By Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo | ESPN, 2025-06-27 19:30:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
随着 库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg) 、 迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 、 维杰·埃奇科姆 (VJ Edgecombe) 以及其他2025届球员进入NBA，我们的目光可以转向2026年的选秀了。
我们跟踪考察这些球员已有一段时间，并在二月份发布了首份模拟选秀。2026届顶尖球员备受瞩目，一些联盟高管甚至表示，这届前五顺位的球员拥有“历史级别的球星潜力”。 达林·彼得森 (Darryn Peterson) 、 AJ·迪班察 (A.J. Dybantsa) 、 卡梅隆·布泽尔 (Cameron Boozer) 和 内特·艾门特 (Nate Ament) 都是具备建队基石潜力的球员。
在过去几年里，我们见证了每届最优秀的新秀日渐成熟，并且通常能对顶尖球员有相当准确的预判；我们2024年6月对2025年选秀的预测准确识别了最终选秀前五中的四位球员，以及前八中的六位，这一趋势历来如此。
2025届大学和国际新秀中，未参加选秀或在截止日期前退出选秀的人数——在我们前100位选秀大名单上有多达二十几位新秀——使得我们对2026年选秀早期的首轮和次轮预测深度异常。
各球队对于乐透区和首轮的其他球员还有待进一步了解——这届进入大学的高中应届毕业生班级深度不被看好——而且2007年出生的国际球员组别也并非最令人兴奋的一批，他们即将首次获得NBA选秀资格。
每年我们都会看到很多此前名不见经传的球员在大学赛季期间迅速崛起——例如， 塞德里克·考沃德 (Cedric Coward) 、 尼克·克利福德 (Nique Clifford) 、 小沃尔特·克莱顿 (Walter Clayton Jr.) 或 丹尼·沃尔夫 (Danny Wolf) （Danny Wolf）在刚刚过去的选秀周期中就是如此。
这正是选秀预测的乐趣所在。没有人真正知道球员何时何地会崭露头角，这让NBA球探们始终保持警觉。
谁是2026年的状元热门，为何是他们？
目前有四位强有力的状元签候选人——彼得森、迪班察、布泽尔和艾门特——尽管大多数NBA球队认为，要想取代彼得森和迪班察成为前二球员很困难，但并非不可能，除非出现重大意外。
我们在四月份的奇波特尔全美高中篮球联赛、耐克篮球峰会和麦当劳全美高中全明星赛上，以及六月份在科罗拉多州科罗拉多斯普林斯举行的美国篮球U19国家队集训营中，对这四位及其他球员进行了长时间的考察。
彼得森在加利福尼亚州纳帕的普罗利菲克预科学院（Prolific Prep）度过了现象级的高中生涯最后一个赛季，他证明了自己在开放空间下难以防守。他能够从挡拆中改变速度，急停跳投出手深远三分，并以极强的爆发力在篮下完成终结。
他还展现出作为传球手和防守者方面的显著进步，堪萨斯大学教练 比尔·塞尔夫 (Bill Self) 很可能会将球队进攻大权交给身高6英尺6英寸的彼得森，这为他在竞争激烈的大十二联盟中巩固选秀榜首地位提供了理想平台。
迪班察曾一度被认为是状元签的板上钉钉人选，但在一个略显令人失望的高中高年级赛季后，他几周前在美国篮球U19国家队集训营上表现惊艳。迪班察表现出了一段时间以来我们所见过的最强烈的为队友创造进攻机会的意愿，他在转换进攻中极具破坏力，并能以一名18岁球员罕见的身体素质和强度，从控球后卫防到大前锋。
他随心所欲地得分，并在挡拆中做出了大量高水平的阅读，通过击地传球或高吊球，展现了其决策能力和无私打法的显著进步。
这个版本的迪班察几乎可以锁定状元签，因此，如果他在国际篮联U19世界杯和杨百翰大学大一赛季中表现相似，我们将重新考虑我们的预测顺序，这也要取决于彼得森的表现。
布泽尔在四月份的耐克篮球峰会上表现出色后，也无法被排除在状元热门之外。他以22分、16个篮板和6次助攻的数据，带领美国篮球U19国家队在加时赛中艰难战胜世界联队，他在防守端支撑着球队，并展现了其出色的比赛感觉。然而，NBA高管们批评布泽尔身体发育较早，但爆发力不足，且过分依赖内线的“霸王球”打法。
他必须保持稳定的投篮命中率，并展示他的传球和防守多样性，才能让那些批评者闭嘴。我们期待他能在杜克大学打出 库珀·弗拉格 （Cooper Flagg）式的赛季，这会让那些唱反调的人大吃一惊。
艾门特是状元热门讨论中的后来者，也是四人中距离兑现潜力最远的一位——这在很大程度上是因为他只有186磅。但像他这样身高6英尺11英寸、天赋异禀、兼具流畅性、投篮能力、防守多样性和得分能力的侧翼球员，通常被视为建队基石型新秀。
在四月份的麦当劳全美高中全明星赛结束后，许多NBA高管都表示艾门特拥有全明星潜力。在6月17日开始在田纳西大学训练后，艾门特似乎正在增重，并且将在东南联盟扮演核心角色，这给了他一切机会来证明自己是一个意想不到的状元候选人。——吉沃尼 (Givony)
参加了NBA Today节目，展望了群星璀璨的2026年NBA选秀，包括为何这么多球员选择返回大学，以及国际球员纷纷涌入美国的原因。
https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1938689875449929743/video/1
— 乔纳森·吉沃尼 (Jonathan Givony) (@ DraftExpress) June 27, 2025
哪些顶级回归球员值得关注？
尽管我们早期预测的大多数首轮新秀都是即将升入大一的学生或海外球员，但前30名中有11人选择重返NCAA——其中大部分球员在今年春天经历了选秀前流程，最终选择留在大学。以下是一些NBA球队正在评估的顶级球员的亮点：
杰登·昆坦斯 (Jayden Quaintance)，中锋，肯塔基大学
昆坦斯在亚利桑那州立大学（Arizona State）大一赛季期间一直只有17岁，因此不符合参加今年选秀的资格。NBA球队在此期间一直密切关注他，被他出色的身体条件以及作为扣将和内线终结者所展现的天赋所吸引。考虑到他本可以是一名高中三年级学生，他巨大的盖帽数据（场均2.6次）尤其令人惊叹。
尽管昆坦斯在技术层面还相当粗糙，尤其是在跳投方面，并且在整体技术和阅读比赛能力上还有很多需要学习的地方，但他大学阶段的超年轻年龄使他获得了额外的信任，NBA球探们将迫切关注他转学到肯塔基大学（Kentucky）后能否再进一步。在那里他将获得一个重要的平台来巩固自己作为乐透区新秀的地位，但他在达到NBA水平之前，还需要进行大量的雕琢。
三月份ACL手术后他回归的速度将是一个值得关注的因素。——伍 (Woo)
亚克塞尔·伦德伯格 (Yaxel Lendeborg)，大前锋/中锋，密歇根大学
伦德伯格上赛季在阿拉巴马伯明翰大学（UAB）表现出色，并将转学到密歇根大学（Michigan），在那里他将获得重要角色和丰厚的NIL协议（名字、形象和肖像权协议），此前他曾考虑参加2025年选秀。他在联合试训中表现出了一些亮点，但这不足以让他获得首轮保障。密歇根大学失去了不少前场战力，首轮秀 丹尼·沃尔夫 (Danny Wolf) （第27顺位）和 弗拉迪斯拉夫·戈尔丁 (Vladislav Goldin) 都已转为职业球员，这让伦德伯格有机会以同样的方式提升自己。
伦德伯格是一位大器晚成的新秀，集进攻技巧、防守组织能力和出色臂展于一身，预计他将在密歇根大学扮演重要角色。——伍 (Woo)
本内特·斯蒂尔茨 (Bennett Stirtz)，控球后卫，爱荷华大学
斯蒂尔茨在三月份的NBA球探眼中开始真正走红，他在NCAA锦标赛中表现出色，并引起了首轮关注。考虑到他积蓄的势头，看到他今年春天完全放弃选秀前流程令人惊讶。
相反，斯蒂尔茨将追随他在德雷克大学（Drake）和此前NCAA二级西北密苏里州立大学（Northwest Missouri State）的教练 本·麦科勒姆 (Ben McCollum) ，一同前往爱荷华大学（Iowa），在那里他将掌控球队进攻，并获得一个平台在竞争激烈的大十联盟中进一步证明自己。他是一位出色的组织者，有望成为全国顶尖的后卫之一。——伍 (Woo)
以赛亚·埃文斯 (Isaiah Evans)，得分后卫，杜克大学
埃文斯曾是五星高中生，但上赛季在杜克大学（Duke）未能完全发挥，在一支非常出色的球队中扮演小角色，并决定回归。作为一名身材修长的外线射手，埃文斯预计将在焕然一新的“蓝魔”阵中获得更多出手权，并有机会让NBA球队更清楚地了解他的能力。
他作为决策者和防守者的局限性使得上赛季难以获得稳定的上场时间，埃文斯必须在这两个方面有所提高，才能在一年后巩固自己作为首轮秀的地位。他的投篮能力是真正的NBA敲门砖，但他还需要努力才能赢得球探们的青睐。——伍 (Woo)
塔哈德·佩蒂福德 (Tahaad Pettiford)，控球后卫，奥本大学
佩蒂福德在NBA联合试训首日表现突出，尽管他没有做到足以确保他所寻求的首轮稳定性，但他回到奥本大学（Auburn）后，提醒了球探们他的天赋。下赛季他应该会获得自由发挥的空间，因为“老虎”队已经空出了大量后场上场时间。
佩蒂福德的得分能力和爆发力使他有机会作为一名身材偏矮的后卫取得成功，但NBA球队希望他能扩大组织能力并提高防守。他的身材——6英尺1英寸，175磅——预示着他将是一名板凳席上的活力球员。不过，如果佩蒂福德能帮助人们重新认识他的潜力，他仍可能在首轮被选中。——伍 (Woo)
2026年NBA模拟选秀：前十顺位
2026年选秀前十顺位基于多种变量，包括ESPN BET的赔率、ESPN的实力排名和吉沃尼的预测。
1. 华盛顿奇才
达林·彼得森 (Darryn Peterson)，控球后卫/得分后卫，6英尺6英寸，年龄：18.4岁
大一新生，堪萨斯大学
彼得森上赛季是高中赛场上最优秀的球员，他拥有令人垂涎的身高、臂展、爆发力和创造投篮机会能力的结合。他是一名出色的传球手，拥有强大的防守组织能力和得分天赋。
他即将为 比尔·塞尔夫 （Bill Self）效力，彼得森将成为堪萨斯大学阵容的核心，该阵容将围绕他充满活力的进攻打造，这为他巩固自己作为明年选秀状元秀的地位提供了所有机会。–吉沃尼 (Givony)
注：前八顺位保护，如果选秀权落在9到30顺位，将归纽约尼克斯队所有。
2. 犹他爵士
AJ·迪班察 (A.J. Dybantsa)，得分后卫/小前锋，6英尺9英寸，年龄：18.4岁
大一新生，杨百翰大学
迪班察在效力的每个地方都数据全能，但他去年在犹他预科学校（Utah Prep）的表现并不出色。
他在六月份的美国篮球U19世界杯上表现更好，效率更高，并在攻防两端占据主导。每支NBA球队都在寻找迪班察这种身高6英尺9英寸的侧翼球员，他们能够从任何位置得分，在移动中传球，并防守多个位置。
他已经注册加入杨百翰大学（BYU），在那里他将掌控球队进攻，并有机会证明自己值得成为状元秀——这个过程可能会在本周即将到来的国际篮联U19世界杯上开始。–吉沃尼 (Givony)
3. 布鲁克林篮网
卡梅隆·布泽尔 (Cameron Boozer)，大前锋，6英尺9英寸，年龄：17.9岁
大一新生，杜克大学
布泽尔是我们见过的效率最高的高中球员之一，他拥有近年来任何新秀都无法比拟的辉煌履历。他拥有顶级的比赛感觉，并且能够控球、传球、投篮和防守每个位置。
他带来不懈的身体对抗，积极拼抢篮板，并以在内线统治对手为傲。过去一年，他的外线投篮也显著进步。布泽尔的大一表现有望与 库珀·弗拉格 （Cooper Flagg）媲美，这将使他成为全国年度最佳球员的有力候选人，即使一些NBA高管质疑他的长期上限。——吉沃尼 (Givony)
注：前八顺位保护，如果选秀权落在9到30顺位，将归俄克拉荷马城雷霆队所有。
4. 夏洛特黄蜂
内特·艾门特 (Nate Ament)，小前锋，6英尺11英寸，年龄：18.5岁
大一新生，田纳西大学
艾门特是一名大器晚成的球员，过去一年他的身材显著增长，身高达到6英尺11英寸。
他是一名出色的射手；他提升了传球能力和防守多样性；他几乎随心所欲地出手投篮的能力，或许让他拥有本届新秀中最高的上限。他将是田纳西大学（Tennessee）的焦点人物，这将让NBA球队评估他能否在充满挑战的东南联盟中成为一名持续高效、能够帮助球队赢球的球员。–吉沃尼 (Givony)
5. 萨克拉门托国王
小米克尔·布朗 (Mikel Brown Jr.)，控球后卫，6英尺4英寸，年龄：18.8岁
承诺加入路易斯维尔大学
布朗在高中生涯中从5英尺10英寸长到6英尺4英寸，展现了动态的得分本能以及作为控球手、传球手和外线射手的天赋。
布朗体重176磅，作为终结者、防守者和决策者表现不稳定，但他能否在攻防两端应对大学比赛的身体对抗，将对他在路易斯维尔大学（Louisville）大一赛季的效率产生重要影响。–吉沃尼 (Givony)
6. 孟菲斯灰熊（来自菲尼克斯）
杰登·昆坦斯 (Jayden Quaintance)，大前锋/中锋，6英尺10英寸，年龄：17.9岁
大二学生，肯塔基大学
昆坦斯比几位备受瞩目的即将升入高中的高年级学生还要年轻，他在亚利桑那州立大学（Arizona State）的大一赛季表现出色，位列大学篮球最佳盖帽手之一。
他拥有健壮的体格、巨大的手掌和7英尺5英寸的臂展，并且异常灵活。NBA球队将密切关注他三月份ACL手术后的恢复情况，这可能需要他在肯塔基大学（Kentucky）有一个较慢的开局。–吉沃尼 (Givony)
7. 芝加哥公牛
卡里姆·洛佩兹 (Karim Lopez)，小前锋/大前锋，6英尺9英寸，年龄：18.2岁
新西兰破坏者队（NBL）
洛佩兹作为NBL“明日之星”计划（NBL Next Star program）的一部分，在新西兰破坏者队（New Zealand Breakers）度过了一个出色的赛季，他在外线投篮方面表现出显著进步。他身高6英尺9英寸，拥有后卫技术，以及防守内线球员所需的身体素质和冲劲。
球探们都很期待看到他在澳大利亚联赛（Australian league）第二个赛季的潜在进步，届时他可能会被要求扮演更重要的角色。–吉沃尼 (Givony)
8. 亚特兰大老鹰（来自新奥尔良）
凯莱布·威尔逊 (Caleb Wilson)，大前锋，6英尺9英寸，年龄：18.9岁
大一新生，北卡罗来纳大学
威尔逊身高6英尺9英寸，身材出众，臂展出色，双向能力正在发展，长期来看可能形成一个非常有吸引力的组合。他可以从防守篮板后推进，并在移动中传球。
威尔逊的比赛强度和外线投篮需要改进，但他拥有一些无法言传的特质，并且长期上限极高。–吉沃尼 (Givony)
9. 孟菲斯灰熊
戴姆·萨尔 (Dame Sarr)，得分后卫/小前锋，19.0岁
大一新生，杜克大学
萨尔正寻求追随 卡斯帕拉斯·亚库西奥尼斯 (Kasparas Jakucionis) 和 叶戈尔·德明 (Egor Demin) 的脚步，作为备受瞩目的国际新秀，他离开了西班牙青训体系，加入重组后的杜克大学（Duke）篮球队，寻求大学篮球发展。
这位6英尺8英寸的侧翼球员是一名多才多艺的防守者，去年在欧洲篮球联赛（EuroLeague）和西班牙ACB联赛中，他作为外线射手、传球手和投篮创造者，展现出了一些有趣的亮点，但在包括决策能力在内的多个方面仍显粗糙。–吉沃尼 (Givony)
10. 迈阿密热火
达什·丹尼尔斯 (Dash Daniels)，得分后卫，6英尺6英寸，年龄：17.5岁
墨尔本联队（NBL）
丹尼尔斯很可能是2026年选秀中年龄最小的新秀——他将在12月中旬满18岁——这使得预测他下赛季如何应对澳大利亚NBL联赛的严峻考验变得困难。他与他的哥哥 戴森·丹尼尔斯 (Dyson Daniels) （老鹰队后卫）有许多相同的优点和缺点，但在同年龄段，他更大、更强壮、臂展更长，这对他的NBA选秀前景不会有坏处。
与他哥哥类似，他是一名出色的防守者，但在控球、投篮和得分方面仍在进步中，但他拥有出色的比赛感觉，打球有节奏且无私。根据他今年夏天在NBL1联赛桑德灵厄姆佩剑队（Sandringham Sabres）的表现来看，他的投篮似乎也取得了进展。–吉沃尼 (Givony)
2026届其他大名单球员
- 小克里斯·塞纳克 (Chris Cenac Jr.) ，大前锋/中锋，休斯顿大学，大一新生
- 达里厄斯·阿卡夫 (Darius Acuff) ，控球后卫，阿肯色大学，大一新生
- 尼古拉斯·卡梅尼亚 (Nikolas Khamenia) ，小前锋/大前锋，杜克大学，大一新生
- 亚克塞尔·伦德伯格 (Yaxel Lendeborg) ，大前锋/中锋，密歇根大学，超高年级生
- 本内特·斯蒂尔茨 (Bennett Stirtz) ，控球后卫，爱荷华大学，大四学生
- 以赛亚·埃文斯 (Isaiah Evans) ，得分后卫/小前锋，杜克大学，大二学生
- 塞尔吉奥·德·拉里亚 (Sergio De Larrea) ，控球后卫/得分后卫，瓦伦西亚（西班牙）
- 科阿·皮特 (Koa Peat) ，大前锋，亚利桑那大学，大一新生
- 布雷伦·穆林斯 (Braylon Mullins) ，得分后卫，康涅狄格大学，大一新生
- 塔哈德·佩蒂福德 (Tahaad Pettiford) ，控球后卫，奥本大学，大二学生
- 约瑟夫·塔格勒 (Joseph Tugler) ，大前锋/中锋，休斯顿大学，大三学生
- 阿代·马拉 (Aday Mara) ，中锋，密歇根大学，大三学生
- 图恩德·耶苏福 (Tounde Yessoufou) ，小前锋/大前锋，贝勒大学，大一新生
- 安德烈·科斯蒂奇 (Andrej Kostic) ，得分后卫，堪萨斯州立大学，大一新生
- 奥格涅恩·斯尔赞蒂奇 (Ognjen Srzentic) ，得分后卫/小前锋，Mega Superbet（塞尔维亚）
- 汉内斯·施泰因巴赫 (Hannes Steinbach) ，大前锋/中锋，华盛顿大学，大一新生
- 莫蒂约斯·克里瓦斯 (Motiejus Krivas) ，中锋，亚利桑那大学，大三学生
- 拉巴隆·菲隆 (Labaron Philon) ，控球后卫，阿拉巴马大学，大二学生
- 亚历克斯·康登 (Alex Condon) ，中锋，佛罗里达大学，大三学生
- 布雷登·史密斯 (Braden Smith) ，控球后卫，普渡大学，大四学生
- 布吉·弗兰德 (Boogie Fland) ，控球后卫，佛罗里达大学，大二学生
- 卡特·诺克斯 (Karter Knox) ，得分后卫/小前锋，阿肯色大学，大二学生
- 小莫雷兹·约翰逊 (Morez Johnson Jr.) ，大前锋/中锋，密歇根大学，大二学生
- 朱比·埃吉奥福 (Zuby Ejiofor) ，中锋，圣约翰大学，大四学生
- 亚历克斯·卡拉班 (Alex Karaban) ，大前锋，康涅狄格大学，大四学生
- 戴林·斯韦恩 (Dailyn Swain) ，得分后卫/小前锋，德克萨斯大学，大三学生
- JT·托平 (JT Toppin) ，大前锋，德克萨斯理工大学，大三学生
- 小帕特里克·恩贡巴 (Patrick Ngongba II) ，中锋，杜克大学，大二学生
- 迈尔斯·伯德 (Miles Byrd) ，得分后卫，圣迭戈州立大学，大三学生
- 托马斯·霍夫 (Thomas Haugh) ，小前锋/大前锋，佛罗里达大学，大三学生
- 达里翁·威廉姆斯 (Darrion Williams) ，小前锋/大前锋，北卡罗来纳州立大学，大四学生
- 德里翁·里德 (Derrion Reid) ，小前锋/大前锋，俄克拉荷马大学，大二学生
- 穆斯塔法·蒂亚姆 (Moustapha Thiam) ，中锋，辛辛那提大学，大二学生
- 亨利·维萨尔 (Henri Veesaar) ，中锋，北卡罗来纳大学，大三学生
- 安德烈·斯托亚科维奇 (Andrej Stojakovic) ，得分后卫/小前锋，伊利诺伊大学，大三学生
- 凯姆·威廉姆斯 (Kam Williams) ，小前锋/大前锋，肯塔基大学，大二学生
- 伊恩·杰克逊 (Ian Jackson) ，得分后卫，圣约翰大学，大二学生
- 托米斯拉夫·伊维西奇 (Tomislav Ivisic) ，中锋，伊利诺伊大学，大三学生
- 麦肯齐·姆巴科 (Mackenzie Mgbako) ，大前锋，德克萨斯农工大学，大三学生
- 米洛斯·乌赞 (Milos Uzan) ，控球后卫，休斯顿大学，大四学生
- 小韦斯利·耶茨 (Wesley Yates III) ，得分后卫，华盛顿大学，大三学生
- 瑞安·康威尔 (Ryan Conwell) ，得分后卫，路易斯维尔大学，大四学生
- 诺兰·温特 (Nolan Winter) ，中锋，威斯康星大学，大三学生
- 马贡·格瓦斯 (Magoon Gwath) ，中锋，圣迭戈州立大学，大二学生
- 唐尼·弗里曼 (Donnie Freeman) ，大前锋，锡拉丘兹大学，大二学生
- 弗洛里·比东加 (Flory Bidunga) ，中锋，堪萨斯大学，大二学生
- 小夸米·埃文斯 (Kwame Evans Jr.) ，大前锋，俄勒冈大学，大三学生
- 托比·劳瓦尔 (Tobi Lawal) ，大前锋，弗吉尼亚理工大学，大四学生
- 里奇·桑德斯 (Richie Saunders) ，得分后卫，杨百翰大学，大四学生
- 兹沃尼米尔·伊维西奇 (Zvonimir Ivisic) ，大前锋/中锋，伊利诺伊大学，大三学生
点击查看原文：2026 NBA mock draft - Four players in the race for No. 1 pick
2026 NBA mock draft - Four players in the race for No. 1 pick
With Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe and the rest of the 2025 class off to the NBA, we can shift our attention to the 2026 draft.
We’ve been scouting these players for quite some time, publishing our first mock draft in February. And there’s considerable excitement around the top of the 2026 class, with some league executives saying the top five has historic star power. Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Nate Ament are potential franchise-caliber players.
Over the past few years, we’ve watched the best prospects of the class mature, and we typically have a pretty accurate understanding of the top of the class; our June 2024 prediction of the 2025 draft accurately identified four of the top five players drafted and six of the first eight, a trend that has historically held true.
The number of 2025 college and international prospects who did not enter the draft, or withdrew at the deadline – up to two dozen prospects on our top 100 big board – has created unusual depth in our early first- and second-round projections for the 2026 draft.
Teams still have a lot to learn about the rest of the lottery and first round – this is not considered a deep high school senior class enrolling in college – and this is not the most exciting 2007-born group of international players who are about to become NBA draft-eligible for the first time.
Every year, we see plenty of lesser-known players rise during the college season – for example, Cedric Coward, Nique Clifford, Walter Clayton Jr. or Danny Wolf in this past draft cycle.
That’s the fun part of draft projections. No one truly knows when or where players will emerge, keeping NBA scouts on their toes.
Who’s No. 1 in 2026 and why?
There are four strong No. 1 pick candidates – Peterson, Dybantsa, Boozer and Ament – although most NBA teams think it would be difficult, but not impossible, to usurp Peterson and Dybantsa as the top two players, barring a major surprise.
We got a long look at each of these four and others at the Chipotle Nationals, Nike Hoop Summit and McDonald’s All American events in April, as well as the USA Basketball under-19 training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in June.
Peterson earned his spot at No. 1 through a phenomenal final season of high school basketball at Prolific Prep in Napa, California, where he proved difficult to guard in the open court. He can change speeds out of the pick-and-roll, rise up for deep pull-up 3-pointers and finish with explosiveness around the basket.
He is also showing significant progress as a passer and defender, and Kansas coach Bill Self will likely hand 6-foot-6 Peterson the keys to the offense, giving him an ideal platform to solidify his standing atop the draft in the highly competitive Big 12.
Dybantsa, once considered a lock at No. 1 before a somewhat disappointing high school senior season, had a stunning performance at the USA Basketball U19 training camp a few weeks ago. Looking as keen to create offense for others as we’ve seen in some time, Dybantsa was a devastating force in transition and locking down point guards through power forwards with a combination of physicality and intensity rarely seen from an 18-year-old.
He scored at will and made a plethora of high-level reads in the pick-and-roll, with pocket passes or lobs that illustrate significant improvement with his decision-making and unselfishness.
This version of Dybantsa is almost a lock to emerge as the No. 1 pick, so a similar performance at the FIBA U19 World Cup and as a freshman at BYU will cause us to rethink our projected order, depending also on how Peterson looks.
Boozer can’t be ruled out at the top of this draft either after his exceptional performance at the Nike Hoop Summit in April. He carried USA Basketball to a tough overtime win against the World Team with 22 points, 16 rebounds and 6 assists, anchoring his team’s defense and showing his phenomenal feel for the game. Still, NBA executives criticize Boozer as an early bloomer physically who isn’t blessed with great explosiveness and relies too heavily on bully-ball plays inside.
He’ll have to keep making shots consistently, and demonstrate his passing and defensive versatility, to silence those critics. We’re expecting a Cooper Flagg-type season from him at Duke that will surprise his naysayers.
Ament is a late addition to the No. 1 pick conversation and the furthest away of the four from reaching his potential – in no small part because he weighs 186 pounds. But ultra-talented 6-11 wing players with his fluidity, shotmaking prowess, defensive versatility and scoring ability are often deemed franchise-type prospects.
There were plenty of NBA executives who walked out of the McDonald’s All American Game in April and said Ament has All-Star potential. After starting practice at Tennessee on June 17, Ament appears to be adding weight and will be in a featured role in the SEC, giving him every opportunity to make his case as a surprise No. 1 candidate. – Givony
Went on NBA Today to preview the loaded 2026 NBA Draft, including why so many players elected to return to college, and international players are flocking to the United States. https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1938689875449929743/video/1
— Jonathan Givony (@ DraftExpress) June 27, 2025
Who are the top returning prospects to watch?
Though the majority of our early projected first-rounders are rising freshmen or international-based players, 11 of the top 30 are returning to the NCAA – most of whom went through the predraft process this spring and stayed in college. Here are highlights of some of the top players NBA teams are evaluating:
Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky
Quaintance was 17 years old for all of his freshman season at Arizona State and was ineligible to enter this year’s draft. NBA teams were paying close attention throughout, drawn to his excellent physical profile and flashes of talent as a dunker and interior finisher. Considering he could have been a junior in high school, his huge shot-blocking numbers (2.6 per game) were particularly eye-popping.
While Quaintance is quite raw from a skill perspective, particularly his jump shot, and has a lot to learn with his overall technique and ability to process the floor, his extreme youth for the college level earns him benefit of the doubt, and NBA scouts will be eager to see whether he can take another step forward after transferring to Kentucky. He’ll have a major platform there to try to solidify himself as a lottery talent, but there’s a lot of refinement that has to happen before he’s NBA-ready.
How quickly he returns after his ACL surgery in March will be a factor to watch. – Woo
Yaxel Lendeborg, PF/C, Michigan
Lendeborg broke out last season at UAB and will transfer to Michigan, where a huge role and lucrative NIL deal await after he considered entering the 2025 draft. He had positive flashes at the combine, but it wasn’t enough to earn him a first-round assurance. The Wolverines have lost quite a bit of frontcourt production, with first-rounder Danny Wolf (No. 27) and Vladislav Goldin off to the pros, allowing Lendeborg to help himself in the same way.
A late-blooming prospect with a mix of offensive skill, defensive playmaking and excellent length, expect Lendeborg to figure prominently for Michigan. – Woo
Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa
Stirtz had begun trending upward in a real way with NBA scouts in March, where he played well in the NCAA tournament and drew first-round buzz. Considering the momentum he built, it was a surprise to see him completely forgo the predraft process this spring.
Instead, Stirtz will follow Ben McCollum, his coach at Drake and Division II Northwest Missouri State before that, to Iowa, where he will have the keys to the offense and a platform to further prove himself in the Big Ten. He’s a terrific playmaker who figures to be among the top guards in the country. – Woo
Isaiah Evans, SG, Duke
Evans was a five-star recruit who never fully broke through at Duke last season, playing a small role on a very good team and deciding to return. A perimeter sharpshooter with a slender build, Evans will presumably step into more shots on a new-look Blue Devils team and have an opportunity to give NBA teams a much better look at what he can do.
His limitations as a decision-maker and defender made it difficult to earn consistent playing time last season, and Evans has to improve in both areas to solidify himself as a first-rounder a year from now. His shotmaking ability is a legit NBA calling card, but he’ll have work to do to win over scouts. – Woo
Tahaad Pettiford, PG, Auburn
Pettiford stood out on the first day of the NBA combine, and though he didn’t do enough to secure the first-round stability he sought, he reminded scouts of his talent as he returns to Auburn. He should have the freedom to operate next season, with the Tigers having vacated a sizable chunk of backcourt minutes.
Pettiford’s scoring ability and explosiveness give him a chance to succeed as an undersized guard, but NBA teams want him to expand his playmaking and improve defensively. His size – 6-1, 175 pounds – projects him as a spark off the bench. Still, if Pettiford can help reframe the conversation about his upside, he could land in the first round. – Woo
2026 NBA mock draft: Top 10 picks
The 2026 top-10 order is based on multiple variables, including ESPN BET’s betting odds, ESPN’s power rankings and Givony’s projections.
1. Washington Wizards
Darryn Peterson, PG/SG, 6-6, Age: 18.4
Freshman, Kansas
Peterson was the best player in high school last season, possessing a coveted combination of size, length, explosiveness and shot creation. He’s a capable passer with strong defensive playmaking ability and scoring talent.
Headed to play for Self, Peterson will be the centerpiece of a Kansas roster built around his dynamic offense, giving him every opportunity to solidify his standing as the No. 1 prospect in next year’s draft. – Givony
Note: Top-8 protected, will go to the New York Knicks if the pick is 9 through 30.
2. Utah Jazz
A.J. Dybantsa, SG/SF, 6-9, Age: 18.4
Freshman, BYU
Dybantsa has filled up the stat sheet everywhere he has played, but he didn’t have a great season last year at Utah Prep.
He looked better at the USA Basketball U19 World Cup in June, where he played more efficiently and dominated both ends. Every NBA team is searching for 6-9 wings in Dybantsa’s mold who can score from anywhere, pass on the move and defend multiple positions.
He’s already enrolled at BYU, where he’ll have the keys to the offense and the opportunity to show he’s worthy of being the No. 1 pick – a process that might begin this upcoming week at the FIBA U19 World Cup. – Givony
3. Brooklyn Nets
Cameron Boozer, PF, 6-9, Age: 17.9
Freshman, Duke
Boozer is one of the most productive high school players we’ve ever seen, with a winning résumé unmatched by any prospect in recent memory. He has an elite feel for the game, and can handle, pass, shoot and guard every position.
He brings relentless physicality, crashes the glass and takes pride in dominating his matchups inside. His outside shooting has significantly improved in the past year, as well. Boozer’s first-year production could rival Cooper Flagg’s, which would clearly set him up as a legitimate candidate for national Player of the Year honors, even if some NBA executives question his long-term upside. – Givony
Note: Top-8 protected, will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if the pick is 9 through 30.
4. Charlotte Hornets
Nate Ament, SF, 6-11, Age: 18.5
Freshman, Tennessee
A late bloomer, Ament has grown significantly in the past year, filling out his frame at 6-11.
He’s a tremendous shotmaker; he has improved his passing and defensive versatility; and his ability to get a shot off almost at will gives him perhaps the highest upside of any prospect in this class. He’ll be a focal point at Tennessee, allowing NBA teams to evaluate whether he can emerge as a consistently efficient, winning player in a challenging SEC. – Givony
5. Sacramento Kings
Mikel Brown Jr., PG, 6-4, Age: 18.8
Committed to Louisville
Growing from 5-10 to 6-4 over his high school career, Brown has shown dynamic scoring instincts and talent as a ball handler, passer and outside shooter.
Brown, who is 176 pounds, is inconsistent as a finisher, defender and decision-maker, but his ability to handle the physicality of the college game on both ends of the floor will play a significant role in his productivity as a freshman at Louisville. – Givony
6. Memphis Grizzlies (via Phoenix)
Jayden Quaintance, PF/C, 6-10, Age: 17.9
Sophomore, Kentucky
Younger than several highly touted rising high school seniors, Quaintance had a highly productive freshman season at Arizona State, ranking as one of the best shot blockers in college basketball.
He has a chiseled frame, huge hands and a 7-foot-5 wingspan and is exceptionally mobile. NBA teams will be monitoring how he bounces back from the ACL surgery he had in March, and that might require a slower start at Kentucky. – Givony
7. Chicago Bulls
Karim Lopez, SF/PF, 6-9, Age: 18.2
New Zealand Breakers (NBL)
Lopez had an outstanding season with the New Zealand Breakers as part of the NBL Next Star program, showing significant improvement with his outside shooting. At 6-9, he has guard skills as well as the physicality and motor needed to defend big men.
Scouts are excited to see his potential progress in his second season in the Australian league, where he’ll likely be asked to step into a bigger role. – Givony
8. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans)
Caleb Wilson, PF, 6-9, Age: 18.9
Freshman, North Carolina
At 6-9, Wilson looks the part with an outstanding frame, length and developing two-way versatility that could be harnessed into a very intriguing package long term. He can push off the defensive glass and pass on the move.
Wilson’s intensity level and outside shooting need work, but he has attributes you can’t teach and is loaded with long-term upside. – Givony
9. Memphis Grizzlies
Dame Sarr, SG/SF, 19.0
Freshman, Duke
Sarr is looking to follow in the footsteps of Kasparas Jakucionis and Egor Demin as highly touted international prospects, departing the Spanish development system to pursue college basketball on a revamped Duke squad.
The 6-8 wing is a versatile defender who has shown intriguing flashes as a perimeter shooter, passer and shot creator in the EuroLeague and ACB last year, but he is still unpolished in several areas, including his decision-making. – Givony
10. Miami Heat
Dash Daniels, SG, 6-6, Age: 17.5
Melbourne United (NBL)
Daniels will likely be the youngest prospect in the 2026 draft class – turning 18 in mid-December – making it difficult to project how he’ll handle the rigors of the Australian NBL next season. He brings many of the same strengths and weaknesses as his brother Dyson (a Hawks guard), but is bigger, stronger and longer at the same age, which won’t hurt his NBA projection.
Similar to his brother, he’s an outstanding defender and a work in progress as a ball handler, shooter and scorer, but he has a strong feel for the game, and plays with pace and unselfishness. He appears to be making strides with his shooting, too, based on what he has shown this summer in the NBL1 league with the Sandringham Sabres. – Givony
Remaining big board for the class of 2026
- Chris Cenac Jr., PF/C, Houston, freshman
- Darius Acuff, PG, Arkansas, freshman
- Nikolas Khamenia, SF/PF, Duke, freshman
- Yaxel Lendeborg, PF/C, Michigan, super senior
- Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa, senior
- Isaiah Evans, SG/SF, Duke, sophomore
- Sergio De Larrea, PG/SG, Valencia (Spain)
- Koa Peat, PF, Arizona, freshman
- Braylon Mullins, SG, UConn, freshman
- Tahaad Pettiford, PG, Auburn, sophomore
- Joseph Tugler, PF/C, Houston, junior
- Aday Mara, C, Michigan, junior
- Tounde Yessoufou, SF/PF, Baylor, freshman
- Andrej Kostic, SG, Kansas State, freshman
- Ognjen Srzentic, SG/SF, Mega Superbet (Serbia)
- Hannes Steinbach, PF/C, Washington, freshman
- Motiejus Krivas, C, Arizona, junior
- Labaron Philon, PG, Alabama, sophomore
- Alex Condon, C, Florida, junior
- Braden Smith, PG, Purdue, senior
- Boogie Fland, PG, Florida, sophomore
- Karter Knox, SG/SF, Arkansas, sophomore
- Morez Johnson Jr., PF/C, Michigan, sophomore
- Zuby Ejiofor, C, St. John’s, senior
- Alex Karaban, PF, Connecticut, senior
- Dailyn Swain, SG/SF, Texas, junior
- JT Toppin, PF, Texas Tech, junior
- Patrick Ngongba II, C, Duke, sophomore
- Miles Byrd, SG, San Diego State, junior
- Thomas Haugh, SF/PF, Florida, junior
- Darrion Williams, SF/PF, NC State, senior
- Derrion Reid, SF/PF, Oklahoma, sophomore
- Moustapha Thiam, C, Cincinnati, sophomore
- Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina, junior
- Andrej Stojakovic, SG/SF, Illinois, junior
- Kam Williams, SF/PF, Kentucky, sophomore
- Ian Jackson, SG, St. John’s, sophomore
- Tomislav Ivisic, C, Illinois, junior
- Mackenzie Mgbako, PF, Texas A&M, junior
- Milos Uzan, PG, Houston, senior
- Wesley Yates III, SG, Washington, junior
- Ryan Conwell, SG, Louisville, senior
- Nolan Winter, C, Wisconsin, junior
- Magoon Gwath, C, San Diego State, sophomore
- Donnie Freeman, PF, Syracuse, sophomore
- Flory Bidunga, C, Kansas, sophomore
- Kwame Evans Jr., PF, Oregon, junior
- Tobi Lawal, PF, Virginia Tech, senior
- Richie Saunders, SG, BYU, senior
- Zvonimir Ivisic, PF/C, Illinois, junior
By Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo | ESPN, via ESPN