Explore the latest developments concerning 2026 NBA mock.
2026 NBA mock draft: Who's rising and falling ahead of March Madness?
Jeremy Woo previews his latest mock draft and looks at the biggest names to watch in the Big 12. (1:41)
Whether you've followed this 2026 NBA draft class all season or are just tuning in for March Madness, it bears repeating: This is shaping up to be an exceptionally talented draft class.
Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson have been the headliners. But a terrific group of guard prospects — Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr. and Mikel Brown Jr. — add significant depth to the mid-lottery.
Within the NBA, conversations around tanking and the league's efforts to combat it continue — and the strength of this draft has certainly played a role in the unusually high number of teams currently tumbling down the standings. There remains a broad expectation that many quality prospects will return to college next season, primarily among players not entrenched in the first round, as NIL payments shift financial incentives. This mock serves to project what the draft might look like if NBA teams selected today. These projections are not a ranking of the top prospects — for that, consult ESPN's top 100.
Matt Barnes shares why Darryn Peterson will be avoided by a lot of NBA teams in the draft: "This college season can knock his stock"
At one stage, Darryn Peterson looked like a near lock to go number one in the 2026 NBA draft.
Though his freshman season with the Kansas Jayhawks had all the early signs of a cornerstone piece in the NBA, fast forward a few months and it looks like all the certainty has started to fade. Injuries, inconsistencies and lack of durability have suddenly made his draft stock a lot more questionable.
Speaking bluntly, not only did Barnes sternly educate Peterson about the intense schedule in the NBA that often puts every athlete to the test, but he even proclaimed how this current collegiate season has wholeheartedly affected Peterson's reputation in the basketball world.
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The potential No. 1 NBA draft picks who will define the NCAA Tournament
In most years, men’s college basketball would be lucky to have one transcendent star, a player who could both carry his team during the NCAA Tournament and be a hyped professional prospect.
In 2026, there are three: Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, Brigham Young’s AJ Dybantsa and Duke’s Cameron Boozer.
The trio have been jockeying for position at the top of NBA draft boards all year while also having impactful seasons for their schools. All three play for teams that have legitimate Final Four hopes, with Duke and Kansas earning the first and fourth seeds in the East, while BYU is the sixth seed in the West.
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