2026 NBA draft: What scouts, execs are watching in top five picks

of nba regular season There is more than a week left, but the attention of many team officials has already turned to May 10. This is the day when the league will hold its annual lottery to determine draft order who has a chance to be special 2026 class.

with men’s final four What’s happening this weekend, what league insiders are saying about the BYU wing AJ DiBantsakansas guard darrin petersonduke forward cameron boozer and others top prospects?

We asked more than a dozen NBA scouts and executives for their thoughts on the potential draft order, specific players and the abundance of point guards that could define it. Round 1 Preliminary Part.

Who do you expect to be number 1?

DiBantsa, Peterson and Boozer have completed their freshman seasons, so there will be a tight race behind closed doors for the No. 1 pick.

And while teams continue to emphasize that next month’s lottery will play a major factor, the majority of scouts and executives interviewed view Dyabantsa as the favorite.

“I think you’d rather fail [AJ] “And I know Peterson has the advantage, maybe Boozer has the advantage a little bit,” a Western Conference general manager told ESPN. …that’s all I think [AJ]Cause he’s 6-9 and he could be like 6-10, 230 [pounds] By the time he turns 25, he may become a monster. I guess if you go down you’ll just have to go swinging with it.”

An Eastern Conference executive said, “I think Peterson is the most talented guy, but the injury thing is a real question. It’s a legitimate concern, and it’s been a weird year. But he’s a huge talent, and he was No. 1 at the beginning of the season for a reason.”

Some officers preferred Peterson, who faced an uneven season At Kansas he displayed surprising moments of brilliance mixed with an absence of injuries and strains when he made little impact on the floor.

Others supported Boozer, who had just finished one of the great statistical seasons in college basketball history – Boozer is the only player in the country to finish in the top 12 in points (22.5) and rebounds (10.2) per game – in giving Duke power on the inside. a 35 foot wonder To reach the final four.

Either way, as one Western Conference executive pointed out, the deep talent pool makes this year’s draft a chance to go in multiple directions.

“I think this draft, in some ways, is similar to [2024 Zaccharie] reservoir year, but at a higher level,” he said. “That year it was like, ‘Is anybody going to be really good?’ This year, it’s like, ‘Okay, there’s a lot of people.’ You’re pretty sure at least some of them will be really, really good. You’re not really sure which ones.

“You don’t want to end up with the fifth-best player by drafting at No. 1.”

Where do you stand on Peterson’s draft stock?

Even though Dyabantsa has solidified his claim for the No. 1 spot, no one is ready to completely rule out Pietersen. The most talented scorer in this rookie class, Pettersson suffered from foot injuries and cramping problems that limited him to 24 games.

“It’s definitely a thing,” said one Eastern scout. “If you’re a team that’s ready to pick the No. 1 or 2 pick, you’ve got to get a lot of information about what happened and why.”

Learning more about Peterson’s body, most importantly whether any issues would be a long-term concern, was termed by multiple league insiders as an important part of the predraft process. When Peterson is right, such as when he completely outplayed DiBantsa in the first half of his showdown in front of dozens of NBA executives in Lawrence, Kansas, he looks like a special player.

“I think it forces you to start asking a lot of questions that you wouldn’t normally have to ask someone who [Peterson],” said a West executive. “Just his situation and his management [health] He was brought in for some level of further investigation, with No. 1 being selected after the already thorough investigation.

“In the coming months, there is a negligible chance that the root of this issue, depending on what it is, could impact their stock.”

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How much did Darrin Peterson hurt his draft stock?

Seth Greenberg joins “Get Up” on Sunday night to discuss Darrin Peterson’s performance vs. St. John’s and how it could impact his draft stock.

Where should the boozer be placed?

Some players have entered the draft process at more attractive positions.

son of one All-Star Power ForwardBoozer will enter the league with a long history of on-court success. He has won at every level he has played at, including a dominant statistical campaign that helped lead Duke to the Elite Eight.

It all screams top pick, but Boozer’s draft profile is full of questions about his potential lack of explosiveness and quickness, and whether he’s a one-spot player at power forward.

One East scout said, “I’m not a big fan of the one-position 4.” “If that’s what he is, then you have to build your team specifically around him given his lack of versatility.”

An East executive compared the conversation about Boozer’s draft stock to that of another highly touted player who won at every level but had athleticism questions coming into the league: luka doncic.

He said of Boozer, “He doesn’t look good athletically, so people have put limitations on him.” “I don’t know why people put limits on him before he’s 19. There’s a lot of ways to talk about athleticism, not just how high you can jump, and he’s always played in the most efficient way possible to help his team win.”

However, almost everyone interviewed agreed that Boozer had the most upside of any player in the draft.

Another East executive said, “I think people are shocked by him and the production and the premise.” “The versatility he brings offensively is 1 of 1 in this class.

“I understand the problems: finishing, lack of rim protection, heavy feet. But he’s an offensive catalyst for me – [think Domantas] sabonis, [Alperen] SengunAny of the other guys who have been knocked for athleticism. IQ and feel have crossed a lot. I think he’s answered every question.”

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Cameron Boozer protects the rim with a thumping takedown

Cameron Boozer makes a great defensive play for Duke with a block.

Is Wilson locked in at No. 4?

North Carolina’s Caleb WilsonThe No. 4 prospect in ESPN’s Top 100 rankings was a breakout star this season, taking a huge developmental leap as a freshman and establishing himself as a potential top-five pick. The physical, resourceful forward has been compared to pascal siakam And Aaron Gordon – High-energy, versatile defender who has the playmaking skills and ability to help run a secondary offense.

Wilson’s draft momentum was slowed due to a bad injury: broke his left arm February 10, then his right thumb In practice in early March while working toward a return to the postseason.

This hasn’t stopped him from gathering many fans along the way.

“Caleb has been more productive and played harder than he did in college [Atlanta Hawks All-Star] jalen johnsonWhich was more perimeter-oriented in college,” said one former executive. “If you think about Cam [Boozer] Is al horford Or something like that, and you thought Caleb was like Jalen, then you can go Caleb.”

Many scouts and executives believe that Wilson’s game, due to his combination of length, ability and athleticism, is of a high level and could propel him into the top three of the draft between now and the end of June. His candidacy is looked at more based on fit, ultimately depending on how the lottery falls and what the team needs.

Another officer in the East said, “The intelligence on him is unreliable.”

One Eastern scout said, “I think he can easily go up to three.” “I could see he was being given priority over Boozer there.”

Which guard fits best at number 5?

A clear consensus is beginning to form across draft boards for DiBantsa, Peterson, Boozer and Wilson. After that, there will be a glut of ballhandling guards who will determine the direction of the draft.

And, depending on who’s talking, there’s a different ranking among Arkansas Darius Acuff Jr.., of Houston Kingston Flemings and illinois Keaton Waglersome like louisville mikel brown jr. and Arizona’s brayden burysVery.

Several executives noted how important combine measurements can be in this process, particularly for Acuff (listed at 6-3) and Flemings (6-4). That duo and Wagler (6-6) are widely considered the strongest candidates for the No. 5 spot.

Let’s start with Acuff, who is an explosive scoring guard with concerns about his size and defense at the next level. Their final two months of the season, which included an SEC Tournament title run, won over a lot of people around the NBA, but those shortcomings will be a key factor in team building and fit.

“He’s shown shotmaking, killer instinct, his ability to score at all three levels,” an East executive said. “His defense worries me a little bit, but he’s had to carry a huge burden.”

A West executive said, “I think there’s never been a worse time to draft a bad defensive guard.” “We see it again and again – the most attractive offensive tackle in the draft doesn’t necessarily end up with the most wins.

“It happens eventually, you know, derrick white And junior holiday And alex carusoGo down the list. And we have proof of this concept in the trading market right now. trey young Was originally traded for nothing. …People fall in love with guards, and I know of a bunch of teams that are falling in love with Acuff right now.”

Flemings, meanwhile, is a strong and fast two-way player who earned praise for his willingness to play for Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, an old-school taskmaster and disciplinarian. However, his shot and size are potential concerns.

A West executive said, “Kingston operates a little differently – there’s a better overall package when you look at both ends of the floor.” “He’s really impressive … coming in as a freshman and having the role that he’s played on one of the top teams in the country and on a team that’s not easy to play for if you don’t work hard.”

One East scout said, “It’s so impressive that the big shots are his, on a team with experienced guards who have been there and won at that school.” “You can look at his shot form, but I would bet on all the other things and we can work with his jump shot.”

Wagler, on the other hand, is a remarkable story who burst onto the scene during the Illini’s run to the Final Four and earned himself a mid-round lottery pick in the process. A three-star high school recruit who entered the season with no national profile, Wagler’s ability to play both on and off the ball at his size gives him versatility in the role.

“When people talk about ceiling arguments, they get into the material things,” said one East executive. “But the thing that unites all the tops [NBA] “Players are being mentally superior and that’s the thing that’s underestimated in all this.”

“[Wagler] It has to be strong,” said one West executive, “but I’ll take my chances on 6-6 guys who can basically run the show. And he plays with such tremendous speed and experience.”