
The 2026 NBA Draft is one that scouts and executives have targeted for several years now. Loaded at the very top with a Big 3 whose potential stardom has been well-documented since high school – AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer could all change the course of an NBA franchise. In the hours leading up to the draft though, there was still uncertainty about exactly where they would all end up.
Thanks to the emergence of other freshmen like Caleb Wilson and Keaton Wagler, who could round out the top five, there’s even more potential star power than we might have anticipated. Wagler is also just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to one-and-done point guards who could be prioritized in the lottery as Darius Acuff, Mikel Brown, and Kingston Flemings are all highly coveted coming into this draft.
While Brayden Burries and Nate Ament add even more from a loaded freshmen class, there are some college veterans to be had as well, particularly off the defending national champions. Just a day after Dusty May left Michigan to take the Dallas Mavericks job, Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Morez Johnson all have a chance to be a lottery pick. If it comes to fruition for all three then this would be the first time since 2007 that three-non-freshmen from the same team were picked in the lottery.
CBS Sports will be with you throughout the 2025 NBA Draft with pick-by-pick grades and analysis from our NBA Draft experts. Live, continuous coverage of the draft will also be available live on CBS Sports HQ at the top of this page or on any device of your choosing.
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2026 NBA Draft Grades
Round 1
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa | BYU | SF
Dybantsa is a prototypical big wing with positional size, length, athleticism, and an elastic build who can score from all three levels and create his own offense almost on demand. He pressures the rim, understands how to get fouled, and is as polished of a scorer as we’ve seen in several draft cycles. He will be a Day 1 scorer in the NBA and yet still has plenty of room to keep taking his game to new levels with the progression of his three-point shooting, handle, and defense. Dybantsa legitimately has the potential to lead the NBA in scoring one day, but also has to prove that he can consistently impact, and ultimately, drive winning. Grade: A
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson | Kansas | PG
Peterson is the best fit here and has the higher long-term upside. At Kansas this season we saw a level of shot-making that we did not know existed. Peterson can get to the rim, score at all levels, and is a dynamic shotmaker. He has a chance to be the very best player to come out of this draft. With the frontcourt rebuilt this year, you can slot Peterson very cleanly next to Keyonte George to create Utah’s backcourt of the future. With this move, the Jazz have essentially rebuilt its roster. The hope is that the durability issues from last season are now behind him and he can merge the shot-making we saw at Kansas with the creation we saw in high school. Grade: A
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer | Duke | PF
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Los Angeles Clippers
6. Brooklyn Nets
7. Sacramento Kings
8. Atlanta Hawks
9. Dallas Mavericks
10. Milwaukee Bucks
11. Golden State Warriors
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Milwaukee Bucks (via reported trade with Miami)
14. Charlotte Hornets
15. Chicago Bulls
16. Memphis Grizzlies
17. Oklahoma City Thunder
18. Charlotte Hornets
19. Toronto Raptors
20. San Antonio Spurs
21. Detroit Pistons
22. Philadelphia 76ers
23. Atlanta Hawks
24. New York Knicks
25. Los Angeles Lakers
26. Denver Nuggets
27. Boston Celtics
28. Brooklyn Nets (via reported trade with Minnesota)
29. Cleveland Cavaliers
30. Dallas Mavericks
Round 2
31. New York Knicks
32. Memphis Grizzlies
33. Brooklyn Nets
34. Sacramento Kings
35. San Antonio Spurs
36. Los Angeles Clippers
37. Oklahoma City Thunder
38. Chicago Bulls
39. Houston Rockets
40. Boston Celtics
41. Miami Heat
42. San Antonio Spurs
43. Brooklyn Nets
44. San Antonio Spurs
45. Sacramento Kings
46. Orlando Magic
47. Phoenix Suns
48. Dallas Mavericks
49. Denver Nuggets
50. Toronto Raptors
51. Washington Wizards
52. Los Angeles Clippers
53. Houston Rockets
54. Golden State Warriors
55. New York Knicks
56. Chicago Bulls
57. Atlanta Hawks
58. New Orleans Pelicans
59. Minnesota Timberwolves
60. Washington Wizards







