The historic 2026 NBA Draft class features generational talents in Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and BYU forward AJ Dybantsa and is poised to tie the 2017 class for the most freshmen taken in the top 10 with nine. The lone exception? Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance, who was initially slated to be a true freshman this season but reclassified in high school.
The 2025 recruiting class has exceeded expectations in its debut season. Nine of the top 10 recruits are projected as first-round picks in May’s NBA Draft while the top five — Peterson, Dybantsa, Duke‘s Cameron Boozer, Tennessee‘s Nate Ament and Arkansas‘ Darius Acuff Jr. — are all expected to go in the top 10.
CBS Sports college basketball analyst Gary Parrish and 247Sports national director of scouting Adam Finkelstein shared their latest predictions and insights for the top-10 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft — and the order will come as a surprise to many.
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Here is the most recent projection for the top-10 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft amid conference tournament week.