NBA Draft Watch: The College Basketball Stars Who Could Hear Their Names Called in June

A Draft Class Built Around One Name

The 2026 NBA Draft conversation begins and ends, for now, with AJ Dybantsa. The BYU freshman is the consensus No. 1 prospect by a significant margin – a 6-foot-9 wing who combined elite scoring ability with advanced defensive versatility in his lone college season. Dybantsa’s decision to attend BYU rather than a traditional powerhouse raised eyebrows initially, but his performance erased any doubts. He dominated against every level of competition he faced, posted numbers that translated efficiently to advanced metrics, and demonstrated the kind of basketball IQ that makes scouts confident he will continue to develop at the next level.

The Washington Wizards hold the No. 1 pick and have made no secret of their intention to select Dybantsa. For a franchise in a multi-year rebuild, landing the consensus top prospect represents the kind of foundational moment that can accelerate a timeline significantly.

The Rest of the Top Five Takes Shape

Behind Dybantsa, the draft class is deep with high-upside prospects. Darryn Peterson from Kansas is the consensus No. 2 pick – an electric scorer and playmaker who thrives in transition. Cameron Boozer rounds out the expected top three. The Memphis product brings a combination of size, skill, and basketball lineage that evaluators find irresistible. His post game is ahead of his years, and his ability to score from multiple areas gives whichever team selects him immediate versatility.

Record-Setting Freshman Class

This draft’s most notable statistical quirk is the historic concentration of freshmen at the top. Eight first-year college players are expected to be selected in the first nine picks – tying an NBA Draft record. Morez Johnson from Michigan, heading to the Dallas Mavericks at nine, is among the intriguing mid-lottery prospects whose combination of athleticism and defensive versatility projects well to the pace-and-space NBA.