Darryn Peterson Leads Early 2026 Mock Draft; Trey Lyles Adds NBA Clause to Real Madrid Deal; Anthony and Howard Set for Hall of Fame
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Bleacher Report projects Jayhawks freshman Darryn Peterson as the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, while forward Trey Lyles keeps an NBA return option in his new Real Madrid contract and former stars Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard prepare for Hall of Fame induction this weekend.
Peterson headlines 2026 draft forecast
Jonathan Wasserman’s updated 2026 mock draft places 6-foot-5 guard Darryn Peterson at No. 1. The freshman arrives at Kansas after stints at CVCA (Ohio), Huntington Prep (West Virginia) and Prolific Prep (California), earning Naismith Prep Player of the Year honors and sharing McDonald’s All-American MVP in the process.
Peterson, considered Kansas’ most celebrated recruit since Danny Manning, has already landed name, image and likeness agreements with Adidas and Fanatics. According to the report, he is the youngest athlete ever to sign a trading-card partnership.
Lyles signs in Spain with NBA opt-out
Forward Trey Lyles agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with Real Madrid that includes an NBA-out clause, Grant Afseth of RG.org reported. The provision allows the 28-year-old to return to the league this season if a suitable offer emerges. Before committing to the EuroLeague champions, Lyles drew interest from the Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings and other European clubs, including Fenerbahce.
Anthony, Howard enter Springfield
Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend in Springfield, Massachusetts. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin described Anthony—a standout at Syracuse, a scoring star with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, and a four-time Olympic medalist—as an obvious selection. Fellow inductee Howard, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, received support from ESPN’s Zach Kram, who argued that the center’s dominant prime warrants first-ballot status despite a later-career decline.
Source: Hoops Wire
