Looking at Top Three NBA Draft Prospects For Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are primed to have a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and that selection could change the future of the franchise.

This is a very talented draft class at the top, and the Pacers are angling themselves towards getting a franchise player next to Tyrese Halliburton, Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac. Some members of the Indiana Pacers on SI staff gave their opinion when asked about which top draft prospect intrigues them the most going into the offseason.

Cameron Boozer, Duke

Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer shoots a free throw during the second half. | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Cameron Boozer intrigues me the most for the Pacers because he would be a perfect fit. He is a bruising low post scorer. He can be a high-level offensive connector with this ability to process information instantly. The fact that he can shoot the 3-ball as well makes him just right for this high-octane group when Haliburton returns. — Adel Burton

AJ Dybantsa, BYU

BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa waits to answer media questions. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Indiana will be pleased to successfully keep a top pick, but if the basketball gods control lottery luck and deliver the opportunity to have their top choice, BYU's AJ Dybantsa fits in best. His ability to thrive at a fast tempo, defend multiple positions and replace a key piece in Bennedict Mathurin, who was moved to help land Ivica Zubac, makes him the ideal choice. — Tony Mejia

The Pacers are primed to leap out of this gap year, and so anyone they take should be ready to compete right away. The Pacers don't need a point guard or a center, with Tyrese Haliburton returning and Ivica Zubac joining the fold. So it's about the best complement to Pascal Siakam at the forward and wing spots, and I'll nudge AJ Dybantsa ahead of Cameron Boozer just a bit, in terms of compatability. The question, of course, is whether Dybantsa will come out of college, though maybe he'd be more likely if Indiana is positioned to take him than, say, Sacramento. — Ethan J. Skolnick

Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson dribbles the ball during the first half of the game against the Arizona Wildcats. | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

The Pacers need to grab the best player available, and in this draft that's Kansas guard Darryn Peterson.

Peterson would completely raise the ceiling for the Pacers and give Tyrese Haliburton a shooting guard that he can work alongside with. The hope is that the Pacers can get right back into the thick of things in the Eastern Conference next season, and their chances of that are greatest with Peterson as the Pacers' pick. — Jeremy Brener