NBA Draft 2026 Last-Minute Mock Trends and Rumors Around AJ Dybantsa and Top Prospects
The Washington Wizards are officially on the clock.
Well, almost.
The wait for the 2026 NBA draft, which the Wizards tip off with their first No. 1 overall pick since 2010, is down to mere hours. By Tuesday night, Washington will align its future with its favorite prospect in this class. And then a lot of other front offices will likely claim to have done the same after making their selections.
Given the proximity to the picks, the rumor mill is predictably awash with activity. Let's dissect the latest discussions here.
Two Players Still in the Mix at No. 1?
1 of 3
The Wizards are taking their due diligence down to the wire. Rival executives continue linking them to BYU swingman AJ Dybantsa, per B/R's Jonathan Wasserman, but if they go a different direction, "it will be with Darryn Peterson."
The Dybantsa-Peterson debate has been discussed elsewhere. It would be jaw-dropping for the Wizards to do anything other than make one of these players the first overall pick Tuesday night.
Honestly, though, anything other than Dybantsa going No. 1 would be a shock. He just feels like the best bet on the board, offering both an elevated floor (due to his tools, scoring talents and competitive drive) and a sky-high ceiling (with gobs of growth potential attached to his playmaking and defense).
Maybe the Wizards disagree, though. They have been, as Wasserman noted, "very tight-lipped during the process." Their intentions are just a guessing game for everyone else, but virtually all of those guesses have them going with Dybantsa.
Mavs, Brayden Burries Share an Interest?
2 of 3
The Dallas Mavericks seemingly have a hunch of what they'd do with the No. 9 pick. And Arizona guard Brayden Burries apparently has something he'd like to see happen with that selection, too.
Per the Stein Line's Jake Fischer, the Mavericks and Burries share a "mutual interest" if he's still on the board when they make their pick at No. 9.
That said, there are a lot of ifs in play here. Fischer noted the Mavericks have "shown a willingness to move both up and particularly down in the draft." Wasserman also relayed that "there's a growing sense from teams and agents that Brayden Burries is going to go earlier than expected."
Burries offers both plug-and-play potential as a physical, two-way off-guard and untapped upside as an on-ball creator. That could make him a fun fit for a Mavericks team seemingly aiming to compete next season with Kyrie Irving but also needing long-term building blocks to slot alongside Cooper Flagg. The pairing makes sense—if Burries is on the board and the Mavericks are on the clock at No. 9.
.
Meleek Thomas Trending Up?
3 of 3
Stocks will continue rising and falling up until selections are being made. It seems like Arkansas combo guard Meleek Thomas is the latest to catch some helium.
The Stein Line's Jake Fischer singled out Thomas as a recent riser, drawing consideration from teams in the late teens and early 20s. For his final mock draft, B/R's Jonathan Wasserman mocked Thomas 24th overall to the New York Knicks. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie sent Thomas to the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 25, but noted he "has some fans in the back half of the first round."
Thomas is a fun player to watch. He oozes confidence, boasts shooting range out well past the arc and has enough handles to ditch defenders and free himself. He is always in attack mode, and he has enough bounce to finish at and above the rim.
He just needs patience and a more polished approach. That confidence can get the best of him and materialize into some egregious bouts of tunnel vision. His defensive focus can waver, too. Still, he is starting with an elevated talent base compared to most prospects in this range, so he could be a highly impactful scratch-off ticket if he lands in the right situation.
.png?w=256)
.png?w=480)
