We're less than three weeks away from the 2026 NBA Draft, and while the consensus has remained that BYU's AJ Dybantsa will be the No. 1 pick by the Washington Wizards, not everyone agrees with that.
Some believe Kansas guard Darryn Peterson has the draft's highest ceiling, while others believe that Duke's Cameron Boozer is the most obvious star out of the bunch. Boozer undoubtedly has the highest floor in the draft, as we all just watched him dominate college basketball as an 18-year-old freshman. He was the runaway National Player of the Year, and yet he hasn't generated nearly as much buzz in the first overall pick conversation as the other two.
The general consensus has continued to be that Boozer's most likely landing spot will be with the Memphis Grizzlies with the 3rd overall pick.
But the consensus among draftniks is not necessarily the consensus in NBA front offices. As Draft Express' Jonathan Givony has pointed out, analytics departments in the NBA are in love with Boozer, and that could cause him to be a serious No. 1 pick candidate.
In a perfect world, FanSided's Christopher Kline believes Boozer would be the top pick. In a recent mock draft that has Kline making what he believes is the "perfect" pick for each team, Boozer goes No. 1 to the Wizards.
FanSided mock draft has Cameron Boozer at No. 1 overall to the Washington Wizards
The Wizards are closer to competing in the Eastern Conference than you might believe, despite winning just 17 games during the 2025-26 season. They acquired a couple of stars at the NBA's trade deadline, landing both Trae Young and Anthony Davis, pairing the All-Stars with an intriguing young core.
Add in Boozer to that group, and it wouldn't take much of a logical leap to believe Washington could be a playoff team next season by finishing in the top six of the East. Boozer is going to make a big impact immediately. Regardless of what you believe about this ceiling or the ceiling of others like Dybantsa and Peterson, no prospect is more NBA-ready than the superstar from Duke.
"Boozer is not the flashy, high-octane scorer we tend to associate with top draft picks, but he's unbelievably polished and versatile, with an NBA-ready frame," Kline writes. "Boozer processes the floor at light speed, delivers passes all over the floor on a rope and scores efficiently at all three levels. He has the handle to attack slow-footed bigs on the perimeter and the strength to pummel wings in the post. Any defensive concerns are mitigated next to Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis in Washington's frontcourt.
Boozer's all-around feel for the game is advanced far beyond his age. Any concerns about his athleticism should be mitigated by that and the fact that he projects to be a lethal shooter at the next level. His three-point shot continues to be his most underrated trait; he shot 39.1% from three on good volume at Duke, and he showcased his NBA-ready shot at the combine.
Regardless of whether it's the Wizards who take Boozer or if he lands at No. 3 with the Grizzlies, it won't take much time before the selection pays major dividends for the team that is fortunate enough to land him.
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