CBS Sports Experts Back AJ Dybantsa for No. 1 Pick in 2026 NBA Draft

Q: Dubbed a 'college Jokić', can Cameron Boozer's skill overcome athletic concerns to become the draft's best player?

Yes — Boozer’s skill gives him a real path to becoming the best player in this draft, even if he is not the consensus No. 1 prospect today. The case for Boozer is unusually strong. At Duke, he averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 55.6% from the field, 39.1% from three and 78.9% from the line. Scouts and analysts consistently describe him as one of the class’s best processors, an offensive hub with advanced passing, touch, strength and three-level scoring. That is why some evaluators have called him a “college Jokić” and even ranked him No. 1 overall despite the broader CBS consensus favoring AJ Dybantsa at the top and placing Boozer at No. 3. The concern is real, though. Boozer is not an explosive leaper, is not a natural rim protector, and may need the right defensive context in the NBA. Teams will test whether he can defend in space, switch consistently, or anchor lineups without a mobile shot-blocking partner. That is the main reason many executives still prefer Dybantsa’s wing athleticism and Peterson’s two-way upside. Still, Boozer’s profile suggests his offense can outweigh those flaws. His combine agility results were better than some critics expected, and his size, strength, feel and shooting give him a high floor and a scalable game. He may not be the safest bet to go No. 1, but he is one of the strongest bets in the class to become an All-Star and has a credible chance to end up its best long-term player.

Q: Is AJ Dybantsa's safe scoring a smarter bet than Darryn Peterson's riskier two-way upside?

Yes. Based on the available evidence, Dybantsa’s scoring profile is the smarter No. 1 bet, while Peterson’s upside may be more volatile and team-dependent. Dybantsa has the stronger combination of production, physical tools and certainty. He led Division I in scoring at 25.5 points per game at BYU, posted a 55% effective field goal rate in the Big 12, and measured nearly 6-foot-9 barefoot with a 7-foot-plus wingspan and top-tier vertical testing. Scouts and CBS Sports experts consistently describe him as the safest prospect in the class because he already looks like an NBA-caliber three-level scorer with wing size, shot creation and athleticism. Four of five CBS experts picked him No. 1, and the broader draft consensus has moved in his direction. Peterson’s case is real, but it carries more uncertainty. He averaged 20.2 points at Kansas, shot 38.2% from three and has strong two-way indicators, including length for a guard, off-ball defensive playmaking and a reputation for elite shot-making. Some evaluators believe his ceiling as a primary creator is as high as anyone’s in the class. But his season was interrupted by cramping issues and missed games, and there are still questions about durability, consistency and whether he becomes a full offensive engine or more of a scoring combo guard. That makes Peterson the swing-for-the-fences option. Dybantsa is the cleaner bet to become a high-level NBA scorer and likely the safer franchise cornerstone at No. 1.

2 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jun 19

Four of five CBS Sports experts picked BYU wing AJ Dybantsa to go No. 1 in Tuesday's 2026 NBA Draft, with only one panelist backing Kansas guard Darryn Peterson.
Dybantsa's case rests on his college production and profile: he averaged 25.5 points for BYU, and one expert noted he joined a rare group of players to post 25-plus points, 6-plus rebounds and 3-plus assists.
The same panel largely settled the next tier by favoring Duke's Cameron Boozer over Caleb Wilson for No. 3, citing Boozer's scoring, passing, rebounding and 6-foot-9, 250-pound frame.
Outside the top 20, the experts highlighted deep-guard-class sleepers including Texas Tech's Christian Anderson, Stanford's Ebuka Okorie and forward Joshua Jefferson as possible value picks.
The debate underscores how loaded the 2026 class is expected to be, with Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer widely projected to open the draft in some order.