part of his game.
9. Atlanta HawksKarim Lopez, MexicoLopez is an 18-year-old Mexican playing for the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL -- the same team that produced 2022 lottery pick Ousmane Dieng and from the same league that helped produce 2024 No. 2 pick Alex Sarr. He's a big wing who can shoot the leather off the ball and checks boxes both statistically and physically to become an impact defender at the next level. Pick acquired via New Orleans.
10. Toronto RaptorsBennett Stirtz, IowaStirtz broke out in a big way last season starring for Drake after transferring up from Division II Northwest Missouri State and is in line to be one of the faces of college basketball this season at Iowa. He led all of Division I last season in Win Shares (ahead of Player of the Year winner Cooper Flagg) and has the talent to be a scoring point guard who can win with feel and skill.
11. Miami HeatLabaron Philon, AlabamaPhilon turned down a potential opportunity to be a late first-round pick in 2025 and is in line to reap the rewards as he returns to Alabama for a starring role leading Nate Oats' run-and-fun offense in Tuscaloosa. He's a blur with the ball in his hands who can boost his stock substantially by improving his shot consistency and building off a freshman campaign in which he hit only 31.5% of his 3s.
12. Memphis GrizzliesYaxel Lendeborg, MichiganI fell in love with Lendeborg last season at UAB and NBA teams did the same at the Combine, where he played his way from a late first or early second round pick into a talent likely to be selected somewhere in the 20s. He ultimately decided to return to college and is in line to be a star at Michigan this season. He has a funky game as a 6-foot-9 big who can play-make, knock down 3s and plug every spot defensively (funky in the non-derogatory sense), and coach Dusty May's staff will have a plan in place to feature him as one of the most unique talents in the sport.
13. Milwaukee BucksCaleb Wilson, North CarolinaComing off a season in which a five-star recruit (Drake Powell) struggled on offense but flashed stardom with defense before falling to the No. 22 pick in the draft, I'm a bit more skeptical Wilson -- also a five-star who is something of a project on offense but has amazing defensive tools -- walks into his freshman season at Carolina and becomes a lottery pick. But Wilson's tools are undeniably awesome, and I'm a believer in his two-way versatility as a shot-blocker and floor-spacer who can be additive attacking closeouts on occasion.
14. Dallas MavericksChris Cenac Jr., HoustonCenac Jr. is the highest-rated recruit to choose Houston in school history and is line to be one of the stars of a Cougars team likely to open as the preseason No. 1 team in college hoops. He has a big 6-foot-10 frame and a do-it-all skill set that, combined with his unique movement ability for his size, could push him into the top-10 discussions for next year.
15. San Antonio Spurs Braylon Mullins, UConnUConn has a star on the way in Braylon Mullins, who might pound-for-pound be one of the best and most versatile shooters in the 2026 class. He won "Mr. Basketball" in the state of Indiana in 2025 and averaged 32.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for Greenfield-Central.
16. Indiana PacersKoa Peat, ArizonaPeat was a top-five player in his class for several years before finishing at No. 11, as he burst onto the scene as a star freshman before tapering off a bit. Despite being an early bloomer, though, I don't believe he's hit a plateau as a prospect. He has room to grow as a shooter as he develops his feel and skill, but he's been a producer -- and a winner -- throughout his high school tenure.
17. Detroit Pistons Dash Daniels, AustraliaThe younger brother of emerging Hawks star Dyson Daniels, Dash is similarly built with a big frame and a bulldog mentality on defense. He has shown some progress as a shooter and rated in the 63rd percentile on catch-and-shoot opportunities last season in the NBL, per Synergy data.
18. Oklahoma City ThunderThomas Haugh, FloridaNo player outside of Walter Clayton Jr. was more impactful and more impressive during Florida's title run than Haugh. He averaged 11.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in the NCAA Tournament and was fabulous in big spots creating off the bounce, registered steals or deflections and just in general being a net-positive with his energy and length.
19. Golden State WarriorsJayden Quintance, KentuckyI'm not as big a believer in Quintance as most of my colleagues in the draft community. Sue me. He was an impactful player on the defensive end last season at Arizona State, yes, but there are some real question marks in terms of his offensive potential. He's also coming off an ACL tear from February and it's very possible he won't immediately return to form this season at Kentucky. I'm buying long-term stock, but I think we should be skeptical about him being a surefire lottery pick this year.
20. Atlanta HawksIsaiah Evans, DukeEvans is in line to soak up a major promotion at Duke this season with Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel -- last year's two most skilled shot-makers for the Blue Devils -- off to the NBA. He showed promise when given opportunities and will have plenty of chances this season to thrive as a go-to scorer playing alongside Cameron Boozer.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder Alex Condon, FloridaIt was an ugly finish to the season for Condon after building up potential first-round buzz throughout most of last season. But he's a 6-11 big who has shooting potential and can put the ball on the deck as a creator. If he can improve off last season and be a consistent weapon for Florida, he could work his way into this range next summer.
22. Boston CelticsTahaad Pettiford, AuburnPettiford is one of my favorite draft prospects on planet Earth because of his ridiculous shot-making audacity combined with his competitive edge and attitude. He's a plus-athlete, too, though his 6-foot-1 frame could hinder him from rising much further than this. At Auburn this season he could be an All-American candidate.
23. Los Angeles LakersTarris Reed Jr., UConnI might be an on island here -- that's fine! -- but I'm a big believer in Reed as an NBA player despite his limitations on offense. Some of UConn's best defensive lineups last season featured Reed, and he was a monster on the glass, finishing No. 2 among all players in offensive rebounding rate and No. 12 in defensive rebounding rate while posting a 9.1% block rate (26th nationally). He was also very efficient as a scorer (which helps when you finish 23rd nationally in total dunks, but I digress.) Awesome player.
24. Denver NuggetsKarter Knox, ArkansasKnox emerged late in the season for Arkansas as a two-way force, and he finished the season as a 35% 3-point shooter while rating out in the 96th percentile finishing on at-rim opportunities, per Synergy data. Improving as a stand-still shooter this season could catapult him into lottery convos.
25. Minnesota TimberwolvesMilos Uzan, HoustonOn a deep Houston team, Uzan broke through as one of its most consistent weapons as a transfer, hitting 40.8% on 3s and adding 3.0 assists and 11.4 points per game. He grew throughout the season and is in line to be the leading scorer for Houston this season as it enters the year as a potential preseason No. 1.
26. Charlotte HornetsJoseph Tugler, HoustonAs always with Tugler, the questions surrounding his future NBA ability center around what he can do on offense versus what he can do on defense. TBD on if he can become a more consistent and effective shooter. But he is a dominant defender whose impact on that end might be enough to get him selected in Round 1 despite clear deficiencies on the other end.
27. New York KnicksCayden Boozer, DukeCayden won't get the shine his twin brother Cameron will at Duke, but there is an NBA future for him as well. He has good size for a lead guard and plays a selfless style that impacts winning. He knows when to call his own number and when to dish to teammates, and I'm a big fan of the intensity level he brings on both ends.
28. Oklahoma City ThunderNikolas Khamenia, DukeA tremendous passer for a 6-foot-8 forward, Khamenia has the physical tools and basketball knowledge to be an impact player in the NBA because of his versatility and size. He's a winning player who finished high school at Harvard-Westlake in California with a 122-12 record.
29. Cleveland CavaliersJT Toppin, Texas TechIt's not a Kyle Boone mock draft without a first-round appearance from JT Toppin. He's had a first-round grade for me for two years before returning to college each of the last two years. If he has another big season, I expect he'll be in the mix in the late first.
30. Washington Wizards Nathan Bittle, OregonBittle's return to college was an underrated development this offseason; I had a second-round grade on him and thought he'd be an awesome target for teams looking to add frontcourt depth. He averaged 14.2 points, 2.1 blocks and 7.6 rebounds per game last season at Oregon.
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