ESPN released its top 100 rankings for the 2026 NBA Draft class, headlined by Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson at No. 1, with BYU's AJ Dybantsa and Duke's Cameron Boozer rounding out the top three. The draft is regarded as one of the deepest in recent memory.
Peterson, an 18-year-old guard standing 6-foot-6, has emerged as the front-runner for the top pick after a dominant senior year of high school. NBA scouts have compared his downhill attacking ability to guards like Derrick Rose, citing his NBA frame, physicality and explosive athleticism.
"He's continued to back that up with his play coming off a dominant senior year of high school, and there frankly just hasn't been much for scouts to nitpick," ESPN's evaluation stated.
Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 forward, held the No. 1 position throughout most of high school before Peterson closed the gap. The BYU freshman possesses elite athleticism and size but faces questions about consistency and skill refinement.
Boozer projects as the most college-ready player in the class. The 6-foot-9 Duke forward dominated high school competition with exceptional efficiency and advanced playmaking ability, though evaluators question whether his ceiling matches the top two prospects.
The 2025-26 college basketball season features arguably the strongest freshman class in five years. NIL salaries have influenced many talented players to remain in college rather than declare early, strengthening the overall draft pool.
Tennessee's Nate Ament ranks fourth, with North Carolina's Caleb Wilson completing the top five after his breakout performance against Kansas. Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr., Houston's Chris Cenac Jr. and Arizona's Koa Peat round out the top eight.
Peterson will face direct matchups against both Dybantsa and Boozer this season. Kansas hosts Duke on November 18 and faces BYU in January, providing critical evaluation opportunities for NBA scouts.
The depth extends beyond the lottery, with Kentucky's Jayden Quaintance and Duke's Dame Sarr projected as late lottery picks. Multiple international prospects, including New Zealand's Karim Lopez, also feature prominently in the rankings.
ESPN's Complete 2026 NBA Draft Top 100
1. Darryn Peterson, PG/SG, Kansas
2. AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU
3. Cameron Boozer, PF/C, Duke
4. Nate Ament, SF/PF, Tennessee
5. Caleb Wilson, PF/C, North Carolina
6. Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville
7. Chris Cenac Jr., PF/C, Houston
8. Koa Peat, PF/C, Arizona
9. Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky
10. Dame Sarr, SG/SF, Duke
11. Karim Lopez, SF/PF, New Zealand Breakers
12. Braylon Mullins, SG, UConn
13. Tounde Yessoufou, SG/SF, Baylor
14. Thomas Haugh, SF/PF, Florida
15. Yaxel Lendeborg, PF/C, Michigan
16. Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas
17. Hannes Steinbach, PF/C, Washington
18. Labaron Philon Jr., PG, Alabama
19. Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa
20. Isaiah Evans, SG, Duke
21. Dash Daniels, PG/SG, Melbourne United
22. Zuby Ejiofor, C, St. Johns
23. Joseph Tugler, PF/C, Houston
24. Miles Byrd, SG/SF, San Diego State
25. Tahaad Pettiford, PG, Auburn
26. Meleek Thomas, PG/SG, Arkansas
27. Patrick Ngongba II, C, Duke
28. Neoklis Avdalas, SG/SF, Virginia Tech
29. Alex Condon, C, Florida
30. Aday Mara, C, Michigan
31. Sergio de Larrea, PG/SG, Valencia (Spain)
32. Dwayne Aristode, SF, Arizona
33. Braden Smith, PG, Purdue
34. Nikolas Khamenia, SF/PF, Duke
35. JT Toppin, PF/C, Texas Tech
36. Tomislav Ivisic, C, Illinois
37. Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston
38. Karter Knox, SG/SF, Arkansas
39. Darrion Williams, SF, NC State
40. Alex Karaban, SF/PF, UConn
41. Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona
42. Wesley Yates, SG, Washington
43. Mouhamed Sylla, C, Georgia Tech
44. Matthew Able, SF, NC State
45. Isiah Harwell, SF, Houston
46. Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina
47. Magoon Gwath, C, San Diego State
48. Cameron Carr, SG/SF, Baylor
49. Motiejus Krivas, C, Arizona
50. Ognjen Srzentic, SG/SF, Mega Superbet (Serbia)
51. Dailyn Swain, SG/SF, Texas
52. Ivan Kharchenkov, SF, Arizona
53. Eric Reibe, PF/C, UConn
54. Boogie Fland, PG, Florida
55. Milos Uzan, PG, Houston
56. Paul McNeil Jr., SG, NC State
57. Adam Atamna, SG, ASVEL (France)
58. Moustapha Thiam, C, Cincinnati
59. Solo Ball, SG, UConn
60. Morez Johnson Jr., PF/C, Michigan
61. Michael Ruzic, PF/C, Joventut (Spain)
62. Ian Jackson, SG, St John's
63. Mackenzie Mgbako, SF, Texas A&M
64. Flory Bidunga, C, Kansas
65. Johann Grunloh, PF/C, Virginia
66. Christian Anderson, PG, Texas Tech
67. Jackson McAndrew, PF, Creighton
68. Andrej Stojakovic, SG/SF, Illinois
69. Nolan Winter, PF/C, Wisconsin
70. Richie Saunders, SG/SF, BYU
71. Tucker DeVries, SG/SF, Indiana
72. Luigi Suigo, C, Mega Superbet (Serbia)
73. Kanon Catchings, SF, Georgia
74. Kwame Evans Jr., PF, Oregon
75. Kylan Boswell, PG/SG, Illinois
76. Otega Oweh, SG/SF, Kentucky
77. Tobi Lawal, PF, Virginia Tech
78. Josh Dix, SG/SF, Creighton
79. Mouhamed Faye, PF/C, Paris Basket (France)
80. John Blackwell, SG/SF, Wisconsin
81. Tyrone Riley, SG/SF, San Francisco
82. Alvaro Folgueiras, PF, Iowa
83. Baba Miller, PF/C, Cincinnati
84. Jaland Lowe, PG, Kentucky
85. Joshua Jefferson, PF/C, Iowa State
86. Xaivian Lee, PG/SG, Florida
87. Donnie Freeman, PF/C, Syracuse
88. Ryan Conwell, SG, Louisville
89. Emanuel Sharp, SG, Houston
90. Zvonimir Ivisic, C, Illinois
91. Jacob Cofie, PF, USC
92. Milan Momcilovic, PF, Iowa State
93. Thierry Darlan, SG/SF, Santa Clara
94. Trey Kaufman-Renn, PF/C, Purdue
95. Dillon Mitchell, PF, St. John's
96. Anthony Robinson II, PG, Missouri
97. Elyjah Freeman, SG/SF, Auburn
98. Amael L'Etang, PF/C, Dayton
99. KJ Lewis, SG, Georgetown
100. Jaden Bradley, PG/SG, Arizona