Jeremy WooMay 7, 2026, 06:45 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
play0:43BYU forward AJ Dybantsa declares for NBA draftBYU’s AJ Dybantsa announces he will enter the NBA draft and finish his college degree online.
play1:45Cam Boozer credits parents in Wooden Award acceptance speechCameron Boozer thanks his parents while accepting the John R. Wooden Award for men’s player of the year.
play1:32Arkansas freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. declares for 2026 NBA draftDarius Acuff Jr. joins Malika Andrews on “NBA Today” to reveal that he will be entering the 2026 NBA draft.
play1:15Shams: Mavs ‘landed a global basketball giant’ in Masai UjiriShams Charania joins “NBA Today” to discuss the Mavericks hiring Masai Ujiri as their team president and alternate governor.
play1:02Wilbon after Donovan’s exit: Bulls as irrelevant as any big-market team in sportsMichael Wilbon shares his thoughts on the Bulls after Billy Donovan’s decision to step down as coach.
play2:08Shams: Dawn of a new era for Bucks with Taylor JenkinsShams Charania reports that the Bucks are finalizing a deal to hire Taylor Jenkins as coach.
How did AJ Dybantsa jump Darryn Peterson in Jeremy Woo’s mock draft? (2:33)Jeremy Woo breaks down the race between AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson for top prospect in the NBA draft. (2:33)
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa declares for NBA draftBYU’s AJ Dybantsa announces he will enter the NBA draft and finish his college degree online.
Cam Boozer credits parents in Wooden Award acceptance speechCameron Boozer thanks his parents while accepting the John R. Wooden Award for men’s player of the year.
Cameron Boozer thanks his parents while accepting the John R. Wooden Award for men’s player of the year.
Arkansas freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. declares for 2026 NBA draftDarius Acuff Jr. joins Malika Andrews on “NBA Today” to reveal that he will be entering the 2026 NBA draft.
Darius Acuff Jr. joins Malika Andrews on “NBA Today” to reveal that he will be entering the 2026 NBA draft.
Shams: Mavs ‘landed a global basketball giant’ in Masai UjiriShams Charania joins “NBA Today” to discuss the Mavericks hiring Masai Ujiri as their team president and alternate governor.
Shams Charania joins “NBA Today” to discuss the Mavericks hiring Masai Ujiri as their team president and alternate governor.
Wilbon after Donovan’s exit: Bulls as irrelevant as any big-market team in sportsMichael Wilbon shares his thoughts on the Bulls after Billy Donovan’s decision to step down as coach.
Michael Wilbon shares his thoughts on the Bulls after Billy Donovan’s decision to step down as coach.
Shams: Dawn of a new era for Bucks with Taylor JenkinsShams Charania reports that the Bucks are finalizing a deal to hire Taylor Jenkins as coach.
The anticipation around the 2026 NBA draft gets real Sunday, as the league gathers in Chicago for the draft lottery (May 10, 3 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN).
This class has enough depth at the top to be transformative for many teams, headlined by projected No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa (BYU), and with a strong group of prospects at the top of the board, including Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Cameron Boozer (Duke) and Caleb Wilson (North Carolina). There’s a lot at stake for each lottery team, some of which have spent multiple years positioning themselves to pick high in this draft and others simply in dire need of a star talent.
The NBA’s potential changes to the lottery format next season — which will make rebuilding through the draft less reliable — make the stakes even higher. With the number of top-end prospects available — as well as the uncertainty around the strength of the 2027 and 2028 drafts — this lottery could alter the trajectory and look of the league for the next decade.
Here’s the outlook for every team in the lottery, with intel on their offseason ahead and a best prospect fit for each if the order holds constant. History suggests that won’t be what happens, of course.
As it stands, Dybantsa is the most likely top pick in any lottery scenario. He would be an extraordinarily clean match for Washington, however. The Wizards are expected to be competitive next season after trading for Trae Young and Anthony Davis for little cost, other than their large contracts. They lost 26 of their final 27 games and ensured they’ll pick within the top five in this draft.
What I’m hearing on the Wizards: The team has been mired in a protracted rebuild that has spanned multiple front offices and head coaches, and Washington hasn’t finished above .500 since 2017-18. While the Wizards appear positioned for a short-term step forward, they still have to determine whether they want to make a long-term commitment to Young, who holds a player option for next season, and Davis, who has one next summer.
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa announces he will enter the NBA draft and finish his college degree online.
The Pacers could lean toward Caleb Wilson over Cameron Boozer if they select at No. 3, which would present an interesting decision. The presence of slower-footed Ivica Zubac as their starting center might make Wilson a stronger match if they want to continue playing a faster style.
The Pacers already had a major stroke of luck by even re-acquiring this pick from New Orleans last year, for the 23rd pick in the 2025 draft — a deal that took place during the Finals, and before Haliburton’s torn Achilles. Indiana has been tanking-averse historically, and regardless of how the lottery falls, expect them to push for the playoffs in 2027 as the roster returns to full strength.
Although the Nets badly need a point guard, Boozer’s playmaking skills would help mitigate that need and allow them to address the position by other means. He wouldn’t solve all of their issues, but he’d give them an offensive focal point and serious, tone-setting personality to build around.
Suffice to say the lottery stakes are high for Brooklyn, which might have to go back to the drawing board if it doesn’t walk away with a franchise-level prospect. This is not viewed around the league as a strong free agency class, but the Nets can be opportunistic and get active on the trade market if they choose to make a run at an available star.
Cam Boozer credits parents in Wooden Award acceptance speech
Wilson rounds out the consensus top four as a serious upside swing, but he is further away from approaching his ceiling than the other three top prospects. The infusion of talent and energy he would bring could be attractive for Utah, even with a crowded frontcourt that includes Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen and restricted free agent Walker Kessler. Taking a best-available approach is prudent as the Jazz shift toward being competitive next season.
The Jazz can and should take a long look at perimeter options in the Nos. 4-6 range, although the emergence of Keyonte George as a starting-caliber ball handler and the presence of Ace Bailey — the No. 5 overall pick last year — lessen that need.
What I’m hearing on the Jazz: Utah’s big swing came at the deadline with the acquisition of Jackson from Memphis, signaling a push toward the playoffs and sending the Grizzlies swap rights to their first-round pick. The Jazz don’t have cap space and have tied up a lot of money in Jackson and Markkanen. Improving their defense and coaxing development out of their young players are the biggest short-term growth areas.
There’s no single move that can solve all of the Kings’ woes, but drafting and developing a new face of the franchise is the most important decision this offseason.
Arkansas freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. declares for 2026 NBA draft
The Grizzlies would be an intriguing landing spot because they could give him extended on-ball reps if they move on from Ja Morant this offseason. With the way the board has shaped up, this year could be an opportunity to select a future floor leader as they transition younger and continue to be patient.
Memphis has made building through the draft a high priority under general manager Zach Kleiman and will continue to do so, having stockpiled additional future first-round picks over the past year through trading away Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. They also hold the No. 16 pick, giving them options in the middle of Round 1.
If the Hawks don’t move up, Flemings could be attractive on multiple levels, addressing a position of need while also bringing upgraded athleticism and speed and tone-setting tenacity to their backcourt mix. Mikel Brown Jr., who is a superior shooter, would also likely draw strong consideration at this slot.
Atlanta’s core is still on the younger side and the front office under Saleh has been willing to take a patient approach. The need for more shot creators, perimeter shooting and athleticism, however, should guide where the Hawks go from here.
(*Atlanta has rights to the better of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s picks. The combined odds of landing a No. 1 or a top-four pick are 9.8% and 43.2%, respectively.)
Brown has a lot to gain in the predraft process. He needs to answer the lingering questions around his freshman year, after coming into the season viewed as a top-five candidate. He’s an offensive talent with dynamic shotmaking prowess and passing vision, and teams feel he is capable of much more than he showed at Louisville. His reputation is built on his showings with USA Basketball over the past couple of years that have kept him in the top-10 discussion.
With Masai Ujiri now at the helm in Dallas, the Mavericks have set the table to build a winner around Cooper Flagg. They don’t control their own pick for the next four drafts, placing added weight on the result of this lottery, which might be their clearest chance at finding a second star that aligns with Flagg’s age timeline. If the Mavs don’t move up, walking away from this draft with a young, starting-caliber point guard prospect to pair with Flagg long-term would be a consolation prize.
What Dallas likely won’t want to do is straddle two timelines, meaning that finding trade value for a healthy Irving likely becomes prudent if he gets back to top form. How Ujiri evaluates the rest of the roster and how proactive he decides to be in upgrading the team in his first offseason should be telling.