NBA decision-makers converge on college tournaments to study 2026 draft class
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Conference tournament week has turned into a nationwide scouting summit as representatives from all 30 NBA teams track the players expected to headline the 2026 draft. The Big 12 championship at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City is the primary stop, featuring 10 projected first-rounders in ESPN’s latest mock draft.
The two-man fight for No. 1
Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and BYU forward AJ Dybantsa remain the consensus favorites to open draft night. Peterson entered the season atop most boards and still holds the No. 1 position in ESPN analyst Jeremy Woo’s projection, despite missing 11 games with assorted injuries. When healthy, the freshman has averaged 27 points on 10-for-15 shooting in the regular-season finale against Kansas State and owns Division I’s highest usage rate at 33.6%.
“As gifted a scorer as it comes,” one power-conference general manager said, adding that front offices are digging into Peterson’s medical file but believe the upside outweighs the risk.
Dybantsa, the nation’s leading scorer and the only healthy starter left for BYU, continues to impress with a 6-foot-9 frame and polished offensive game. His 40-point opening-round performance Tuesday broke Kevin Durant’s Big 12 tournament freshman scoring record, and his 93 total points set a new event mark. Multiple executives said the freshman “has all the tools” to score immediately in the NBA.
Boozer vs. Wilson for the next spots
Most evaluators expect Duke’s Cameron Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson to follow the top two in some order. Boozer, averaging 22.7 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 58% shooting, has prompted some scouts to argue the draft has a top three rather than a top two. Skeptics question whether his 6-9, 250-pound frame leaves limited room for athletic growth.
Wilson showed coast-to-coast ability before a thumb injury ended his season. The freshman posted 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 24 games and is praised for improved toughness since arriving in Chapel Hill. One Eastern Conference executive called him “so raw, with a ton of upside,” noting significant physical growth potential compared with Boozer’s more finished build.
Guards expected to fill out the top eight
After the first four selections, many scouts list four freshman guards in the next tier: Houston’s Kingston Flemings, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr.
Flemings drew comparisons to Derrick Rose for his burst and has impressed observers by thriving in Kelvin Sampson’s demanding system. Wagler vaulted up boards with a 46-point outburst against Purdue on Jan. 24 and is the first Big Ten freshman in three decades to average at least 18 points while shooting 40% from three.
Acuff, the SEC Player and Freshman of the Year, is averaging 22.2 points and 6.4 assists on 43.7% from beyond the arc. One executive labeled him “the most NBA-ready guard” in the class. Brown has delivered nine 20-point games for Louisville, including 45 against NC State, but recurring back issues have raised durability questions.
With eight lottery-bound teams already positioning for June and front offices describing the 2026 pool as “deep” compared with a weaker 2027 forecast, this week’s college showcase has become a critical checkpoint in shaping draft boards.
Source: ESPN
