The 2026 NBA Draft kicks off on Tuesday, with nearly 60 former college basketball players set to be selected for a pro team. There are plenty of storylines and questions to ask in the hours heading up to it, including who will be the first name selected on Tuesday night.
Here’s a look at the 10 biggest storylines to watch heading into the NBA Draft.
1. Is AJ Dybantsa a lock for the No. 1 pick?
Throughout the draft process, the Washington Wizards have always been viewed as likely to take Dybantsa, who averaged 25.5 ppg as a freshman at BYU. However, there’s been some talk that Darryn Peterson, the stud freshman at Kansas who put up over 20 ppg and could have an even higher ceiling. Had he not dealt with chronic cramping issues, he could’ve been the top pick. Dybantsa is still the favorite, but it’s not 100% as of yet.
2. NBA Draft truly starts at No. 5
Regardless of the order at the very top, it’s very clear who the top four picks will be. Dybantsa, Peterson, and ACC forwards, Carmeron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, will be the top four picks. At No. 5, there are more questions with the Los Angeles Clippers, who are going to be in rebuild mode. If they do pick, Arkansas freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. (23.5 ppg and 6.4 apg) is the likely pick, but by no means a guarantee. In fact, there’s a chance they don’t even make the pick at all.
3. Trade possibilities
The Clippers don’t control most of their draft picks for the future, thanks to the past Paul George trade, so trading the No. 5 pick makes sense since they aren’t contending for the near future. They also have the aging Kawhi Leonard to think about.
The Milwaukee Bucks are also on the clock, as a trade involving franchise superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is likely to be made this offseason, and likely before the draft. Other key NBA players to keep an eye on include Kyrie Irving (Dallas), Ja Morant (Memphis), Jaylen Brown (Boston), and possibly others. It’s been quiet now, but expect fireworks soon.
4. What OKC does at picks 12 and 17
Another team in the trade market is the Thunder, mainly because they could use these picks to move up in the draft. For a team that’s win-now and already has a roster that doesn’t provide room for future rookies. There are some frontcourt options OKC can consider to combat rival San Antonio, so their decision with these picks will be important.
5. Michigan’s trio of potential lottery picks
As the stars of the national championship team, the frontcourt players for Michigan’s NBA Draft stock is at an all-time high. Aday Mara is the 7’3 center who can compete against the top centers, while Yaxel Lendeborg is one of the older players in the draft, but is also one of the most versatile defenders. Morez Johnson, the breakout transfer from Illinois, is a physical big man who fits the modern NBA for frontcourt players. There’s a chance all three get taken in the first 14 picks, with OKC potentially adding one of them.
6. Lottery pick point guard options
If you want to include Wagler, there are several ball-handlers who are in the mix to get picked in the lottery.
- Darius Acuff Jr. (23.5 ppg and 6.4 apg at Arkansas)
- Mikel Brown Jr. (18.2 ppg and 4.7 apg at Louisville)
- Kingston Flemings (16.1 ppg and 5.2 apg at Houston)
- Labaron Philon (22 ppg and 5.0 apg at Alabama)
Point guard is an important position in the NBA, as evidenced by New York Knicks star guard and Finals MVP Jalen Brunson. There are several teams that will look to take a potential future franchise PG, and it’ll be interesting to see which of the group is preferred.
7. The “other” key freshmen to watch
There’s a batch of CBB freshmen also set to be taken in the first round that aren’t guaranteed lottery picks. These are players who had standout moments in college but also have weaknesses that need to be addressed to become NBA all-stars.
- Nate Ament (16.7 ppg and 6.3 rpg at Tennessee) - Efficiency concerns, shot 40% FG
- Ebuka Okorie (23.2 ppg and 3.6 apg at Stanford) - Lack of size at 6’2 as a PG
- Koa Peat (14.1 ppg and 5.6 rpg at Arizona) - Not a proven shooter from long distance
- Allen Graves (11.8 ppg and 6.5 rpg at Santa Clara) - Metrics darling but not a ton of proven production
It wouldn’t be a surprise if any end up in the lottery, but these are viewed as the “high risk”, “high reward” types in the draft.
8. Where does Jayden Quaintance end up?
Over a year ago, Quaintance was viewed as a future top-10 pick, coming off a strong year at Arizona State. The athletic young big man suffered an ACL injury that took over a year to recover from, effectively keeping him out of play at Kentucky this past season. The result is that his draft stock has tumbled, possibly being taken in the 20s. Still, he’s one of the youngest players in the draft and has a high ceiling, so his placement and future development will be one to watch.
9. Big men renaissance?
For almost the last decade, the value of centers has declined in favor of point guards and versatile forwards. However, with San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and now the New Knicks, the importance of big men is now bigger than ever in the modern NBA, which should greatly benefit some of the top centers entering the draft. Guys like Quaitance and Mara have been mentioned, but here are some other potential first-round picks to watch at the five-spot.
- Hannes Steinbach (18.5 ppg and 11.8 rpg at Washington)
- Chris Cenac (9.5 ppg and 7.9 rpg at Houston)
- Zuby Ejiofor (16.3 ppg and 7.3 rpg at St. John’s)
- Henri Veesar (17 ppg and 8.7 rpg at North Carolina)
- Tarris Reed Jr. (14.7 ppg and 9.0 rpg at UConn)
These players can play at the five-spot, while others, such as Felix Okpara (Tennessee), Ugonna, Onyenso (Virginia), and Tobe Awaka (Arizona) have a great chance at getting drafted. While guards and wings are still coveted, look for the bigs to also get some love in the draft.
10. Big Ten Point guards to watch
Outside of Wagler of Illinois, the top Big Ten prospects in the NBA Draft are all frontcourt players. But there are still guards from the league that’ll get picked. Bennett Stirtz reportedly had a strong pre-draft process to make him likely a first-rounder, while Braden Smith, the NCAA all-time leader in assists at Purdue, also will get drafted. Bruce Thornton, the all-time scoring leader at Ohio State, is another ball-handler to watch.
This group won’t get as much attention as the top guards in the projected top-10, but where they end up is a small but interesting storyline to watch.
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