2026 NBA Draft: Wizards Pick AJ Dybantsa First; Top Four Unchanged

The Washington Wizards selected  AJ Dybantsa with the first pick of the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night. After weeks of speculation on who would come off the board first, Washington went with Dybansta, the BYU star, over Kansas'  Darryn Peterson  and Duke's Cameron Boozer, among others. Dybantsa, after a standout freshman season for the Cougars, was the top-ranked player in the CBS Sports NBA Draft Prospect Rankings . He emerged as the heavy favorite in the days leading up to the 2026 NBA Draft to be Washington's selection.

Peterson (Jazz), Boozer ( Grizzlies ) and Caleb Wilson ( Bulls ) rounded out the top four in what is considered a loaded draft class.

Immediately after the Wizards won last month's NBA Draft Lottery, there was speculation that the Utah Jazz could trade up to No. 1 to select Dybantsa, who has an extensive history over the last two years playing in the state of Utah. Dybantsa played his senior season of high school at Utah Prep and his lone college season at BYU. In the end, Washington stood pat at No. 1 and selected Dybantsa.

Washington was making the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 2010, when the franchise selected John Wall . With Dybantsa officially joining the team, he will join a core in Washington that includes Trae Young , Anthony Davis , Alex Sarr , Kyshawn George , Tre Johnson , Bilal Coulibaly , Bub Carrington and Will Riley . Notably, Young signed a four-year, $212 million extension  with the franchise on the eve of the draft.

AJ Dybantsa's relentless pursuit to try and be the No. 1 pick driven by one motto: 'Keep it in the family' Matt Norlander

Dybantsa,  the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports -- behind Peterson -- had one of the best scoring seasons by a college freshman in the modern era. Dybantsa led the nation in scoring, averaging 25.5 points per game while leading BYU to another appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

His unique blend of size, skill and bend for a 6-foot-9 forward made him a logical candidate to be the No. 1 pick no matter who won the draft lottery. He gives Washington a true first option as the franchise looks to take the next step toward getting back to the postseason after three consecutive drafts picking in the top six.

Dybantsa has drawn comparisons to several current and former NBA stars, including Tracy McGrady and Paul George . One of Dybantsa's strengths is his ability to get to the basket by creating advantages with his size and wiggle around the rim. Dybantsa shot 63% on 246 attempts at the rim, per Synergy.

Jazz take Darryn Peterson at No. 2

No surprise here. After Dybantsa went off the board at No. 1, Utah selected Peterson right after. The Kansas guard entered the college basketball season as the projected No. 1 overall pick. However, after an up-and-down season with the Jayhawks -- where he missed 11 games due to cramping -- Dybantsa jumped Peterson in the consensus.

While Utah didn't win last month's draft lottery, taking Peterson -- who could very well end up being the best player in the class -- is one heck of a consolation prize. Peterson is a 6-foot-6 guard who is capable of playing on or off the ball.

Because of Peterson's inconsistent minutes while dealing with cramping issues, he played more off the ball than he did at Prolific Prep during his senior season, where he emerged as the top-ranked high school player in his class. Peterson's blend of shooting, defense and athleticism is why he is one of the best guard prospects in the last decade.

Peterson will be joining a Utah roster ready to take the next step. The Jazz traded for Jaren Jackson Jr . at last season's trade deadline. Utah can roll out a starting five this season of Keyonte George , Peterson, Lauri Markkanen , Jackson and Walker Kessler , who is set to be a restricted free agent this summer. Utah also has Ace Bailey , the No. 5 pick in last year's draft, as part of its core.

Grizzlies go with Cam Boozer at 3

No surprise in Memphis after Dybantsa and Peterson went off the board at picks No. 1 and 2, respectively. Two years ago, Memphis selected Zach Edey at No. 9 in the 2024 NBA Draft. Edey was considered one of the most polarizing players in his class because of question marks about how his game at the college level would translate to the NBA.

There are fewer questions about how Boozer's game will translate, but there will be skeptics. Still, there wasn't a player in college basketball more productive than Boozer last season at Duke. Boozer has a high basketball IQ, is a relentless rebounder and can stretch the floor. Above all else, his greatest strength is as a passer. Boozer will immediately step into the NBA and be one of the best passing bigs in the league.

With offseason questions looming around a potential divorce with former face-of-the-franchise Ja Morant , adding Boozer gives Memphis a true building block heading into a new era. Boozer has one of the highest floors in the class and has the potential to be an All-NBA player.

Bulls take Wilson at No. 4

The Bulls had the easiest pick of the entire night. After Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer went off the board, Chicago had an easy decision to make by turning in the card for Caleb Wilson.

Wilson is a jump-out-of-the-gym forward with one of the highest upside in the class. His motor is what stands out above everything else. He played like a scrappy walk-on at North Carolina despite having a five-star pedigree associated with his name.

Chicago needed talent heading into draft night. The franchise was able to select the last player in the true Tier 1 of this class. Wilson will be a two-way, game-wrecking forward at the next level. If he can develop a jumper, he will outperform his draft slot.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/wizards-aj-dybantsa-darryn-peterson-no-1-pick-2026-nba-draft/)._