The 2025 NBA Draft has come and gone, with Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey making their option to their respective NBA groups. Whereas the 2025 NBA Draft was thought-about an excellent draft with a consensus high choose in Flagg, who grew to become the fourth freshman ever to win Nationwide Participant of the 12 months, the 2026 Draft is being mentioned as generational on the high.
There’s a transcendent high three who’re all worthy of being No. 1 general: Kansas Jayhawk guard Darryn Peterson, BYU’s electrifying ahead A.J. Dybansta, and incoming Duke freshman ahead Cameron Boozer. Any of them may have made a robust push towards Flagg to be No. 1 this yr.
All possess distinctive blends of dimension and talent with contrasting kinds of play, are projected as go-to guys for his or her applications, and are within the operating for Participant of the 12 months regardless of being freshmen. Add in incoming Tennessee Vols freshman ahead Nate Ament, who’s been getting in comparison with NBA legend Kevin Durant, and you’ve got the makings of a particular class.
In a category that’s full of future potential All-Stars and All-NBA gamers, let’s shortly dive into every of the highest 5 prospects headlining a probably historic class.
5) Darryn Peterson
Peterson is maybe one of the best guard prospect of the final decade exterior Luka Doncic, who has been referred to as the clear-cut greatest guard prospect this decade. Standing at 6’5 with a 6’10.5 wingspan and a sturdy 210 lbs, he already has an NBA-ready body immediately. Peterson is a dynamic three-level scorer who can get buckets anyplace on the basketball court docket. He has no weaknesses.
Peterson possesses the power to complete on the rim among the many timber, pull up and cease on a dime from 15 ft, or hit a step-back three within the face of an opponent. He averaged 30.4 factors per sport for Prolific Prep whereas almost taking pictures 50/40/90. That is 52% from the sphere, 44% from three, and 86% from the charity stripe en path to being named the 2025 Naismith Participant of the 12 months and to the All-American First Workforce.
His sport is harking back to a mix of gamers from the reigning Finals and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and star guard Damian Lillard. In a basic old-school duel, he outscored Dybansta 58-49, and in one other match, he scored 61 factors, defeating Dybansta in each video games.
“His ceiling is no matter he needs it to be.” – CJ McCollum
Peterson is Dybansta’s greatest challenger for No. 1 as an enormous guard, which has change into a premium within the trendy NBA. He’ll be a deal with to observe within the Huge 12 subsequent season.
4) AJ Dybantsa
Recent off main USA’s U19 workforce to a gold medal and taking house MVP honors with averages of 14.3 factors, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per sport is AJ Dybantsa. Dybansta is the proper archetype of the modern-day NBA wing. He’s the closest factor I’ve seen to prime Tracy McGrady along with his dynamic athleticism and shot-making capability from all over the place on the ground.
Dybansta, just like McGrady or his idol, Kevin Durant, stands round 6’9 at this stage of his profession and may probably develop taller. He’s been a highly-touted prospect since center faculty, who helped St. Sebastian’s win a state title in his freshman yr en path to being named the Massachusetts Participant of the 12 months. He’s solely progressed since.
His achievements have ranged from profitable gold medals on the 2024 FIBA U17 and U16 American Championships to being named a McDonald’s All-American. Dybansta has achieved all of it at the highschool degree and is a extremely marketable expertise headed to BYU to study below Kevin Younger, who coached Durant when he was with the Phoenix Suns. He’ll hope to guide BYU to its first convention title since 2001. He’s the NBA’s subsequent dynamic wing.
3) Cameron Boozer
Not as flashy as his counterparts, but simply as productive and efficient, is Cameron Boozer, the son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer. Boozer is an influence participant with a sturdy 6’9, 235 lb body that’s NBA-ready. He’s a terrific high-post participant who makes use of his girth properly to get to the rim and is a superb passer. He will be scary on the subsequent degree.
Boozer has an unbelievable IQ, having the ability to learn what the protection offers him, and has pinpoint outlet passes that will make Kevin Love and Wes Unseld proud. He’s a combination of Love and Orlando Magic star ahead Paolo Banchero as a consequence of his talent, excessive really feel for the sport, energy, and scoring capability.
Boozer is a two-time Nationwide Gatorade Participant of the 12 months and two-time Mr. Basketball USA who has gained 4 state titles and three Nike EYBL Peach Jam championships.
He’s the primary two-time Mr. Basketball winner since LeBron James. He’s merely a winner and appears to have a Cooper Flagg-like freshman season earlier than heading to the NBA. Gear up for one more freshman phenom Duke followers!
2) Nate Ament
NBA expertise evaluators have combined opinions about this late bloomer of the highest 4. Some evaluators assume he’s too skinny and gained’t be prepared inside a yr, whereas others examine him to Austin Daye. Others consider he possesses Durantesque qualities. This might probably make Ament a top-three choose if all the things goes as deliberate. Ament is a 6’10, 185 lb wing who’s a fluid, offensively expert participant.
Ament averaged 19-10-2.2 per sport to guide Highland to a 42-8 report en path to a state title whereas being named the Nationwide Virginia Gatorade Participant of the 12 months and a McDonald’s All-American. He possesses a virtually 7’0 wingspan and an elastic physique that’s nonetheless clearly rising, which permits for vital two-way potential. Ament has excellent dimension for the place with a clean jumper that’ll enable him to shoot over nearly anybody.
He’s snug as a ball-handler and initiating the offense; that ought to solely make him extra of a risk as a possible darkish horse No. 1 candidate. Going to play for Rick Barnes, who coached Durant throughout his Texas days will assist increase his sport. He might be nearly as good as he needs.
1) Chris Cenac Jr.
Huge males with guard-like expertise won’t ever exit of fashion within the trendy NBA, and Chris Cenac Jr. is subsequent in line. Cenac, a late arrival on the scene, captured the eye of many final yr on the Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation (NBPA) Prime 100 Camp, the place he gained MVP honors. He did that having simply led Isidore Newman to its third state title in Louisiana.
Cenac is a 6’10” large man who can take the ball the whole size of the court docket whereas additionally having energetic arms defensively. Having risen from exterior the highest 50 rankings to change into a top-five expertise, he possesses a robust work ethic.
He’s an excellent pick-and-pop participant who can unfold the ground and is dependable on the free-throw line, having shot 86% from the road on over 5 makes an attempt per sport on the NBPA Prime 100 Camp.
Cenac could also be higher suited to play the 4 within the NBA however may also play the 5. Kelvin Sampson will discover methods to make the most of him properly in Houston to get essentially the most out of his abilities, as he additionally possesses playmaking capability and a face-up midrange sport. He’s nonetheless uncooked, needing extra polish and power so as to add to his sport, however a yr below Sampson will do him wonders.
