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Jay Bilas
Multiple Authors
The 2026 NBA draft has tremendous depth of young talent, yet there is not a “no brainer” as the first overall selection.
Whether LeBron James in 2003 or Victor Wembanyama in 2023, there are certain drafts in which everyone knows the top pick — which leads to little discussion. The top of this draft reminds me of 2022, when Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith all were discussed as potential No. 1 selections. Nobody seemed to know which player would go first until right before the draft started.
This draft has three prospects who are worthy of the No. 1 pick: Darryn Peterson of Kansas, AJ Dybantsa of BYU and Cameron Boozer of Duke.
Each makes an interesting case, and it wouldn’t shock or surprise me to hear any of their names called first. Peterson is the most talented, Dybantsa is the prototype who fits the NBA suit and Boozer is the best pure basketball player — the dream date of analytics.
From my seat, Peterson is the pick. Though Dybantsa led the nation in scoring, Peterson is the most fluid, smooth and athletic scorer in the draft. He averaged 20 points at Kansas, and 27.8 points per 40 minutes. With his athleticism, size and length, Peterson also projects as an impact defender in the NBA.
The only things that gives one any pause: Peterson did not play a full season because of persistent cramping issues, and he is a quiet, soft-spoken young man. Still, I don’t doubt his talent, competitiveness or desire. Dybantsa might fit the Wizards’ roster a bit better on paper, but Peterson would be agonizing to pass over. There isn’t a bad choice here — nothing says all three can’t have NBA careers worthy of the top slot.
2026 NBA draft superlatives
Most talented: Darryn Peterson
We did not see the best of Peterson during his freshman season in Lawrence due to the cramping and other issues. When we did see his skill, it was in flashes, but based on those, it is tough to suggest anyone else for this category. Of course, talent will not be the only factor in having a great NBA career. It takes much more than that.
The decision on Peterson requires getting over the little voice of doubt in the back of your head due to the stop-start nature of his season. Once you get over that, there is little doubt that Peterson is the most talented player in a draft of outstanding talent.
Most built for the NBA: AJ Dybantsa
Dybantsa is readymade for the NBA. He is long, athletic and skilled — he glides around on the court. Right alongside him in this category is Jayden Quaintance of Kentucky. Quaintance is 6-foot-10, 255 pounds with an immense wingspan and the athleticism to rebound, block shots, change shots and affect the game without taking a shot. Injury robbed Kentucky of Quaintance’s presence, and he will be one of the NCAA’s least productive first-round picks since Peyton Watson was drafted out of UCLA in 2022 averaging 3.3 points. Things have worked out nicely for Watson, who had a breakout season for the Denver Nuggets in 2025-26.
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Get to know NBA draft prospect AJ Dybantsa
Best pure basketball player: Cameron Boozer
This category is meant to underscore that Boozer has a distinctive skill set alongside an advanced understanding of the game, team dynamics and processing game situations in real time — not to say that others in this draft are lacking in those areas, but Boozer stands out in this talented crowd.
From an analytics standpoint, which is not dispositive of the issue, Boozer is the best player in the draft. There is certainly a part of me that says, don’t complicate this, and don’t get bogged down arguing with yourself over thoughts on athleticism only. For crying out loud, Boozer measured with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, a 35-inch vertical, and had better sprint and shuttle times at the combine than Cooper Flagg in 2025.
Most dynamic athlete: Caleb Wilson
Wilson is a ridiculous athlete who drops jaws on the floor with his talents. He has a 7-0 wingspan and a 39.5-inch vertical, and does things with quick bounce. Peterson, Dybantsa, Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr., and Baylor’s Cameron Carr are all super-dynamic athletes, but Wilson seems to have another step on his ladder when the ball is tipped.
Best guard (besides Peterson): Darius Acuff Jr.
After Peterson, the best guard in this draft is Acuff. The Detroit native was dominant throughout the season, leading the SEC in scoring (23.5 PPG) and assists (6.4 APG) to become the first player since Pete Maravich in 1969-70 to lead the SEC in both categories in a single season. Acuff was the only player in the nation to average more than 20 points, 5 assists and shoot better than 40% on 3-pointers.
Acuff is compact, athletic, fast and explosive, and can score at all three levels. He is a shot creator and creative finisher, and a tremendous competitor. He did not defend at a high level, but part of that was his value on the court — Arkansas could not afford to have him out with fouls. Down the stretch of the season, Acuff was nearly unstoppable, nearing the impact of his breakout 49-point game against Alabama early on.
Acuff could wind up as the best offensive player in the draft. He is special.
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Darius Acuff Jr.’s NBA draft profile
Best passer: Braden Smith
It would be tough to say that any player is a better passer than Smith, the NCAA’s all-time assists leader (1,103). Smith’s challenge is his size — at 5-10, he is a small point guard — but he is incredibly smart, has terrific quickness, grit and vision in pick-and-roll sequences. Smith shot the ball well at the combine and tested well athletically. To me, T.J. McConnell is a fair comparison for Smith.
Best rebounder: Hannes Steinbach
The Washington freshman led the nation in rebounding (11.8 RPG), a skill that usually translates very well from college to the NBA. Steinbach, who has great hands and timing, was one of only 14 players to average double figures in both points (18.5 PPG) and rebounds. He had 13 games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, trailing only Boozer (14). He had 24 boards in a single game against USC.
The best offensive rebounder in the draft is Arizona’s Tobe Awaka, who almost averaged a double-double at 9.3 PPG and 9.1 RPG in 20.8 minutes game. Awaka started his career at Tennessee, and came off the bench for the Wildcats’ Final Four squad. He is a specialist who can get extra possessions.
Best defensive player: Jayden Quaintance
With a nod to defensive versatility and rim protection, there might not be a clear-cut choice in this category. Based solely on ceiling and measurables, I like Quaintance, but he did not play many games or minutes this season because of injury. Still, no prospect has more potential to be a game-changing defender than Quaintance.
Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. isn’t far off with his athleticism and ability to switch and pile up steals and blocks. Santa Clara’s Allen Graves is attractive as a defensive option as well, although he does not have the athletic ability of Johnson. One player who will surprise is Peterson — with his 6-10 wingspan and athleticism, Peterson can be an outstanding defender in the NBA.
The top rim protector in this draft is Michigan’s Aday Mara. At 7-3 with ridiculously long arms that provide him a 9-9 standing reach, Mara set a Michigan record with 103 blocks last season, and opponents shot just 35% at the rim with Mara on the court.
Favorite prospects outside the top 10: Morez Johnson Jr. and Labaron Philon Jr.
It’s easy to spend significant time in the weeds on the No. 1 pick and miss the big picture. Some of the best players in the NBA right now were not lottery selections, such as New York’s Jalen Brunson. Nobody could predict the heights Brunson would reach in the league. To be clear: I’m not saying any prospect projected outside the top 10 will be the next Brunson. But two players I really like are Johnson and Philon.
Johnson is an imposing 6-9, 250 pounds with tremendous length and athleticism — and huge hands. His above-the-rim game is tantalizing, shooting better than 70% at the rim, as is his ability to defend and switch multiple positions.
Philon has the talent and ability to be taken in the top 10 of most drafts, but this one is loaded — and guard-heavy. Philon was primarily a defender two years ago, but he nearly doubled his scoring output last season. He had a dozen games of 25 or more points, tied with Acuff for most in the SEC. Philon can play with pace, and he is very good in pick-and-roll situations.
Top sleeper: Bennett Stirtz
I am partial to Stirtz as a terrific value pick in this draft. He might be the best shooter in the class, alongside Peterson, and gets to his spots as well as any guard in the class. Stirtz has impeccable footwork and shot preparation, and he never comes out of the game. Stirtz led Division I in minutes played and went the distance in 19 games. He played 40-plus minutes in each of Iowa’s NCAA tournament games, and 758 out of a possible 765 minutes over the Hawkeyes’ last 19 games.
Stirtz is very good in screen-and-roll situations, and has a quick release on his shot. Though he is not the most athletic defender, his shooting is far more important.
