Wizards decide – With the 2026 NBA Draft set for June 23-24 at Barclays Center, the Washington Wizards’ No. 1 pick is framed as a straight choice between AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson—two prospects with very different paths, workout access, and fit questions. The rest of the
By the time the lights come on at Barclays Center for the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23 and June 24, the loudest question in basketball won’t be about who is available—it will be about who Washington is willing to bet on.
The Wizards won the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, but the decision is still unsettled. League executives and evaluators. after the NBA draft combine and weeks of pre-draft workouts. are now closing in on the names that will start professional careers—at least according to the latest round of predictions that draw on CBB Analytics data and detailed movement and biomechanics assessments from P3.
At the center of it all is Washington’s No. 1 slot, where the latest projection keeps circling back to two players who have already reportedly worked out with the team: AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson.
Dybantsa. a wing born in Massachusetts. is listed at 6-9 with a 7-1 wingspan and a +4 wingspan differential. with a draft age of 19. He is presented as the offensive jolt Washington could build around immediately—an NCAA scoring champion and Julius Erving Award winner who also earned Big 12 Rookie of the Year honors. The projection ties his profile to a specific scoring edge: Dybantsa led the nation in unassisted points scored by a wide margin.
The intrigue is partly about fit. The projection pairs Dybantsa with Trae Young and Anthony Davis, arguing those veterans could help him play alongside elite talent early.
“I’m super confident in myself being the No. 1 pick. But you never know. There’s been crazy stuff that happens on draft night,” Dybantsa said.
For the Wizards, uncertainty isn’t theoretical. The same prediction notes that while Dybantsa is prepared for scenarios, Washington is still deciding between him and Peterson.
Peterson is listed at No. 1 with different logistics and a different kind of pressure. He’s a guard from Kansas. born in Ohio. listed at 6-5 with a 6-10 wingspan (+5). and a draft age of 19. In this mock. he’s framed as the most talented player in the class and one of the rare prospects described as scoring as efficiently as he did while maintaining the high usage rate he posted this season.
Peterson’s access, though, appears more limited. ESPN reports the guard hasn’t worked out for Utah and that after conducting meetings with Washington. he informed the Jazz that he plans to take no further team visits. Despite that. the board’s logic is blunt: that wouldn’t stop Utah or Memphis from calling his name if he falls to them.
There’s also a franchise-shaping idea tied to the Grizzlies. If Memphis drafts Peterson, the projection says it could give them a new floor general to run the offense and create additional incentive to potentially trade longtime franchise star point guard Ja Morant.
The rest of the projected first round reads like a map of preferences—and sometimes, a map of what teams can’t afford to get wrong.
At No. 2. Utah is projected to take Cameron Boozer. a Duke forward born in Florida. listed at 6-8 with a 7-2 wingspan (+5) and a draft age of 18. The projection stresses that even with mainstream mocks pointing to Darryn Peterson, Utah’s choice isn’t settled. The board points to ESPN’s report that Peterson hasn’t worked out for Utah and notes that the Jazz are “genuinely torn. ” with Duke freshman Cameron Boozer firmly in the mix. Boozer is described as the ACC Player of the Year. with better-than-expected athletic testing at the combine in Chicago. and as a candidate to “bring a culture of winning” after multiple high school championships and Duke’s run to the Sweet 16.
The prediction adds a personal tie—Boozer’s father, former Jazz player Carlos Boozer, currently works in Utah’s front office—while keeping Utah’s decision principle the same: “the organization will select the best player available.”
At No. 3. Kansas guard is listed as the pick instead of Peterson—TEAM: Kansas. Position: Guard. Born: Ohio. Height: 6-5. Wingspan: 6-10 (+5). Draft age: 19. In the projection. the choice is Darryn Peterson’s as-yet-unresolved fallback option. and the reasoning turns on how other teams might still reach for him when they’re on the clock.
At No. 4. North Carolina is projected to land Caleb Wilson. a big born in Georgia listed at 6-9 with a 7-0 wingspan (+3) and a draft age of 19. The pick is tied to Bulls executive Bryson Graham, newly hired as the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations. Graham’s task, per the projection, is simple: select whichever of the four players is still available.
Wilson’s profile in the projection emphasizes production before injury. Before the injury. Bart Torvik is cited within the prediction as saying Wilson led the nation with 67 dunks recorded and was one of the best vertical athletes at the combine in Chicago. Wilson is also described as the only player under 20 to reach specific thresholds for both block. steal and defensive rebound percentage.
No. 5 is projected for Illinois with Keaton Wagler. listed as a guard born in Kansas at 6-5. with a 6-6 wingspan (+1) and a draft age of 19. The projection notes the Clippers received this pick from the Indiana Pacers as part of a package involving Ivica Zubac. Even with “wide speculation” the Clippers could trade the pick. the projection says they’re closely linked with guards in this range.
Wagler is quoted on his mindset: “I’ve always played with a chip on my shoulder,” he said. The projection ties Wagler’s draft rise to a head-to-head workout for the Clippers against another lottery-caliber guard, with the claim that he “emerged as the more impressive prospect,” per Jake Fischer.
Wagler is described as playing a crucial role in helping the Fighting Illini reach the Final Four, projecting as one of the best 3-point shooters in the class, and as a cerebral player who is also a good rebounder and playmaker.
At No. 6, Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. is projected for the Nets. Brown is listed as a guard born in Florida at 6-4, with a 6-8 wingspan (+4) and a draft age of 20. Despite Brooklyn drafting three point guards last season, the projection says the Nets would still love a player like Brown.
The reporting embedded in the prediction includes that Brown completed a second workout for Brooklyn. confirmed through a person with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. It also includes Brown’s own medical status. “I got cleared by the medical staff from the league at the Combine, so we’re all green,” Brown Jr. said. “I feel like myself again.”.
Brown’s path also includes a disruption: an injury on Feb. 28 forced him to miss March Madness. Before that, the prediction points to his shooting range and a scoring run that included 29.2 points per game over his last five appearances, including a 45-point outing against NC State.
From there, the board continues with names and measurements moving in lockstep with how teams are being expected to draft.
Sacramento at No. 7 is projected to take Darius Acuff Jr. an Arkansas guard born in Michigan listed at 6-2. with a 6-7 wingspan (+5) and a draft age of 19. The projection says Sacramento needs a potential star and that it’s widely speculated the team is targeting Acuff Jr. based on his offensive production through the Sweet 16 run. It cites CBB Analytics for the claim that Acuff Jr. led the nation for points created either by himself or through an assist. and it highlights transition scoring. left/right scoring from the court. and freshmen leaders in alley-oop assists.
P3 evaluators within the prediction highlight “really impressive start-stop tools” and the ability to generate separation in multiple directions, framed as traits for a high-usage guard translating to the NBA.
The personal tie again shows up in the projection: Kings executive Scott Perry coached Acuff’s father in college, and the prediction adds that it expects few scenarios where Acuff Jr. falls below this pick.
At No. 8, Atlanta is projected to take Kingston Flemings with the pick it receives from New Orleans. Flemings is a guard from Houston. born in Texas. listed at 6-3 with a 6-4 wingspan (+1) and a draft age of 19. The prediction says that with the pick from the Pelicans. Atlanta is expected to pick a big or a guard. with Flemings as a target.
Flemings’ Houston teammate, Chris Cenac Jr., is quoted describing him as a player who “can pretty much do it all.” “He can defend, he can shoot, and his playmaking is really underrated,” Cenac said. “And he’s a high-IQ, high-character guy.”
The projection points to combine measurements that may have hurt him—his smaller wingspan did him no favors at the combine—but lists a 40.5-inch max vertical and elite speed across agility testing. It also says Flemings helped lead Houston to the Sweet 16 and suggests it’s hard to imagine him being available past the Hawks on draft night.
At No. 9. Dallas is projected to take Arizona guard Brayden Burries. born in California. listed at 6-4 with a 6-6 wingspan (+2) and a draft age of 20. The projection ties the decision to Dallas hiring Masai Ujiri as president of basketball operations and Mike Schmitz as general manager. and it frames the pick as lottery talent to grow alongside Cooper Flagg.
Burries’ draft stock is linked to two breakout games in January and a Big Dance run that reached the Final Four and included a 23-point game against Arkansas. The projection says he can defend, relocate, move the ball, and make 3-pointers off the dribble.
Milwaukee at No. 10 is projected to take Tennessee forward Nate Ament. born in Virginia. listed at 6-10 with a 7-0 wingspan (+2) and a draft age of 19. The projection acknowledges uncertainty around how many picks the Bucks will actually have in 2026 due to ongoing trade rumors involving Giannis Antetokounmpo. but it says this range is still a fair fit.
It also notes that Bucks executive Jon Horst and head coach Taylor Jenkins reportedly traveled to meet with Ament during the pre-draft process. per Jake Fischer. Ament’s production is framed through a 13-game stretch before an injury against Alabama on Feb. 28, including 21.6 points per game and 38.9 percent on 3-pointers.
At No. 11, Golden State is projected to take Karim López, a New Zealand (International) forward born in Mexico, listed at 6-8 with a 7-0 wingspan (+3) and a draft age of 19. The projection says Sam Vecenie’s view places his “range” at this pick for Golden State.
López’s overseas production is highlighted with a stat line: 32 points on Jan. 30 against Melbourne, with 11-of-13 field goals, eight rebounds, two blocks and one steal. It’s also stated that Warriors executive Mike Dunleavy attended that game, based on someone with knowledge of the situation.
The projection includes a defensive impact claim tied to his NBL Ignite Cup run, plus combine-style measurements: he’s listed just shy of 222 pounds and a 38-inch max vertical.
No. 12 shifts to Oklahoma City via the Clippers, with Aday Mara: TEAM: Michigan, Position: Big, Born: Spain, Height: 7-3, Wingspan: 7-6 (+3), Draft age: 21. The projection says Oklahoma City tends to like low-usage big men with high assist percentages and high block and steal percentages.
Mara’s rim-protection profile is tied to a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year description and to the claim that opponents rarely attempted field goals at the rim when he was on the court. per CBB Analytics. The projection also frames his NCAA championship run and March Madness boost. plus a speculative upside: teams hunting for bigger bodies to throw at Victor Wembanyama could consider him higher.
At No. 13, the Miami Heat are projected to take Hannes Steinbach, a Washington-based big. Steinbach is listed as German, with draft age 20, height 6-10 and a 7-2 wingspan (+4). The projection says Miami’s interest makes sense after Steinbach reportedly turned down NIL opportunities “worth up to $10 million” to return to college.
It also cites his missed-tournament outcome with Washington and highlights a rebounding display: 24 rebounds against USC on March 4. His pick-and-roll finishing is described as prolific, and his FIBA U19 World Cup experience is brought in to show scouting interest in his smart reads.
By No. 15, the Chicago Bulls (via Trail Blazers) are projected to take Cameron Carr, a Baylor wing born in Minnesota. Carr is listed at 6-5, with a 7-1 wingspan (+8) and a draft age of 21. This pick is described as coming to the Bulls because the Portland Trail Blazers advanced past the play-in tournament. and it’s tied to new Bulls executive Bryson Graham’s comments about athleticism.
The projection adds P3 modeling claims through Carr’s athletic profile. including a “hyper flexor” force-production profile. and says evaluators described it as “double unique.” It also points to measurable output: Bart Torvik is cited as saying Carr was the only player to make at least 40 field goals that were dunks and more than 60 field goals that were 3-pointers during the season.
The board keeps weaving between upside, injury, and medical risk.
At No. 16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Suns) are projected to select Yaxel Lendeborg. a Michigan forward born in New Jersey listed at 6-9 with a 7-3 wingspan (+7) and a draft age of 23. The projection says The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie reported potential for him to slip out of the lottery due to an ankle injury and that pre-draft workouts “have not gone particularly well.”.
Even so, it says Memphis would intrigue based on its tendency to pick older, more experienced players, and it references research tied to Memphis valuing statistical similarities beyond scoring and defensive playmaking.
At No. 17. Oklahoma City (via 76ers) is projected to take Chris Cenac Jr. a Houston big born in Louisiana listed at 6-10 with a 7-5 wingspan (+7) and a draft age of 19. The prediction says Cenac’s range begins around No. 14 and highlights his NCAA tournament performance in a first game described as season-high 18 rebounds plus a 3-pointer and a steal.
Cenac is quoted on his role and growth mindset: “I got to earn my minutes. I got to do the little things… defending, rebounding, spacing the floor,” he said. “Whatever team takes me… they’re getting a winning player that loves winning and is going to buy into whatever to help that team win.”
It also includes his NBA combine number: a 37-inch max vertical and strong agility numbers for his size.
At No. 18. Charlotte (via Magic) is projected to take Christian Anderson. a Texas Tech guard born in Georgia listed at 6-1 with a 6-6 wingspan (+5) and a draft age of 20. The projection describes him as a potential fit at point guard after moving from the two-guard. pointing to his assists production and scoring off spot-ups and handoffs.
Even with the projection calling him undersized, it frames him as one of the better offensive creators in the class and notes he received a green room invitation for the 2026 NBA Draft.
Two more spots show how medicals and “medicals” can loom even when talent is clear.
At No. 23. the Atlanta Hawks (via Cavaliers) are projected to take Jayden Quaintance. a Kentucky big born in Ohio listed at 6-9 with a 7-5 wingspan (+8) and a draft age of 18. The projection says Quaintance recorded just one start during his sophomore campaign after recovering from a torn ACL. meniscus and fractured knee. It also quotes ESPN’s Jeremy Woo as saying evaluators are “consistently expressing concern around his medicals.”.
Still, the prediction says his youth and frame give him an opportunity to become a special player, pointing to defensive flashes, including a freshman year run at age 17 where he led all D-I players in blocks per 40 minutes on 3-pointers, with swats on the perimeter.
At No. 24, the Knicks are projected to take Ebuka Okorie, a Stanford guard born in New Hampshire listed at 6-1 with a 6-8 wingspan (+7) and a draft age of 19. The projection says New York prioritized scrappy, high-motor players capable of winning the possession battle through rebounds and turnovers.
It describes Okorie as a first-team All-ACC guard who was a day-one starter in the NCAA. and it places him as capable of earning rotation minutes. The prediction also points to his scoring line. including 23.2 points per game and a 40-point game against Virginia Tech. plus a high assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.3 last season.
By the time the projections move into the back half of the first round, the story becomes less about one player and more about how quickly the league expects teams to pull the trigger once the board narrows.
The next list of first-round picks in the projection continues with: Los Angeles Lakers: Koa Peat; Denver Nuggets: Meleek Thomas; Boston Celtics: Isaiah Evans; Minnesota Timberwolves (via Pistons): Sergio De Larrea; Cleveland Cavaliers (via Spurs): Henri Veesaar; and Dallas Mavericks (via Thunder): Tarris Reed Jr.
The projection also extends into the second round with a long set of team-by-team picks: 31. New York Knicks (via WAS): Zuby Ejiofor (St. John’s); 32. Memphis Grizzlies (via IND): Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State); 33. Brooklyn Nets: Richie Saunders (BYU); 34. Sacramento Kings: Trevon Brazile (Arkansas); 35. San Antonio Spurs (via UTA): Alex Karaban (UConn); 36. L.A. Clippers (via MEM): Ugonna Onyenso (Virginia); 37. Oklahoma City Thunder (via DAL): Ryan Conwell (Louisville); 38. Chicago Bulls
(via NOP): Felix Okpara (Tennessee); 39. Houston Rockets (via CHI): Baba Miller (Cincinnati); 40. Boston Celtics (via MIL): Emanuel Sharp (Houston); 41. Miami Heat (via GSW): Nick Martinelli (Northwestern); 42. San Antonio Spurs (via POR): Izaiyah Nelson (South Florida); 43. Brooklyn Nets (via LAC): Jack Kayil (ALBA Berlin – International); 44. San Antonio Spurs (via MIA): Braden Smith (Purdue); 45. Sacramento Kings (via CHA): Maliq Brown (Duke); 46. Orlando Magic: Tyler Bilodeau (UCLA); 47. Phoenix
Suns (via PHI): Jaden Bradley (Arizona); 48. Dallas Mavericks (via PHX): Otega Oweh (Kentucky); 49. Denver Nuggets (via ATL): Dillon Mitchell (St. John’s); 50. Toronto Raptors: Bruce Thornton (Ohio State); 51. Washington Wizards (via MIN): Rafael Castro (George Washington); 52. L.A. Clippers (via CLE): Nick Boyd (Wisconsin); 53. Houston Rockets: Keyshawn Hall (Auburn); 54. Golden State Warriors (via LAL): Tyler Nickel (Vanderbilt); 55. New York Knicks: Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee); 56. Chicago Bulls (via DEN): Tobe
Awaka (Arizona); 57. Atlanta Hawks (via BOS): Milos Uzan (Houston); 58. New Orleans Pelicans (via DET): Jaron Pierre Jr. (SMU); 59. Minnesota Timberwolves (via SAS): Aaron Nkrumah (Tennessee State); 60. Washington Wizards (via OKC): Tobi Lawal (Virginia Tech).
What makes the Wizards’ No. 1 call feel urgent isn’t just the size of the prize. It’s the way both Dybantsa and Peterson are described—one as an immediate scoring engine prepared for chaos on draft night. the other as a high-efficiency. high-usage guard whose visit plans suggest the league may have less access than usual to what teams are counting on.
And when June 23-24 arrives, that gap—between what teams expect to happen and what actually happens when the names are finally read—will turn preparation into something more personal: a franchise decision that’s either the spark Washington wants, or the risk it can’t afford.
Washington Wizards NBA Draft 2026 AJ Dybantsa Darryn Peterson Barclays Center NBA Draft Lottery roster building player workouts P3 sports science CBB Analytics Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors