An ongoing debate that will continue until the 2026 NBA Draft kicks off is the age-old question of who’s the top dog? Many experts have raved about BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, Kansas‘ Darryn Peterson, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, and many more, but as the season continues, it’s looking more and more like the top pick will come from the Big 12 Conference.
On Saturday, ahead of the highly anticipated matchup between BYU and Kansas, several NBA executives were polled to give an edge to either Dybantsa or Peterson in a mock draft, and though it was close, Peterson won the most votes, 12-8.
“We polled 20 scouts and executives this week to find out,” Thamel said. “And the answer? The crowd in Lawrence is going to be excited to find out the result. Darryn Peterson got 12 votes, AJ Dybantsa got eight. Scouts cast Peterson as perhaps the best shooting guard prospect that’s come through college basketball in the last 20 years. One scout even compared his shotmaking to Kobe Bryant.”
A big hold-up in the spot, however, is the ongoing injury issues for Peterson. Scouts mentioned that they need to see him get healthy, as he’s missed more than 10 games this year already. Between a hamstring issue and a recent ankle injury, the star guard has had to deal with some adversity. Still, the upside is there, and it’s impossible to miss.
All eyes will be on Lawrence, Kansas, this afternoon when Dybantsa and Peterson clash.
