2026 NBA Draft: Complete First-Round Recap
The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft featured potential franchise players, several draft-night trades and a historic showing from the University of Michigan and the Big 12 Conference.
Washington opened the evening by selecting BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick, while Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer completed a star-studded top three. College basketball dominated the evening, with the first 20 selections all coming from the college ranks.
Here is a look at all 30 first-round selections and what each player could bring to his new organization.
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU
Dybantsa gives Washington a potential franchise centerpiece with the size, athleticism and scoring ability to eventually become one of the NBA’s premier two-way wings.
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
Peterson is a smooth and explosive scoring guard who can create his own shot, attack the basket and eventually become Utah’s primary offensive option.
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
Boozer brings Memphis a highly productive and intelligent forward whose rebounding, physicality and winning approach should translate quickly to the NBA.
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina
Wilson gives Chicago a long, athletic and versatile forward who can finish above the rim, defend multiple positions and make an immediate impact in transition.
5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois
Wagler was one of the biggest risers in the class and gives the Clippers a skilled guard with size, shooting ability and the confidence to handle important possessions.
6. Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville
Brown provides Brooklyn with a creative lead guard who possesses impressive speed, ball-handling ability and the vision needed to run an NBA offense.
7. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr., G, Arkansas
Acuff is an aggressive scoring guard who can break down defenders, create offense late in the shot clock and bring some much-needed toughness to Sacramento’s backcourt.
8. Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings, G, Houston
Flemings gives Atlanta a quick and athletic guard who can pressure the basket, create opportunities for teammates and defend with energy.
9. Dallas Mavericks: Morez Johnson Jr., F, Michigan
Johnson reunites with former Michigan coach Dusty May and gives Dallas a powerful rebounder, energetic defender and physical interior presence to place alongside Cooper Flagg.
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Brayden Burries, G, Arizona
Burries begins Milwaukee’s next era as a talented scoring guard with good positional size, shot-making ability and considerable offensive upside.
11. Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
Lendeborg is an excellent fit for Golden State because of his defensive versatility, rebounding, passing and ability to contribute without needing the offense built around him.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara, C, Michigan
The 7-foot-3 Mara gives Oklahoma City another unique frontcourt weapon with rim protection, soft hands and advanced passing ability for a player his size.
13. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament, F, Tennessee
Selected by Miami and headed to Milwaukee, Ament brings tremendous length, shooting potential and the upside to develop into a dangerous two-way forward.
14. Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington
Steinbach is a productive and fundamentally sound frontcourt player whose rebounding, interior scoring and physical style should complement Charlotte’s young core.
15. Chicago Bulls: Dailyn Swain, G/F, Texas
Swain gives the Bulls a versatile perimeter player who can handle the ball, defend several positions and impact the game even when he is not scoring.
16. Oklahoma City Thunder: Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa
Originally selected by Memphis, Stirtz heads to Oklahoma City as a polished and intelligent guard who can shoot, create and make good decisions in a supporting role.
17. Detroit Pistons: Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford
Selected by Oklahoma City before being moved to Detroit, Okorie gives the Pistons an explosive guard with downhill speed and the ability to generate offense off the dribble.
18. Charlotte Hornets: Christian Anderson Jr., G, Texas Tech
Anderson is a skilled perimeter scorer with deep shooting range, excellent quickness and the confidence to provide instant offense for Charlotte.
19. Toronto Raptors: Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara
Graves fits Toronto’s preference for long and versatile forwards because he can score from different areas, rebound and potentially defend multiple positions.
20. San Antonio Spurs: Jayden Quaintance, F/C, Kentucky
Quaintance gives San Antonio another elite athlete in the frontcourt whose shot-blocking, mobility and defensive potential could make him a dangerous partner for Victor Wembanyama.
21. Memphis Grizzlies: Karim López, F, New Zealand Breakers
López, selected by Detroit and moved to Memphis, is a talented international forward with size, fluid movement and intriguing long-term two-way potential.
22. Philadelphia 76ers: Labaron Philon Jr., G, Alabama
Philon gives Philadelphia a composed and competitive guard who can get into the paint, create his own shot and provide secondary playmaking.
23. Atlanta Hawks: Zuby Ejiofor, F/C, St. John’s
Ejiofor adds toughness, rebounding and interior defense to Atlanta while giving the Hawks a frontcourt player capable of contributing without demanding shots.
24. Los Angeles Lakers: Cameron Carr, G/F, Baylor
Selected by New York and headed to the Lakers, Carr brings length, athleticism and perimeter shooting to a team that needed another young wing with defensive potential.
25. Dallas Mavericks: Sergio De Larrea, G/F, Valencia
De Larrea ultimately heads to Dallas as a tall and creative European playmaker who can handle the basketball, see over defenders and play multiple perimeter positions.
26. San Antonio Spurs: Tarris Reed Jr., C, Connecticut
Selected by Denver and traded to San Antonio, Reed brings strength, rebounding, rim protection and a physical interior style to the Spurs’ frontcourt rotation.
27. Boston Celtics: Chris Cenac Jr., F/C, Houston
Cenac gives Boston a long and athletic big man with shot-blocking ability, developing perimeter skills and the potential to play either frontcourt position.
28. Brooklyn Nets: Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State
Selected by Minnesota and sent to Brooklyn, Jefferson brings defensive versatility, toughness and the ability to contribute in several areas without dominating the basketball.
29. Sacramento Kings: Alex Karaban, F, Connecticut
Sacramento traded back into the first round for Karaban, an experienced winner whose shooting, intelligence and ability to play within a team structure could help him contribute immediately.
30. Phoenix Suns: Koa Peat, F, Arizona
Phoenix moved into the final pick of the first round for Peat, a powerful and aggressive forward who can attack the basket, rebound and create matchup problems with his strength.
A Historic Night for Michigan
Michigan’s national championship celebration continued when Morez Johnson Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara were all selected within four picks.
Johnson went ninth to Dallas, Lendeborg was selected 11th by Golden State and Mara landed with Oklahoma City at No. 12. It was the first time in 36 years that Michigan produced three first-round selections in the same NBA Draft.
All three also landed in the lottery, making Michigan only the fifth program since the lottery expanded to 14 selections in 2004 to produce at least three lottery picks in one draft.
Johnson’s destination created one of the best stories of the evening. Dallas recently hired former Michigan coach Dusty May, meaning Johnson will continue playing for the coach who helped lead the Wolverines to the national championship.
Lendeborg should have an opportunity to help Golden State immediately with his versatility and mature playing style. Mara enters an outstanding developmental situation in Oklahoma City, where his size, passing and defensive ability will give the Thunder another fascinating frontcourt option.
Michigan won the national championship and then watched three of the biggest reasons for that success become lottery selections. It would be difficult for any college program to have a better conclusion to a season.
The Big 12 Takes Over the First Round
Michigan may have been the biggest individual winner, but no conference produced more first-round talent than the Big 12.
The conference had a record nine players selected, surpassing its previous high of seven first-round picks in 2010. Four Big 12 players were selected among the first 10 picks:
AJ Dybantsa, BYU, No. 1 to Washington
Darryn Peterson, Kansas, No. 2 to Utah
Kingston Flemings, Houston, No. 8 to Atlanta
Brayden Burries, Arizona, No. 10 to Milwaukee
The Big 12’s impressive night continued with Christian Anderson Jr. of Texas Tech going 18th, Cameron Carr of Baylor going 24th, Chris Cenac Jr. of Houston going 27th, Joshua Jefferson of Iowa State going 28th and Arizona’s Koa Peat closing the first round at No. 30.
Houston and Arizona each produced two first-round selections, showing the depth of talent found throughout the conference.
The Big Ten finished behind the Big 12 with six first-round picks, followed by the SEC with five and the ACC with four. However, no conference could match the Big 12’s combination of elite talent at the top and depth throughout the remainder of the round.
From Dybantsa becoming the first overall selection to Peat hearing his name called with the final pick of the night, the Big 12 controlled the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.