Published on February 11, 2026 11 min. reading
A true bridge between NBA seasons, the Draft constantly brings us surprises, both good and bad, that are more or less unexpected. A major event in the Major League, every year franchises are willing to ruin an entire campaign just for these two days (hello Kings).
The 2026 crop is particularly consistent. While a trio stands out, the rest of the roster is also very solid. That’s what we’ll see in this Top 10, in which players will be ranked according to the following two criteria: intrinsic talent and NBA readiness.
So, who will succeed the talented Copper Flagg ?
10) Darius Acuff Jr (Point guard for the Arkansas Razorbacks) : He’s a bit of a sensation who gets things started. Standing at 6’2″, Darius Acuff Jr seemed closer to the second round than the top 10 just a few months ago. So something must have happened for the point guard to find himself in our ranking. Classified as a one-dimensional champagne player, the Arkansas player has taken on a large part of his team’s offensive responsibility. Of course, there are tons of brilliant players with the ball in their hands in the NCAA. But Darius Acuff Jr isn’t content with just scoring. No, he makes his team win! For an offensive firecracker, he plays particularly accurately and reads the game rather well. While he is not yet a Chris Paul-type passer, he rarely forces the issue, as evidenced by his shooting percentages. His mentality is surely his main added value compared to his counterparts, along with his talent. Despite his desire, his physical limitations are likely to haunt him throughout his career on defence. The past has shown us that this weakness can be very costly for guards. But the desire to do well is there. His profile could be compared to that of Coby White or even Stephon Marbury. The fact that he is older than his two successors in the rankings puts him back in this respectable 10th place. His ceiling also seems a little lower than the rest of the ranking.
9) Jayden Quaintance (Centre for the Arizona State Sun Devils) : A buffalo ! Jayden Quaintance is a buffalo… with an unstable knee. Having just recovered from a cruciate ligament injury that kept him off the court for nearly a year, the Kentucky player has not lost his appeal to scouts. In an era where the need for a big, dominant centre is back in vogue, the Cleveland native is certainly one of, if not the best rim protector in this class. His 2.6 blocks per game average last season at Arizona State is one of the reasons he is so attractive to the NBA. His physical qualities, including his elite vertical explosiveness, make him an exceptional athlete. He can also defend different positions thanks to his mobility and is not too bad at setting screens. He is the spitting image of Jalen Duren. Beyond his knee injury, his offensive range and height (2.08m) are significant shortcomings that prevent him from aiming higher.
8) Koa Peat (Forward, Arizona Wildcats) : Koa Peat is a divisive figure in the NBA. Over the months, his range of picks seems to have widened, varying between 7th and 20th place in mock drafts. The forward actually fills a very specific need. He is surely one of the prospects whose lottery pick will have the biggest influence on his time spent in the green room. If a franchise is looking for an ultra-athletic combo forward who excels at rebounding, the Arizona player is the perfect person. His tenacity and solidity in impacts make him a player who is already physically NBA-ready. When Koa Peat is on the court, he benefits all his teammates with his enormous productivity. However, there is a ‘but’. And not just any ‘but’: he is still far from the standards of a modern power forward in terms of shooting accuracy. His shot is clearly a work in progress. While he can score on almost any defence thanks to his physical maturity, spreading the play in his presence is risky due to his inconsistent shooting. This Achilles heel is highly unpopular in our NBA. His slight edge in talent combined with his superior physical condition allows him to edge out Jayden Quaintance. But for the Top 7, it’s still not enough.
7) Nate Ament (Forward for the Tennessee Volunteers) : Zaccharie Risacher showed us again in 2024: the NBA loves forwards over 2.05 metres tall. And Nate Ament should be no exception to the rule. His 2.06 metres of talent are catching the eye of scouts. Fresh out of high school, the Virginia native was among the most serious contenders for the top spots in this year’s draft. A few months into the NCAA season, however, enthusiasm for him has cooled considerably. Already a bit frail in high school, the Volunteers forward has been hit hard by the physicality of his opponents. This was immediately reflected in his play. He created less, his percentages dropped and his drives became increasingly rare. With him, patience will be required. We are talking about a rough diamond that needs polishing. But that will take time, and God knows how fast everything moves in the NBA. Even though he still seems far from reaching his full potential, he is averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds. His potential is undeniable. It is this balance between talent and expectation that will ultimately determine his final ranking. For now, he occupies 7th place. Not quite NBA ready to aim higher, but talented enough to surpass his predecessors.
6) Mikel Brown Jr (Point guard for the Louisville Cardinals) : Much like Nate Ament, Mikel Brown Jr intrigues scouts. He too has yet to live up to the promise he showed in high school. His regular season has been… irregular! The point guard has all the hallmarks of a player brimming with talent but unable to perform at the same level game after game. He can score 29 points against Kentucky and then shoot 15% from the field in the next game. Amidst his rollercoaster ride, one thing is certain about the Orlando native: we are still only at the beginning of the process. While the guard is physically up to the task, his basketball IQ still leaves something to be desired. His flashes of genius contrast with a rather individualistic character. When he has the ball in his hands, he puts on blinders and heads straight for the basket. This enthusiasm, which is the antithesis of what is required of point guards, leads to a lot of waste in his game. His lack of impact on defence is also a concern. But given the rarity and potential of his skills, Brown could experience a meteoric rise if he manages to put everything together. This bundle of uncertainties prevents him from making it into the Top 5.
5) Kingston Flemings (Point guard for the Houston Cougars) : The pleasant surprise of the first half of the season comes from Houston. Kingston Flemings has been impressive since his first steps in the NCAA. However, at the start of the 2025-2026 season, he was barely in the top 20 of most mock drafts. Today, he is a potential Top 5 pick. The best point guard in our ranking excels in every aspect of the game. At 18, he already has many strings to his bow: passing, dribbling, speed, reading the game, skill, talent… He is unanimously praised by scouts! In the space of a few weeks, Kingston Flemings has gone from being a prospect from Texas to the star of the 2026 Draft. A particle accelerator, the game changes pace as soon as the ball is in his hands. Yes, he’s not the most talented or the best defender. But the hype surrounding him is reminiscent of that surrounding Markelle Fultz. Except this time, the NBA world is hoping that it will all come together.
4) Caleb Wilson (Power forward at North Carolina) : Caleb Wilson is another promising prospect. At the ultra-competitive University of North Carolina, he has made a name for himself. His combination of size, athleticism and vertical leap gives him a wide range of skills on both sides of the court. Without the ball, he is particularly versatile. Defending big centres as well as forwards and even guards is no problem for him. And with the ball in his hands, he has the skills and passing ability to play both inside and outside. Scouts knew his strengths coming out of high school, but his rise to prominence in the world’s best college league took recruiters by surprise. Today, his place in the Top 5 is virtually assured. It remains to be seen whether he can translate his game to March Madness, as his finishing from both close range and distance still leaves franchises perplexed. It is difficult to imagine him as the first or even second option for a team contending for the championship. This specific point is precisely what separates our Top 3 from the rest of the Draft.
3) Cameron Boozer (Forward for the Duke Blue Devils) : Kyrie Irving, JJ Redick, Jayson Tatum, Jabari Parker, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish… and soon Cameron Boozer! The new jewel in the Duke crown is destroying every defence he comes up against. If the Blue Devils have only conceded two narrow defeats since the start of the season, it is largely thanks to him. The 2.05m forward is living up to expectations. Better still, he’s exceeding them! With solid shooting percentages, he’s averaging almost a double-double with more than 20 points per game. His impeccable attitude, sense of the game, reading of the game and, above all, his versatility already make him an offensive asset for any NBA team. However, on closer inspection, there are a few gaps. Boozer still lacks vertical explosiveness and his physical inferiority is regularly felt, especially on defence. His skill set resembles that of another Duke alumnus: RJ Barrett. The Floridian could have been a contender for the first pick in other drafts. But this year, the level of the top two players is such that he is ‘only’ in third place.
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2) AJ Dybantsa (Forward for the Brigham Young Cougars) : At just 18 years old, AJ Dybantsa tied a 30-year-old record by becoming the first NCAA Division I freshman to score more than 20 points with a shooting percentage of over 50% in nine consecutive games. An exceptional statistic that matches his talent. The Cougars forward shines with his fluidity on the court. When you watch him, everything looks so easy. His stride, worthy of an Olympic jumper, helps him line up drives that are increasingly difficult to defend. This also earns him a lot of fouls. Add to that his strength in creating his own shot, and this player becomes almost impossible to defend throughout a game. Offensively, the only thing missing from his toolbox is a truly reliable three-point shot. On the other hand, without the ball, his lack of aggression is a problem. This hint of nonchalance prevents him from fully exploiting his physical superiority. This long-distance duel for the first pick looks set to remain undecided until the end of the season. But in the end, it’s talent that counts!
1) Darryn Peterson (Point guard for the Kansas Jayhawks) : His stats are far from the most impressive, especially when compared to the other two members of our top three. However, Darryn Peterson clearly has the best ‘potential – NBA Ready’ ratio in his class. Capable of playing both backcourt positions, the 18-year-old combo guard plays with very little waste for his age. He doesn’t force the issue and responds to what the game demands of him. Forged in ice, time seems to stand still when he has the ball in his hands. He always has that split second advantage over his opponents, that extra bit of insight that makes all the difference. And when he is at his best, his athleticism gives him an element of unpredictability. But the problem with the Kansas player is precisely his health. His biggest weakness by far remains his hamstrings. Since November, he has been struggling with this injury without ever being able to exploit 100% of his physical potential. This inability to string together games has thrown a huge chill over the entire league. Without it, he would be the undisputed number one pick. His Kobe-like qualities make him all the more attractive. But if he fails to play several games in a row between now and the end of the season, his name could fall behind that of AJ Dybantsa. Until the very end, the suspense will be total as to the outcome.