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Gary Parrish's first mock draft after Sunday's lottery has a few surprises

May 11, 2026 at 9:18 am ET 1 min read

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In what's been described as the greatest freshman class in men's college basketball history, AJ Dybantsa has emerged as the favorite out of all of them to be selected first overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. And now we know, after Sunday's lottery, that if it does indeed go down that way, the one-and-done star from BYU will be a Wizard.

Congrats, Washington fans!

Thanks to the way the ping pong balls bounced, your reward for suffering through a 17-65 season is the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, where the expectation is that the Wizards will pick Dybantsa. Is that a lock? No, I wouldn't consider it a lock -- mostly because there's nothing unreasonable about Washington (or any other franchise) taking a hard look at Darryn Peterson, the combo guard from Kansas whose talent is undeniable.

Peterson deserves a serious look.

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But the uneven way in which Peterson's one season at Kansas unfolded, combined with how statistically incredible Dybantsa's one year was at BYU, has made the former BYU star a -450 favorite in the betting markets to be the first player picked. That's pretty overwhelming. So, barring a surprise, Dybantsa-to-Washington will happen.

Peterson should go second. And then, for the rest of their careers, Dybantsa and Peterson will be tied together, contrasted and compared. My guess is that both will be great. But Dybantsa is largely considered the safer bet between the two, and that's likely why he'll hear NBA commissioner Adam Silver call his name first June 23.

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