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Washington is on the clock, and the Wizards are fortunate to have options at the top of the 2026 NBA Draft.
The envelope please …
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa
6’9” | 210 lbs | Forward | BYU | Freshman | 19.4 Years Old
There will be some Darryn Peterson-vs-Dybantsa conversation, but there is little debate about the high-end potential as a dribble penetrator and mid-post skill of Dybantsa. He’s not far away from superstar, cornerstone status.
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson
6’5” | 205 lbs | Guard | Kansas | Freshman | 19.4 Years Old
The Jazz acquired Jaren Jackson Jr. from Memphis and Peterson could be the perfect pairing.
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer
6’9” | 250 lbs | Forward | Duke | Freshman | 18.9 Years Old
Ja Morant is still around and there are other fits better than Boozer, a high-floor prospect with all the outlines of an offensive linchpin. His IQ, touch, and floor game should provide offensive juice make him the safest pick here.
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson
6’10” | 215 lbs | Forward | UNC | Freshman | 19.9 Years Old
Feb 21, 2026; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Caleb Wilson (8) shoots prior to the game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images Chicago’s highest selection since 2020, there is a credible argument to pursue a lead-creator at this spot in Darius Acuff Jr. or Kingston Flemings. Wilson is a physical marvel with unmistakable all-defense potential.
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler
6’6” | 185 lbs | Guard | Illinois | Freshman | 19.4 Years Old
Wagler a cleaner fit than most of the top-tier talent remaining. A late-blooming prospect that ascended as a freshman, Wagler is an off-guard that brings laser 3-point shooting and a refined off-the-dribble game and underrated floor vision.
6. Brooklyn Nets: Darius Acuff Jr.
6’3” | 190 lbs | Guard | Arkansas | Freshman | 19.6 Years Old
Acuff Jr. A potent scorer and on-ball self-starter that notched ridiculous counting stats, and sterling efficiency, under John Calipari. The Nets have yearned for a go-to guy offensively since jettisoning Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
7. Sacramento Kings: Kingston Flemings
6’4” | 190 lbs | Guard | Houston | Freshman | 19.5 Years Old
Death, taxes, and lottery misery in Sac-Town. The Kings have lacked a gear-shifting guard presence since De’Aaron Fox forced his way out of town. Enter Kingston Flemings. A jitterbug lead-guard with the ball handling and creative dynamism to puncture halfcourt defenses, as well as the defensive activity to remain viable on both sides of the ball.
8. Atlanta Hawks: Brayden Burries
6’4” | 205 lbs | Guard | Arizona | Freshman | 20.8 Years Old
Jan 24, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) makes a three-point basket over West Virginia Mountaineers guard Treysen Eaglestaff (52) during the first half of the game at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images Atlanta’s hopes of nabbing a bona fide fortune-shifting prospect ran dry when they wound up outside the top 4. While most draft evaluators may pencil in a primary creator like Acuff, Flemings, or Mikel Brown Jr., I view Burries as an ideal fit given Atlanta’s trajectory.
He boasts a largely ancillary skillset – spot-up shooting, straight-line driving, read-and-react playmaking – and, as such, theoretically has a lower ceiling. However, he makes perfect sense orbiting, and amplifying, Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels’ ever-growing facilitative qualities. Most importantly, Burries is a serial transition threat that could seamlessly weaponize Johnson’s affinity for early offense in a manner that few ever could.
9. Dallas Mavericks: Mikel Brown Jr.
6’5” | 190 lbs | Guard | Louisville | Freshman | 20.2 Years Old
Brown Jr. had glimpses that could have you falling head over heels for his long-term outlook. A 6’5″ lead-guard with smooth shooting mechanics and shot-making fearlessness that is impossible to ignore, Mikel’s draft stock is inherently divisive. On one hand, you have a tight handle, buoyant athleticism, instinctive passing chops, and limitless 3-point range. On the other, you have reckless turnovers, iffy shot selection, and a wiry build. In a more streamlined role, Brown Jr. could blossom into one of the league’s premiere dribble pull-up shooters with downhill punch to match. The Mavs could use a perimeter wildcard to pair with Cooper Flagg and lighten the offensive load.
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament
6’10” | 207 lbs | Forward | Tennessee | Freshman | 19.5 Years Old
With their future in relative shambles, a swing for the fences feels apropos in light of the Bucks’ current standoff with their franchise superstar. Not to mention this being their first lottery pick since Thon Maker in 2016. A 6’10” forward who can pass, dribble, and shoot (at least in theory), Ament’s freshman season was a tale of two halves with his efficiency skyrocketing at the turn of the calendar. While his offensive game is glaringly unpolished and he has plenty of bulking up to do, there are clear outlines of a capable dribble attacker, movement shooter, and auxiliary facilitator that, if they eventually bolden, could provide Milwaukee with a foundational piece in the post-Giannis era.
11. Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg
6’10” | 240 lbs | Forward | Michigan | Senior | 23.7 Years Old
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) reacts being called a personal foul against him during the first half of Big Ten Tournament final against Purdue at United Center in Chicago on Sunday, March 15, 2026. Fresh off clinching the National Championship, Lendeborg is finally primed and ready to make the NBA leap after years in the draft consciousness. After extending Steve Kerr, the Warriors are faced with a harsh duality – maximizing Stephen Curry’s twilight years while keeping an eye to the future.
Despite turning 24 years old in September, Yaxel bridges that gap while addressing a positional need. He is a 6’10” (with shoes) forward that can scale up and down the positional spectrum defensively with his 7’4″ wingspan and rock-steady base strength. Offensively, he can put the ball on the deck, set sturdy screens, and improved his jump shooting to the tune of 37.2 percent as a super senior. Lendeborg is a seasoned, all-purpose, two-way force that can get in where he fits in for a well-travelled Warriors core.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Karim López
6’9” | 220 lbs | Forward | Mexico / New Zealand Breakers| 19.2 Years Old
With Isaiah Hartenstein’s contract expiring in 2027, the stashing of Thomas Sorber in 2025 obviates an immediate need for frontcourt reinforcements. While Jayden Quaintance, Hannes Steinbach or Aday Mara could each be a worthy successor, the Thunder’s rotation could use a combo-forward.
López spent the past two seasons in New Zealand honing his sensibilities as a supplementary 3-and-D wing. Sam Presti is familiar with the New Zealand Breakers pipeline, trading up to No. 11 in 2022 to select Ousmane Dieng. Karim’s role player experience in a professional setting may well put him ahead of the developmental curve.
13. Miami Heat: Labaron Philon
6’4” | 185 lbs | Guard | Alabama | Sophomore | 20.6 Years Old
Stuck in basketball purgatory with options aplenty from a team building perspective, Miami once again finds themselves in the mid-first round. It is difficult to identify a specific need for such a competent-but-not-elite roster, but Labaron Philon’s on-ball brilliance and massive sophomore leap makes him a frontrunner in this range. Philon is as shifty and surgical a ball handler as you’ll find in this class.
He makes up for a lack of verticality with various dribble combinations, cunning tempo changes, and a trusty floater. If Tyler Herro is not longed for Miami, Labaron is a great contingency plan in the backcourt who can theoretically play alongside Kasparas Jakucionis for a dual-creator look.
14. Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach
6’11” | 220 lbs | Big | Washington | Freshman | 20.1 Years Old
The Hornets flexed a competent defense for the first time in eons. Aday Mara presents an intriguing man-in-the-middle option to add to their center rotation of Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner, but Charlotte should prioritize optionality above all else. Accordingly, Hannes Steinbach stands out from the pack.
A hybrid big that vacuums rebounds on both ends with physicality and inside positioning, Steinbach’s offensive upside is a major selling point. A sophisticated low-post repertoire, deft touch, elbow playmaking, and, most notably, a hint of 3-point aptitude (18-for-53 at a 34 percent clip as a freshman) gives Charles Lee much-needed versatility to work with from the high post. If Steinbach’s 3-point range manifests, he could coexist with Diabate in unprecedented double-big lineup machinations.
