The 2025 NBA Draft has come and gone, which means it’s time to introduce you to the new crop of NBA Draft prospects who have a chance to be selected in 2026.
The good news? This class is expected to be deeper than the 2025 class both at the top and throughout the middle and latter portion of the first round. Not only have name, image and likeness rights resulted in players returning to school for extra years, but the incoming freshman class is seen as quite strong, led by a trio at the top in Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cam Boozer.
While I would rank Cooper Flagg over this trio right now, they all profile as potential Tier One talents depending on how their collegiate seasons go.
- Ages are as of the expected draft night in 2026.
- Heights for college freshmen are what their schools list them as. Players who attended this year’s draft combine are listed by their official measurements there.
1. Darryn Peterson | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | Kansas
Peterson is my current pick for the No. 1 spot. He’s a tremendous shot maker and scorer, developed beyond his years because of his handle and polish with the ball. He can play both on the ball or off it and projects as the kind of high-level backcourt shot maker in the Donovan Mitchell mold. He has an innate understanding of how to change pace and direction to get to the exact spots on the court that he wants. He projects to be a high-level shooter, and I also love his craft at getting to the foul line. Defensively, he’s super competitive and tough on the ball, rebounds for his position, and is typically engaged away from the ball. The next course of action for Peterson will be continuing to develop as a primary on-ball weapon who
can both create shots for himself as well as his teammates. He’ll step in at Kansas and contend for an All-America berth as a freshman.
2. Cameron Boozer | 6-8 forward |
18 years old | Duke
Boozer projects to be the best college basketball player out of the clear top trio of players in this class. The son of former NBA forward Carlos Boozer is the most polished of
3. AJ Dybantsa | 6-9 wing | 19 years old | BYU
Dybantsa probably has the highest ceiling in the class if everything goes right. He’s a big-time shot maker who can get to his midrange jumper seemingly at will. He can get there from mid-post sets, out of ball screens, or in isolation. He is a mismatch nightmare waiting to happen, as he can shoot over the top of guards or merely just blow by bigs.
Defensively, there are moments when you can see the upside, when he covers ground all over the court and is switchable onto the toughest opposing players. I have seen Dybantsa disappear too often, and I’d like to see him fully engage this year at BYU consistently. But when he’s at his best, his upside is better than anyone else as the kind of apex wing that every team wants.
4. Nate Ament | 6-10
