The final week before March Madness finds NBA talent evaluators zeroing in on what many executives describe as the deepest draft pool in years. ESPN’s newest 2026 mock draft, compiled after conversations with scouts and front-office personnel, projects how the first 60 selections would unfold if the lottery were held today.
Headline prospects
Darryn Peterson (Kansas) retains a narrow edge for the No. 1 pick despite intermittent cramping issues and spotty production. The freshman guard is slotted to the Sacramento Kings, who currently own the best lottery odds by ESPN’s BPI model published March 8.
AJ Dybantsa (BYU) sits second, mocked to the Washington Wizards. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year leads the nation in scoring (24.7 PPG) and impressed a large NBA contingent with a 40-point afternoon in Tuesday’s league-tournament opener.
Cameron Boozer (Duke) lands third to the Indiana Pacers. The ACC Player of the Year averages 22.7 points and 10.2 rebounds but faces questions about high-end athletic upside.
First-round outlook (picks 1–30)
• 1. Sacramento – Darryn Peterson, PG/SG, Kansas (19.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG)
• 2. Washington – AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU (24.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG)
• 3. Indiana – Cameron Boozer, PF/C, Duke (22.7 PPG, 10.2 RPG)
• 4. Brooklyn – Caleb Wilson, PF/C, North Carolina (19.8 PPG, out with thumb surgery)
• 5. Utah – Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston (16.5 PPG, 5.4 APG)
• 6. Atlanta (via NOP) – Keaton Wagler, PG/SG, Illinois (17.9 PPG, 41% 3FG)
• 7. Dallas – Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas (22.2 PPG, 6.4 APG)
• 8. Memphis – Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville (18.2 PPG, sidelined by back issues)
• 9. Chicago – Nate Ament, SF/PF, Tennessee (17.4 PPG, returning from leg injury)
• 10. Milwaukee – Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona (16.0 PPG, 37% 3FG)
• 11. Portland – Karim Lopez, SF/PF, NZ Breakers (11.9 PPG, NBL Next Stars)
• 12. San Antonio (via ATL) – Thomas Haugh, SF/PF, Florida (17.2 PPG)
• 13. Golden State – Braylon Mullins, SG, UConn (12.0 PPG)
• 14. Charlotte – Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky (recovering from knee swelling)
• 15. Oklahoma City (via LAC) – Hannes Steinbach, PF/C, Washington (18.6 PPG, 11.6 RPG)
• 16. Oklahoma City (via PHI) – Christian Anderson, PG, Texas Tech (19.2 PPG, 7.8 APG)
• 17. Memphis (via ORL) – Yaxel Lendeborg, PF/C, Michigan (14.7 PPG, Big Ten POY)
• 18. Toronto – Labaron Philon Jr., PG/SG, Alabama (21.5 PPG)
• 19. Charlotte (via PHX) – Koa Peat, PF/C, Arizona (13.8 PPG)
• 20. Miami – Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa (20.2 PPG)
• 21. Los Angeles Lakers – Motiejus Krivas, C, Arizona (10.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG)
• 22. Detroit (via MIN) – Chris Cenac Jr., PF/C, Houston (9.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG)
• 23. Denver – Cameron Carr, SG, Baylor (19.0 PPG, 40% 3FG)
• 24. Philadelphia (via HOU) – Aday Mara, C, Michigan (11.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG)
• 25. Atlanta (via CLE) – Isaiah Evans, SG, Duke (14.5 PPG)
• 26. Boston – Patrick Ngongba II, C, Duke (10.7 PPG, foot soreness)
• 27. New York – Morez Johnson Jr., PF/C, Michigan (13.7 PPG)
• 28. Cleveland (via SAS) – Amari Allen, SF/PF, Alabama (11.9 PPG)
• 29. Minnesota (via DET) – Dailyn Swain, SG/SF, Texas (17.7 PPG)
• 30. Dallas (via OKC) – Tounde Yessoufou, SF, Baylor (18.0 PPG)
Second-round projection (31–60)
31. Sacramento – Dame Sarr, Duke
32. New York (via WAS) – Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
33. Memphis (via IND) – Alex Condon, Florida
34. Brooklyn – Juke Harris, Wake Forest
35. San Antonio (via UTA) – Alex Karaban, UConn
36. Chicago (via NOP) – Henri Veesaar, North Carolina
37. Oklahoma City (via DAL) – Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
38. LA Clippers (via MEM) – Meleek Thomas, Arkansas
39. Houston (via CHI) – Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s
40. Boston (via MIL) – Braden Smith, Purdue
41. San Antonio (via POR) – Adam Atamna, ASVEL (France)
42. Denver (via ATL) – Ryan Conwell, Louisville
43. Miami (via GSW) – Alijah Arenas, USC
44. Sacramento (via CHA) – Flory Bidunga, Kansas
45. Brooklyn (via LAC) – Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
46. Phoenix (via PHI) – Pryce Sandfort, Nebraska
47. Orlando – Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
48. Toronto – Sergio de Larrea, Valencia (Spain)
49. Dallas (via PHX) – Dash Daniels, Melbourne United (Australia)
50. San Antonio (via MIA) – Jaden Bradley, Arizona
51. Golden State (via LAL) – Baba Miller, Cincinnati
52. Washington (via MIN) – Tarris Reed Jr., UConn
53. Chicago (via DEN) – Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
54. Houston – Kylan Boswell, Illinois
55. LA Clippers (via CLE) – Emanuel Sharp, Houston
56. Atlanta (via BOS) – Richie Saunders, BYU
57. New York – Solo Ball, UConn
58. Minnesota (via SAS) – Milos Uzan, Houston
59. New Orleans (via DET) – Maliq Brown, Duke
60. Washington (via OKC) – Trevon Brazile, Arkansas
The order is based on ESPN’s Basketball Power Index through March 8 and will shift once the lottery is drawn after the season. Front offices stressed that several players currently projected outside the first round are likely to return to college as NIL money changes the financial calculus for fringe prospects.
Source: ESPN.com
