Race for NBA's No. 1 pick: Could Boozer or Dybantsa leap Peterson?

The 2026 NBA Draft is projected to feature one of the most star-studded classes in decades, which partly explains why one-third of the league has begun its tanking efforts before the All-Star break. Many of the teams that didn't land a top-four pick in the talented 2025 draft are back for another bite at the apple.

Entering the college basketball season, the top pick in the draft was a three-horse race between five-star freshmen Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer. Three months into the campaign, nothing has changed. However, a clear favorite has emerged among the trio.

2026 No. 1 pick odds

👉 See the complete list of odds for No. 1 overall on theScore Bet here

Darryn Peterson

Any team searching for elite guard play won't have to look far. Peterson is slated to be the best scoring guard to enter the league since Anthony Edwards. He, of course, has a long way to go to reach the level of the perennial All-NBA player, but his ceiling is that high. Regardless of positional need, the team drafting first would be foolish to pass on the Kansas star.

Peterson is a tough shotmaker who operates on all three levels. He's shooting 55.2% from two-point range and 41.9% from three on over six attempts per game. He can create for himself, play off the ball in a spot-up role, and run the pick-and-roll. He's 6-foot-6 and unguardable in isolation, possessing athleticism reminiscent of a young Kobe Bryant. Peterson glides to the rim with ease, ignoring help defenders thrown his way. He's scoring an excellent 1.35 points per shot at the rim, according to Synergy, and 1.61 points per spot-up possession, the third-best mark among qualifying major conference players.

His scoring prowess will undoubtedly translate to the next level. Scouts' only concern is that Peterson has missed 11 games due to illness and a lingering hamstring injury. His absences, often announced hours before tipoff, have raised questions about his desire to play. But those questions were asked of Edwards leading up to the 2020 draft, and injury concerns plagued Kyrie Irving, who played only 11 games for Duke before making the jump to the NBA. Look at how those No. 1 overall picks turned out.

While the other players vying to be the top pick would be worthy of such in most drafts, any franchise that lets Peterson slip past could face catastrophe.

AJ Dybantsa

The Dybantsa buzz grew louder following a 36-point outing in Tuesday's win over Baylor. BYU's freshman sensation leads the nation in scoring, averaging 24.5 points per game, plus he's efficient (64.1% true shooting percentage). Dybantsa, who's produced a 43-point game and five contests with at least 30, is athletically gifted and a skilled prober out of the pick-and-roll, an area in which he's more advanced than Peterson. He's most frequently used as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, scoring 1.15 points per possession, the nation's fourth-best mark among major conference players who average at least five pick-and-roll possessions per game. He's also a freight train in transition.

Dybantsa's tools should translate to the NBA, especially his patience, excellent footwork, and touch around the rim. He's 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot wingspan, allowing him to reach the basket with ease and shoot over perimeter defenders. The 19-year-old has an impressive handle for someone his size, looking eerily similar to Kevin Durant, whom he tied for the Big 12 freshman record of four outings with at least 35 points.

In most years, Dybantsa would be hard to pass up with the top pick. However, BYU faced Kansas in January, and the best player on the floor was representing the Jayhawks. Matching up in front of NBA personnel, Dybantsa finished with 17 points in 34 minutes, while Peterson scored 18 points in only 20 minutes because he missed most of the second half with an injury.

Cameron Boozer

Talent evaluators have eyed Cameron Boozer as a potential top pick in the 2026 draft dating back to his high school years on the USA Basketball circuit. Sometimes, players projected to have immense success from a young age flail out and don't live up to expectations. That's not the case for Boozer.

He's averaging a double-double, with 23 points and 10 rebounds per game. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention his four assists per contest. At 6-foot-9, Boozer is a small big man who can stretch the floor as a shooter and passer. What position he'll play in the league is unclear because of his size and lack of elite athleticism, but his skill set allows him to play the 3, 4, or even 5 in a small-ball lineup. NBA teams typically covet that rare versatility.

Boozer can operate with his back to the basket in the low- and mid-post. He also excels in transition, soars in for offensive boards, and spaces the floor as a pick-and-pop threat, shooting 38% from deep on nearly four attempts per game.

Despite being a potential franchise cornerstone in his own right, Boozer could wind up falling to third overall in a stacked draft class.

Sam Oshtry is a sports writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more basketball coverage.

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