Jeremy WooMar 11, 2026, 07:00 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
play3:39The Boozer twins: Making their own legacyRece Davis sits down with fraternal twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer to find out how they are forging their own paths at Duke.
play0:58How far can UNC go without Caleb Wilson?Jay Williams and Jay Bilas discuss UNC’s chances to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament without Caleb Wilson.
play2:05Darius Acuff Jr. explains No. 20 Arkansas’ determination to avenge lossAcuff Jr. discusses the mindset in the win over Texas as they bounced back from a gruesome loss to Florida, describing the electric offense and chemistry between the Razorbacks.
play0:16Brayden Burries drills 3-pointer vs. Colorado BuffaloesBrayden Burries drills 3-pointer vs. Colorado Buffaloes
play1:13Labaron Philon Jr. highlights vs. Tennessee VolunteersLabaron Philon Jr. highlights vs. Tennessee Volunteers
How many freshmen will be lottery picks in the 2026 NBA draft? (1:41)Jeremy Woo previews his latest mock draft and looks at the biggest names to watch in the Big 12. (1:41)
The Boozer twins: Making their own legacyRece Davis sits down with fraternal twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer to find out how they are forging their own paths at Duke.
Rece Davis sits down with fraternal twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer to find out how they are forging their own paths at Duke.
How far can UNC go without Caleb Wilson?Jay Williams and Jay Bilas discuss UNC’s chances to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament without Caleb Wilson.
Jay Williams and Jay Bilas discuss UNC’s chances to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament without Caleb Wilson.
Darius Acuff Jr. explains No. 20 Arkansas’ determination to avenge lossAcuff Jr. discusses the mindset in the win over Texas as they bounced back from a gruesome loss to Florida, describing the electric offense and chemistry between the Razorbacks.
Acuff Jr. discusses the mindset in the win over Texas as they bounced back from a gruesome loss to Florida, describing the electric offense and chemistry between the Razorbacks.
Brayden Burries drills 3-pointer vs. Colorado BuffaloesBrayden Burries drills 3-pointer vs. Colorado Buffaloes
Labaron Philon Jr. highlights vs. Tennessee VolunteersLabaron Philon Jr. highlights vs. Tennessee Volunteers
play0:22Darryn Peterson drops in the smooth bucketDarryn Peterson drops in the smooth bucket
play0:18Hannes Steinbach with the and-1 bucketHannes Steinbach with the and-1 bucket
Whether you’ve followed this 2026 NBA draft class all season or are just tuning in for March Madness, it bears repeating: This is shaping up to be an exceptionally talented draft class.
Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson have been the headliners. But a terrific group of guard prospects — Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr. and Mikel Brown Jr. — add significant depth to the mid-lottery.
They are informed by ongoing conversations with NBA executives and scouts, as well as my own evaluation process from time spent on the road at games and watching film.
With conference tournaments getting underway and a prospect-heavy NCAA tournament one week out, here are our latest projections looking ahead to the 2026 draft.
Darryn Peterson, PG/SG, Kansas Freshman 2025-26 stats: 19.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 20 games
The battle for No. 1 is close enough between Peterson and AJ Dybantsa to the point where league sources broadly view this as a matter of which team ultimately makes the pick. Cameron Boozer’s dominant season has also kept him in the debate.
Sacramento, in search of a new face of the franchise, has quite a bit riding on this lottery. With five rotation players currently injured, they feel like a safe bet for top-three odds.
Darryn Peterson drops in the smooth bucketDarryn Peterson drops in the smooth bucket
A huge NBA contingent was present at the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City on Tuesday to see Dybantsa and BYU take on Kansas State, with decision-makers from the majority of lottery teams in attendance. Dybantsa did his part, scoring 40 points nearly every which way on 15-of-21 shooting, in a 105-91 Cougars win. He’ll have another big stage Wednesday night against West Virginia, with Houston awaiting if he can engineer another win.
The Wizards keep this pick (otherwise owed to the New York Knicks) if it falls inside the top eight. Trae Young made his debut last week and Anthony Davis’ return remains unclear, but this could be Washington’s last dip into the high lottery for a while.
Cameron Boozer, PF/C, Duke Freshman 2025-26 stats: 22.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists in 31 games
Boozer, the ACC Player and Rookie of the Year, has made a loud argument for himself as the best player in college basketball and would provide excellent value if he falls to No. 3.
Some scouts wonder whether he can be the best player on a championship-level NBA team, or whether he’s optimally cast as a secondary star.
Indiana’s deadline trade for Ivica Zubac raises the stakes around next season and this selection, as they’ll convey it to the LA Clippers if it falls in the 5-9 range. Adding Boozer to the mix with a healthy Tyrese Haliburton could kick-start the Pacers on another playoff push.
Caleb Wilson, PF/C, North Carolina Freshman 2025-26 stats: 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists in 24 games
Wilson opted to have surgery after breaking his thumb last week in practice, ending his season and depriving him of an opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament.
A first-team All-ACC selection, he has done enough to sit safely among the top picks even without taking the court again, showcasing his ability to play above the rim and two-way upside at power forward. Evaluators are curious how much more he can develop his 3-point shooting (25.9%) and ball skills, but Wilson plays exceptionally hard, having compiled 11 double-doubles and setting himself apart as an elite prospect. NBA teams have penciled him in as a top-four selection.
Brooklyn has built patiently, holding onto Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton at the trade deadline and will be hoping to add star power to the youngest roster in the NBA, no matter where this pick falls.
Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston Freshman 2025-26 stats: 16.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists in 31 games
With a strong tier of backcourt players penciled in through the middle of the lottery, and front offices valuing them all differently, there’s real ground to gain for these players over the next couple of weeks.
Houston will ultimately go as far as the first-team All-Big 12 selection can carry it in March, beginning Thursday in the conference tournament.
The Jazz need this pick to land in the top eight, or will otherwise convey it to Oklahoma City. Utah beefed up its frontcourt with Jaren Jackson Jr. at the trade deadline and is a team that should be looking hard at guard options ahead of a pivot toward playoff contention next season.
Keaton Wagler, PG/SG, Illinois Freshman 2025-26 stats: 17.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists in 31 games
Wagler’s unexpected rise from off-the-radar recruit to Big Ten Freshman of the Year has given him a chance to be the second guard off the board. His positional size — 6-foot-6 — 3-point shooting (41%) and impeccable playmaking give him developmental upside.
Atlanta will be in search of a long-term point guard after moving on from Trae Young, and can address that in this draft, even if its pick doesn’t land in the top four.
Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas Freshman 2025-26 stats: 22.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists in 30 games
Dallas is another potential point guard landing spot, with Kyrie Irving now 33 and the Mavs building around the rising Cooper Flagg. Finding a long-term starter at the position would be a coup for their future.
Darius Acuff Jr. explains No. 20 Arkansas’ determination to avenge loss
Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville Freshman 2025-26 stats: 18.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists in 21 games
Although he’s shooting just 41% from the field this season, scouts feel comfortable with his history and that his dynamic perimeter shot-creation (34% from 3) remains a strong attribute. The ups and downs of his season haven’t helped his draft profile, though. But he fared better after returning from injury in February. Brown still projects somewhere inside the top 10, with evaluators remaining bullish on his upside as a tall (6-5) backcourt playmaker.
Memphis traded Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline as it continues to retool largely through the draft. The Grizzlies should be in best-available mode, with Ja Morant’s long-term future uncertain.
Nate Ament, SF/PF, Tennessee Freshman 2025-26 stats: 17.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists in 29 games
Ament injured his right leg against Alabama on Feb. 28 and hasn’t played since, but he returned to basketball activities this week. His status is unclear going into Tennessee’s SEC tournament game on Thursday.
He turned his season around in conference play after a slow start, averaging 19 points in 16 league games and reminding teams why he was so highly rated coming into the season. He has at times left evaluators wanting more, but checks valuable size and skill boxes that should make him a long-term NBA fixture. Whether Ament can take a star leap hinges on the evolution of his shot-creation skills.
The Bulls cleared out their roster at the trade deadline and should be in a best-available mindset moving forward, with a clear need for more perimeter shooting.
Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona Freshman 2025-26 stats: 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists in 31 games
It’s been unclear to rival teams which direction the Bucks are going, with Giannis Antetokounmpo returning to the floor this month with a potential offseason trade still up in the air. If Milwaukee plans to keep him, it could make sense to target a more NBA-ready player with this pick (the worse of its own and Atlanta’s). Still, Giannis’s in-season comeback might ultimately harm the Bucks’ chances of better draft odds.