NBA Draft Big Board: How Big Three Rank, Kingston Flemings Keeps Rising

Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer remain locked in a race for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft, while the rest of the first round is starting to take shape.

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson drives against Missouri forward Mark Mitchell during a game this season. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Conference play has begun across the country in college basketball, with teams entering the meat of their schedules and the race toward the 2026 NBA draft in June on. The top players in the class have very much lived up to the hype and more thus far, and a few sleepers have leaped into serious consideration in the first round who have made the class look deeper than before. 

Here’s an updated look at Sports Illustrated’s big board, with notes on risers, fallers and who has the most to gain in the season’s final three months. 

1. Darryn Peterson, Kansas

While Peterson’s season has been marred by struggles with cramping and constant questions about his availability, the production when he has been on the floor has been elite. In two Big 12 games, Peterson has scored 58 points in just 55 minutes in spite of facing extremely aggressive defensive coverages that look to force the ball out of his hands nearly at all costs. He’s playing an efficient brand of basketball, drawing lots of fouls, and looking like a player who could one day lead the NBA in scoring. Scouts are undoubtedly hoping he can put these cramping issues behind him and put on a show throughout Big 12 play.

2. AJ Dybantsa, BYU

Dybantsa was good in the season’s first month, but has taken things to a different level since, making a very strong case to jump Peterson for No. 1 on this board with his unstoppable scoring ability going downhill, defensive intensity and more. The best Dybantsa moments are some of the most compelling film of any college prospect in a long time, and teams will be watching closely as he enters the grind of Big 12 play to see if he can keep his elite production up.

3. Cameron Boozer, Duke

Boozer’s athletic ceiling is a good deal lower than Dybantsa’s or Peterson’s, but his elite production against the best of the best in college basketball is hard to ignore. That he continues to shoot the three at a high level and flash expanded playmaking ability adds to Boozer’s long-term appeal significantly, and at some point he becomes a player not worth overthinking given his historic consistency at every level growing up.

4. Caleb Wilson, North Carolina

There are few players in the country more exciting to watch than Wilson, a bundle of energy who flies around for big dunks, rebounds and blocks to lead North Carolina to a strong start. His offensive ceiling may be capped some by his limitations as a shooter, but Wilson is certainly not a bad consolation prize to missing out on the star-level prospects like Peterson and Dybantsa.

5. Kingston Flemings, Houston

Flemings has jumped into the top spot among point guards in this class and into the top five, continuing to shine in big moments for Houston early in his college career. If teams believe in his three-point shooting (he’s at 40% on the season, a significant jump for a player who was hit and miss from deep in high school and AAU), his ceiling on draft night could be as high as fourth behind the Peterson, Dybantsa and Boozer core three.

6. Nate Ament, Tennessee

Ament was perceived entering this season as perhaps the most raw of the top prospects, so it hasn’t been surprising to see him take some lumps against quality competition. In seven games against top-100 competition he’s shooting under 40% from two, under 25% from three and turning it over at a high rate. Long term, experiencing this level of defensive attention should help him, and he still makes plenty of impressive plays with his length, touch and feel, but he’ll need to turn a corner offensively for Tennessee to reach its ceiling in the loaded SEC.

7. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville

Brown has been out since Dec. 13 with a lingering back injury, missing heavily scouted showdowns with Ament’s Tennessee and Boozer’s Duke teams. Teams would undoubtedly love to get more eyes on him throughout league play as other top point guards like Flemings and Darius Acuff play at an elite level, but in his first 10 games he showed why he’s a clear top-10 prospect with his dynamic scoring and playmaking off the dribble.

8. Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky

Quaintance made his season debut in mid-December after offseason knee surgery and gave Kentucky a spark against St. John’s, though he’s still very much still getting his feet under him at game speed. His best moments defensively are incredible to watch, and few prospects have physical tools quite like his.

9. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

There are times where Lendeborg simply feels too good for college basketball, overwhelming opponents as a 23-year-old with amazing size, skill and physicality. He’s an elite play finisher who has shined for Dusty May’s squad leading the break in transition, knocking down open threes and guarding multiple positions defensively.

10. Thomas Haugh, Florida

Florida’s up-and-down season has been kept afloat by Haugh, who continues to put up monster numbers and climb draft boards. He seems like a ready-made NBA contributor because of his ability to produce without needing plays drawn up for him, stacking buckets off savvy cuts, offensive rebounds and no-nonsense drives to the rim. He’s the type of high-feel big wing most teams would love to have.

11. Darius Acuff, Arkansas

Acuff is playing as well as any guard in college basketball at the moment, recently posting a career-high 29 points in a key early SEC victory over Tennessee. He’s an elite shot creator who has played with a level of maturity as a decision-maker that should serve him well at the next level.

12. Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

Stirtz’s unbelievably efficient brand of basketball has translated smoothly to the Big Ten at Iowa, where he’s the driving force offensively for a Hawkeyes team that has cracked the Top 25. It’s unlikely his NBA role will see him dominate the ball the way he does in Ben McCollum’s offense, but his shooting and feel give him a path to early playing time at the next level.

13. Karim López, NZ Breakers

López has established himself as an effective contributor in Australia’s NBL at 18 years old, averaging north of 10 points per game while shooting 36% and flashing defensive versatility thanks to his 7-foot wingspan. He should garner plenty of interest starting in the back half of the lottery.

14. Braylon Mullins, UConn

Mullins has had an up-and-down start at UConn after missing most of November with an ankle injury. At his best, he’s perhaps the most gifted shooter in this class, dynamic running off screens and shooting off movement. His ability to add value in other ways will be what dictates whether he can climb further up boards.

15. Hannes Steinbach, Washington

Steinbach has been a double-double machine at basically every level, so his monster numbers in college basketball shouldn’t be a huge surprise. While NBA teams will have to discern just how confident they are in him as a defender at the next level, Steinbach’s size, rebounding dominance and touch is enough to make him a safe first-round selection.

16. Koa Peat, Arizona

Peat will be an interesting evaluation for NBA teams as an undersized four-man who has made just two threes in the college season thus far. He’s a gifted ballhandler for his size and a tough cover when he gets downhill, but the fit won’t be for everyone.

17. Isaiah Evans, Duke

One of the most dynamic shooters in the class, Evans is coming off back-to-back explosive showings against Louisville and Florida State with a combined 10 made threes in those two games. He has his limitations otherwise, but could be in play as early as the late lottery with his size and lightning-fast release.

18. Cameron Carr, Baylor

Carr has finally put the immense potential that scouts consistently highlighted in practices the last two years on display in games this season at Baylor. He’s averaging 20.5 points per game, shooting 39.7% from deep and pops athletically as a long, bouncy wing with 25 dunks already this season.

19. Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama

Philon is having the monster year most expected when he returned for a second season at Alabama at the draft decision deadline a year ago. Most notable has been the jump he has made from three, shooting 36.3% at higher volume than the 32% he knocked down in 2024–25.

20. Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Wagler isn’t an explosive athlete, but few prospects in this class have the combination of size, playmaking and shooting that he brings to the table. Multiple scouts have mentioned him as a potential lottery-level prospect, a near unthinkable rise from being a little-known recruit with just two high-major offers a year ago.

21. Chris Cenac Jr., Houston

Cenac’s production has cooled of late as the raw, near 7-footer continues to adjust to the physicality and speed of the college game. The upside is enough to be appealing to the right team, but perhaps he’d be better served (particularly in this NIL environment) to consider a second year of college for development purposes.

22. Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor

Just as he did in high school, Yessoufou is stacking buckets at an elite level, averaging 17.5 points per game in his first college season. Scouts will want to see consistency from beyond the arc and enough ball skills to play as a true wing in the NBA.

23. Dash Daniels, Melbourne

Like his older brother Dyson, Dash Daniels is an intriguing long-term prospect whose defensive impact will be ahead of his offensive game on draft night. Still just 18 years old with elite measurables and having seen his brother take major strides, it’s not hard to talk yourself into Daniels as early as the late lottery.

24. Dame Sarr, Duke

Sarr’s production at Duke has been inconsistent, playing a narrow offensive role involving mostly just catch-and-shoot threes and looks in transition. His size and length on the wing are impressive. He has shown flashes earlier in his career as a playmaker, but he seems a ways away from making a sizable NBA impact.

25. Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s

Ejiofor has been the bright spot in a disappointing St. John’s season to date, posting one monster stat line after another thanks to his elite motor and improving offensive arsenal. He’s undersized and isn’t a proven three-point threat yet, but he’s the type of game-ready big who could add value as a rebounder and energy-giver off the bench at the next level.

26. Patrick Ngongba II, Duke

Ngongba’s mobility has popped this season as Duke has deployed him in a wide variety of ball-screen coverages, allowing him to display his mobility on the perimeter to go with his rim-protecting skills. He’s not a particularly impressive athlete nor a floor spacer, but he warrants consideration in the back half of the first round.

27. Aday Mara, Michigan

Part of Michigan’s three-headed frontcourt monster, the 7' 3" Spaniard has plenty of appeal as a rotational frontcourt piece because of his ability to impact shots defensively. Mara has turned the corner this season after transferring from UCLA to play for May.

28. Dailyn Swain, Texas

Swain has been a bright spot on an underperforming Texas team, averaging career highs across the board after transferring from Xavier to follow Sean Miller. It’d be nice to see his three-point percentage tick up, but jumbo playmakers with Swain’s finishing ability are intriguing.

29. Neoklis Avdalas, Virginia Tech

Avdalas chose Virginia Tech for the chance to play a major role on the ball and has experienced the ups and downs of that halfway through his freshman season, struggling at times with efficiency but showcasing intriguing flashes as a 6' 9" ballhandler with legitimate off-the-dribble shotmaking. He figures to have an interesting draft decision ahead of him between returning to college for another big payday or rolling the dice as a one-and-done.

30. Braden Smith, Purdue

Guards as small as Smith are hard to find in the NBA, but the newly minted all-time Big Ten assists leader is the type of basketball savant that will get a chance to be an outlier. His playmaking, IQ and shooting give him a chance to stick as a savvy second-unit floor general.

31. Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
32. Sergio De Larrea, Valencia
33. Henri Veesaar, North Carolina
34. Paul McNeil Jr., NC State
35. Meleek Thomas, Arkansas
36. Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
37. Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
38. Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
39. Alex Karaban, UConn
40. Juke Harris, Wake Forest
41. JT Toppin, Texas Tech
42. Joseph Tugler, Houston
43. Flory Bidunga, Kansas
44. Brayden Burries, Arizona
45. Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
46. Kylan Boswell, Illinois
47. Milos Uzan, Houston
48. Alex Condon, Florida
49. Ryan Conwell, Louisville
50. Zvonimir Ivišić, Illinois

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