The buzz surrounding the 2026 NBA Draft is palpable. While last year’s class featured Cooper Flagg, a sensational two-way franchise-changer, at the top, this one has three players — Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and AJ Dybantsa — with the potential to alter a team’s trajectory. There’s also several other players with big-time talent, capable of achieving superstardom in the right setting. 

Over the next couple of months, we’ll do our best to profile some of the unique prospects this class has to offer — including international players and some college sleepers. However, this group is absolutely loaded with big-time underclassmen, so let’s take a quick look at 10 of the best ones the college game has to offer. 

• Darryn Peterson, 6-6 Guard, Kansas

Kobe Bryant seems to be a popular comparison for Peterson (who calls himself Bucket Jones). In many ways, that comparison seems off. The main reason being Peterson profiles as a lead guard; Bryant was a traditional two-guard. However, Peterson’s approach to the game — and overall tenacity — is a bit Mamba-like. 

If you have to compare Peterson to somebody, you might want to go with Cade Cunningham. Peterson is a 6-6 guard that can really score off the dribble, whether he’s attacking the basket or knocking down jumpers. But Peterson’s more explosive as an athlete. He also has good handles, and he’s creative in the way he separates from defenders. 

Peterson is also plenty reliable when it comes to running offenses, making him a no-brainer selection for any guard-needy team at the top of the draft — especially with the upside he possesses defensively. He might be the best on-ball prospect since Luka Doncic. 

• AJ Dybantsa, 6-9 Wing, BYU 

At his height, with a 7-foot wingspan and unteachable athleticism, Dybantsa looks the part of an elite wing. He also possesses a smooth jumper, with a high release. At his size, it’s virtually unblockable. Dybantsa loves getting to his midrange pull-up game, but he’s plenty capable of attacking the rim and knocking down catch-and-shoot threes. He’s a true three-level scorer, and it isn’t hard to imagine him fitting in at the next level. 

Dybantsa’s tools also make him an interesting defender, as he has the body, speed, and instincts to defend multiple spots. 

Dybantsa genuinely has a special combination of high floor and ceiling. He just needs to get a little better when it comes to shot selection, and teams want to see him bring some intensity every single night. Dybantsa can occasionally sleepwalk through games. But he’s definitely developing in the right environment, as BYU head coach Kevin Young knows the NBA game well from his time with the Suns. 

• Cameron Boozer, 6-9 Forward, Duke 

Boozer is one of the most polished one-and-done draft prospects in some time — which shouldn’t surprise anyone given the skill of his father Carlos (a two-time NBA All-Star). The 6-9, 250-pound forward has elite footwork, feathery touch, and the ability to beat you with both power and finesse. He can be a force around the basket when he’s in attack mode, but he also has a good face-up game — and the ability to step out and make triples. 

Boozer is also a sound defender, as he’s smart and has a good understanding of where to be positionally. 

The one major knock on Boozer — which isn’t his fault — is that he lacks explosiveness and burst. That’s why many view him as the third-best prospect in the class. He doesn’t have the same athleticism as the top guys, and many believe that gives him a lower ceiling. However, he’s also a high-level processor. So, writing him off in the debate at the top of the class is risky.

• Labaron Philon Jr., 6-4 Guard, Alabama

It feels like Philon isn’t a real part of the top-10 conversation in this draft right now, but there’s a good chance that changes. He’s a dynamic on-ball prospect, which is something a lot of teams in the NBA can use right now. 

Philon is a nightmare to defend when looking to score, as he’s capable of knocking down triples, shooting off the bounce, and getting to the basket. He also has tremendous touch when going to his floater, and the way he can create space is flat-out absurd. Philon is also an improving playmaker, and he’s getting better and better when it comes to doing the little things required to run an offense. 

If he can continue to make strides as an outside shooter, there’s really nothing preventing him from being viewed as the second-best lead guard in this draft. 

• Chris Cenac Jr., 6-foot-11 Big, Houston 

There will be prospects that perform at a much higher level than Cenac in college, but teams could have a hard time passing on Houston’s gifted big man. At 6-11, with a 7-3 wingspan, there’s a real chance Cenac ends up being a big-time presence in the back of a defense. He’s also more comfortable than most guys his size when it comes to defending on the perimeter. Cenac just has to get a little stronger, as he can be pushed around in the post. He also has to be a little smarter about avoiding cheap fouls, but a year with Kelvin Sampson should help there. 

Cenac also has a lot of potential offensively. Things aren’t exactly smooth right now, but he shows a lot of promise as a face-up scorer. His touch is a major strength, he has decent form on the jumper, and he’s not awful when it comes to putting the ball on the floor. He just needs to slowly work at all of that in order to really make something of himself. But for now, Cenac can catch lobs, he can’t be ignored as a shooter, and he’s good for a play or two in which he self-creates. Once he becomes a little more consistent, he should be a big-time two-way player. And the right coaching staff might even turn him into an All-Star. 

• Jayden Quaintance, 6-foot-10 Big, Kentucky 

Quaintance tore his ACL in his freshman season at Arizona State, and we haven’t yet seen his debut for Kentucky. However, Quaintance has already done enough to prove he’s an elite NBA prospect, with the defensive end of the floor being the main reason for that. Quaintance doesn’t have prototypical center height, but he has a 7-3 wingspan, elite vertical pop as an athlete, and some serious strength. He should be able to thrive as a defensive anchor, as he’s as good as it gets when it comes to blocking shots. Quaintance is also a player that should rack up steals, and he is quick enough to guard on the perimeter — and not just for short stretches. 

Quiantance just needs to make some improvements offensively. If he does, he’ll be an absolute stud at the next level. As of right now, the 18-year-old is mostly a rim runner and play finisher. He’s also good at blowing by slower bigs off the bounce. But ultimately, Quaintance’s upside will come down to what his shot looks like. He shot under 50% from the line in Tempe, and his jumper is a mess. Quaintance needs to work hard at that, as a good face-up game is what can make him a star. 

• Caleb Wilson, 6-10 Forward, UNC

This class seems to have a three-player tier at the top, but there’s a few others with superstar potential. Wilson is one of them. The 6-foot-10 forward should be an awesome multi-positional defender in the pros. He possesses the size, strength, and athleticism to size up or down, he’s a good shot-blocker, and he gets himself in passing lanes — and swipes the basketball rather often. 

The biggest concern with Wilson is efficiency on offense. He’s already a player that impacts games with his athleticism and finishing ability, showing good timing as a cutter and a great feel for scoring in transition. His jumper also looks pretty sound mechanically. However, Wilson’s shot selection can be a problem, and he doesn’t look very comfortable creating offense for himself. Some of that will need to be cleaned up in order for him to reach his potential. But grabbing Wilson will be a nice consolation prize for teams that miss on some of the other studs in this class. 

• Mikel Brown Jr., 6-5 Guard, Louisville

Brown’s going to be a hot commodity for any team in need of some offensive juice. The 19-year-old is an electric shot-maker, capable of really changing games with his ability to knock down jumpers — and he does so with deep, deep range. Brown is also capable of making pretty much any pass in the book, making him a player that could put up some outrageous numbers with the spacing provided at the next level. His next team is just going to need to be willing to work with his weaknesses. 

Brown isn’t all that productive as a driver, so he really needs the jumper to be falling in order to do his damage. Fortunately, more often than not, he’s not going to go completely cold. Brown is also a bit of a sieve defensively. However, a lack of strength and muscle could be the culprit for both. So, let's see what he looks like when he packs on some muscle in an NBA training room. There’s serious upside here. 

• Nate Ament, 6-10 Forward, Tennessee

There’s a lot of Zaccharie Risacher in Ament’s game, and that’s a player that went No. 1 in the 2024 NBA Draft and has already looked like a good pro. 

Ament could hear his name called as early as fourth in this draft. The big forward does a lot of things NBA front offices are looking for, and he has a relatively high floor — in addition to tantalizing upside. Ament has the size of a power forward, but he’s a knockdown three-point shooter, he moves like a wing, and he’s a very smart player. Ament is also a good multi-positional defender, giving him a really good shot at being a high-level three-and-D performer. 

Ament also has a shot at being more. If his ball-handling continues to improve, the sky is the limit. A version of Ament that can create off the bounce would be a version other teams wouldn’t want to deal with. It’d also be nice if he can be a bit more impactful on the glass. 

• Koa Peat, 6-8 Forward, Arizona 

Peat is a unique player. While his height would suggest he’s more of a perimeter player, he’s big, strong, and physical as a scorer. Peat does a lot of his work by out-muscling his defenders around the basket, where he’s a very good finisher. Peat also has a nice mid-range jumper, and he’s pretty good at attacking off the dribble — as he has a strong handle for a big. 

Peat just needs to find a way to stretch out as a shooter. His free throw percentage isn’t that impressive, which definitely throws some water on the idea of him becoming a good three-point shooter. However, he should know that he’ll need to work at it, as just being an imposing physical presence won’t work when he isn’t that much stronger than opponents. 

Peat has also been a good defender at every level, but there are some question marks about what position he’ll guard in the pros. Is he big enough to guard traditional bigs? Is he quick enough to defend wings? He’ll get a chance to prove himself throughout the Big 12 season, but it’ll be hard for him to completely silence all doubters.