Where Do AJ Dybantsa, Boozer, Peterson Land in ESPN's Latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft?
The 2026 NBA draft class is shaping up to be one of the most exciting groups of talent in recent years, and it's already time to start looking ahead to who could be in play for the No. 1 pick.
On Tuesday, ESPN's Jeremy Woo dropped his first official 2026 mock draft of the year, and he predicted that Kansas star freshman Darryn Peterson lands with the Brooklyn Nets at No. 1 overall. BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa landed with the Washington Wizards at No. 2, while Duke big man Cameron Boozer was taken by the Utah Jazz to round out the top three.
The full top 10 in Woo's mock draft is as follows:
- Brooklyn Nets- Darryn Peterson, PG/SG, Freshman (Kansas)
- Washington Wizards- AJ Dybantsa, SF, Freshman (BYU)
- Utah Jazz- Cameron Boozer, PF/C, Freshman (Duke)
- Indiana Pacers- Nate Ament, SF/PF, Freshman (Tennessee)
- Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans Pelicans)- Caleb Wilson, PF/C, Freshman (UNC)
- Sacramento Kings- Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Freshman (Louisville)
- Charlotte Hornets- Chris Cenac Jr., PF/C, Freshman (Houston)
- Dallas Mavericks- Koa Peat, PF/C, Freshman (Arizona)
- Memphis Grizzlies- Jayden Quaintance, C, Sophomore (Kentucky)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via Los Angeles Clippers)- Dame Sarr, SG/SF, Freshman (Duke)
It's clear that the 2026 draft class will be defined by youth, as nine out of Woo's first 10 picks in his mock draft are freshman, including the first eight.
Peterson has already established himself as the cream of the crop, averaging 21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in two games for the Jayhawks. While he's been sidelined recently by a hamstring injury, he's expected to have a bright future at the professional level.
Dybantsa and Boozer have also excelled in their first taste of college ball. Through four games, Dybantsa has averaged 20.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while Boozer posted 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
It will be fun to watch this crop of youngsters continue to develop over the course of the 2025-26 season, but NBA executives are already excited for the chance to add one of them to their roster next summer.
