Darryn Peterson is considered a slight favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft, but NBA teams view his candidacy versus A.J. Dybantsa as “a real debate” at this point ahead of their freshmen seasons. Peterson is a guard at Kansas, while Dybantsa is a wing at BYU.
“I’d handicap Peterson as the slight front-runner, as he’s considered one of the most dynamic scoring guard prospects to enter the college ranks in some time and built momentum with a strong high school senior season,” wrote ESPN’s Jeremy Woo.
“NBA teams I’ve spoken with view Peterson vs. Dybantsa as a real debate at this stage. Both players will have more to prove as one-and-done freshmen, creating a major storyline entering the fall.”
Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Tennessee’s Nate Ament are considered the next best prospects in what will be a deeper class than 2027.
