Your favorite NBA team just missed out on Cooper Flagg, but here are 5 prospects worth tanking for in 2026

Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer lead the 2026 NBA Draft watch list.

Rejoice, Dallas Mavericks fans. You’ve won the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, landing the rights to the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
It’s rare for a No. 1 pick to so clearly alter the trajectory of a franchise, but Flagg is that kind of prospect. While Dallas celebrates and Nico Harrison plays it off like he knew this would happen all along, several other organizations are in mourning.
The good news: Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey are both premier draft prospects in their own right, each with the potential to be a franchise cornerstone. But few players out of college can change the outlook of a franchise with such confidence.
Harper and Bailey won’t numb the sting just yet, but there’s hope in 2026 with another strong draft class on the way from the 2025 college basketball player rankings.

Here are 5 players who could be worth tanking (again) for

Darryn Peterson | CG | Kansas

Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 195 | Age: 18.3
Peterson enters the 2025–26 season as the No. 1-ranked high school player and the top overall draft prospect. He already has the frame to step onto an NBA court, but what separates him is just how polished and well-rounded he is as a guard.

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AJ Dybantsa | SF | BYU

Ht: 6-9 | Wt: 210 | Age: 18.3
Once the consensus top prospect in the 2025 recruiting class and 2026 draft class, Dybantsa has lost the crown but remains the highest-upside player entering the season.

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Cameron Boozer | PF | Duke

Ht: 6-9 | Wt: 230 | Age: 17.8
The name should sound familiar. Cameron is one of Carlos Boozer’s twin sons, and the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

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Nate Ament | PF/SF | Tennessee

Ht: 6-10 | Wt: 200 | Age: 18.4
Ament is the X-factor in this class. The incoming Tennessee freshman is a long, versatile forward who can play either the three or four.

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Darius Acuff | PG | Arkansas

Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 185 | Age: 18.5
The top four players in this class feel like locks, but the fifth spot is wide open. For now, it belongs to Darius Acuff.