Latest NBA Draft 2026 Big Board Rankings Drops by Insider, Dybantsa & Peterson Aren't No. 1 Prospect

As the debate continues about who should be the No. 1 overall pick between AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer leading up to the 2026 NBA draft, one insider believes the Duke big man is the best player available.

John Hollinger of The Athletic released a big board of his top prospects Saturday and listed Boozer at No. 1, Dybantsa at No. 2 and Peterson at No. 4 behind North Carolina's Caleb Wilson at No. 3.

He noted each of the four players "can make a credible claim to the top selection" and listed them in their own tier above everyone else.

It is the same top of the board as the one Hollinger released in May that suggested everyone may be "overthinking" Boozer to some degree because of his overall limitations on defense and when it comes to dealing with size and athleticism around the rim.

"The reason you take him No. 1 anyway is that Boozer was basically 'college basketball Nikola Jokić' last season," Hollinger wrote. "... Duke ran inverted pick-and-rolls for him last season, where he was picking out 3-point shooters on the weak side and flicking one-handed crosscourt passes. As a rule, teenage centers do not do this, and when they do, they turn out to be pretty special."

Cameron Boozer Highlights

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Hollinger explained he has a "Marc Gasol Rule" that states "bigs who can pass, figure it out." He also suggested teams shouldn't be overly concerned with his defense "because the offense is going to be ridiculous."

He isn't the only one who sees Boozer as the top prospect available.

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman ranked the Duke star as the top player in his most recent big board with Peterson at No. 2, Dybantsa at No. 3 and Wilson at No. 4. 

While he granted Peterson and Dybantsa "aren't far behind" Boozer, he explained "the impact of his frontcourt shooting, passing IQ, physicality, decision-making and poise should far outweigh the occasional issues that stem from athletic limitations."

All Boozer did during his one season at Duke was take home the Associated Press Player of the Year, Naismith Award and Wooden Award while averaging a double-double of 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game as he connected on 55.6 percent of his field-goal attempts and 39.1 percent of his threes.

Some teams may be concerned with his ceiling as a top prospect, but he also feels like someone with a secure floor who will surely be a contributor for a decade-plus if he remains healthy.

The Washington Wizards have quite the decision to make at No. 1, but each of the teams picking in the top four will have someone with superstar potential to choose in this loaded draft.