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.

More: NBA Draft hub | LIVE updates | Team grades

CBS Sports mock drafts: Finkelstein | Parrish | Salerno | Norlander | Trotter

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 3-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

Boozer has the highest floor in the draft and an underrated ceiling. Not only can no other player in the field match Boozer’s history of winning or production, but Boozer also has an unmatched overlap of size, skill, physicality, and feel for the game. He’s also very much in line with the type of player that Memphis has prioritized in the draft process in recent years. Memphis can plug Boozer in next to Zach Edey and Cedric Coward and Memphis’ rebuilding project already has their frontcourt of the future figured out. Grade: A+

4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson | N. Carolina | PF

Wilson was the fairly obvious choice here. He has legit star-type outcome and potential. He’s the most explosive athlete in the draft with a big-time motor and unusual elasticity (or bend) for a player his size.  At North Carolina, Wilson was farther along offensively than expected and yet has immense room for progress, not just with his perimeter skill-set, but even his defensive polish. Those tools should check a lot of boxes for new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham. Grade: A    

5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler | Illinois | PG

Of the four one-and-done freshman point guards, Wagler is the easiest to pair with Clippers’ guard Darius Garland. The positional size and shooting give him on/off ball versatility that would be critical in this context, but it’s his feel for the game and natural instincts that may be his true superpower. Wagler is a natural shooter with versatility to make shots off the catch, dribble, or on the move. He has terrific basketball instincts, high basketball IQ, and a very deliberate pace that prevents opposing defenders from speeding him up. Grade: B+

2026 NBA Draft: Wizards take AJ Dybantsa over Darryn Peterson at No. 1 as top four unfolds without a surprise

Cameron Salerno

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6. Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr. | Louisville | PG 

Brown gives Brooklyn a naturally skilled, high-upside, late-blooming lead guard, whose athleticism is catching up. He’s incredibly skilled, naturally ambidextrous, has complete control of the ball, is a pinpoint passer, and a much better shooter than his numbers showed at Louisville. Brown Makes deep shots in bunches when he gets hot. Excellent left hand too. Very good floor-vision, passing, and ability to make reads coming off of ball-screens. Ranked in the 89th percentile as a pick-and-roll ball-handler. Grown into having positional size at 6-3.5 without shoes, long arms, and newfound athleticism. The concerns are Brown’s lack of strength and physicality. He can hunt high-level plays instead of making the easy one, and he has a history of injuries, which could impact his durability.B rown impressed teams when he met with them face-to-face. Grade: B+

7. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr. | Arkansas | PG

This is exactly what Sacramento wanted and it didn’t have to trade up to get him.  Acuff gives the Kings the type of offensive alpha creator they don’t yet have and he provides a more immediate impact than other players on the board, especially on the offensive end of the floor. Acuff is a shot-creator and multi-level scoring threat. He has the strength, balance, and poise to dictate his own pace and supplements that with extreme confidence to deliver in big games and moments. There are some concerns with his defensive commitment and approach. Size, length, and athleticism are adequate for NBA standards, but not ideal. Grade: A-  

8. Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings | Houston | PG

Flemings gives Atlanta a high-level athlete and two-way lead guard with a high floor. Flemings would fit with a defensively oriented young perimeter core in Atlanta, and give them plenty of upside if his shooting proves to be sustainable. What is undeniable is that Flemings is an elite athlete who can get a piece of the paint on demand and rise up explosively at the rim. 

Flemings is a dynamic athlete with end-to-end speed, burst in his first step, physical strength, and leaping ability. He puts constant pressure on the paint, attacks both sides off the dribble, and rises up for big finishes. He’s also capable of getting to his pull-up at virtually any time and arguably the most dedicated defender of this freshman quartet. Flemings has solid positional size, but lacks great length. His 3-point shot is still very streaky with questionable mechanics. Grade: B+

‘Nerd’ Kingston Flemings knows he could be an analyst or a scout; instead, he’ll be a first-round draft pick

James Herbert

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9. Dallas Mavericks: Morez Johnson Jr. | Michigan | PF

New Mavs coach Dusty May brings in a Michigan player to Dallas. Morez Johnson was one of the biggest winners of the combine, measuring bigger than expected with massive length, well-rounded athleticism, and simultaneously reaffirming the shooting gains we saw this year. Johnson is long and powerful with an NBA-ready body and rugged physicality to match. He is a two-way rebounder and a versatile defender who can not only guard ball-screens in multiple ways but also be switchable inside-and-out.
Johnson is not a creator and doesn’t project as being more than a complementary piece offensively. Shooting is also still largely unproven with a total of 12 3-pointers in two college basketball seasons. He can provide some secondary rim protection, but doesn’t project as a primary shot-blocker at the NBA level. Grade: C+

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Brayden Burries | Arizona | SG

The Bucks benefit from Dallas taking a swing on Morez Johnson and are able to get Burries at No. 10. Burries is a strong and aggressive two-way guard who can get downhill with force, provide a formidable 3-point shooter, and defend his position, all with an NBA-ready frame. He has versatility in his shot-making profile and utilizes his strength as an engaged defender and high-volume perimeter rebounder. Burries played point guard when he was younger, but hasn’t shown the ball-handling or passing growth as much since. Best as a secondary handler. Grade: B+  

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11. Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg | Michigan | PF

Lendeborg is one of the more versatile two-way players, and specifically defenders, in the draft. At 6-9 with a 7-3+ wingspan, he often guarded opposing point guards this year, is an excellent passer, and improved shooter who made 37% of his 3-pointers. Very good passer who can be a connector offensively, start the break himself, and has improved each year as a shooter.

The questions about Lendeborg are tied to his upside since he will turn 24-years-old before playing in his first NBA game. Very solid ball-handler for his size but more of a straight-line driver than dynamic creator or change of direction play. Aday Mara would have been a better roster fit here for the Warriors. Grade B- 

12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara | Michigan | C 

The Thunder picking Mara here is easily seen as a direct answer to attempting to defend San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama for the foreseeable future. At 7-3 (without shoes), Mara is a giant, even by NBA standards, and a tremendous rim protector. He’s also got sneaky mobility, good hands, real passing ability, and provides vertical spacing.  Mara is a defensive anchor who alters or discourages as many shots as he blocks thanks to his timing and massive size. Playmaking big who has good touch, can pass the ball from various spots on the floor, and even show some creativity with the way he can manipulate passing angles. Vertical spacer and lob threat who ranked in the 97th percentile at the rim with his extreme reach, underrated hands, and coordination for his size.

Mara’s body mechanics aren’t ideal with less visible muscle mass and high/wide hips that can impact his flexibility. Not always a graceful mover on the perimeter, but more adept at keeping people in front than he sometimes gets credit for. He is an inconsistent free-throw shooter who has shown a reluctance to develop his face-up touch. Grade: A-  

13. Milwaukee Bucks (via reported trade with Miami): Nate Ament | Tennessee | PF — Grade B+
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

“For Thomas Tuchel, I now expect changes on Saturday night against Panama,” former England captain Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport.

“England probed, but there are little details throughout that game that Tuchel will look at with the team and try on improve on.

“When a team is sitting in a low block, you have to cross the ball. It is very difficult to defend against. I don’t think we crossed the ball enough in 90 minutes.”

England captain Harry Kane was so well marshalled that he only had two touches in the Ghana penalty area in the first half, although he blazed a late chance over the top.

The Three Lions’ midfield also looked one dimensional, raising questions about what impact a creator such as Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White might have made, or someone with Adam Wharton’s intelligent range of passing.

Two absent playmakers – Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Phil Foden of Manchester City – might also have helped break down an obdurate Ghana side, but their club form was not good enough, and it is easy to be wise after the event.

Tuchel, however, is insistent Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson will build the midfield platform – but there is no doubt England lacked ideas and variety for long periods.

Rice told BBC Sport: “They were very compact, 5-4-1 off the ball and tight spaces to play through, but on the other hand we can do more with the ball.

“You have to give credit to Ghana. It’s tough and they are good players, so it was never going to be an easy game. We have one more group game to top the group, so we have to be positive.

“Loads of top nations draw the first game so there is no need to be negative or downbeat. We will stay positive.”

Projected top pick Cameron Boozer is ready for the next chapter of his career, as he got dressed up for the 2026 NBA draft. The Duke standout wore an all-white suit, and fellow draft prospect AJ Dybansta couldn’t help but compare him to LA Lakers star LeBron James.

According to Dybansta, Boozer has a similar style to what James wore when he was drafted into the league in 2003. The four-time champion also had an all-white outfit when he was drafted No. 1 by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“I think he looks like Bron in ’03,” Dybansta said.

After the comparison, NBA fans buzzed over what Dybansta said about Boozer. While some fans recognized that the college star had similarities with James, they still clowned him on social media. Here are some of what the fans said.

“Dybantsa clowning Boozer’s suit is facts — Bron in ‘03 had aura, Cam just looks like he’s cosplaying a safe mid first-rounder who’ll never sniff MVP talks,” a fan said.

“All-white suit + “WRIST” check = Cameron Boozer looking like Bron in ’03 🔥 AJ not wrong. Draft night vibes are real,” another fan commented.

“we will see if the game matches the suit tho,” one fan said.

Other fans also expressed their thoughts on Cameron Boozer’s draft night outfit.

“Bringing back the iconic LeBron all-white look from 2003 is the perfect way to make a statement on Draft night. The fit is legendary,” someone commented.

“zoomers think he looks like lebron. can’t help it,” a comment read.

“wearing bron’s white suit just to not go number 1 😭” one fan commented.

Cameron Boozer Addresses Not Being Discussed as the No. 1 Pick

Leading up to Tuesday’s draft night, both AJ Dybansta and Darryn Peterson have been discussed as potential No. 1 picks. There have been many conversations about which player between the two would be drafted by the Washington Wizards with the first pick.

However, not many people have opened up about Cameron Boozer being the potential No. 1 pick. Ahead of the event, the son of former NBA star Carlos Boozer was asked about his thoughts on not being part of the conversations with his fellow draft prospects.

“Of course I feel that way,” Boozer told ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins when asked if he should be the No. 1 pick. “I’m not gonna say I understand why people say that, those two guys are amazing players. Everyone knows that. But for me, not being in that conversation, I don’t really understand it. Many years down the line, people are gonna look back and say I should’ve been.”

Many mock drafts predict that Cameron Boozer will fall to the Memphis Grizzlies at the No. 3 pick. Although it’s not the No. 1 pick, Boozer is still regarded as one of the most talented young stars in the draft class.