Peterson Dybantsa Boozer Battle for 2026 NBA Draft No 1

With two weeks until March, scouts remain split on the top three of the 2026 class: Kansas' Darryn Peterson, Duke's Cameron Boozer and BYU's AJ Dybantsa. Caleb Wilson's recent blow-up performance and Alijah Arenas' return for USC have muddied the waters, while nearly a dozen underclassmen could return with NIL offers, keeping first-round talent on the board and draft boards fluid. Merlin sees patterns. Peterson dazzles with off ball efficiency and perimeter defense, Dybantsa is growing into a do-it-all scorer and creator, and Boozer sells steady inside out scoring despite defensive projection questions. Wilson's athleticism and playmaking can vault him upward if health checks are clean. Many teams will wait on medicals and return decisions before placing their bets.