Guide to the 2026 NBA Draft: Selection order, key storylines, and what the Celtics are looking for
Will Massachusetts have its first No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft in 41 years?
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Enter AJ Dybantsa.
Dybantsa, the pride of Brockton who started his high school journey at St. Sebastian’s, could become just the third product of the Commonwealth to hear his name called first.
This draft class has been eyed by scouts as one filled with impact players, among the best in recent memory. Alongside BYU’s Dybantsa, Kansas’s Darryn Peterson, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, and more are viewed as potential game-changers.
Then, there’s the Celtics. Armed with picks No. 27 and 40, Boston lacks a top pick, but still has plenty of intrigue, considering the chatter around a potential trade for Bucks’ franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens looks to improve a roster that shockingly crashed out in the first round to the 76ers.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 NBA Draft.
The basics
When: Tuesday, June 23, 8 p.m. (first round) and Wednesday, June 24, 8 p.m. (second round).
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn.
How to watch: ABC, ESPN, and the ESPN app will air the first round; ESPN and the ESPN app will carry the second.
First-round order
- Wizards
- Jazz
- Grizzlies
- Bulls
- Clippers (from Pacers)
- Nets
- Kings
- Hawks (from Pelicans)
- Mavericks
- Bucks
- Warriors
- Thunder (from Clippers)
- Heat
- Hornets
- Bulls (from Trail Blazers)
- Grizzlies (from Suns via Magic)
- Thunder (from 76ers)
- Hornets (from Magic via Suns)
- Raptors
- Spurs (from Hawks)
- Pistons (from Timberwolves)
- 76ers (from Rockets via Thunder)
- Hawks (from Cavaliers)
- Knicks
- Lakers
- Nuggets
- Celtics
- Timberwolves (from Pistons)
- Cavaliers (from Spurs via Hawks)
- Mavericks (from Thunder via Wizards and 76ers)
Key storylines
What will the Wizards do?
Holding the top pick in a draft with this much acclaim is akin to a pair of pocket aces. With Trae Young and Anthony Davis on the roster, will the Wizards go with Dybantsa or Peterson? It’s certainly a good problem to have. Given the fact that Dybantsa played at BYU and spent one year at Utah Prep, are the Jazz hoping he falls into their lap at No. 2?
Will teams be aggressive in trading up into the top four?
Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson are the consensus top four prospects. Sure, there’s plenty of quality players past that spot, but those four prospects are considered to be in a tier of their own. Can a package entice a team to move out of one of those coveted picks?
Top prospects
AJ Dybantsa, BYU: Dybantsa’s star has long shone bright as a potential top pick in the NBA Draft. He led Division 1 in scoring (25.5 points per game), which helped solidify his standing as a potential franchise player. His combination of size, athleticism, and skill woos scouts.
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Darryn Peterson, Kansas: The 6-foot-6-inch freshman point guard can take over a game with his scoring. It was a quirky season at Kansas, but it doesn’t detract from his pure talent. His upside, thanks to a lightning-quick first step and elite athleticism, has star potential. He averaged 20.2 points per game and shot 43.8 percent from the floor.
Cameron Boozer, Duke: The son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, Cameron’s strong freshman campaign resulted in an AP Player of the Year nod, along with claiming the Wooden Award and Naismith Award. He can more or less do it all, with 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game as a frontcourt presence.
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina: A human highlight reel, Wilson excels at playing above the rim. He rebounds well and flies through the air for rim-rattling dunks. The 6-10 freshmen averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Given the need for front-court athleticism in today’s NBA, there’s no wonder why Wilson is a coveted prospect.
What to know about the Celtics
The rumor mill has been powered by the will-they, won’t-they of the Celtics making a move for Antetokounmpo. Plenty has been made about the relationship of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and whether the star duo can climb back to the league’s mountaintop together.
The NBA Draft is known for the sheer amount of trades made over the two nights. A move as seismic as this may or may not be a draft day deal, considering the picks that the Celtics own.
Boston enters free agency with a full $15 million mid-level exception and a $27.7 million trade exception to upgrade their roster.
Trade-deadline acquisition Nikola Vucevic, a veteran center who dealt with an injury for the majority of the time in Boston, is an unrestricted free agent.
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