AJ Dybantsa Is the Draft's New No. 1 Pick, and the Depth Behind Him Is Wild
The college basketball season is done, the transfer portal is open, and NBA scouts are done taking notes. Time to see who actually belongs in the 2026 draft class. And at the top? There's a new king.
AJ Dybantsa just took over the No. 1 spot on the big board. The BYU freshman proved this season that he can carry a massive offensive load and made real strides as a decision-maker down the stretch. At 6-9, with elite positional size and physical upside, Dybantsa has the foundation to build on for years. Simple as that. For the first time this cycle, he's the consensus top guy, and NBA executives are locked in.
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Here's the thing though: the No. 1 conversation is not over. Not even close. Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer both have real cases to go first. Below them, Caleb Wilson, Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., and Kingston Flemings are all still fighting for lottery positioning. The fact that the league is this excited about the talent at the very top tells you everything you need to know about the depth in this class. There's a stratification happening at the bottom of the standings that reflects how much confidence NBA teams actually have in this year's prospects.
The Transfer Portal Is Changing Everything (And Maybe Hurting Draft Depth)
Here's what scouts are worried about: who actually enters? The NIL money in college is getting stupid good, and the transfer portal gives guys so much flexibility that staying for another year is becoming the smarter financial move for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors with remaining eligibility. NBA teams saw this coming all season.
This means the depth of the draft is a real question mark. The talent curve beyond the lottery is murky right now, and that impacts how teams think about picks outside the first round. College seniors? They're getting one last shot next week at the Portsmouth Invitational.
Teams have until May 10 for the lottery, and the NCAA's May 27 early entry withdrawal deadline is the hard line. The draft itself is set for late June, though the NBA hasn't nailed down the exact date yet. Expect this top 100 list to stay fluid until the last second.
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