The NBA Draft withdrawal deadline has passed with several potential first-round picks — Tyler Tanner, Amari Allen, Tounde Yessoufou, Malachi Moreno, Billy Richmond III — all removing their names and returning to college for another year of development and juicy NIL checks.
Meanwhile, the pre-draft process is in full swing, with team-specific workouts underway and new information on potential landing spots bubbling up daily. This is still a talent-rich class, even if the depth falls off a cliff in the second round. Here’s how our latest two-round projections shape up:
1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, F, Brigham Young
Height: 6’9
Wingspan: 7’1
Weight: 217
Class: Freshman
Draft Age: 19
All signs point to AJ Dybantsa at No. 1, even as Washington entertains the notion of trading down. This is a deep class and if Washington can acquire significant assets to move down a spot or two, that’s smart business. It is also incredibly unlikely, just based on historical precedent.
Dybantsa was the best wing scorer to hit the college ranks since Kevin Durant. His explosive athleticism, unique size and incredible tight-space dexterity made him impossible to keep out of the paint and away from his spots. Dybantsa needs to become a more consistent shooter and a more engaged defender, but the upside of a bonafide go-to creator on the wing has clear appeal.
>> Read our AJ Dybantsa scouting report
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas
Height: 6’5
Wingspan: 6’10
Weight: 199
Class: Freshman
Draft Age: 19
Utah has deep ties to both AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer. Dybantsa went to BYU, Boozer’s father is an ex-Jazz star and current Jazz scout. And yet, Darryn Peterson remains the easiest fit and the widely speculated favorite to land at No. 2. Utah has reinforced its frontcourt many times over; what the Jazz need is a proper two-way playmaker in the backcourt.
Peterson’s freshman season at Kansas was equally frustrating and mysterious, as we never got a clear explanation of what caused his frequent cramping episodes (his creatine excuse doesn’t fully carry water). That said, he’s a smooth-as-silk scorer who has untapped rim pressure and creation potential if he can restore his athleticism to pre-Kansas levels. Moreover, he’s an awesome, multi-positional defender, which isn’t talked about enough.
>> Read our Darryn Peterson scouting report
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
Height: 6’8
Wingspan: 7’2
Weight: 253
Class: Freshman
Draft Age: 18
Cameron Boozer is the No. 1 prospect with a bullet here at FanSided, and while it’s hard to call Dybantsa or Peterson “wrong” picks — they’re all so talented — Boozer at No. 3 does feel especially like a coup. Memphis could give real consideration to Caleb Wilson, who’s probably a more seamless defensive complement to Zach Edey, but Boozer’s intangibles and NBA-ready physicality (not to mention the historic production from an 18-year-old) should give him a leg up.
Boozer gets miscast as a bully-ball forward. While that’s certainly part of his skill set, Boozer was also a 40 percent 3-point shooter on healthy volume, a precise facilitator out of the pick-and-roll, a sturdy two-foot finisher off of cuts or drives, and a broadly chameleonic primary engine at Duke. He does a little bit of everything, with the blunt-force strength and cerebral supercomputer processing power to win against most defensive game plans. He’s a great foundation upon which Memphis can build its next contending roster.
>> Read our Cameron Boozer scouting report
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina
Height: 6’9
Wingspan: 7’0
Weight: 211
Class: Freshman
Draft Age: 19
The first strategic comment we heard from new Bulls top executive Bryson Graham was his ‘SLAP’ philosophy, or ‘Size, Length, Athleticism, Physicality.’ In retrospect, that was the perfect preamble for positive lottery luck and the opportunity to select UNC forward Caleb Wilson at No. 4. Boozer has Chicago connections and would be a dream come true if he slides, but Wilson is far more than a consolation prize.
Wilson has a lot to clean up on both ends. He can find himself overextended and out of position on defense at times, but he’s also so agile and so explosive that it often does not matter. He can recover in a split second, and he flies around the court with tremendous fervor. Disruption is his top objective. Wilson is still a non-shooter right now, but he flashes nice touch in the mid-range, and he’s remarkably quick attacking the rim. The force and burst with which he operates could lead to special results once his frame fills out.
>> Read our Caleb Wilson scouting report
5. Los Angeles Clippers (via IND): Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois
Height: 6’5
Wingspan: 6’6
Weight: 188
Class: Freshman
Draft Age: 19
Los Angeles lucked out and received the No. 5 overall pick from Indiana after it was top-four protected as part of the Ivica Zubac trade. The most common name tied to the Clippers, still, is Keaton Wagler. And it makes sense, as Wagler offers the size and off-ball utility to potentially share a backcourt rotation with Darius Garland.
There are under-discussed concerns with Wagler, who will struggle to turn the corner and create clean looks for himself against NBA athletes. He’s thin and a very sticky mover, in that he doesn’t create easy burst or lift. Still, Wagler was a nuclear shooter and he’s a razor-sharp processor. The intersection of size, skill and feel is so valuable in today’s NBA and Wagler has enough in each category to overcome those athletic limitations.
>> Read our Keaton Wagler scouting report
6. Brooklyn Nets: Aday Mara, C, Michigan
Height: 7’3
Wingspan: 7’6
Weight: 260
Class: Junior
Draft Age: 21
Aday Mara built up a lot of momentum in March and sustained it at the Combine, where he tested reasonably well and posted the second-tallest standing reach in recorded NBA history (9-foot-9). Mara was the most dominant rim protector in college basketball, paired with impressive vision and feel as a passer on the other end.
Brooklyn selected three guards and a point-forward in last year’s first round, and while another guard certainly isn’t the worst outcome here, the Nets could look to put together a more logistically sound roster this offseason. Absent their own 2027 first-round pick rights, the Nets can’t really tank. With Nic Claxton on the decline, Mara offers immediate defensive stability and empowerment while also helping to connect dots and finish plays on the interior offensively.
7. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr., G, Arkansas
Height: 6’2
Wingspan: 6’7
Weight: 186
Class: Freshman
Draft Age: 19
Kings president Scott Perry once coached Darius Acuff Sr. in college, so it comes as little surprise that Sacramento is the rumored floor for Acuff Jr. on draft night. There’s still a chance Acuff — easily the most poised and productive freshman guard in the country last season — comes off the board sooner than this. Or maybe the Kings trade up. Given the well-founded defensive concerns and the trends of today’s NBA, however, there’s a good chance Sacramento can stay put and land its No. 1 target.
Acuff measured well at the Combine, with a long and sturdy frame for his position, and yet he’s in historically bad company when it comes to rebounds and steals. The tape wasn’t much better than the metrics, as Acuff rarely offered more than light resistance. He will need to get better on that end in order to reach his NBA ceiling, but there’s a clear path to offensive stardom. Acuff is always in total command, with a buttery 3-point stroke and a willingness to embrace varied responsibilities on- or off-ball, depending on what the team needs.
>> Read our Darius Acuff Jr. scouting report
8. Atlanta Hawks (via NOP): Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville
Height: 6’4
Wingspan: 6’8
Weight: 190
Class: Freshman
Draft Age: 20
Mikel Brown Jr. is fully cleared from the back injury that hindered him throughout his lone season at Louisville. In terms of pure talent and upside, here’s arguably the best non-Peterson guard on the board — a twitchy ball-handler, limitless shooter and visionary passer. NBA teams, however, will want to gauge how consistent and sustainable it all is.
Brown relied a ton on difficult jumpers this past season. He makes them at a decent clip, but he’s prone to high highs and low lows. His rim finishing and foul-drawing were positive signs, but Brown will need to add muscle and visit the interior more frequently. He will also need to trade some of his more ambitious passes for fewer turnovers. Still, the Hawks need a lead guard who can stretch and tilt a defense and get the halfcourt offense rolling. Brown, if everything clicks, could replicate and one day maybe even exceed Trae Young.
>> Read our Mikel Brown Jr. scouting report
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