Canton Native Darryn Peterson Atop Assorted 2026 Nba Mock Drafts

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 10, 2026, 4:07 AM

canton native darryn peterson atop assorted 2026 nba mock drafts

The second 2026 Aggregate Mock NBA Draft continues to see the Top 3 players in this year's draft class being heralded as potentially better than last year's top pick, Cooper Flagg. After the Top 3, there's going to be a lot of movement in the lottery and the back half of the first round. While risers like Germans Hannes Steinbach and Johann Grunloh are among the international players that've come across overseas, Neoklis Avdalas is one you should really keep an eye on. More and more international prospects, who before this recent surge of talent coming across the pond might have been draft-and-stash candidates or second-rounders on two-way deals, are now getting up-close looks and playing regularly... As a result, their value can rise quickly. These are some quick thoughts we put together for every player in the Top 60 of the second aggregate mock draft, based on conversations with executives, assistant coaches, and scouts.

NOTE: These rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for the overall consensus, not our own opinion and for this AMD we used mocks from; NBADraft, CBS Sports, The Athletic, Bleacher Report... Statistics: 21.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.0 spg, 1.0 bpg, 60.0% FG, 50.0% 3P in two games this season The NBA season is quickly approaching the end of its first full month, but some teams — as always — are already looking to the future. The NBA draft has seen potentially generational players come through in recent seasons, from Victor Wembanyama going to the San Antonio Spurs as the No. 1 overall selection in 2023, to Cooper Flagg heading to the Dallas Mavericks in April. The 2026 NBA draft class is poised to be deep and loaded with talent, offering teams the chance to instantly improve.

And, given the instant impacts rookies like Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Cedric Coward and VJ Edgecombe have already had this season, this upcoming class should provide the same upside. Here is the first USA TODAY Sports 2026 NBA mock draft of the season: Draft order determined via record through Nov. 24 games With the 2025-26 college basketball season just around the corner, we can now shift our attention to the top prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft. There’s palpable excitement around next year’s draft class, with incoming freshmen Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa expected to headline the field of prospects.

Here’s an early 2026 NBA mock draft. Dive into PFSN's FREE NBA Mock Draft Simulator and take the place of any of the 30 GMs around the league. The Washington Wizards failed in their bid to win the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes last season and got the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. They have an opportunity to get another franchise player next year, with Darryn Peterson expected to land in Washington if the Wizards nab the No. 1 pick in the 2026 Draft.

Peterson will be playing his freshman season at Kansas, arriving as the Jayhawks’ highest-ever recruited high school star. He won the Naismith High School Player of the Year award and earned McDonald’s All-American honors following the 2024-25 campaign. The Utah Jazz are another team that tried to land Cooper Flagg in last year’s draft. They ended up getting the No. 5 pick in the first round despite having the worst record in the entire league last season. They will have another chance to get a franchise-caliber forward next year, with AJ Dybantsa expected to go to Utah if the Jazz nab the No.

2 selection in the 2026 Draft. NBA MOCK DRAFTS: Older Mocks – 2021 – 2022 – 2023 – 2024 – 2025 – 2026 – 2027 – 2028 – 2029 – 2030 Watching the 2025 NBA draft was so much fun that skipping to 2026 is a moral imperative. Not really, but, yes, it is. Especially considering it will involve one of the area’s own. With this year’s draft put to bed, the focus will intensify on shooting guard and Canton native Darryn Peterson.

Peterson, who played his final year of high school basketball at Prolific Prep in California this past school year and will be attending Kansas in the fall, is a consensus Top 3 pick in... 1 overall. Join the discussion → Share your thoughts! Read more from our local writers → Parental Rights v Armada Schools - Andrew Eberly We have yet to hit the 2025 NBA Draft, but already, there are signs of who will go No. 1 in 2026.

That’s because ESPN experts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have published their first ’26 mock draft. And the No. 1 player on that list? Darryn Peterson, the 6-foot-6 combo guard who’s headed to Kansas next season. For those of you in Northeast Ohio, Peterson’s high school career began at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (my alma mater), where he played his freshman and senior seasons. Along with Peterson, A.J.

Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and Nate Ament all generating significant buzz from NBA scouts. Peterson currently plays at Prolific Prep in California and sits atop ESPN’s abbreviated 2026 draft board. The Kansas commit has impressed talent evaluators with his all-around game, particularly his ability to create shots. Watching the 2025 NBA draft was so much fun that skipping to 2026 is a moral imperative. Not really, but, yes, it is. Especially considering it will involve one of the area’s own.

With this year’s draft put to bed, the focus will intensify on shooting guard and Canton native Darryn Peterson. Peterson, who played his final year of high school basketball at Prolific Prep in California this past school year and will be attending Kansas in the fall, is a consensus Top 3 pick in... 1 overall. He is viewed as a franchise player along with A.J. Dybantsa, who has committed to BYU and Cameron Boozer, who will play at Duke. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has Peterson going No.

1 overall. Here is the first aggregate mock draft for 2026, compiled from only eight of the usual 10 mock drafts available to create a composite ranking. At this early stage, opinions are highly conflicting, making it challenging to reach a consensus. Consequently, there are significant differences in player evaluations once we move beyond the Top 20 prospects. Personally, a rule of thumb is to avoid "over-scouting" teenagers in high school gyms and try to keep tabs on how they perform as they enter college (or overseas as professionals). Having experienced a growth spurt myself at 23, going from 5-11 to 6-1.

I recognize how much these young athletes can change physically (and mentally) in a short amount of time (or be a late bloomer). A perfect example is Kevon Looney, if you look at his high school mixtape, you might have assumed he would become the next great scoring forward. Instead, he transformed into a strong, high feel, big man after overcoming various injuries. Currently, as we evaluate prospects, it’s important to note that some freshmen and transfers haven't even arrived on campus yet. This year, we’re also seeing an influx of European talent due to the NIL opportunities. With colleges implementing salary caps, many international players choose college basketball over staying in European leagues where they would compete for minutes against seasoned veterans fighting to support their families.

An explanation for HoopsHype’s Draft Predictor from colleague Alberto de Roa, who contributed research to this story, can be found here. NOTE: These rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for the overall consensus, not our own opinion.

Canton Native Darryn Peterson Atop Assorted 2026 Nba Mock Drafts

People Also Search

The Second 2026 Aggregate Mock NBA Draft Continues To See

NOTE: These Rankings Reflect The Composite Score To Get A

And, Given The Instant Impacts Rookies Like Flagg, Kon Knueppel,

Here’s An Early 2026 NBA Mock Draft. Dive Into PFSN's

Peterson Will Be Playing His Freshman Season At Kansas, Arriving