BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft concluded Wednesday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, delivering a memorable evening of elite talent, blockbuster trades, and franchise-defining selections.
As expected, the Washington Wizards used the No. 1 overall pick on BYU star AJ Dybantsa, the consensus top prospect in this year’s class. The Utah Jazz followed by selecting Kansas standout Darryn Peterson at No. 2, while the Memphis Grizzlies rounded out the top three with Duke forward Cameron Boozer.
The draft also proved historic for the University of Michigan, which saw three players selected in the lottery, highlighting the program’s growing influence on NBA talent development.
AJ Dybantsa Headlines the 2026 NBA Draft
The Wizards entered draft night with a clear objective and wasted little time securing Dybantsa, a versatile forward widely regarded as the best player available.
Known for his scoring ability, athleticism, and defensive versatility, Dybantsa is expected to become the centerpiece of Washington’s rebuilding efforts.
Meanwhile, Peterson’s selection by Utah gives the Jazz a dynamic offensive weapon, while Boozer arrives in Memphis as one of the most polished prospects in the draft class.
Top 10 Picks of the 2026 NBA Draft
- Washington Wizards — AJ Dybantsa (BYU)
- Utah Jazz — Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
- Memphis Grizzlies — Cameron Boozer (Duke)
- Chicago Bulls — Caleb Wilson (North Carolina)
- Los Angeles Clippers — Keaton Wagler (Illinois)
- Brooklyn Nets — Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville)
- Sacramento Kings — Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas)
- Atlanta Hawks — Kingston Flemings (Houston)
- Dallas Mavericks — Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan)
- Milwaukee Bucks — Brayden Burries (Arizona)
Picks 11-20: Teams Continue Building for the Future
- Golden State Warriors — Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan)
- Oklahoma City Thunder — Aday Mara (Michigan)
- Miami Heat — Nate Ament (Tennessee) — later traded to Milwaukee
- Charlotte Hornets — Hannes Steinbach (Washington)
- Chicago Bulls — Dailyn Swain (Texas)
- Memphis Grizzlies — Bennett Stirtz (Iowa) — later traded to Oklahoma City
- Oklahoma City Thunder — Ebuka Okorie (Stanford) — later traded to Detroit
- Charlotte Hornets — Christian Anderson (Texas Tech)
- Toronto Raptors — Allen Graves (Santa Clara)
- San Antonio Spurs — Jayden Quaintance (Kentucky)
Picks 21-30: Trades Dominate the Closing Stages
- Detroit Pistons — Karim López (NZ Breakers) — traded to Memphis
- Philadelphia 76ers — Labaron Philon Jr. (Alabama)
- Atlanta Hawks — Zuby Ejiofor (St. John’s)
- New York Knicks — Cameron Carr (Baylor) — traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
- Los Angeles Lakers — Sergio De Larrea (Spain) — traded to the Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets — Tarris Reed Jr. (UConn) — traded to the San Antonio Spurs
- Boston Celtics — Chris Cenac Jr. (Houston)
- Minnesota Timberwolves — Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State) — traded to the Brooklyn Nets
- Cleveland Cavaliers — Alex Karaban (UConn) — traded to the Sacramento Kings
- Dallas Mavericks — Koa Peat (Arizona) — traded to the Phoenix Suns
Biggest Draft Night Trades
Several teams aggressively reshaped their futures through draft-night deals.
The Milwaukee Bucks acquired highly regarded forward Nate Ament after Miami selected him at No. 13, while Oklahoma City moved up to secure guard Bennett Stirtz from Memphis.
The Detroit Pistons also emerged as major players in the trade market, landing Ebuka Okorie after Oklahoma City selected him at No. 17.
Later in the evening, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Cameron Carr, while the Dallas Mavericks landed Spanish prospect Sergio De Larrea through a separate trade involving New York.
Memphis Grizzlies Execute Strategic Draft Masterclass
One of the night’s most intriguing stories involved the Memphis Grizzlies.
The franchise moved down from the No. 16 selection, collecting five future second-round picks in the process. Despite sliding back, Memphis still secured highly touted international prospect Karim López, a move many analysts viewed as one of the smartest pieces of business completed during the draft.
The deal simultaneously allowed Oklahoma City to move up and select Bennett Stirtz, creating a win-win scenario for both organizations.
New York Knicks Trade Out of the First Round
The New York Knicks made one of the boldest strategic decisions of the night by completely exiting the first round.
By moving picks No. 24 and No. 25 in separate transactions, New York accumulated future draft assets while creating additional financial flexibility under the NBA’s increasingly restrictive salary cap and second-apron rules.
The decision signals a long-term approach as the franchise balances roster construction with financial sustainability.
Key Takeaways from the 2026 NBA Draft
The 2026 NBA Draft delivered exactly what fans expected: elite talent, major trades, and significant roster reshaping across the league.
AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer headline a draft class loaded with potential franchise players, while organizations such as Memphis, Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, and Dallas strengthened their futures through strategic draft-night maneuvering.
With the first round complete, attention now turns to the second round and the upcoming NBA Summer League, where the league’s newest stars will begin their professional journeys.
Whether measured by talent, drama, or blockbuster trades, the 2026 NBA Draft will be remembered as one of the most fascinating draft nights in recent NBA history.
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