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Less than two months removed from the 2025 NBA Draft, front offices are turning their focus to next year's group of prospects. Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper fueled a heated NBA tank race last season. Several highly touted prospects atop the 2026 class — including Kansas' Darryn Peterson and BYU's A.J. Dybansta — could have a similar effect on the 2025-26 campaign.
“NBA teams are excited for the 2026 draft class, creating an interesting subtext for rebuilding and tanking teams. Coupled with the perception that the 2027 draft is much weaker, there will be a lot at stake come lottery time in the spring,” wrote ESPN's Jeremy Woo.
“The headliners of the 2026 class are Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (ESPN's current No. 1 ranked prospect) and BYU wing A.J. Dybantsa, who NBA teams regard as the two strongest contenders at the top.
“I'd handicap Peterson as the slight frontrunner as he's considered one of the most dynamic scoring guard prospects to enter the college ranks in some time and built momentum with a strong high school senior season.
“NBA teams I've spoken with view Peterson and Dybantsa as a real debate at this stage. Both players will have more to prove as one-and-done freshmen, creating a major storyline entering the fall. Those two are closely followed by Duke's Cameron Boozer and Tennessee's Nate Ament, two forwards who also offer significant long-term upside and round out a strong top four.”
Peterson is regarded as one of the most complete shooting guard prospects in recent memory, while Dybansta is a dynamic wing boasting considerable athleticism and two-way upside.
Will Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa fuel another tank race this season?
While much can change during the college season, the top of the 2026 draft class is drawing similar hype to Flagg and Harper. Darryn Peterson and A.J. Dybantsa appear to have an early lead atop the group. However, Boozer and Ament are also regarded as premier prospects.
The strength of the 2026 class should lead to another closely monitored tank race this season. The Utah Jazz have the NBA's lowest projected win total at 18.5, while the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards are tied for the second-lowest at 20.5.
The NBA's flattened draft lottery odds — implemented to dissuade teams from tanking — have been a hot topic following this year's drawing. The Dallas Mavericks landed the No. 1 pick despite having a 1.7 percent chance.
Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs jumped from the eighth-best odds to the second pick, while the teams with the top-three odds (Jazz, Wizards, Hornets) all dropped outside the top four.
Yet, there's still value in finishing towards the bottom of the standings. The team with the NBA's worst record can fall no lower than the fifth pick, while the second-worst cannot fall lower than sixth, and so on.
