Wizards come out victorious in historic lottery
By Jack Dusek
On Sunday, the NBA Draft order was decided with the lottery. In previous years, many teams some would say were underserving the top overall pick jumped up to first, but not this year. The team with the worst record, the Washington Wizards captured the top pick in a star-studded draft. Following them in the top four is the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, and Chicago Bulls.
Some of the largest losers from this year’s lottery are the Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, and Sacramento Kings. At the trade deadline, Indiana dealt their first-round pick, but it was top four protected meaning they would keep it if they landed a top pick. Given 50-50 odds at the start, Indiana just barely fell out and the Clippers gained the fifth pick. Both Brooklyn and Sacramento have been terrible the past few years, but neither have been rewarded with a top pick, a trend which has continued in 2026. Rounding out the lottery are the Hawks, Mavericks, Bucks, Warriors, Thunder, Heat, and Hornets.
Looking at the players, there is a consensus top three prospects in G Darryn Peterson, G AJ Dybantsa, and F Cameron Boozer. Peterson is an uber-athletic wing who is a fantastic shooter and can score on the inside along with being a quality defender, with Devin Booker comps. However, his biggest concern is the injury issues he dealt with while at Kansas. Dybantsa is a lengthy point guard and is the best scorer in the draft. He would consistently drop 40-point games at BYU, drawing comparisons to a taller Tracy McGrady. Dybantsa did struggle on the defensive side of the ball despite his 6-9 frame, and sometimes got tunnel vision and took a tough shot rather than the open pass. In Boozer’s case, he won the Wooden Award for best player in college last year, and has an extremely high basketball IQ. He is very skilled in all facets of the game and was a dominant force in the paint in college. Boozer’s one weakness would be his slowness, and a question of whether he can keep up with Power Forwards in the NBA. With his similar playstyle and going to the same school, Boozer is often compared to Paolo Banchero.
The next player is in a tier by himself, in F. Caleb Wilson. He is the highest-flying prospect but has a relatively undeveloped game and dealt with a broken thumb, missing March Madness. For what he lacks on the offensive side, he is an amazing defender, normally picking up the best offensive forward for North Carolina last year. At picks 5-8, it is an expected run of four guards. Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown Jr.
For the back end of the lottery, look out for players like G Brayden Burries, F Nate Ament, G LaBaron Philon Jr., F Yaxel Lendeborg F Karim Lopez, and F Hannes Steinbach