Darryn Peterson Returns to No. 1 on ESPN’s Final 2026 NBA Draft Board
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ESPN analyst Jeremy Woo moved Kansas guard Darryn Peterson back to the top spot on his final 2026 NBA Draft big board released this week, pushing AJ Dybantsa to No. 2. Woo had also listed Peterson as the preseason favorite before Dybantsa overtook him during the 2025-26 campaign.
Woo said a deeper look at Peterson’s unusual year with the Jayhawks and increased confidence in the 19-year-old’s medical reports convinced him to reverse the order. Although Woo grades Peterson and Dybantsa similarly, he cited Peterson’s shot-making ability and long-term upside as a lead NBA guard as deciding factors. Positions 3 through 12 on Woo’s list remain unchanged, with adjustments beginning in the teens.
How Other Analysts See the Class
J. Kyle Mann of The Ringer also updated his rankings, placing Cameron Boozer at No. 1, followed by Peterson, Dybantsa, Caleb Wilson and Keaton Wagler. Mann’s board differs sharply from Woo’s in several areas:
- Brayden Burries: No. 6 on Mann’s list vs. No. 11 at ESPN
- Jayden Quaintance: No. 10 vs. No. 22
- Henri Veesaar: No. 19 vs. No. 28
- Baba Miller: No. 24 vs. No. 34
- Nate Ament: No. 20 vs. No. 9
- Mikel Brown Jr.: No. 12 vs. No. 7
- Aday Mara: No. 15 vs. No. 10
- Karim Lopez: No. 36 vs. No. 14
Givony Expects Wizards to Weigh Peterson at No. 1
Speaking on “The Zach Lowe Show,” DraftExpress founder Jonathan Givony said he has kept Peterson in the top position on his personal board for months and has “long expected” the Washington Wizards to give him strong consideration with the first overall pick. Givony noted that Washington’s front office rarely reveals its thinking but compared the uncertainty surrounding this year’s draft to 2022, when Orlando surprised observers by selecting Paolo Banchero over Jabari Smith Jr.
Prospect Interviews Ahead of Draft Week
In separate features for Andscape, journalist Marc J. Spears sat down with Mikel Brown Jr., Nate Ament and both of their fathers. Ament told Spears on May 11, “I’ve got probably the best upside in the draft. I’m not even scratching the surface of the player I can be… every year I’ve gotten better and better.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
