AJ Dybantsa vs. Cameron Boozer: The 2026 NBA Draft’s Biggest Question Has No Easy Answer
The Washington Wizards have the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and they have a real decision to make. AJ Dybantsa holds the top spot on most big boards, but Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson both have people in NBA front offices quietly making cases for them at number one. This draft class doesn’t have a universally agreed consensus pick, and that makes everything interesting.
Dybantsa is the frontrunner because of his freshman season at BYU, where he showed the size, scoring range, and defensive versatility that checks the boxes evaluators care about most. His ability to create off the dribble, hit from the perimeter, and guard multiple positions is what keeps him at the top. He closed the year strongly when the spotlight got brightest, which matters to teams investing a franchise pick.
Boozer, the Duke forward, declared for the draft this week at the combine and made it official after what scouts described as a strong showing in drills and measurements. He brings physicality and reliability in the post combined with a developing mid-range game. His last name carries weight given his father Carlos Boozer’s NBA career, but his game stands on its own credentials.
Peterson has the most pure scoring ability of the three and may be the highest upside player in the class if everything develops as projected. The risk is that his floor is lower than the other top options if things don’t click immediately at the NBA level.
The combine wraps May 17. After that, teams enter full workouts and private meetings before the draft June 23. Washington hasn’t been this relevant on draft night in years.
Whoever the Wizards pick will be under an enormous microscope from day one. The rebuild officially starts with this decision. They had better get it right.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
