The battle for the number 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, one of the most anticipated in history

With the NBA season already underway, the competition begins to split into two paths: while some teams dream of the title, others seem to focus more on the Draft lottery coming in May. Among them stand out Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Washington Wizards, who have started the season with very poor results. At least for those franchises, the 2026 Draft promises to be full of talent with star potential.

Two of the most prominent names in the race for the number one pick are BYU's AJ Dybantsa and Kansas's Darryn Peterson. In recent days, journalist Jake Fischer analyzed which of the two has the edge based on the buzz circulating in the league offices.

Fischer explained in Marc Stein's Substack: "I continue to believe that AJ Dybantsa's playmaking ability, a player with that size—imagine an even more imposing Paul George—will be too attractive for most front offices to pass on in the number one spot. However, there is currently no consensus, and recent history shows that these scenarios can change, with talents like Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, and Nate Ament also in the mix."

Stein added that "it is also true today that Peterson has taken the lead over Dybantsa in the eyes of some scouts."

A Talent-Rich 2026 Draft

The contrast with the 2025 Draft is significant: back then, there was no debate, as it was evident that Cooper Flagg would be the clear number one pick regardless of which team won the lottery. In 2026, however, there is no clear-cut figure dominating the process.

Stein also recalled recent cases where one player leapfrogged another very late in the pre-Draft evaluation cycle, as happened between Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren, or between Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle, among others. Therefore, it would not be surprising to see a similar turnaround in this upcoming edition.

Regardless, there is no indication that the Nets, Pacers, or Wizards will be in a rush to string together victories. With a Draft loaded with talent on the horizon, the slow starts of these franchises seem to align perfectly with a season geared towards May.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La lucha por el número 1 del Draft NBA 2026, uno de los más esperados de la historia