2026 NBA Mock Draft: BYU’s AJ Dybantsa goes No. 1 ahead of Duke’s Cameron Boozer

Sacramento would have a tough decision here between AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson. But Dybantsa — the leading scorer in college basketball — brings ideal size and athleticism as well as his scoring prowess as a well-rounded prospect to build around. He’s very much in the mix to go No. 1.

I favor Boozer over Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa by a slim margin, and I think NBA front offices will have the trio all graded similarly. If Indy has Boozer and Peterson in the same tier, I’d lean Boozer here for the fit to pair with Tyrese Haliburton.

The No. 1 prospect in the CBS Sports prospect rankings falls to No. 3 in this mock — largely due to injury concerns that have plagued him during his freshman season. When healthy, he looks like the best player in the class. But we haven’t seen a fully healthy version of him much, if at all, this season. The medicals will play a big role here.

There’s no consensus No. 4 prospect in this class beyond the big three, but for my money I like Wagler — and I like his fit here in Washington — over Caleb Wilson and Kingston Flemings, who should also get consideration. Wagler’s a point guard with the frame of a wing who can shoot the lights out and has great playmaking instincts.

What a consolation prize this would be for Atlanta, a team that will be very much in the mix to earn the No. 1 pick, to snag a falling Caleb Wilson — a potential top-four prospect in the class — at No. 5. Wilson’s dealing with a fractured hand but he has been terrific when healthy leading the Tar Heels, averaging 19+ points and 9+ rebounds per game as a true freshman. His defensive motor alone would present game-changing talent for the dysmal Hawks.

Few players have exceeded expectations this season more than Flemings, who leads a top-five Houston team in scoring, assists and steals (1.7 spg). He can get to any spot he wants on the floor, commands a complicated system like a vet and is pushing close to 38% as a 3-point shooter on volume exceeded three 3-point attempts per contest.

Brown Jr. feels a bit like the forgotten man in this class but I have him as a clear top-seven player in this class with a significant drop-off in talent behind him. In Dallas, he could set himself up as the successor to Kyrie Irving and a long-term pairing partner with Cooper Flagg.

Few players in college basketball feel more like they were destined to be a Memphis Grizzly than Lendeborg. He’s tough, versatile, tenacious. A winner. The best player on a Michigan team that is the title favorite. He’d be a great piece for this franchise.

Stacking firepower in the backcourt wouldn’t hurt the Bulls, who traded away Coby White at the deadline. Burries is a versatile shooter who can run the pick-and-roll and be a scoring threat from anywhere on the floor.

This is much higher than where he is ranked in the CBS Sports prospect rankings, but I’m not convinced Arenas won’t be a big mover in the coming months if he indeed declares as a 2026 prospect. He’s only recently grown into a bigger role at USC but he has showcased intriguing scoring ability and movement skills for a combo guard his size. Teams will be gobbling up as much intel and info as possible on Arenas, the son of Gilbert Arenas, in the coming months. In the right system and under the right coach there’s a lot still to be unlocked.

Cenac is a fantastic rebounder with a wiry frame who has a reported 7-foot-4 wingspan. He’s still growing to be more aggressive, but his instincts as a ball magnet collecting rebounds and his spatial awareness defensively bode well for his future. Raw, but beaming with upside.

Haugh has been Florida’s best player this season and profiles as a combo wing who can bring toughness, athleticism and scoring to the table.

Peat is on the shelf indefinitely with a leg injury but his stellar freshman season at Arizona has him on trajectory to be a lottery pick. He’s shooting a respectable clip from distance, but most importantly, he’d be an instant presence with his physicality and attitude. He plays unafraid with an endless supply of energy that helps produce second-chance opportunities, straight-line drives to the rim and defensive impact.

You’ll see Steinbach mocked in this range and to the Spurs frequently in coming months — and with good reason. He provides inside-out skills like shooting and handling that are desirable for his size that could complement Victor Wembanyama.

Carr has developed and matured ten-fold at Baylor this season becoming more well-rounded not just as a sharpshooter — although he is absolutely that! — but also as a playmaker, too. He has ideal size, shooing and athleticism that will enable him to grow into a potential starter at the two-guard.

This is lower than Ament is projected almost anywhere, and truth be told, lower than I think he ends up going. But this reflects the skepticism I have about Ament in general, which I think NBA teams may eventually share, too. What some may see as long-term upside and potential others may see as a raw prospect with a great frame and a raw game. A team must be patient with him.

An 87th percentile jump shooter, Mullins is hitting nearly 40% on his 3-pointers as a freshman at UConn and fulfilling promise as a big-framed shooting guard who can nail buckets in big spots. He’d be a good fit for most teams, including Memphis.

Perhaps this is a bit high for Johnson — we have him ranked No. 35 — but he’s opened eyes among evaluators over the last month and has proven to be a winning piece for a Michigan team that’s 26-2. Good size, efficient finisher, versatile.

Philon’s a blur of speed in the open court leading an Alabama offense that is second in adjusted pace in college hoops. He’s developed into a better shooter and more dynamic playmaker in his second season in college.

Acuff is one of the hottest names right now in NBA circles as he’s taken over an Arkansas team with his scoring and dynamic playmaking. But he’s a smidge undersized, he’s ball-dominant and Arkansas’ net rating this season defensively is better with him off the floor vs. on it. As with many players outside the top seven, there are some pros and cons to consider that could make his draft range fairly wide.

A floor-spacing scoring wing who can drill 3-pointers, Evans could be a nice complement in LA next to Luka Doncic to keep defenses honest. He’s proven to be a winning piece playing alongside rookie standouts Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel as well as potential No. 1 pick Cameron Boozer.

A tough and gritty point guard who has been an ironman for coach Ben McCollum at both Drake and Iowa, Stirtz could be a tremendous culture and skill add in Detroit with his playmaking and scoring. He can play on and off the ball and has a tremendous feel for how to play winning basketball.

A breakout star for Texas Tech, Anderson this season has grown into one of the sport’s most versatile scoring + playmaking options. He’s third in the sport in assists per game and averaging nearly 20 points per game.

Veesaar is a big center who can hold his own on the interior on both ends and shown himself a capable floor-spacer. He’s hitting above 43% on 3-pointers this season and projects as a high-floor prospect.

This would be something of a swing for the fences for the Knicks on Yessoufou, who has drawn comparisons to Anthony Edwards in his athleticism and play-style. To be clear: He is not the same caliber prospect Edwards was. But he’s an athletic wing who can jump out of the gym and has some intriguing long-term potential.

Few players this season have been more impactful defensively as Bidunga, who has a real case to be the Defensive Player of the Year at Kansas. He can guard every position on the floor, is a vacuum on the glass and finishes everything around the rim.

Jefferson is a multi-talented forward who can be a playmaking hub, rare for a player with his size. He’s also hitting a career-best 36.1% on 3-pointers and taken over as Iowa State’s most important weapon.

The skill and feel of Lopez, ranked as a top-20 prospect in our rankings, has him in the mix to go Round 1. He has a great frame with scoring upside and doesn’t turn 19 until later this spring.

It’s turned into a lost season at Kentucky for Quaintance, who has appeared in only four games. I’d be a bit surprised if he didn’t come back to school. But if he stays in the draft he’d be a tremendous late-first value for a team like Minnesota, giving them a young defensive monster in the frontcourt to build around.

A two-time national champion who has worn many hats at UConn, Karaban is a chameleon who has managed to fit in various roles and contributed as one of the most winning players in Huskies history. OKC would love his knockdown shooting.