NBA

2026 Mock Drafts

Peterson is the most dynamic guard in this draft class and potentially one of the best on-ball creators we’ve seen in the backcourt in several draft classes. He enters the 2025-26 college season as a consensus top three prospect and with a very real chance to be the number one overall pick in June. He averaged 30.4 points, 7.4 assists, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game as a senior at Prolific Prep and 28.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 4.2 steals and 3.0 blocks with Phenom United on the Adidas 3SSB grass-roots circuit.

• No. 1 prospect in the national 2025 recruiting class.
• Co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game.
• Naismith High School Player of the Year.

• Dynamic creator with an overlap of positional size, length, strength and playmaking ability.
• Can score and make plays at all three levels with his handle, pull-up shooting, physicality as a driver, midpost game, pick-and-roll navigation, knack for drawing fouls and ability to create for others.
• Competitive character and proven history of making clear improvements to both his game and his body with each passing year.

• The consistency of his 3-point shooting, particularly off the catch, is a key swing skill and something that has already improved, but must continue to develop.
• He’s unproven when he doesn’t have complete offensive freedom and volume, as virtually every setting he’s been in has been built around him, even this year at Kansas to a certain extent.

Boozer was a top three prospect throughout the entirety of his high school career and had arguably the most successful career in modern high school basketball history, winning every major championship he competed in, including two gold medals. He is expected to be one of college basketball’s best freshmen and players, this year and may have the highest long-term floor in the 2026 draft class.

• Led Columbus (Miami) High School to four Florida state championships and the Geico Nationals championship as a senior.
• Led Nightrydas to three consecutive Nike EYB championships, including the Peach Jam title in 2024.
• Co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game

• Consummate winner with strong body, versatile floor game, mature approach and intellect for the game.
• Magnetic hands, high-volume rebounder and advanced passer (particularly with trademark long outlets).
• Inside-out scoring tools within offense and underrated defensive versatility as well.

• Not a dynamic shot-creator or isolation player.
• Positional size and vertical athleticism are both adequate, but not elite.
• Lower release point, both on set-shot 3-pointers and even inside the lane.

Dybantsa is a consensus top-three prospect in the draft and a legitimate candidate to be the first overall pick in June’s draft. He’s a jumbo wing with terrific positional size, a 7-foot wingspan, good athleticism and extreme court coverage. He’s also a proven scorer with a long history of putting up big numbers at virtually all spots.

• Played prep school varsity as an 8th grader and was Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year as a 9th grader.
• Reclassified in October 2023 and immediately became the top-ranked prospect in the class of 2025.
• 3x gold medalist with USA Basketball, including this summer’s FIBA U19 World Cup, where he was named MVP.

• Elite physical tools with his size, length, athleticism, effortless mobility and elastic body type.
• Polished shot creator who can rise-up into his pull-up on demand, has advanced footwork, can operate in the mid-post, attack the paint, draw fouls and make some explosive plays in the open floor.
• Real defensive upside with the way he can cover the court, move his feet and utilize his length.

• Inconsistent shooter who tends to have a flatter ball, both from the free-throw line and 3-point line.
• Needs to better weaponize his handle and be less of a free-throw merchant, utilizing his strength to play through contact in the lane instead of theatrically flopping so much.
• Overall impact and progression seemed to plateau in his last year of high school.

Wilson is a wiry-built and athletic forward with good size and mobility. He has extreme potential on the defensive end of the floor and has made gradual, but consistent, strides offensively as well.

• Was the No. 8 ranked prospect in the national class of 2025.
• Was ranked inside the top-ten prospects in his class throughout his high school career.
• Won a Georgia state championship as a senior at Holy Innocents Episcopal School and the EYBL championship with Nightrydas.

• Physically gifted with size, effortless mobility, flexibility and an elastic body type.
• Both a switchable and playmaking defender who can guard multiple positions and erase mistakes with his court coverage, shot-blocking and high activity level.
• Impacts the game offensively as an offensive rebounder, making short drives, in transition, cleaning up plays around the rim and with an advanced left hand. Also shows flashes of starting the break.

• Not an offensive alpha or primary creator. Projects as more of a complimentary piece on that end.
• Inconsistent outside shooter and floor-spacer who can settle for lower percentage tough twos in the mid-range area.

Brown is a highly skilled pure point guard. He is a late-bloomer who has grown roughly five inches in the last few years and is now starting to show athletic gains as well. He was a nationally ranked prospect throughout his high school years and finished No. 6 in the class of 2025.

• Consensus five-star national prospect & McDonald’s All-American.
• 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup gold medalist and All-Star Five selection.
• 2024 FIBA AmeriCup gold medalist and All-Star Five selection.

• Exceptionally skilled with the ball in his hands, as both a handler and a passer. Excellent left hand too.
• Very good floor-vision, passing and ability to make reads.
• Grown into having positional size and newfound athleticism.

• Lacks strength and sometimes physicality, with a narrower frame.
• Can be a liability on the defensive end of the floor.
• At his best when he embraces being a true point guard, but goes through spurts where he’s focused on his individual offense.

Ament is a late-blooming, big forward who continued to ascend throughout his high school career. He has one of the higher long-term upsides of anyone in this year’s draft class, but a potentially wider degree of possible outcomes as he isn’t yet as consistently impactful as Peterson, Dybantsa and Boozer.

• Consensus five-star prospect who finished ranked No. 4 overall in the 2025 recruiting class.
• Selected for the McDonald’s All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.
• Naismith First-Team All-American and Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Virginia.

• Overlap of size, skill, dexterity, fluidity and solid athleticism.
• Soft natural hands & touch, along with a high release point, are the basis for his mismatch skill-set. Posted 47/42/90 shooting splits on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit.
• Shows foundation and increasing flashes of being a three-level scoring threat.

• Lack of strength and sheer force in his game which can impact his physicality.
• Can play upright, without ideal bend or upper body elasticity, on both ends of the floor.
• His tools and potential exceed the consistency of his production.

This is Quaintance’s second year of college basketball, but is his first year being draft-eligible after being too young last year at Arizona State. He’s one of the best defensive big men in this year’s draft class, but has an offensive game that doesn’t translate quite as well. He’s also coming off a torn ACL at the end of last season.

• Averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.1 blocks in 29.7 minutes per game as a freshman at Arizona State. Named Big 12 All-Defensive Team and All-Freshman Team.
• Transferred to Kentucky after having surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee.
• Finished as a top-ten recruit in the national class of 2024, after reclassifying up from 2025.

• Great physical tools with extreme length (7-5 wingspan), big hands, a strong body and athleticism.
• Playmaking frontcourt defender who thrives as a shot-blocker (9th highest block rate in the country as a freshman), generates steals (particularly when guarding the post) and has switch-ability.
• Double-double threat who pressures the rim offensively as an offensive rebounder, changing ends and as a lob threat.

• Limited offensive skill away from the basket, despite some occasional flashes and low percentage free-throw shooter (48%).
• Unreliable decision-maker (turnovers exceeded assists as a freshman) with questionable offensive feel for the game.
• Lacks ideal height for an NBA big man, despite the length to compensate.

Cenac had been a widely known high school prospect since he was an underclassman, but started to make a major jump in the summer before his senior season. His rare overlap of size, length, athleticism and budding skill provides him with all the necessary tools to be a versatile two-way big man, but there is still a gap between his potential and his production. The expectation and hope is that a year under Kelvin Sampson at Houston can improve both his approach to the game and overall reliability.

• Consensus top ten prospect in the national Class of 2025.
• Led Link Academy to the EYBL Scholastic Tournament Championship as a senior.
• MVP of the 20244 NBA Player’s Association Top 100 Camp.

• Long (7-4-plus wingspan) and athletic, particularly for his size. Gets off his feet with ease as a leaper and fluid mover.
• Developing offensive skill-set that extends to the arc to match his ability to be a lob threat and emphatic dunker at the rim.
• Similarly versatile defensive tools with his potential to protect the rim and move his feet on the perimeter.

• His potential exceeds his production, particularly when it comes to his overall consistency.
• Can be inefficient offensively, settling for low-percentage shots and suspect decisions with the ball.
• Overall feel for the game and the consistency of his motor are both somewhat uncertain.

Acuff was as dynamic as any lead guard in high school basketball last year, showing a real ability to put his team on his back and drive winning. There is less collective enthusiasm about his NBA stock to start the season, but that sentiment isn’t nearly as endorsed by those who followed him closely in high school.

• 2025 EYBL Scholastic Player of the Year
• Named McDonald’s All-American, Jordan Brand Classic, Nike Hoop Summit, & MVP of Iverson Classic.
• MVP of the 2024 AmeriCup where he led Team USA to a gold medal.

• Shot-creator and multi-level scoring threat with especially good pull-up game.
• Plays with extreme confidence which drives his ability to deliver in big games and moments.
• Strength, balance and poise to dictate his own pace and avoid getting sped-up.

• Can be ball-dominant and inefficient at times.
• Inconsistent defensive commitment and approach.
• Size, length and athleticism are adequate for NBA standards, but not exemplary.

Stirtz began his career at D-II Northwest Missouri State before following coach Ben McCollum to Drake, where he established himself as one of the best mid-major players in the country. Now, Stirtz has followed McCollum to Iowa, where he is expected to be one of the best guards in the country. He has a chance to play his way into the lottery with his skill-level, shot-making and overall feel for the game.

• Missouri Valley Conference MVP and conference tournament Most Outstanding Player.
• Led the NCAA in minutes played per game (39.2). Led MVC in scoring (19.2), steals (2.2) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86), while ranking second in assists (5.7).
• Two-time second-team all-conference selection at Northwest Missouri State.

• Highly skilled with an excellent feel for the game. One of the smartest players in the draft.
• Combines true shot-making with the ability to run a team from the point guard position. Good handle and very reliable decision-maker.
• Very efficient pick-and-roll player (86th percentile in DI in 2024-25) who can also run off screens off the ball.

• Has solid positional size, but otherwise lacks overwhelming or ideal physical tools for NBA standards.
• Bit of a defensive unknown against the highest levels of competition.
• Remains to be seen how much shot-creation he can provide outside of McCollum’s system.

• 20-yard shuttle run: 3.14 seconds
• Wingspan: 6 feet, 6.25 inches
• Standing vertical leap: 28.5 inches
• Standing reach: 8 feet, 3.5 inches
• Lane agility: 11.46 seconds
• Three quarter sprint: 3.16 seconds
• Max vertical leap: 32.5 inches

Dybantsa is a consensus top-three prospect in the draft and a legitimate candidate to be the first overall pick in June’s draft. He’s a jumbo wing with terrific positional size, a 7-foot wingspan, good athleticism and extreme court coverage. He’s also a proven scorer with a long history of putting up big numbers at virtually all spots.

• Played prep school varsity as an 8th grader and was Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year as a 9th grader.
• Reclassified in October 2023 and immediately became the top-ranked prospect in the class of 2025.
• 3x gold medalist with USA Basketball, including this summer’s FIBA U19 World Cup, where he was named MVP.

• Elite physical tools with his size, length, athleticism, effortless mobility and elastic body type.
• Polished shot creator who can rise-up into his pull-up on demand, has advanced footwork, can operate in the mid-post, attack the paint, draw fouls and make some explosive plays in the open floor.
• Real defensive upside with the way he can cover the court, move his feet and utilize his length.

• Inconsistent shooter who tends to have a flatter ball, both from the free-throw line and 3-point line.
• Needs to better weaponize his handle and be less of a free-throw merchant, utilizing his strength to play through contact in the lane instead of theatrically flopping so much.
• Overall impact and progression seemed to plateau in his last year of high school.

Boozer was a top three prospect throughout the entirety of his high school career and had arguably the most successful career in modern high school basketball history, winning every major championship he competed in, including two gold medals. He is expected to be one of college basketball’s best freshmen and players, this year and may have the highest long-term floor in the 2026 draft class.

• Led Columbus (Miami) High School to four Florida state championships and the Geico Nationals championship as a senior.
• Led Nightrydas to three consecutive Nike EYB championships, including the Peach Jam title in 2024.
• Co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game

• Consummate winner with strong body, versatile floor game, mature approach and intellect for the game.
• Magnetic hands, high-volume rebounder and advanced passer (particularly with trademark long outlets).
• Inside-out scoring tools within offense and underrated defensive versatility as well.

• Not a dynamic shot-creator or isolation player.
• Positional size and vertical athleticism are both adequate, but not elite.
• Lower release point, both on set-shot 3-pointers and even inside the lane.

Peterson is the most dynamic guard in this draft class and potentially one of the best on-ball creators we’ve seen in the backcourt in several draft classes. He enters the 2025-26 college season as a consensus top three prospect and with a very real chance to be the number one overall pick in June. He averaged 30.4 points, 7.4 assists, 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game as a senior at Prolific Prep and 28.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 4.2 steals and 3.0 blocks with Phenom United on the Adidas 3SSB grass-roots circuit.

• No. 1 prospect in the national 2025 recruiting class.
• Co-MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game.
• Naismith High School Player of the Year.

• Dynamic creator with an overlap of positional size, length, strength and playmaking ability.
• Can score and make plays at all three levels with his handle, pull-up shooting, physicality as a driver, midpost game, pick-and-roll navigation, knack for drawing fouls and ability to create for others.
• Competitive character and proven history of making clear improvements to both his game and his body with each passing year.

• The consistency of his 3-point shooting, particularly off the catch, is a key swing skill and something that has already improved, but must continue to develop.
• He’s unproven when he doesn’t have complete offensive freedom and volume, as virtually every setting he’s been in has been built around him, even this year at Kansas to a certain extent.

Wilson is a wiry-built and athletic forward with good size and mobility. He has extreme potential on the defensive end of the floor and has made gradual, but consistent, strides offensively as well.

• Was the No. 8 ranked prospect in the national class of 2025.
• Was ranked inside the top-ten prospects in his class throughout his high school career.
• Won a Georgia state championship as a senior at Holy Innocents Episcopal School and the EYBL championship with Nightrydas.

• Physically gifted with size, effortless mobility, flexibility and an elastic body type.
• Both a switchable and playmaking defender who can guard multiple positions and erase mistakes with his court coverage, shot-blocking and high activity level.
• Impacts the game offensively as an offensive rebounder, making short drives, in transition, cleaning up plays around the rim and with an advanced left hand. Also shows flashes of starting the break.

• Not an offensive alpha or primary creator. Projects as more of a complimentary piece on that end.
• Inconsistent outside shooter and floor-spacer who can settle for lower percentage tough twos in the mid-range area.

Brown is a highly skilled pure point guard. He is a late-bloomer who has grown roughly five inches in the last few years and is now starting to show athletic gains as well. He was a nationally ranked prospect throughout his high school years and finished No. 6 in the class of 2025.

• Consensus five-star national prospect & McDonald’s All-American.
• 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup gold medalist and All-Star Five selection.
• 2024 FIBA AmeriCup gold medalist and All-Star Five selection.

• Exceptionally skilled with the ball in his hands, as both a handler and a passer. Excellent left hand too.
• Very good floor-vision, passing and ability to make reads.
• Grown into having positional size and newfound athleticism.

• Lacks strength and sometimes physicality, with a narrower frame.
• Can be a liability on the defensive end of the floor.
• At his best when he embraces being a true point guard, but goes through spurts where he’s focused on his individual offense.

Cenac had been a widely known high school prospect since he was an underclassman, but started to make a major jump in the summer before his senior season. His rare overlap of size, length, athleticism and budding skill provides him with all the necessary tools to be a versatile two-way big man, but there is still a gap between his potential and his production. The expectation and hope is that a year under Kelvin Sampson at Houston can improve both his approach to the game and overall reliability.

• Consensus top ten prospect in the national Class of 2025.
• Led Link Academy to the EYBL Scholastic Tournament Championship as a senior.
• MVP of the 20244 NBA Player’s Association Top 100 Camp.

• Long (7-4-plus wingspan) and athletic, particularly for his size. Gets off his feet with ease as a leaper and fluid mover.
• Developing offensive skill-set that extends to the arc to match his ability to be a lob threat and emphatic dunker at the rim.
• Similarly versatile defensive tools with his potential to protect the rim and move his feet on the perimeter.

• His potential exceeds his production, particularly when it comes to his overall consistency.
• Can be inefficient offensively, settling for low-percentage shots and suspect decisions with the ball.
• Overall feel for the game and the consistency of his motor are both somewhat uncertain.

Ament is a late-blooming, big forward who continued to ascend throughout his high school career. He has one of the higher long-term upsides of anyone in this year’s draft class, but a potentially wider degree of possible outcomes as he isn’t yet as consistently impactful as Peterson, Dybantsa and Boozer.

• Consensus five-star prospect who finished ranked No. 4 overall in the 2025 recruiting class.
• Selected for the McDonald’s All-American Game, Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoop Summit.
• Naismith First-Team All-American and Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Virginia.

• Overlap of size, skill, dexterity, fluidity and solid athleticism.
• Soft natural hands & touch, along with a high release point, are the basis for his mismatch skill-set. Posted 47/42/90 shooting splits on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit.
• Shows foundation and increasing flashes of being a three-level scoring threat.

• Lack of strength and sheer force in his game which can impact his physicality.
• Can play upright, without ideal bend or upper body elasticity, on both ends of the floor.
• His tools and potential exceed the consistency of his production.

• 20-yard shuttle run: 3.14 seconds
• Wingspan: 6 feet, 6.25 inches
• Standing vertical leap: 28.5 inches
• Standing reach: 8 feet, 3.5 inches
• Lane agility: 11.46 seconds
• Three quarter sprint: 3.16 seconds
• Max vertical leap: 32.5 inches

Acuff was as dynamic as any lead guard in high school basketball last year, showing a real ability to put his team on his back and drive winning. There is less collective enthusiasm about his NBA stock to start the season, but that sentiment isn’t nearly as endorsed by those who followed him closely in high school.

• 2025 EYBL Scholastic Player of the Year
• Named McDonald’s All-American, Jordan Brand Classic, Nike Hoop Summit, & MVP of Iverson Classic.
• MVP of the 2024 AmeriCup where he led Team USA to a gold medal.

• Shot-creator and multi-level scoring threat with especially good pull-up game.
• Plays with extreme confidence which drives his ability to deliver in big games and moments.
• Strength, balance and poise to dictate his own pace and avoid getting sped-up.

• Can be ball-dominant and inefficient at times.
• Inconsistent defensive commitment and approach.
• Size, length and athleticism are adequate for NBA standards, but not exemplary.

Stirtz began his career at D-II Northwest Missouri State before following coach Ben McCollum to Drake, where he established himself as one of the best mid-major players in the country. Now, Stirtz has followed McCollum to Iowa, where he is expected to be one of the best guards in the country. He has a chance to play his way into the lottery with his skill-level, shot-making and overall feel for the game.

• Missouri Valley Conference MVP and conference tournament Most Outstanding Player.
• Led the NCAA in minutes played per game (39.2). Led MVC in scoring (19.2), steals (2.2) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86), while ranking second in assists (5.7).
• Two-time second-team all-conference selection at Northwest Missouri State.

• Highly skilled with an excellent feel for the game. One of the smartest players in the draft.
• Combines true shot-making with the ability to run a team from the point guard position. Good handle and very reliable decision-maker.
• Very efficient pick-and-roll player (86th percentile in DI in 2024-25) who can also run off screens off the ball.

• Has solid positional size, but otherwise lacks overwhelming or ideal physical tools for NBA standards.
• Bit of a defensive unknown against the highest levels of competition.
• Remains to be seen how much shot-creation he can provide outside of McCollum’s system.

This is Quaintance’s second year of college basketball, but is his first year being draft-eligible after being too young last year at Arizona State. He’s one of the best defensive big men in this year’s draft class, but has an offensive game that doesn’t translate quite as well. He’s also coming off a torn ACL at the end of last season.

• Averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.1 blocks in 29.7 minutes per game as a freshman at Arizona State. Named Big 12 All-Defensive Team and All-Freshman Team.
• Transferred to Kentucky after having surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee.
• Finished as a top-ten recruit in the national class of 2024, after reclassifying up from 2025.

• Great physical tools with extreme length (7-5 wingspan), big hands, a strong body and athleticism.
• Playmaking frontcourt defender who thrives as a shot-blocker (9th highest block rate in the country as a freshman), generates steals (particularly when guarding the post) and has switch-ability.
• Double-double threat who pressures the rim offensively as an offensive rebounder, changing ends and as a lob threat.

• Limited offensive skill away from the basket, despite some occasional flashes and low percentage free-throw shooter (48%).
• Unreliable decision-maker (turnovers exceeded assists as a freshman) with questionable offensive feel for the game.
• Lacks ideal height for an NBA big man, despite the length to compensate.

• Wingspan: 6 feet, 11 inches
• Standing vertical leap: 22.5 inches
• Standing reach: 8 feet, 10.5 inches
• Lane agility: 11.23 seconds
• Three quarter sprint: 3.20 seconds
• Max vertical leap: 32 inches