Top draft talent in March Madness
The 2026 NCAA Tournament features top NBA prospects — the top three projected draft picks, including AJ Dybantsa, are playing in the field and scouts are watching how tourney performance will affect draft positioning. (sports.yahoo.com) (ncaa.com)
Cameron Boozer was named The Sporting News National Player of the Year after a freshman season that produced roughly 22.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, and Duke enters the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and will open against Siena in the first round. (sportingnews.com) AJ Dybantsa averaged 25.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists for BYU this season and was a first‑team All‑American; BYU drew a No. 6 seed in the West and will face the winner of the First Four game between Texas and NC State in Portland. (espn.com) Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson averaged about 19.8 points per game and helped the Jayhawks earn a No. 4 seed, setting up a first‑round matchup with No. 13 California Baptist. (espn.com) Major draft boards and mocks have the Boozer–Dybantsa–Peterson trio at the top of 2026 rankings, with ESPN and Sporting News coverage showing the three clustered in the top five and several mocks projecting those freshmen as lottery—if not top‑three—selections heading into the tournament. (sportingnews.com) Scouts and NBA executives told ESPN they view the postseason as a decisive window — Jeremy Woo and other draft analysts report teams are closely watching March performances to resolve the tight No. 1 debate between Peterson and Dybantsa. (espn.com) Duke’s secondary star Cooper Flagg sprained an ankle in the ACC tournament but the NCAA’s Dan Gavitt and Duke staff said Flagg is expected to be available for the NCAA Tournament, a development that could affect how scouts grade Duke’s roster and Boozer’s draft stock. (247sports.com)
