2026 NBA mock draft – Four players in the race for No. 1 pick

With Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe and the rest of the 2025 class off to the NBA, we can shift our attention to the 2026 draft.

We’ve been scouting these players for quite some time, publishing our first mock draft in February. And there’s considerable excitement around the top of the 2026 class, with some league executives saying that the top five has historic star power. Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Nate Ament are potential franchise-caliber players.

Over the past few years, we’ve watched the best prospects of the class mature, and we typically have a pretty accurate understanding of the top of the class; our June 2024 prediction of the 2025 draft accurately identified four of the top five players drafted and six of the first eight, a trend that has historically held true.

The number of 2025 college and international prospects who did not enter the draft, or withdrew at the deadline — up to two dozen prospects on our top 100 big board — has created unusual depth in our early first- and second-round projections for the 2026 draft.

Teams still have a lot to learn about the rest of the lottery and first round — this is not considered a deep high school senior class enrolling in college — and this is not the most exciting 2007-born group of international players who are about to become NBA draft-eligible for the first time.

Every year, we see plenty of lesser-known players rise during the college season — for example, Cedric Coward, Nique Clifford, Walter Clayton Jr. or Danny Wolf in this past draft cycle.

That’s the fun part of draft projections. No one truly knows when or where players will emerge, keeping NBA scouts on their toes.

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Who’s No. 1 in 2026 and why?

There are four strong No. 1 pick candidates — Peterson, Dybantsa, Boozer and Ament — although most NBA teams think it would be difficult, but not impossible, to usurp Peterson and Dybantsa as the top two players, barring a major surprise.

We got a long look at each of these four and others at the Chipotle Nationals, Nike Hoop Summit and McDonald’s All-American events in April, as well as the USA Basketball U19 training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in June.

Peterson earned his spot at No. 1 through a phenomenal final season of high school basketball at Prolific Prep in Napa, California, where he proved difficult to guard in the open court. He can change speeds out of the pick-and-roll, rise up for deep pull-up 3-pointers and finish with explosiveness around the basket.

He is also showing significant progress as a passer and defender, and Kansas coach Bill Self will likely hand the 6-foot-6 Peterson the keys to the offense, giving him an ideal platform to solidify his standing atop the draft in the highly competitive Big 12.

Dybantsa, once considered a lock at No. 1 before a somewhat disappointing high school senior season, had a stunning performance at the USA Basketball U19 training camp a few weeks ago in Colorado Springs. Looking as keen to create offense for others as we’ve seen in some time, Dybantsa was a devastating force in transition and locking down point guards through power forwards with a combination of physicality and intensity rarely seen from an 18-year-old.

He scored at will and also made a plethora of high-level reads in the pick-and-roll, with pocket passes or lobs that illustrate significant improvement with his decision-making and unselfishness.

This version of Dybantsa is almost a lock to emerge as the No. 1 pick, so a similar performance at the FIBA U19 World Cup and as a freshman at BYU will cause us to rethink our projected order, depending also on how Peterson looks.

Boozer can’t be ruled out at the top of this draft either, after his exceptional performance at the Nike Hoop Summit in April. He carried USA Basketball to a tough overtime win against the World Team with 22 points, 16 rebounds and 6 assists, anchoring his team’s defense and showing his phenomenal feel for the game. Still, NBA executives criticize Boozer as an early bloomer physically who isn’t blessed with great explosiveness and relies too heavily on bully-ball plays inside.

He’ll have to keep making shots consistently, and demonstrate his passing and defensive versatility to silence those critics. We’re expecting a Cooper Flagg-type season from him at Duke that will surprise his naysayers.

Ament is a late addition to the No. 1 pick conversation and the furthest away of the four from reaching his potential — in no small part because he weighs 186 pounds. But ultra-talented 6-foot-11 wings with his fluidity, shotmaking prowess, defensive versatility and scoring ability are often deemed franchise-type prospects.

There were plenty of NBA executives who walked out of the McDonald’s All-American game in April and said Ament has All-Star potential. After starting practice at Tennessee on June 17, Ament appears to be adding weight and will be in a featured role in the SEC, giving him every opportunity to make his case as a surprise No. 1 candidate. — Givony

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Who are the top returning prospects to watch?

Though the majority of our early projected first-rounders are rising freshmen or international-based players, 11 of the top 30 are returning to the NCAA — most of whom went through the predraft process this spring and stayed in college. Here are highlights of some of the top players NBA teams are evaluating:

Quaintance was 17 years old for all of his freshman season at Arizona State, and ineligible to enter this year’s draft. NBA teams were paying close attention throughout, drawn to his excellent physical profile and flashes of talent as a dunker and interior finisher. Considering he could have been a junior in high school, his huge shot-blocking numbers (2.6 per game) were particularly eye-popping.

While Quaintaince is quite raw from a skill perspective, particularly his jump shot, and has a lot to learn with his overall technique and ability to process the floor, his extreme youth for the college level earns him benefit of the doubt, and NBA scouts will be eager to see whether he can take another step forward after transferring to Kentucky. He’ll have a major platform there to try and solidify himself as a lottery talent, but there’s a lot of refinement that has to happen before he’s NBA-ready.

How quickly he returns after his ACL surgery in March will be a factor to watch. — Woo

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Lendeborg broke out last season at UAB and will transfer to Michigan, where a huge role and lucrative NIL deal await after he considered entering the 2025 draft. He had positive flashes at the combine, but it wasn’t enough to earn him a first-round assurance. The Wolverines have lost quite a bit of frontcourt production, with first-rounder Danny Wolf (No. 27) and Vladislav Goldin off to the pros, allowing Lendeborg to help himself in the same way.

A late-blooming prospect with a mix of offensive skill, defensive playmaking and excellent length, expect Lendeborg to figure prominently for Michigan. — Woo

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Stirtz had begun trending upward in a real way with NBA scouts in March, where he played well in the NCAA tournament and drew first-round buzz. Considering the momentum he built, it was a surprise to see him completely forgo the predraft process this spring.

Instead, Stirtz will follow Ben McCollum, his coach at Drake and Division II Northwest Missouri State before that, to Iowa, where he will have the keys to the offense and a platform to further prove himself in the Big Ten. He’s a terrific playmaker who figures to be among the top guards in the country. — Woo

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Evans was a five-star recruit who never fully broke through at Duke last season, playing a small role on a very good team and deciding to return. A perimeter sharpshooter with a slender build, Evans will presumably step into more shots on a new-look Blue Devils team and have an opportunity to give NBA teams a much better look at what he can do.

His limitations as a decision-maker and defender made it difficult to earn consistent playing time last season, and Evans has to improve in both areas to solidify himself as a first-rounder a year from now. His shotmaking ability is a legit NBA calling card, but he’ll have work to do to win over scouts. — Woo

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Pettiford stood out on the first day of the NBA combine, and though he didn’t do enough to secure the first-round stability he sought, he reminded scouts of his talent as he returns to Auburn. He should have the freedom to operate next season, with the Tigers vacating a sizable chunk of backcourt minutes.

Pettiford’s scoring ability and explosiveness give him a chance to succeed as an undersized guard, but NBA teams want him to expand his playmaking and improve defensively. His size — 6-foot-1, 175 pounds — projects him as a spark off the bench. Still, if Pettiford can help reframe the conversation about his upside, he could land in the first round. — Woo

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2026 NBA mock draft: Top 10 picks

Darryn Peterson, PG/SG, 6-6, Age: 18.4
Freshman, Kansas

Peterson was the best player in high school last season, possessing a coveted combination of size, length, explosiveness and shot creation. He’s a capable passer with strong defensive playmaking ability, and scoring talent.

Headed to play for Self, Peterson will be the centerpiece of a Kansas roster built around his dynamic offense, giving him every opportunity to solidify his standing as the No. 1 prospect in next year’s draft. — Givony

Note: Top-8 protected, will go to the New York Knicks if the pick is 9 through 30.

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A.J. Dybantsa, SG/SF, 6-9, Age: 18.4
Freshman, BYU

Dybantsa has filled up the stat sheet everywhere he has played, but he didn’t have a great season last year at Utah Prep.

He looked better at the USA Basketball U19 World Cup in June, where he played more efficiently and dominated both ends. Every NBA team is searching for 6-9 wings in Dybantsa’s mold who can score from anywhere, pass on the move and defend multiple positions.

He’s already enrolled at BYU, where he’ll have the keys to the offense and the opportunity to show he’s worthy of being the No. 1 pick — a process that might begin this upcoming week at the FIBA U19 World Cup. — Givony

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Cameron Boozer, PF, 6-9, Age: 17.9
Freshman, Duke

Boozer is one of the most productive high school players we’ve ever seen, with a winning résumé unmatched by any prospect in recent memory. He has an elite feel for the game, and can handle, pass, shoot and guard every position.

He brings relentless physicality, crashes the glass and takes pride in dominating his matchups inside. His outside shooting has significantly improved in the past year, as well. Boozer’s first-year production could rival Cooper Flagg’s, which would clearly set him up as a legitimate candidate for National Player of the Year honors, even if some NBA executives question his long-term upside. — Givony

Note: Top-8 protected, will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if the pick is 9 through 30.

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Nate Ament, SF, 6-11, Age: 18.5
Freshman, Tennessee

A late bloomer, Ament has grown significantly in the past year, filling out his frame at 6-foot-11.

He’s a tremendous shotmaker, has improved his passing and defensive versatility, and his ability to get a shot off almost at will gives him perhaps the highest upside of any prospect in this class. He’ll be a focal point at Tennessee, allowing NBA teams to evaluate whether he can emerge as a consistently efficient, winning player in a challenging SEC. — Givony

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Mikel Brown Jr., PG, 6-4, Age: 18.8
Committed to Louisville

Growing from 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-4 throughout his high school career, Brown has shown dynamic scoring instincts and talent as a ball handler, passer and outside shooter.

Brown, who is 176 pounds, is inconsistent as a finisher, defender and decision-maker, but his ability to handle the physicality of the college game on both ends of the floor will play a significant role in his productivity as a freshman at Louisville. — Givony

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Jayden Quaintance, PF/C, 6-10, Age: 17.9
Sophomore, Kentucky

Younger than several highly touted rising high school seniors, Quaintance had a highly productive freshman season at Arizona State, ranking as one of the best shot blockers in college basketball.

He has a chiseled frame, huge hands, a 7-foot-5 wingspan and is exceptionally mobile. NBA teams will be monitoring how he bounces back from the ACL surgery he had in March, and that might require a slower start at Kentucky. — Givony

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Karim Lopez, SF/PF, 6-9, Age: 18.2
New Zealand Breakers (NBL)

Lopez had an outstanding season with the New Zealand Breakers as part of the NBL Next Star program, showing significant improvement with his outside shooting. At 6-foot-9, he has guard skills, and the physicality and motor needed to defend big men.

Scouts are excited to see his potential progress in his second season in the Australian league, where he’ll likely be asked to step into a bigger role. — Givony

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8. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans)

Caleb Wilson, PF, 6-9, Age: 18.9
Freshman, North Carolina

At 6-foot-9, Wilson looks the part with an outstanding frame, length and developing two-way versatility that could be harnessed into a very intriguing package long term. He can push off the defensive glass and pass on the move.

Wilson’s intensity level and outside shooting need work, but he has attributes you can’t teach and is loaded with long-term upside. — Givony

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Dame Sarr, SG/SF, 19.0
Freshman, Duke

Sarr is looking to follow in the footsteps of Kasparas Jakucionis and Egor Demin as highly touted international prospects, departing the Spanish development system to pursue college basketball on a revamped Duke squad.

The 6-foot-8 wing is a versatile defender who has shown intriguing flashes as a perimeter shooter, passer and shot creator in the Euroleague and ACB last year, but is still unpolished in several areas, including his decision-making. — Givony

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Dash Daniels, SG, 6-6, Age: 17.5
Melbourne United (NBL)

Daniels will likely be the youngest prospect in the 2026 draft class — turning 18 in mid-December — making it difficult to project how he’ll handle the rigors of the Australian NBL next season. He brings many of the same strengths and weaknesses as his brother Dyson (Hawks guard), but is bigger, stronger and longer at the same age, which won’t hurt his NBA projection.

Similar to his brother, he’s an outstanding defender and a work in progress as a ball handler, shooter and scorer, but he has a strong feel for the game, and plays with pace and unselfishness. He appears to be making strides with his shooting, too, based on what he has shown this summer in the NBL1 league with the Sandringham Sabres. — Givony

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Remaining big board for the class of 2026

11. Chris Cenac Jr., PF/C, Houston, freshman
12. Darius Acuff, PG, Arkansas, freshman
13. Nikolas Khamenia, SF/PF, Duke, freshman
14. Yaxel Lendeborg, PF/C, Michigan, super senior
15. Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa, senior
16. Isaiah Evans, SG/SF, Duke, sophomore
17. Sergio De Larrea, PG/SG, Valencia (Spain)
18. Koa Peat, PF, Arizona, freshman
19. Braylon Mullins, SG, UConn, freshman
20. Tahaad Pettiford, PG, Auburn, sophomore
21. Joseph Tugler, PF/C, Houston, junior
22. Aday Mara, C, Michigan, junior
23. Tounde Yessoufou, SF/PF, Baylor, freshman
24. Andrej Kostic, SG, Kansas State, freshman
25. Ognjen Srzentic, SG/SF, Mega Superbet (Serbia)
26. Hannes Steinbach, PF/C, Washington, freshman
27. Motiejus Krivas, C, Arizona, junior
28. Labaron Philon, PG, Alabama, sophomore
29. Alex Condon, C, Florida, junior
30. Braden Smith, PG, Purdue, senior
31. Boogie Fland, PG, Florida, sophomore
32. Karter Knox, SG/SF, Arkansas, sophomore
33. Morez Johnson Jr., PF/C, Michigan, sophomore
34. Zuby Ejiofor, C, St. John’s, senior
35. Alex Karaban, PF, Connecticut, senior
36. Dailyn Swain, SG/SF, Texas, junior
37. JT Toppin, PF, Texas Tech, junior
38. Patrick Ngongba II, C, Duke, sophomore
39. Miles Byrd, SG, San Diego St, junior
40. Thomas Haugh, SF/PF, Florida, junior
41. Darrion Williams, SF/PF, NC State, senior
42. Derrion Reid, SF/PF, Oklahoma, sophomore
43. Moustapha Thiam, C, Cincinnati, sophomore
44. Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina, junior
45. Andrej Stojakovic, SG/SF, Illinois, junior
46. Kam Williams, SF/PF, Kentucky, sophomore
47. Ian Jackson, SG, St. John’s, sophomore
48. Tomislav Ivisic, C, Illinois, junior
49. Mackenzie Mgbako, PF, Texas A&M, junior
50. Milos Uzan, PG, Houston, senior
51. Wesley Yates III, SG, Washington, junior
52. Ryan Conwell, SG, Louisville, senior
53. Nolan Winter, C, Wisconsin, junior
54. Magoon Gwath, C, San Diego St, sophomore
55. Donnie Freeman, PF, Syracuse, sophomore
56. Flory Bidunga, C, Kansas, sophomore
57. Kwame Evans Jr., PF, Oregon, junior
58. Tobi Lawal, PF, Virginia Tech, senior
59. Richie Saunders, SG, BYU, senior
60. Zvonimir Ivisic, PF/C, Illinois, junior