NBA
NBA Draft 2026: every pick from 1 to 13
The draft class the basketball world had been waiting for finally arrived last night. For the first time the future faces of the league stood together on one stage, caps on, their futures resting on a single decision.
For months it revolved around the same names: AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer. And had Caleb Wilson not been injured and missed the NCAA tournament, he would have belonged in that group too. Rarely has the top of a draft been this tightly bunched, rarely has one age group held this much talent, and rarely has a lottery felt this open.
Where you normally see a mix of freshmen, sophomores, seniors and international players, the entire top of this draft consisted almost exclusively of young college freshmen. High ceilings, little certainty, enormous upside.
Pick 1: AJ Dybantsa to Washington
The Wizards held the top pick for the first time since John Wall. The moment the lottery was settled, the conversation turned to risk against upside. It became AJ Dybantsa.
Washington is not choosing certainty here, but the highest ceiling in the draft. In a roster with Trae Young, Bilal Coulibaly, Anthony Davis and Alexandre Sarr, there is room to develop without immediate pressure. Length and explosiveness on the wing, shot creation off his own actions, flashes of secondary playmaking and switchable defence make him the player with the highest ceiling in the class.
Picks 2 and 3: stability over flair
Utah opted for stability in the backcourt alongside a strong frontcourt. Darryn Peterson emerged at Kansas as a guard who controls the game without forcing it. Pick-and-roll control, scoring at three levels and a low turnover rate make him immediately usable.
Memphis chose control and stability with Cameron Boozer of Duke. He is not the flashiest player, but he reads possessions well and slows the game where needed. Scoring in the paint and midrange, rebounding for his position and a high basketball IQ translate directly to the NBA.
The rest of the top ten
Chicago went for identity and energy with Caleb Wilson of UNC, who brings intensity and immediately noticeable defensive impact. The Clippers landed at five via the Pacers and took Keaton Wagler. In an experienced team that is exactly the type you want: no noise, just execution. Brooklyn chose creativity over pure scoring with Mikel Brown Jr., who brings tempo and variety to the offence.
Sacramento took Darius Acuff Jr. at seven, one of the most dominant guards in college basketball. He was the only player since Pete Maravich to lead the SEC in both scoring and assists in the same season. He was also the only player in the NCAA averaging at least 20 points and 6 assists, and one of only four shooting at least 48 percent from the field and 44 percent from three. Atlanta chose structure via the Pelicans with Kingston Flemings.
The biggest surprise in the top ten came at Dallas. Morez Johnson Jr. of Michigan went earlier than expected because of his immediate physical impact in the paint. Rebounding presence, rim protection and physical interior scoring were enough to get him to number nine.
Picks 10 through 13
The Bucks began their new direction with wing scoring through Brayden Burries, a pure shotmaker whose main weapons are isolation and pull-up scoring. Golden State went for immediate impact with Yaxel Lendeborg, who may not have the highest ceiling in the class but is physically ready for NBA minutes.
Oklahoma City kept building with long-term pieces through Aday Mara, the highest-rated Spanish big prospect in years. He barely got going at UCLA, but made an immediate impact at Michigan. In OKC he is seen as a possible successor to Isaiah Hartenstein. Milwaukee added Nate Ament via the Heat, part of the broader rebuild after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, in which the Bucks clearly chose youth, spacing and flexibility.
What makes this class different
This draft felt different from previous years. Rarely has the top been this concentrated in one age group, and rarely have uncertainty and upside sat this close together.
A top made up almost entirely of freshmen means teams are buying projection rather than production. That works when the development environment is right, and it fails quietly when it is not. Which is exactly why the same names will read very differently three years from now.