Top 100 prospects set early tone for 2026 NBA draft race
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ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Woo released the outlet’s first 2026 NBA draft big board on Nov. 10, 2025, ranking 100 prospects and framing an early three-way battle for the No. 1 selection.
Darryn Peterson, Kansas freshman guard, opens at No. 1. The 6-foot-6, 18.8-year-old is praised for NBA-ready size, downhill explosiveness and two-way impact. Scouts view him as one of the most polished American guards to hit college basketball in more than a decade.
AJ Dybantsa, BYU freshman wing, sits at No. 2. Also 18.8 years old and standing 6-9, Dybantsa combines power, fluidity and defensive versatility. His FIBA U19 World Cup performance this summer helped restore momentum after an inconsistent senior high-school season.
Cameron Boozer, Duke freshman forward/center, is No. 3. The 6-9, 18.3-year-old enters college considered the most game-ready of the elite trio thanks to all-around efficiency, expanding shooting range and high-level production throughout high school.
Rounding out the top 10 are Tennessee forward Nate Ament, North Carolina big man Caleb Wilson, Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr., Houston center Chris Cenac Jr., Arizona forward Koa Peat, Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance and Duke wing Dame Sarr.
Woo describes the 2026 class as “one of the deeper drafts in recent memory,” fueled by a heralded freshman crop and a wave of returning college veterans benefiting from name-image-likeness earnings. Early non-conference matchups, including Kansas vs. Duke on Nov. 18 and Kansas vs. BYU in January, will give scouts first head-to-head looks at the leading prospects.
The analyst notes that franchises are already monitoring the standings with an eye on lottery positioning, anticipating that Peterson, Dybantsa and Boozer could become franchise centerpieces. ESPN’s full list extends to 100 names, providing front offices with a broad view of the available talent pool eight months before the 2026 draft.
Source: ESPN
