The 2026 NBA pre-draft process begins in earnest on Sunday, when 117 invitees converge on Wintrust Arena in Chicago for the league’s annual combine week.
The schedule starts with the G League Elite Camp on Saturday and Sunday, followed by the main combine Monday through Friday. The draft lottery, set for 3 p.m. ET Sunday on ABC/ESPN, will frame the conversation around projected top-five selections AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Cameron Boozer (Duke) and Caleb Wilson (North Carolina).
Key events
• Mandatory measurements, athletic testing, medical exams and team interviews run throughout the week.
• Optional five-on-five scrimmages, the combine’s marquee showcase, are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
Scrimmage stakes
Players who choose to compete can improve their draft position; Yang Hansen rose to No. 16 last year and Yanic Konan Niederhauser jumped from Elite Camp to pick No. 30. Recent success stories also include Jalen Williams, Brandin Podziemski and Andrew Nembhard. Agents may keep top names out to avoid risk, but clubs value live competition while balancing it against an entire season’s résumé.
NIL reshapes decisions
Name, Image and Likeness revenue continues to alter draft calculus. Projected first-rounders Thomas Haugh (Florida), Braylon Mullins (UConn) and Motiejus Krivas (Arizona) stayed in school without testing the draft. Guard Juke Harris withdrew and transferred to Tennessee. Only four international-based players received combine invitations—Karim Lopez, Luigi Suigo, Sergio de Larrea and future Gonzaga guard Jack Kayil, with the last two not expected in Chicago.
Several ESPN top-40 prospects are still weighing a return to college, including Koa Peat, Allen Graves, Meleek Thomas, Ebuka Okorie, Amari Allen, Tyler Tanner and Tounde Yessoufou. Others testing the waters range from Kansas big man Flory Bidunga to Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. The NCAA withdrawal deadline is May 27 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Spotlight on Darryn Peterson
Peterson, ESPN’s No. 2 prospect, battled season-long cramping issues at Kansas that doctors linked to creatine usage. Lottery clubs will scrutinize his medical file this week while interviewing the freshman guard for clarity on his inconsistent year. Comparable health updates are expected for Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr., a projected top-10 pick, and Kentucky forward Jayden Quaintance.
Measuring the point guards
Front offices regard this as a deep point guard draft but want official sizes for a predominantly undersized group. Targets include Darius Acuff Jr. (6-3, Arkansas), Kingston Flemings (6-4, Houston), Christian Anderson (6-3, Texas Tech), Bennett Stirtz (6-4, Iowa), Ebuka Okorie (6-2, Stanford) and Tyler Tanner (6-0, Vanderbilt). Even small measurement differences could separate tiers on draft boards.
Under-the-radar names
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt (No. 30 ESPN)
Dynamic sophomore guard who shot 48.5% from the field; must offset a 6-0, 173-pound frame. He can return to Vanderbilt but a strong scrimmage showing could push him solidly into the first round.
Tarris Reed Jr., UConn (No. 36 ESPN)
The 6-11, 265-pound center turned 23 in August and anchored UConn’s run to the national title game. His rebounding and rim protection may boost him into guaranteed-contract territory as other big men withdraw.
Peter Suder, Miami (Ohio) (No. 76 ESPN)
The 6-5 combo guard earned a combine ticket after starring at Portsmouth. He averaged 54% shooting and 42.1% from three while winning MAC Player of the Year, positioning himself for two-way contract consideration.
G League Elite Camp
The two-day event features 44 players, with five to eight typically promoted to the main combine. Six participants were drafted in 2025, highlighted by Niederhauser at No. 30. This year’s group includes Bryce Hopkins (St. John’s), Quadir Copeland (NC State), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), Jaron Pierre Jr. (SMU) and Malique Lewis (NBL’s Southeast Melbourne).
The combine concludes Friday, giving college underclassmen additional time to weigh NBA feedback against lucrative NIL opportunities before the late-May withdrawal deadline.
Source: ESPN
