Sports

Gary Parrish releases 2026 NBA Mock Draft with all 30 first-round predictions

Gary Parrish

CBS Sports·May 8, 2026·via CBS Sports

2026 NBA Mock Draft: Gary Parrish predicts all 30 first-round picks ahead of Sunday's lottery

There is a switch-up all the way at No. 3 as players jostle in a loaded top 10

By Gary Parrish

May 8, 2026 at 4:56 pm ET • 1 min read

We've known that the 2026 NBA Draft would be loaded for several years now thanks to a freshman class filled with stars. For a while, most believed Darryn Peterson would go No. 1 overall -- and he still might. But, for whatever it's worth, the betting markets have swung heavily in the direction of AJ Dybantsa.

He's the favorite now.

The 6-foot-9 wing was spectacular at BYU this season while averaging a national-best 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 51% from the field. Combine that with the questions that emerged about Peterson during his uneven season at Kansas, and Dybantsa is now -450 to be selected first.

Peterson is +450.

After that, it's Duke's Cameron Boozer at +1000.

As you likely know, the NBA Draft Lottery is scheduled for Sunday, at which point we'll know exactly who is picking first, second, third, so on and so forth. The Wizards, Pacers and Nets have the best chances to secure the first pick -- but it could also go to the Jazz , Grizzlies , Hawks , Mavericks , Bulls , Bucks , Warriors , Heat , Hornets or ... Thunder . Yes, Oklahoma City really could get the No. 1 pick, crazy as that sounds. If it happens, Monday will make for an incredible day of sports talk.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

For now, let's focus on the projected order, based on lottery odds and final records, and give Dybantsa to the Wizards at No. 1. But make sure to circle back after the lottery on Sunday because that's when this mock draft will be updated with the proper order that'll be set by a bunch of bouncing ping pong balls in Chicago.

Mock Draft Round 1

Round 1 - Pick 1

AJ Dybantsa

BYU

• Fr • 6'9" / 215 lbs

Projected Team

Washington

PROSPECT RNK

1st

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

25.5

RPG

6.8

APG

3.7

3P%

33.1%

Partly because he had an incredible freshman year, partly because Peterson did not, Dybantsa, again, has emerged as the favorite in the betting markets to be selected first next month. He's a jumbo-sized wing and natural scorer who led the EYBL in points per game after his freshman season of high school and the entire nation in points per game during his freshman year at BYU. Based on that trajectory, and Dybantsa's awesome physical tools, it should surprise nobody if he also someday leads the NBA in scoring.

Round 1 - Pick 2

Darryn Peterson

Kansas

• Fr • 6'6" / 205 lbs

Projected Team

Indiana

PROSPECT RNK

2nd

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

20.2

RPG

4.2

APG

1.6

3P%

38.2%

Peterson's talent is undeniable, but there are obvious questions among front office members about his competitiveness and ability to maximize his gifts because of the way his one season at Kansas unfolded. He was special in spots, clearly. But Peterson was also in and out of the lineup a lot -- sometimes by his own choice -- and that fact has raised concerns in some corners that the electric playmaker will need to alleviate in the pre-draft process to ensure he remains an option at No. 1 and solidifies a spot in the top two.

Round 1 - Pick 3

Caleb Wilson

North Carolina

• Fr • 6'10" / 215 lbs

Projected Team

Brooklyn

PROSPECT RNK

4th

POSITION RNK

2nd

PPG

19.8

RPG

9.4

APG

2.7

3P%

25.9%

Brooklyn needs a star and Wilson has the tools to become one if the perimeter shooting improves -- and maybe even if it doesn't. His season ended prematurely because of multiple injuries, the first of which happened Feb. 10 in a loss at Miami. It was an awful development for North Carolina (that might've cost Hubert Davis his job), but it shouldn't negatively impact Wilson's stock much, if at all, other than how it robbed him of the chance to enhance his reputation and leave a real mark in Chapel Hill. The Atlanta native is an elite athlete with a top-shelf motor who shined in matchups against Duke, Kansas and Ohio State. His range seems to be second at best, fourth at worst.

Round 1 - Pick 4

Cameron Boozer

Duke

• Fr • 6'9" / 250 lbs

Projected Team

Utah

PROSPECT RNK

3rd

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

22.5

RPG

10.2

APG

4.1

3P%

39.1%

Boozer, the reigning CBS Sports National Player of the Year, has very low bust-potential given how he's simply never not been awesome in a way that impacts winning at any level at which he's played. That said, some do worry that his star potential is also low in part because he's mostly a below-the-rim forward who can struggle with the type of size and athleticism he'll consistently face in the NBA. My guess is that Boozer will be good and even make All-Star teams -- but I'm less sure he'll ultimately be a top-three player from this loaded draft, which is among the reasons I could see him falling to this spot where the Jazz could snatch him up and add him to a frontcourt that's already talented with Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr.

Round 1 - Pick 5

Darius Acuff Jr.

Arkansas

• Fr • 6'3" / 190 lbs

Projected Team

Sacramento

PROSPECT RNK

5th

POSITION RNK

2nd

PPG

23.5

RPG

3.1

APG

6.4

3P%

44%

Acuff just became the first player to lead the SEC in both points and assists since Pete Maravich did it at LSU in 1970. Special talent. Fun player. Do I wish he were taller? Yes. Do I wish he weren't a negative-defender? Also yes. But the offensive skill-set and reliable jumper are too much to pass on at this point in this draft, and that's why I expect Acuff to become the 12th player in history to become a top-five pick after a season with John Calipari.

Round 1 - Pick 6

Keaton Wagler

Illinois

• Fr • 6'6" / 185 lbs

Projected Team

Memphis

PROSPECT RNK

7th

POSITION RNK

4th

PPG

17.9

RPG

5.1

APG

4.2

3P%

39.7%

The Grizzlies seem determined, one way or another, to finally move on from the Ja Morant era that lasted seven years and mostly just resulted in some cool highlights and unfortunate controversies. Given the number of high-level lead guards in this draft, it would shock nobody if Memphis, after remaining in this range, selects Morant's replacement with their first of two first-round picks -- and Wagler is the pick here. He went from a sub-100 prospect in the Class of 2025 to a definite top-10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft -- all in less than a year -- thanks to his great positional size, ability to process things and reliable perimeter jumper.

From New Orleans Pelicans Round 1 - Pick 7

Kingston Flemings

Houston

• Fr • 6'4" / 190 lbs

Projected Team

Atlanta

PROSPECT RNK

6th

POSITION RNK

3rd

PPG

16.1

RPG

4.1

APG

5.2

3P%

38.7%

Flemings wasn't the highest-rated recruit in Houston's freshman class -- but he emerged as the program's best prospect and player while helping the Cougars win 30 games and advance to the Sweet 16. He's the rare 19-year-old who is both a top-tier athlete and a reliable shooter. It's not difficult to envision Flemings as a big part of what could be a bright future in Atlanta, sparked by the exit of Trae Young.

Round 1 - Pick 8

Mikel Brown Jr.

Louisville

• Fr • 6'5" / 190 lbs

Projected Team

Dallas

PROSPECT RNK

8th

POSITION RNK

5th

PPG

18.2

RPG

3.3

APG

4.7

3P%

34.4%

This is where the draft breaks, at least in my mind, but perhaps only because Brown played just 21 games in his one season at Louisville. His back was an issue. Will it be moving forward? That's for the doctors to determine. But, if not, Brown is a top-five talent available outside of the top five.

Round 1 - Pick 9

Brayden Burries

Arizona

• Fr • 6'4" / 205 lbs

Projected Team

Chicago

PROSPECT RNK

10th

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

16.1

RPG

4.9

APG

2.4

3P%

39.1%

Koa Peat was the talk of Arizona's freshman class early -- especially after he got 30 points in that season-opening win over Florida. But it was Burries, also a first-year player, who emerged as the leading scorer for a team that won the Big 12's regular-season title and advanced to the Final Four. He's a physical guard who can shoot and rebound. Burries would make sense for a Chicago franchise rebuilding.

Round 1 - Pick 10

Yaxel Lendeborg

Michigan

• Sr • 6'9" / 235 lbs

Projected Team

Milwaukee

PROSPECT RNK

12th

POSITION RNK

5th

PPG

15.1

RPG

6.8

APG

3.2

3P%

37.2%

Lendeborg transferred from UAB to Michigan and was the best player on a team that won the 2026 NCAA Tournament one year after he didn't even win Player of the Year honors in the sport's 11th-best conference (American). Just an awesome story. That he's already 23 years old will turn some franchises off -- but if Milwaukee decides to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo, adding somebody who is plug-and-play should be the priority, at which point Lendeborg's age should be mostly irrelevant to the decision-making process.

Round 1 - Pick 11

Morez Johnson Jr.

Michigan

• Soph • 6'9" / 250 lbs

Projected Team

Golden St.

PROSPECT RNK

21st

POSITION RNK

3rd

PPG

13.1

RPG

7.3

APG

1.2

3P%

34.3%

Johnson has left the door open to return to Michigan, but is expected to remain in the draft as an assumed lottery pick. He's one of three projected top-15 prospects who helped the Wolverines win the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The 6-9 forward shot above 60% from the field as one of the Big Ten's best players -- but his real value is on the other end, where Johnson anchored college basketball's best defense in his first year at Michigan after transferring from Illinois.

From Los Angeles Clippers Round 1 - Pick 12

Aday Mara

Michigan

• Jr • 7'3" / 255 lbs

Projected Team

Oklahoma City

PROSPECT RNK

14th

POSITION RNK

2nd

PPG

12.1

RPG

6.8

APG

2.4

3P%

30%

Mara transferred to Michigan after two years at UCLA and was among the biggest reasons the Wolverines won the Big Ten regular-season title outright and then also the national championship. At a time when being big is back in style in the NBA, Mara has great positional size and is constantly altering shots. On offense, he's a high-end passer and efficient scorer. With Isaiah Hartenstein's future unclear in OKC, Mara could be an inexpensive replacement if the Thunder don't want to exercise the $28.5 million team option on their starting center.

Round 1 - Pick 13

Labaron Philon

Alabama

• Fr • 6'3" / 175 lbs

Projected Team

Miami

PROSPECT RNK

15th

POSITION RNK

6th

PPG

RPG

3.5

APG

3P%

39.9%

Not every prospect who returns to college actually enhances his draft stock -- but Philon definitely did. The sophomore guard played more on-the-ball for Alabama than he did in the previous season, and the result was better assist numbers and a 3-point percentage that jumped to 39.9. The unusual number of top-shelf lead guard prospects available this year will push Philon down further than he'd go in most drafts, but that just makes him a steal at this point.

Round 1 - Pick 14

Jayden Quaintance

Kentucky

• Soph • 6'10" / 255 lbs

Projected Team

Charlotte

PROSPECT RNK

13th

POSITION RNK

1st

PPG

RPG

APG

0.5

3P%

Mark Pope might be less on the hot seat at Kentucky if Quaintance had played more than four games this season. He cost a lot of money and did little. Regardless, I saw him up close in the CBS Sports Classic, and he made an obvious impact in that game. Unless the medicals are scary, Quaintance should not fall much further than this.

From Portland Trail Blazers Ro

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2026-nba-mock-draft-gary-parrish-first-round-draft-lottery/)._