Overview

• Early consensus ranks Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and BYU wing A.J. Dybantsa as the top prospects, with Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Tennessee’s Nate Ament close behind.
• Analysts compare hype around the 2026 class to last season’s tank race driven by Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper.
• Preseason projections place the Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards among the league’s lowest in expected wins, stoking speculation about deliberate losing.
• The league’s flattened lottery odds guarantee that the worst teams cannot fall below the fifth pick, preserving incentives to finish near the bottom of the standings.
• The widespread view of a weaker 2027 draft is intensifying strategic focus on securing high lottery odds for 2026.