Washington Takes AJ Dybantsa First in a Predictable 2026 NBA Draft Opening Round

The 2026 NBA Draft opened overnight, between Tuesday and Wednesday, with no major surprises in the first round. The second round, where Emmanuel Sharp and Noam Yaacov could be selected, is set for Thursday night.

As expected, Washington used the No. 1 pick on AJ Dybantsa, the BYU forward who has long been projected as the top selection. Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, shooting 51% from the field and 33% from three. "I was very confident. I have been betting on myself for a long time," he said. "I've been ranked No. 1 since about ninth grade, so I never really planned to fall in the draft. My addition can help them a little more. They re-signed Trae Young, they have Anthony Davis and good veteran players alongside our young core. I think we can do big things."

Utah took Darin Peterson second, despite his refusal to work out for the team. The Kansas freshman scored 20.2 points per game with 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists, while dealing with injuries and questions about his season. Memphis selected Cameron Boozer, the son of Carlos Boozer, at No. 3, and Chicago picked explosive athlete Caleb Wilson at No. 4.

Brooklyn, which features Ben Saraf, added another point guard at No. 6, choosing Mikel Brown Jr. Golden State selected more experienced Yaaxel Lendeborg at No. 11, and Oklahoma City followed with Spanish center Adai Mara. The full lottery top 14 also included Keaton Vogler, Darius Aikoff, Kingston Flemings, Morz Johnson Jr., Braden Breaze, Nate Ament, and Hans Steinbach.