CBS Projects Darryn Peterson Over A.J. Dybantsa for No. 1 Pick in 2026 NBA Draft
A.J. Dybantsa is the frontrunner to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, which is set for next month.
The Washington Wizards have the No. 1 overall selection. They are widely expected to take the former BYU Cougars star. However, multiple players are believed to be in play, including Kansas' Darryn Peterson and Duke's Cameron Boozer. North Carolina's Caleb Wilson has gotten some hype, too.
Still, it would be a pretty big surprise at this point if someone other than Dybantsa went No. 1 overall.
But that's what CBS Sports is projecting right now.
CBS Sports released its latest mock draft this week.
It has the Wizards going with Peterson over Dybantsa at the No. 1 overall selection next month.
CBS makes its picks
"Peterson has been my No. 1 player since the start of the 2026 draft cycle last summer. Yes, there are concerns about Peterson after an up-and-down season at Kansas, but I'm still buying all the stock on him being the best player in the class. The Wizards can go in several directions with this pick -- including a trade with Utah -- but Peterson is the best option. If it were up to me, Peterson would be off the board first. He has legit superstar potential," CBS writes.
Dybantsa, meanwhile, goes No. 2 to Utah.
"This would be Utah's dream scenario. Being able to draft a player who played his senior year of high school basketball at nearby Utah Prep and last season at BYU would make Dybantsa immediately the most popular man in the state of Utah. Dybantsa still has a very strong case to go No. 1. If somehow the Wizards decide to roll with Peterson, or even Boozer at No. 1, I have a hard time believing Dybantsa would fall past this pick. He was the best scorer in college basketball and has the upside to be one of the best scorers in the NBA by the end of this decade."
Who would you take at No. 1 right now?
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This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 10:06 AM.