NBA Draft Combine Could Shed Light on 2026 Class's Top Group

The 2026 NBA Draft Combine is officially coming up, taking place in Chicago from May 10-17.

The event will allow NBA decision-makers and scouts a look at prospects in various exercise, drills and tests, allowing for officially measurements such as height without shoes, wingspan, standing reach and more.

While 73 players have been invited, some teams will be honed in on the potential top picks: AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson. So far, they’ve formed a talented quartet, and each team could have a different order on draft night, making the combine a chance to cement that.

Scouts and decision-makers are likely most keen on getting an up-close look at Peterson, who saw a weird, topsy-turvy season with Kansas marred by injury. Peterson played in just 24 games for the Jayhawks, dealing with various bouts of a hamstring injury and full body cramps, which caused his production to rise and eventually fall. Though he still ended with 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.

A big draw for Peterson is his positional size at around 6-foot-5, as well as reportedly long arms. There’s little question that Peterson is in the range of both of those, though where he officially measures out, how he tests athletically and just how healthy he looks overall could be swings for NBA teams.

Duke’s Cameron Boozer is likely just behind. At just 18, Boozer put together likely the best statistical season for a true freshman ever, averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per game while leading Duke to the Elite Eight.

Boozer was truly dominant with the Blue Devils, though his pro projection is slightly tougher given his size at around 6-foot-9, making him a tweener in some eyes. The bigger Boozer is, the more likely the NBA is to bet on him. Should he come in at a legit 6-foot-9 or bigger, some could look to him as the first or second pick. If he’s shorter than expected and closer to small forward height, it could hurt his stock.

Both Dybantsa and Wilson are visibly long, rangy and fluid athletes. And simply seeing them up close could be enough to cement them as top picks for decision-makers. Both rely on their size and tools, though they’re equally skilled as well. Wilson seems to have been consistently behind the other three this season, but recent reports say he could be as high as No. 2 for several teams.

You can find the official list of all 73 invitees here.

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