Overview
- The 2026 NBA Draft opens at Barclays Center on Tuesday night and the Washington Wizards hold the No. 1 overall pick that will start the first round.
- AJ Dybantsa enters the eve of the draft widely viewed as the favorite for No. 1 after sustained mock-draft consensus and team visits.
- Kansas guard Darryn Peterson remains a real alternative after limiting showcases and prompting extra team due diligence over durability and missed games.
- Multiple outlets now treat Dybantsa, Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson as a separated top four, with teams weighing medical reports and private workouts before committing.
- Trade interest could reshuffle the top choices since teams such as the Brooklyn Nets reportedly explored moving up into the top-four range, and league changes to anti-tanking rules and NIL money widened draft depth and uncertainty.