AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson: Why 2026 NBA Draft Has Historic Top Tier
The 2026 NBA Draft is coming June 23 and 24, and the top of the board is the kind of trio that does not show up in most decades. AJ Dybantsa. Cameron Boozer. Darryn Peterson. All three are legitimate franchise cornerstones. All three are going in the first five picks. None of them have anything in common stylistically.
This is a historic class.
The Wizards won the lottery. They get the first pick. Most boards have them taking Dybantsa, the 6-foot-9 BYU wing who is the most explosive three-level scorer in the class. He is fast, he is athletic, he can score in iso, in pick-and-roll, in transition, and from beyond the arc. The comparison ceiling people throw around is Jayson Tatum. The floor is Andrew Wiggins. Either outcome makes him worth the No. 1 pick.
The Wizards have been bad on purpose for three years. Three of the worst seasons in franchise history. Last year they went 17-65. The point of all that losing was a shot at a top pick in a strong class, and they got both the lottery and Dybantsa.
John Wall, who was the No. 1 pick in 2010, came back to represent the Wizards at the lottery. The franchise is staging the cycle in real time. Wall handed the torch. Dybantsa picks it up. Washington gets to dream again.
Then there is Cameron Boozer.
The 6-foot-9 Duke forward had one of the most impressive freshman seasons in recent ACC history. He is more polished than his father Carlos was at the same age. He can score from anywhere, defends multiple positions, and brings a feel for the game that is rare in modern one-and-done prospects. The Grizzlies are slated to take him at No. 3 in the consensus mock.
Boozer next to Ja Morant would solve so many of Memphis’ problems. He can be a tertiary scoring threat, a primary glass-cleaner, and a defensive switcher in the half-court. The Grizzlies have been searching for a true frontcourt anchor since the Steven Adams era ended, and Boozer is exactly that.
And then there is Darryn Peterson.
The Kansas guard might be the most underrated of the three. Some scouts believe he is the best long-term outcome in the class. The Jazz hold the No. 2 pick and are expected to take him. He is the kind of cerebral two-way point guard that teams build playoff offenses around for a decade.
Peterson at Kansas was a problem. He averaged real numbers, scored efficiently from all three levels, and proved he could lead a team through the rigors of a Big 12 schedule. Bill Self does not just give freshmen the keys. Peterson earned it.
The depth past the top three is also strong. Caleb Wilson is the safest bet of the next tier, with NBA executives viewing him as a clean high-floor prospect. Caleb Banks remains a top defensive tackle question mark. The Clippers landed the No. 5 pick via the Pacers trade and will be in position to add another rotation piece to a roster that needs young talent.
This is the best top-tier of a draft since 2003. The 2003 class gave the league LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Nobody is comparing Dybantsa or Boozer to LeBron yet, but the depth of franchise cornerstones at the top of 2026 puts it in real conversation as one of the deeper classes in 20 years.
Bad teams have an actual reason to be excited about June 23. The Wizards get a star. The Jazz get a star. The Grizzlies get a star. The next 11 picks in the lottery are going to produce All-Stars too.
The league is about to get younger and better.
Dybantsa, Boozer, and Peterson are going to define the next decade of NBA basketball. Sit down. Pay attention. The Draft starts June 23.
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.
