2026 NBA Mock Draft Round Up of Expert Picks Heading into Final Day of Season

The NBA season has almost reached its conclusion. For 20 teams, it'll be on to the playoffs or the play-in tournament. The rest of the league will shift its focus to the upcoming offseason and the 2026 NBA draft.

And there are plenty of reasons to focus on this year's draft.

The 2026 class is expected to be one of the most talented and deepest groups we've seen in some time. Teams have been actively scrambling for lottery picks, but future stars are likely to be found even later in Round 1.

This year's draft lottery is slated to take place on May 1, while the draft's opening round is scheduled for June 24.

Here, we'll dive into the mock drafts of Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein, and The Ringer's J. Kyle Mann to examine the latest trends and predictions.

AJ Dybantsa Trending as Top Pick

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AJ Dybantsa

While this year's class doesn't feature a clear-cut No. 1 prospect in the mold of Victor Wembanyama or Cooper Flagg, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa appears to be trending toward the top. He was the first overall pick in all three mocks we examined, going to the Washington Wizards in Mann's mock and to the Indiana Pacers in the other two.

Wasserman explained why Dybantsa is the "cleanest" prospect at this point in the predraft process:

"While Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer will remain in the No. 1 overall conversation, Dybantsa's case right now has the fewest holes. His production is backed up by a 60.0 true shooting percentage and plenty of second-half highlights and sequences that highlight the ability to carry a team and take over a game."

BYU fell to Texas in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, though it was through no fault of Dybantsa. His final game included 35 points and 10 rebounds.

Many teams will undoubtedly view Dybantsa as the top prize in this year's lottery. However, team needs and roster makeup could impact who actually goes No. 1 overall. Teams that barely miss out on the top lottery pick will have some nice consolation prizes, too.

Peterson and Boozer Likely to Round Out the Top Three

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Darryn Peterson of Kansas

As Wasserman noted, Kansas' Darryn Peterson and Duke's Cameron Boozer will be candidates to go No. 1 overall. They're also trending to be the next two picks off the board if Dybantsa goes at the very top.

Wasserman and Finkelstein both have Peterson going No. 2 overall to the Wizards.

"In Washington, he'd be the type of grand prize they've yet to find. Initially, he may split time with Trae Young and Tre Johnson, but ultimately grow into their lead guard of the future," Finkelstein wrote.

Boozer was the No. 3 pick in both Wasserman and Finkelstein's mocks. However, Mann had Boozer going second to the Pacers and Peterson going third to the Brooklyn Nets.

"Boozer is the player who is best equipped to both support their current timeline and play a key role in whatever comes next," Mann wrote of a Boozer and Pacers pairing.

It's obviously still early in the process, but it feels like the first three picks in the 2026 draft will be some combination of Dybantsa, Peterson, and Boozer.

Caleb Wilson Might Be a Top-Five Lock

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Caleb Wilson of North Carolina

North Carolina had a disappointing foray into the NCAA tournament, and Caleb Wilson's broken thumb had a lot to do with it. The freshman star suffered the injury while working his way back from a fractured left hand, and it caused him to miss the postseason.

Despite the injury, Wilson is still trending to be a top-five pick in this year's draft. He was the No. 4 pick in all three mocks—going to the Utah Jazz in Wasserman's mock and to the Sacramento Kings in the other two.

"There may be true star potential here and on a Kings roster that isn't built to compete for the post-season right now, he should have the benefit of playing through his mistakes from the first day," Finkelstein wrote of the pairing.

Regardless of how the lottery falls, it'll be a surprise if Wilson falls out of the top five, as Wasserman noted:

"Widely viewed as the No. 4 prospect or a top-five lock, Wilson exceeded expectations with the effectiveness (19.8 points, 9.4 boards, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.4 blocks) of his athleticism, transition ball-handling, two-point shotmaking, passing and defensive playmaking."

The order at the top may be shuffled in the coming weeks, but it seems like any real draft-day drama will begin at No. 5.