As of right now, the New Orleans Pelicans have the worst record in basketball at 3–19. Their 2026 first-round pick belongs to the Hawks, which means if the season ended today, Atlanta would have the best chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick — a selection that cannot fall outside the top five.
By all accounts, next year’s draft class is absolutely loaded, featuring multiple prospects who would have gone No. 1 overall the year Atlanta selected Zaccharie Risacher. This is a chance for a franchise-altering addition to a Hawks team that already looks like it belongs among the Eastern Conference elite.
Standing 6-foot-9 with a wingspan approaching seven feet, Dybantsa has elite size for a perimeter scorer. He’s an explosive athlete with a quick first step, able to beat defenders off the dribble and finish at the rim in a variety of ways. The big question entering his freshman season at BYU was his outside shooting, but so far he’s answered the bell, knocking down 37.5% of his threes with a smooth, repeatable stroke. Dybantsa is firmly in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick and would give the Hawks a much-needed scoring punch and length on the wing.
A 6-foot-5 combo guard, Peterson has been out since the second game of the season, but his brief appearance showed why he’s arguably the top prospect in this class. In his first two games, he averaged 21.5 points on 60% shooting from the field and 50% from three. Peterson is a true three-level scorer who plays with poise beyond his years. He’s smooth getting to his spots, makes tough shots, limits turnovers, and has the defensive tools to be elite thanks to a nearly 6-foot-11 wingspan. His blend of scoring and defensive upside gives him legitimate No. 1 pick appeal.
Boozer has been the most impressive player in college basketball through the first month of the season, averaging 23.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists over nine games. There’s a lot of Jalen Johnson in his game — a 6-foot-9 forward with a strong frame, advanced scoring instincts, and impressive playmaking ability. But Boozer is miles ahead of where Johnson was at the same age, especially as a scorer. He’s incredibly polished, smooth from all three levels, and already showing consistent three-point shooting. He’s a legitimate franchise cornerstone prospect.
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Photo: Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire
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