Dybantsa Leads The Athletic’s Promise-Rfilled 2026 NBA Draft Big Board

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie unveils the first 2026 NBA Draft Big Board, headlined by AJ Dybantsa atop Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer in a class praised for depth. The piece explains guard-heavy breakout potential, standout freshmen and sophomores, and the strict top-100 rules (no freshmen outside top 40, no underclassmen outside top 70). Dybantsa dominates with 23.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.8 APG for BYU, while Peterson’s health questions linger but aren’t believed to derail his stock, Quaintance’s defensive impact resurfaces for Kentucky, and Iowa State’s Jefferson and Lipsey drive a strong Cyclone contingent. The board stresses ceiling, fit, and continued development as conference play unfolds.