The highest of the 2026 NBA Draft is shaping as much as be an all-timer. Case and level? The NBA season began simply over every week in the past, and followers of groups who don’t have any shot at competing for the title are already beginning to consider the lottery balls that may rattle round in mid-Could that may determine who will get the best to pick out the following future famous person of the league.
By now, you are in all probability aware of the “Massive Three” on this upcoming draft class: Kansas‘ Darryn Peterson, Duke’s Cameron Boozer and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa. All three of these gamers are in competition to go No. 1 in about eight months. However there’s one other title that ought to’ve hypothetically been in competition: Cooper Flagg.
The 2024-25 CBS Sports activities Participant of the 12 months put up a historic one-and-done season at Duke after reclassifying to the 2024 recruiting cycle to hitch the Blue Devils in time for the 2024-25 marketing campaign. There was little doubt that Flagg was going to be the No. 1 decide within the 2025 draft from the second he determined to reclassify to play school basketball a yr early.
In actual fact, the time period “Seize the Flagg” made its manner round social media all through the NBA season from followers of groups hoping they might get to root for him at some point. It did not matter who bought the decide as a result of Flagg’s versatility as a two-way participant made him an ideal match for anybody choosing on the prime. It simply so occurred to be that the Dallas Mavericks — months faraway from buying and selling face-of-the-franchise Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers — had been the staff that received the lottery.
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The principle distinction between this yr’s class and final yr’s is that there is not a participant who has separated himself from the pack … but. That is not a foul factor as a result of the race for who finally ends up going No. 1 is brewing to be probably the most intriguing races we now have seen in a while.
It is a stark distinction to the 2024 NBA Draft, when there was collective doubt within the weeks and months main as much as draft night time on who could be the No. 1 decide. Bluntly, the highest of that class lacked true star energy. If any of the three gamers talked about had been in that class, they might’ve been the clear-cut No. 1 decide. The Atlanta Hawks ended up choosing Zaccharie Risacher from France over fellow countryman Alex Sarr.
Trying again on the 2025 recruiting class
As soon as upon a time, Flagg was a member of the 2025 highschool recruiting class alongside Boozer and Peterson. Dybantsa, who was initially within the 2026 recruiting class, reclassified simply months after Flagg, which put him ready to enroll at school a yr earlier and be eligible for the 2026 draft.
From the second Flagg reclassified, it was virtually a moot level on who was going No. 1 in 2025. Whether or not you needed to name the race from the second he reclassified in 2023, or went the conservative route and waited till he performed a sport at Duke, there was little doubt about who NBA commissioner Adam Silver would announce because the No. 1 decide. Dylan Harper, who was the No. 2 total decide this previous summer season, was definitely thought to be one heck of a comfort prize, however he honestly wasn’t on the identical degree prospect-wise as Flagg.
If Flagg had by no means reclassified, there might need been some debate — in contrast to earlier years — on who was going to be the No. 1 decide. That is not a knock on Flagg in any respect. It solely proves how robust the upcoming class is. 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein, who has seen all of those gamers play extensively over time, nonetheless thinks Flagg would’ve nonetheless gone No. 1 in a loaded class.
“Brief reply — sure he would,” Finkelstein stated. “He is nonetheless the prospect who has the perfect mixed overlap of offensive and defensive impression and potential. Concurrently, he checks the extra intangible packing containers as a hyper-competitor, excessive processor of the sport, and confirmed historical past of continued enchancment.”
247 Sports activities Director of Basketball Eric Bossi agrees that Flagg would nonetheless be No. 1 in 2026 if all 4 gamers had been hypothetically in the identical draft class.
“Flagg would nonetheless be my No. 1 participant if he hadn’t reclassified,” Bossi stated. “I believe that Darryn Peterson would have made it very fascinating, however given what Flagg did in school final yr and what he is already doing within the NBA, he would have been scary in opposition to highschool children final yr.”
Flagg being within the 2026 NBA Draft would’ve been a enjoyable hypothetical to ponder. It additionally would’ve created a possible ripple impact in school basketball. Does Boozer, who dedicated to Duke over Miami together with his brother Cayden Boozer, nonetheless head to Durham? How would Flagg look with this present Duke roster? The chances are infinite to consider.
So, who’s going No. 1 within the 2026 NBA Draft?
The query that is still heading into what is predicted to be an unimaginable 2025-26 school basketball season is, who will go No. 1 this summer season? Ask 10 completely different individuals who comply with and canopy the draft intently. You would possibly get 10 completely different solutions on how picks No. 1, 2 and three play out this summer season.
Peterson and Dybantsa have definitely been the prospects talked about most when the query “who ought to go No. 1?” comes up. If these two gamers are off the board with the primary two picks this summer season, it might mark the primary time since 2017 that gamers from the identical convention, on completely different groups, went No. 1 and a pair of in the identical draft. Markelle Fultz from Washington and Lonzo Ball from UCLA went off the board with the primary two picks again in 2017.
Nonetheless, when having the dialog concerning the No. 1 decide this yr, it is vital to not overlook about Boozer. He seems like somebody who could make a official case to problem Peterson and Dybantsa for that title due to his ability set. In an exhibition sport in opposition to Tennessee final weekend, Boozer completed with 24 factors, 23 rebounds and 6 assists. Boozer was dominant and imposed his will on each ends of the ground.
“The large factor for me in 2026, and this dates again to the best way I talked concerning the 2025 recruiting class, is that it is a huge three,” Finkelstein stated. “It is not an enormous two. Rationale minds can disagree about how these gamers measure up in opposition to one another, each now and within the long-run, however I believe it is turn out to be very clear already that Boozer could be very a lot in the identical dialog.”
The hype round this class has exploded in latest weeks as a result of groups lastly performed scrimmages that aren’t a secret. In Peterson’s first exhibiting at Kansas in opposition to Louisville, he completed with 26 factors, 4 rebounds and shot 6 of 10 from the 3-point line. In Dybantsa’s first sport in opposition to Nebraska, he scored 30 factors on 10 of 19 capturing and grabbed seven rebounds.
These performances ought to give followers of dangerous NBA groups hope for a greater tomorrow. For Mavericks followers who’re nonetheless grieving the lack of Dončić being traded, they’re fortunate to reap the advantages a yr sooner than initially scheduled due to Flagg’s reclassification to the 2025 draft.
There’s nonetheless a dialog available about who truly goes No. 1. Proper now, the present favourite seems to be Peterson, who’s lauded as probably the greatest guard prospects of this technology. Kansas coach Invoice Self, who has coached a No. 1 total decide earlier than (Andrew Wiggins), has given in depth reward to Peterson from the second he dedicated to the college. Self went so far as to say that Peterson is the perfect participant this system has recruited throughout his tenure.
Regardless that 247Sports Recruiting Analyst Travis Branham says Flagg could be the No. 1 participant within the draft class, there’s purpose to purchase into the Peterson hype.
“Making an attempt to exclude Cooper’s yr at Duke for this train, I believe Cooper would maintain the slight edge because the No. 1 participant within the class however I believe the separation could be very skinny between him and Darryn Peterson,” Branham stated. “Cooper’s two-way impression, notably on protection is a key issue however Darryn is continuous to show himself as the longer term focus of an NBA franchise. With Peterson’s measurement, athleticism, IQ and skillset, he makes for an elite scorer and playmaker each on the collegiate and NBA ranges. Each staff seems for a man who can have the ball in his arms to create benefits on the ground and I believe that is precisely the kind of participant Peterson may be.”
We cannot be capable of reply the hypothetical query about what the 2026 NBA Draft may’ve seemed like with Flagg in it. The comfort prize is that followers — whether or not it is school or NBA — will nonetheless be capable of sit again and luxuriate in a historic race towards deciding who goes No. 1. Take pleasure in it when you can, as a result of likelihood is, we’d not see one thing like this once more.