Jeremy WooFeb 12, 2026, 06:30 AM ETCloseNBA draft analyst and writer Joined ESPN.com in 2023 Covered the NBA and NBA draft for Sports Illustrated from 2015-2023Follow on XMultiple Authors
play0:32Darryn Peterson hits back-to-back clutch 3s to lift Kansas past Texas TechDarryn Peterson comes alive late with back-to-back treys to lead No. 11 Kansas to a big road win in Lubbock.
play0:20Cameron Boozer’s and-1 extends Duke’s late leadCameron Boozer gets to the rim and draws the and-1 to extends Duke’s late lead.
play0:37Keaton Wagler banks buzzer-beater from beyond half courtKeaton Wagler banks buzzer-beater from beyond half court
play1:22Mikel Brown Jr. scores career-high 45 points in Louisville’s blowout winMikel Brown Jr. scores 45 points with 10 3-pointers as Louisville takes down NC State.
play0:22Tounde Yessoufou gets a steal then a tough and-1 in transitionTounde Yessoufou gets a steal then makes a tough and-1 in transition for Baylor.
Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Game Highlights (1:39)Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Game Highlights (1:39)
Darryn Peterson hits back-to-back clutch 3s to lift Kansas past Texas TechDarryn Peterson comes alive late with back-to-back treys to lead No. 11 Kansas to a big road win in Lubbock.
Darryn Peterson comes alive late with back-to-back treys to lead No. 11 Kansas to a big road win in Lubbock.
Cameron Boozer’s and-1 extends Duke’s late leadCameron Boozer gets to the rim and draws the and-1 to extends Duke’s late lead.
Keaton Wagler banks buzzer-beater from beyond half courtKeaton Wagler banks buzzer-beater from beyond half court
Mikel Brown Jr. scores career-high 45 points in Louisville’s blowout winMikel Brown Jr. scores 45 points with 10 3-pointers as Louisville takes down NC State.
Tounde Yessoufou gets a steal then a tough and-1 in transitionTounde Yessoufou gets a steal then makes a tough and-1 in transition for Baylor.
play0:16Nice shot from Chris Cenac Jr.Nice shot from Chris Cenac Jr.
With the NBA trade deadline in the rearview, the college basketball postseason approaching and a stellar freshman class continuing to make headlines, it’s full steam ahead toward the 2026 NBA draft. The shape of this class has come into focus over the past six weeks, with quite a bit of star power lining the top of the group. The stakes and anticipation rise as lottery-bound teams continue angling for better draft odds.
The headliners of this class have lived up to their billing, comprising one of the most talented college freshman classes in recent memory. Darryn Peterson remains atop the board amid a strange, injury-plagued season. AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer have largely been excellent. The emergence of Caleb Wilson, Kingston Flemings and Keaton Wagler has added real depth at the top.
Adding more stakes to this year’s draft is the thought that it could be many teams’ best opportunity to acquire a foundational player, as league sources continue to note the absence of obvious star power in the 2027 and 2028 draft classes. Time will tell, but that perception has certainly made it easier for teams such as the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards to move with competitive urgency at the trade deadline. This is shaping up as a highly consequential draft lottery.
Here are ESPN’s updated top 100 rankings for the 2026 draft class, including breakdowns for the top 25. This process is informed by my own player evaluation and intel from around the NBA and college ranks, and it offers a representation of the available player pool and insight into executives’ and scouts’ views.
Darryn Peterson hits back-to-back clutch 3s to lift Kansas past Texas Tech
Dybantsa’s offensive upside in particular appears immense, and the strides he’s made in-season have kept him in the conversation at No. 1. There are still plenty of improvement areas: He needs to polish his handle, shoot from 3 with more consistency and be a more engaged defender. This will require some patience and investment, but the ceiling has kept teams excited.
Cameron Boozer’s and-1 extends Duke’s late lead
Cameron Boozer gets to the rim and draws the and-1 to extends Duke’s late lead.
He is an unselfish and skilled passer who shines on the open floor. Though his jumper has room for improvement, he has made significant strides and alleviated some scouts’ preseason concerns. Flemings’ size, pace and upside as a playmaker continue to set him apart in a deep, talented point guard class.
There’s no hotter name in NBA circles right now than Wagler, a former three-star high school recruit who has become a genuine lottery talent on the heels of a breakout January. Stepping into expanded ballhandling duties after an injury to Kylan Boswell, Wagler has been a revelation, making nine 3s in a 46-point outburst at Purdue on Jan. 24.
Keaton Wagler banks buzzer-beater from beyond half court
Keaton Wagler banks buzzer-beater from beyond half court
It shouldn’t be surprising that Ament has figured things out at Tennessee after an early adjustment period, averaging 20.1 points on 46% shooting in SEC play entering Wednesday. He fits an archetype as a jumbo skill player who can handle and shoot from range that NBA teams are always willing to chase early in the draft. Evaluators have generally been forgiving of the context, as Ament has been asked to facilitate and create a lot for a team that has little playmaking around him.
Ament sometimes struggles to get consistent separation from defenders, but his ability to rise up over them at his size tends to be translatable to the NBA. While his top-five preseason projection has dimmed a touch while others have emerged, Ament remains a strong lottery bet with appealing positional size, versatility and upside.
Acuff has put together an excellent freshman season while leading Arkansas and placing himself in the lottery discussion with his playmaking, improved shot selection and growth as a decision-maker. He was reputed to be a shoot-first player in high school, but he continues to show the capability to make teammates better and facilitate winning.
Brown snapped out of a slump with an impressive career-high 45 points Monday night against NC State, putting on display his shooting ability (10-of-16 from deep) and reminding scouts of his offensive upside. Before that game, he was at 27% from 3 on the season and had been struggling from the field since returning from a monthlong absence due to injury.
Mikel Brown Jr. scores career-high 45 points in Louisville’s blowout win
Mikel Brown Jr. scores 45 points with 10 3-pointers as Louisville takes down NC State.
NBA teams have continued making the long trip down under to see Lopez, who put together a strong January, including 32 points on Jan. 30 against Melbourne in a game with playoff implications. Now up to 50% shooting from the field on the season, his positional size, perimeter skill and toughness give him a strong developmental base to build on. Lopez has helped stabilize his stock with his productivity, no small feat being 18 years old in a pro league.
Scouts’ questions center around how much offense Lopez will be able to create for himself and how much he’ll improve as a shooter (31.5% from 3), as he isn’t fleet of foot and has to rely on skill and craft. But the dearth of bigger wings in this class and his improved production should help his case.
Amid a breakout season leading Florida, Haugh stands out as a safe, reliable option who will appeal to teams looking for immediate rotation help. He has been the bellwether for the defending champs, who have figured things out after a slow start and depend heavily on Haugh on both ends of the floor.
Haugh’s positional size, mobility, toughness and nonstop motor make him a versatile option who wins extra possessions and doesn’t need his number called on offense to produce. He likely won’t create much offense for himself, but this type of profile slots in well alongside star talent, and Haugh has begun to make 3s with consistency. Scouts view him as a viable choice in this part of the draft, despite his age.
Although Lendeborg will turn 24 in September, making him an older first-round rookie, he looks like another easy plug-and-play target starting in the late lottery. He can play on the perimeter and guard multiple positions with his strong frame, 7-foot-4 wingspan and mobility, enabling him to fit into all types of lineups while keeping size on the floor defensively.
While Lendeborg’s 3-point shooting (29.9%) has been streaky and his age points to limited developmental upside — he began his college career in 2020 — he already has a valuable skill set and should be of interest to any team in need of frontcourt help beginning in this range.
Steinbach has been productive while logging major minutes (33.5 per game) on a struggling team. His dependable rebounding and effort, above-average skill level and ability to play out of different spots on the floor give him a chance to carve out a solid NBA career.
Scouts’ questions are centered on how to project his upside as an undersized center who isn’t the quickest defensively. Steinbach offers some offensive versatility and has flashed the ability to space the floor (35.1% from 3), making him one of the safest big man bets once the top names are off the board.
Teams will be eager to see more of him on the ball in predraft workouts as they assess what else he can bring offensively, beyond his gravity as a shooter. Evaluators remain high on Mullins’ makeup and NBA upside, and he remains in the late lottery mix.
Though NBA scouts broadly view Cenac as more of a long-term project, he has played well lately, taking jumpers with more confidence and showcasing his defensive versatility. His mix of mobility and skill potential coupled with continued improvement this season have kept him in the one-and-done picture.
Nice shot from Chris Cenac Jr.Nice shot from Chris Cenac Jr.
Peat’s specific weaknesses make him polarizing, but there will still be situational appeal for teams due to his qualities as a role player and winning history.