Dybantsa, Peterson declare for 2026 NBA Draft

The 2026 NBA Draft is expected to have several franchise-altering talents on the board, and arguably, the two biggest names have officially thrown their names into the ring.

BYU forward AJ Dybantsa and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson have both declared for the 2026 NBA Draft, with both players set to depart college basketball following standout freshman seasons.

Dybantsa was a force for BYU this season, averaging 25.5 points (leads NCAA Division I), 6.8 rebounds,  3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 51 percent shooting from the field, 33 percent from long distance, and 77 percent from the charity stripe.

The 6’9, 210-pound forward is widely viewed as a player who could have his name called first come June 25th’s start of the Draft.

See y’all on draft night pic.twitter.com/F2LEt0SqSS

— AJ Dybantsa (@AJ_Dybantsa) April 23, 2026

Joining Dybantsa near the top of the draft board will be Darryn Peterson, a guard who spent most of this season locked in as the consensus top prospect in college basketball before Dybantsa’s stock rose late in the season.

Peterson, who missed 11 games this season due to a series of ailments that included full-body cramps,  finished off a freshman season that saw him average 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals on 44/38/81 shooting splits.

Drawing comparisons to NBA talents like Ray Allen, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker, Peterson will likely be the first guard picked in the 2026 NBA Draft, but the question remains: Will that be in the first-overall pick slot, or behind Dybantsa?

A lot remains to be seen when it comes to reading tea leaves and predicting which team will target these players.

The NBA Draft Lottery is just over two weeks away, and once the ping pong balls settle, things will become a tad clearer as we look ahead to one of the most highly anticipated drafts in recent memory.

2026 NBA Draft Lottery Odds

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery will take place on Sunday, May 10th (12 pm PT)

(Tankathon)

After losing a coin-flip tiebreaker to the Utah Jazz earlier this week, Sacramento landed the fifth-best lottery odds—giving them an 11.5% chance at No. 1 and a 45.2% shot at a top-four pick.

For a team like the Kings, who are coming off a disappointing season (22-60), landing anywhere in the top four would be the most ideal outcome.

Dybantsa, Peterson, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, or North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson all would be significant gets for Sacramento, while Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. is rumored to be high on their wish list, especially if they fall out of the top four.

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Upcoming Sacramento Kings & NBA Offseason Schedule

• Sunday, May 10th – NBA Draft Lottery
• Thursday, June 4th– NBA Finals begin
• Thursday, June 25th – NBA Draft (Round 1)
• Friday, June 26th – NBA Draft (Round 2)
• Tuesday, June 30th – NBA Free Agency negotiation period begins (3 PM PT)
• Thursday, July 9th – NBA Las Vegas Summer League begins
• Monday, July 13th – Free Agency moratorium ends / signings can become official

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