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If you're a fan of the NBA draft, then the 2026 NCAA tournament is set up to be a special one for you to watch. This year's draft class has a chance to go down as one of the best of the decade.
All eyes are on the freshman trio of Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson, who are the consensus top three prospects of 2026. UNC's Caleb Wilson is at No. 4 on most boards, but he will be missing from March action with a broken hand.
There are plenty of other players to watch aside from that group. This draft class is much stronger than usual. Any of the top six or seven would likely go No. 1 in next year's draft. Most of the top 10 should advance through at least a few rounds.
As the tournament gets underway, here's a look at the top 10 prospects who will take the floor during March Madness.
MARCH MADNESS HQ: Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Printable bracket
Ranking 10 best NBA Draft prospects in March Madness
1. Cameron Boozer, Duke
Age: 18, Freshman
Position: PF
Measurements: 6-9, 250 lbs.
NBA Comparison: Kevin Love
Boozer isn't the consensus No. 1 in this draft. Most boards have him second or third in this class.
He is the most productive member of this class statistically, though. He's been even better than last year's No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.
Boozer is on the verge of breaking statistical models, putting up a Box Plus-Minus that is the highest since the stat became tracked. If traditional stats are more your thing, then it's tough to argue against 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
Boozer is doing this all while being half a year younger than the other No. 1 contenders, Peterson and Dybantsa. He will be the best player on the floor in any game that Duke plays in this tournament. He's an incredibly versatile player who will find multiple ways to contribute.
All of those reasons make Boozer the clear best player on my board. So why do others disagree?
Boozer's not the type of A-plus athlete that we are accustomed to seeing from No. 1 picks. He relies more on extremely high skill and a bully ball game that some fear may not translate well to the next level. And while he does have some things going for him defensively like size, great hands, and feel, his lack of pop does limit him as far as being a high-level defender or shot blocker.
Boozer's highlight reel might not look as flashy as some other guys on this list, but production is production. Players like Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were all underdrafted because of that reasoning. At some point, dominating at a young age against better competition means more than jumping out of the gym. Boozer has been the best college player in this class, and one of the youngest. He will be the best NBA player too.
SN AWARDS: All-America team | Boozer Player of the Year | Lloyd Coach of the Year
2. AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: SF
Measurements: 6-9, 210 lbs.
NBA Comparison: Tracy McGrady
Like Boozer, Dybantsa has been wildly productive in college. He led all D1 players in scoring at 25.3 points per game while shooting 51 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3. He also chipped in 6.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
Dybantsa has great size at the wing and the elite athleticism where teams can't stop him from getting to the rim. He plays with the fluidity of a guard despite standing at 6-9 with a 7-foot wingspan, using an incredible first step to get by defenders. He's been an improved passer as BYU's season has progressed, showing particularly nice touch with his left hand. He has the type of obvious potential that could make him a First Team All-NBA player one day.
Dybantsa projects as a plus defender too. He can guard multiple positions at his size while being an impact help defender with his weakside rim protection. That makes him a can't-miss prospect with great upside.
3. Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: SG/PG
Measurements: 6-6, 205 lbs.
NBA Comparison: Brandon Roy
Peterson might be the most talented of the trio at the top. He also has the most question marks. He's missed 11 games due to injuries and various cramping issues, which makes his evaluation tricky.
When Peterson has been on the floor, he's been incredible. He's a tough shot-maker who looks like he has one of the purest releases in this class. He has a great bag to get to his shots, and his scoring is definitely going to translate to the next level.
Peterson also has great size for a guard at 6-6 with a 6-10.5 wingspan. He can bully smaller defenders.
Peterson has a good defensive motor and great hands that have allowed him to pick up 1.5 steals per game. His passing has received some criticism though. He's only averaged 1.7 assists per game this season. Part of that is due to his role on Kansas, where he plays more off the ball.
SN EXPERT BRACKETS: DeCourcy (Arizona) | Bender (Michigan) | Iyer (Arizona) | Gay (UCLA women)
4. Kingston Flemings, Houston
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: PG
Measurements: 6-4, 190 lbs.
NBA Comparison: De'Aaron Fox
Flemings is the fastest player in this draft class. He's a prototypical Houston guard, meaning that he defends with tenacity and makes smart decisions. He's much more gifted offensively though than some of their previous lead ballhandlers.
Flemings uses that speed to create a lethal first step that allows him to get into the paint at will. He's a good playmaker and careful with the ball, posting a 2.8:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. His pull-up shooting skill was a nice surprise this year. He hit 39 percent of his 3's from deep, helping him average 16.4 points per game this season.
5. Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: SG
Measurements: 6-6, 185 lbs.
NBA Comparison: Ty Jerome
Wagler came from out of nowhere to skyrocket to the top of this class. He wasn't considered a top 100 recruit heading into college, and now he will be a surefire lottery pick. He's been sensational at Illinois, averaging 17.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.
Wagler has great size for a guard at 6-foot-6, and he is a deadly shooter from everywhere on the floor. He's hit 40 percent of his 3's on six attempts per game. He can flat-out score.
Wagler has been a tremendous college player, but there are some concerns about his athleticism. He has zero dunks on the year, which is a sizeable red flag. Block and steal rate are the other proxy for NBA athleticism. Wagler falls below the 2.0 percent that you generally want to see from prospects in both categories.
Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
6. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: PG
Measurements: 6-3, 190 lbs.
NBA Comparison: Trey Burke
Ten years ago, Acuff would have been a top three pick in this draft class. He is an incredible offensive guard. He can get his shot off at any time, anywhere, against anyone. The level of craft that he has scoring the ball is as good as any of his peers. He's an offensive engine for Arkansas, and he will have that same role in the NBA.
Acuff's draft stock isn't quite so sky-high at the next level because of defensive concerns. He is very bad on that side of the ball, showing little engagement. He needs to give 100 percent because at his size, he is going to be a liability no matter what.
The league is trending away from small offense-only guards. You need to be a Jalen Brunson-level of initiator in order to succeed in that role. Even amazing passers and scorers like Trae Young are facing issues in terms of team building. That makes Acuff a terrific college player but a tough player to fit at the next level.
IN-DEPTH REGION BREAKDOWNS: East | West | Midwest | South
7. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville
Age: 20, Freshman
Position: PG
Measurements: 6-5, 190 lbs.
NBA Comparison: Immanuel Quickley
Brown has been suffering from a back injury, putting his status for the NCAA tournament up in the air. It's been a rough season injury-wise for him. He was billed as a great shot-maker coming out of high school, but he's connected on only 34 percent of his 3's and 41 percent of his field goals for the year.
When Brown does get going though, it's easy to see why he was a top 10 recruit in his class. He has good size and a smooth shooting stroke. He's maybe the most creative passer in this class and has the most upside there. He has great vision and knows how to manipulate defenses, but he does also struggle with turnovers.
8. Nate Ament, Tennessee
Age: 19, Freshman
Position: SF
Measurements: 6-10, 207 lbs.
NBA Comparison: Zaccharie Risacher
Ament is one of the more polarizing prospects among draft analysts. He's a toolsy wing that has tantalizing size and fluid movement. He's had flashes of greatness, like a 29-point outburst against Alabama. He hasn't been the most consistent player this season though, making him more of a high-upside project.
Ament's length and smooth form on his jumper look impressive. The overall accuracy hasn't been great though. He's hitting just 33 percent from deep and 41 percent from the field. He will need to gain strength at the next level, which is a good bet given he's one of the youngest players in this class.
MARCH MADNESS HQ: Live NCAA bracket | TV schedule | Printable bracket
9. Thomas Haugh, Florida
Age: 22, Junior
Position: PF
Measurements: 6-9, 215 lbs.
NBA Comparison: Cameron Johnson
Haugh is an older prospect who has shown that he understands how to fit into any situation. He has a great motor and feel for the game.
Haugh is a fantastic cutter who finds opportunities to sneak behind his defender. When he gets to the basket, he's a great finisher. He's a mediocre shooter, connecting on just 33 percent of his 3's, but he is willing to take them.
Defensively, Haugh has great positional awareness and size to guard multiple matchups. He moves his hips well and is physical on the glass. He's a high floor prospect who doesn't have quite the upside of some of the freshmen in this class.
10. Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
Age: 23, Senior
Position: PF
Measurements: 6-3, 185 lbs.
NBA comparison: Kyle Anderson
Lendeborg is one of the best players in college basketball. He's one of the oldest prospects in this class though, and that considerably limits his upside compared to some of the talented freshmen who will be picked ahead of him.
Lendeborg should be a solid pro. The late bloomer is a jack-of-all-trades. He's a good passer who can play a point forward type of role. He's also a good play finisher with nice touch at the rim. He has a decent 3-point shot, hitting 34 percent this year for Michigan.
Defensively, Lendeborg should be solid. He has a terrific 7-4 wingspan that he uses to get a lot of steals and blocks. He can guard multiple positions effectively. He's a nice two-way prospect.
Bonus: Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
Age: 18, Sophomore
Position: PF
Measurements: 6-10, 255 lbs.
NBA Comparison: Bam Adebayo
Quaintance is a bit of a mystery. He tore his ACL late last year and missed the early part of this season, leading to less data at the college level than some other prospects.
Before that injury, Quaintance was considered to be the best center prospect in his class. He has the tools to be an elite defender, possessing great size and athleticism. He could easily be an All-Defensive big man in the NBA with his physical attributes and plus instincts.
Quaintance isn't nearly as far along on the offensive side of the ball. He struggles to finish through contact, he's a non-shooter, and he's hit just 31 percent of his free throws this year. He is a good lob threat though who will throw down some ferocious dunks. His raw skills are tantalizing enough to make him a first-round pick in the draft.
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