The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft lived up to the hype. Franchise cornerstones found new homes, several teams made aggressive moves to reshape their futures, and a few surprise selections left fans scratching their heads.
Here are the biggest winners—and losers—after Tuesday night’s opening round.
Winner: Washington Wizards
The Wizards landed the player many scouts viewed as the highest-upside prospect in the class by selecting AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick. Pairing the explosive BYU forward with Trae Young gives Washington a legitimate offensive superstar to build around. ESPN analysts praised the selection as the perfect blend of talent and fit, giving the Wizards a player capable of changing the direction of the franchise for years to come.
Winner: Utah Jazz
Utah selected Kansas phenom Darryn Peterson with the second overall pick, and many around the league believe they landed the best pure guard in the draft. Peterson possesses elite shot creation, scoring ability, and playmaking skills, giving the Jazz the franchise point guard they have desperately been searching for.
Winner: Chicago Bulls
Caleb Wilson’s rise continued as the Bulls selected the North Carolina forward with the fourth overall pick. Wilson’s elite athleticism, defensive versatility, and improving offensive game make him one of the highest-ceiling players in the class. Chicago believes they’ve found a future two-way star.
Biggest Surprise: Philadelphia 76ers
One of the night’s biggest storylines was Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. falling all the way to No. 22 despite being projected by many as a lottery selection. With several teams prioritizing positional needs over pure talent, Philon’s unexpected slide could become one of the biggest steals of the draft if he develops as many expect.
Loser: Brooklyn Nets
The Nets raised plenty of eyebrows by selecting Mikel Brown Jr. much earlier than many expected. Brown is undeniably talented and has tremendous scoring instincts, but several draft experts believed Brooklyn reached while passing on prospects with significantly higher upside.
The Nets are betting Brown develops into their long-term franchise point guard. If he becomes an All-Star, nobody will question the decision. But if several players drafted after him blossom into stars, this pick could haunt Brooklyn for years.
Loser: Memphis Grizzlies
While Memphis deserves credit for adding future draft capital through later trades, the selection of Cameron Boozer at No. 3 carries considerable risk.
Boozer dominated at the college level and has one of the highest basketball IQs in the class, but questions remain about how his game translates to the NBA. He isn’t an elite athlete, lacks top-tier explosiveness, and doesn’t possess the perimeter scoring ability typically seen from modern superstar forwards.
The concern isn’t whether Boozer can become a productive NBA player—he almost certainly will. The question is whether he has enough star upside to justify taking him with the third overall pick.
For a franchise hoping to find a future superstar alongside Ja Morant, passing on prospects with arguably higher ceilings could become a decision Memphis regrets if Boozer tops out as simply a solid starter rather than an All-NBA talent.
What’s Next?
The first round answered plenty of questions while creating just as many.
Can AJ Dybantsa become the face of the Wizards? Will Darryn Peterson make Utah regret nothing? Did Brooklyn reach for Mikel Brown Jr.? And will Cameron Boozer prove the doubters wrong in Memphis?
Only time will tell, but one thing is already clear: the 2026 NBA Draft has set the stage for debates that could last the next decade.
