2026 NBA Draft Trio Starring Through Exhibition Play

The trio of Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer has been stellar through exhibition play.

Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) scored 26 points as the Jayhawks beat host Louisville 90-82 during an exhibition game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Friday, October 24, 2025. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With just how good the 2025 NBA Draft class has been through a few regular season games, buzz for the 2026 cycle is already picking up.

College basketball teams will make their debuts in early November, but are seeing exhibition matches to close out October. The 2026 NBA Draft has a heralded top-three, featuring Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, BYU wing AJ Dybantsa and Duke forward Cameron Boozer. All of which have been stellar through preseason play.

Peterson is at the forefront of that, having seen one of the better halves of an exhibition possible. 

He scored 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting, hitting six of his 10 attempted triples in the bout versus Louisville. Most of his damage came from beyond the arc, where he showed premier versatility in spotting up, hitting on relocation and even creating his own shots.

Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson is the real deal 🔥

Finished with 26 points on 9-15 shooting (6-10 from 3) in tonight's exhibition against Louisville. pic.twitter.com/y6bEejMqhn

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) October 25, 2025

He didn’t show off his handling and driving skill much, which is potentially the selling point with his all-around game.

Peterson comes into the year not as a consensus favorite to be the top pick, but he likely has the most fans within NBA circles at the moment. And while it’s early, Peterson may very well have done enough to separate himself some from his competition for No. 1.

Still, Dybantsa and Boozer weren’t far behind.

Dybantsa scored 30 points on over 50% shooting, adding seven rebounds versus Nebraska. He showed off his premier movement at 6-foot-9, highlighted by elite acceleration and first-step speed.

Boozer was able to go for 33 points, 12 rebounds and four assists against Central Florida, showcasing his interior impact, elite footwork and connectivity. He's set to step in for No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg for the Blue Devils, again offering a high-feel contributor in the frontcourt.

Three marquee freshmen went OFF in their first exhibition:

Cam Boozer - 33 Pts, 12 Rebs, 4 Asts vs UCF
AJ Dybantsa - 30 Pts, 7 Rebs, 10-19 FG vs Nebraska
Darryn Peterson: 26 Pts, 9-15 FG, 6-10 3PT vs Louisville

Serious talent 😮‍💨 @brhoops pic.twitter.com/V3CGAyVowH

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) October 25, 2025

All three prospects offer drastically different styles and skillsets, making for a potentially fireworks-worthy 2026 NBA Draft cycle.

It's too early in the NBA's regular season to identify which teams will be positioning themselves for a shot at one of the three prospects, but there will assuredly be organizations that think they can drastically bolster their teams by landing them. The Nets, Wizards, Jazz and more are expected to position themselves for the trio, though the Mavericks landed the No. 1 pick last season with just a 1.8% chance.

No. 6 Duke opens up their season with the Texas Longhorns on Nov. 4. No. 19 Kansas takes on Green Bay and No. 8 BYU takes on Villanova, both on Nov. 3.