RealGM Basketball Wiretap

15 June 2026

• Darryn Peterson Limits Pre-Draft Visits To Wizards

  Top NBA draft prospect Darryn Peterson has visited the Washington Wizards, who hold the No. 1 pick in next week's draft, and does not plan to meet with any other team, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania and Jeremy Woo.

  Lottery teams have taken note of Peterson's decision to grant access only to Washington. The Utah Jazz own the No. 2 pick and will not be dissuaded by Peterson's decision if they identify him as their preferred selection at No. 2. The move comes as Peterson and BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, the presumed top prospect, both believe they will be selected first overall, according to sources.

  Peterson, a 6-foot-5 guard from Kansas, averaged 20.2 points per game as a freshman, the most in program history. He missed 11 games due to injury, the most for a projected No. 1 pick since Kyrie Irving played just 11 games at Duke before being selected in 2011.

  Peterson told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne in May that severe cramping caused his injury issues. He said doctors determined after the season that high doses of creatine contributed to the condition.

  Washington finished last season 17-65 and won the draft lottery in May after holding the best odds for the top pick. The Wizards have not won a playoff series since the 2017-18 season.

  "It's our fans that have endured the most," Wizards top basketball executive Michael Winger said. "And to me, this No. 1 pick is for them. It's a reward for hanging in there with us.

  "It's a reward to continue to support us despite sometimes really bad basketball. They knew and they supported a multiyear teardown, a multiyear reinvention of the franchise."

  The first round of the draft begins at 8 p.m. ET on June 23.

• AJ Dybantsa Has Met With Wizards, Jazz

  BYU forward AJ Dybantsa has visited both the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz, who hold the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in next week's NBA draft, according to sources cited by ESPN's Shams Charania and Jeremy Woo.

  Dybantsa has been the presumed favorite to go No. 1 overall since February. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 25.5 points per game as a freshman, leading the nation in scoring and becoming just the third freshman ever to do so. He is the first to accomplish the feat since Trae Young at Oklahoma in 2018.

  Dybantsa has strong ties to Utah, having played his senior year of high school at Utah Prep before spending last season at BYU. Both he and fellow top prospect Darryn Peterson believe they will be selected first overall, according to sources. Peterson has only met with the Wizards and has so far chosen not to meet with the Jazz.

  The first round of the draft begins at 8 p.m. ET on June 23.

• Wizards Bringing In AJ Dybantsa For Visit This Week With No. 1 Pick Decision Approaching

  The Washington Wizards will host BYU wing AJ Dybantsa for a visit with team officials in the coming days as the franchise prepares to make the No. 1 selection in the June 23 NBA Draft, multiple league sources told The Athletic.

  Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 freshman, led all of NCAA Division I men's basketball with 25.5 points per game last season. He also paced the nation with 296 free-throw attempts, reflecting his ability to attack the basket and draw contact. Evaluators from rival teams widely expect him to develop into a credible perimeter shooter despite connecting on just 33 percent of his three-point attempts at BYU.

  Kansas guard Darryn Peterson remains in consideration for the top pick as well. The 6-foot-5 Peterson averaged 20.2 points per game and shot 38 percent from three for the Jayhawks. He missed 11 games this season due to severe cramping episodes he attributed to his body's reaction to the supplement creatine, which he said he consumed in pre-workout shakes provided by the team.

  Should Washington select Dybantsa, the Utah Jazz are broadly expected to take Peterson with the second pick.

  Dybantsa is currently trading at 82 percent on Polymarket to be the first overall pick in the draft after flipping spot with Peterson in February.

  Washington also met with North Carolina wing Caleb Wilson, projected as a likely top-four selection. Wilson did not work out for the team but met with team officials, per a league source.

  The Wizards went 50-196 over the past three seasons while rebuilding.

• Trae Young Likely To Sign Deal Around Three Years, $120M With Wizards

  Trae Young is expected to sign a long-term deal with the Washington Wizards this offseason at around three years and $120 million.

  Young, who has a $49 million player option for next season, is eligible to sign a three-year, $160 million deal until June 30.

  The 27-year-old averaged 15.2 points and 6.2 assists in five games with the Wizards last season.

• AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson Favorites To Be No. 1 Pick

  BYU's AJ Dybantsa and Kansas' Darryn Peterson are the favorites to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards, sources told Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo! Sports.

  O'Connor adds that Duke's Cam Boozer still remains in the running for the top pick.

  It was reported last month that Dybantsa, who has strong links to the Jazz, was not considered a lock to be the top pick.

  Wizards' president Michael Winger also previously said that the team would consider trading down to accumulate assets.

• AJ Dybantsa Not Considered Lock To Be Picked At No. 1 By Wizards

  AJ Dybantsa is not currently viewed as a lock to go first overall to the Washington Wizards, according to rival teams. Unlike some drafts, there is no true consensus top prospect in the 2026 NBA draft as arguments can be made for Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson. Because of the lack of clarity on how those clear top-4 prospects should be ordered, there is a greater possibility of teams trading within that tier.

  Dybantsa overtook Darryn Peterson during their freshman seasons as the safest pick at the top of the draft.

  Dybantsa has been strongly linked with the Utah Jazz due to Ryan Smith's close ties to the BYU program. The Jazz could offer the Wizards a trade package to move up, but that is speculative at this point. Utah could maintain their future assets and simply stay at No. 2 to draft either Dybantsa or Peterson at No. 2. Peterson is a cleaner fit with Utah's existing frontcourt of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler.

• Jazz Have Reached Out To Wizards About Trading For No. 1 Pick

  The Utah Jazz have reached out to the Washington Wizards over potentially trading for the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, sources told Marc J. Spears of Andscape.

  The Jazz would then presumably select BYU's AJ Dybantsa with the top pick.

  Wizards president Michael Winger previously said that the team would consider trading down to accumulate assets.

  Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points and 6.8 rebounds at BYU last season.

  The top four picks are expected to be Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson in some order.

• AJ Dybantsa Addresses Viral Reaction To Wizards Winning Lottery

  AJ Dybantsa, the current most probable No. 1 pick in next month's NBA Draft, is approaching the week-long combine as an extended audition. The BYU wing showed up to his 20-minute media session Wednesday in a gray plaid suit, dark blue dress shirt and blue-accented tie, a deliberate departure from the casual attire most prospects wear to combine interviews.

  "I never had a job before," Dybantsa told reporters. "I was 13 when I started taking basketball serious. But this is like my first job interview. So my dad's kind of like, 'You know, this is your job interview. So come professional, come in a suit.'"

  Dybantsa said he had already met with the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks by midday Wednesday. The Wizards hold the top pick following last month's draft lottery.

  Dybantsa addressed the viral moment after Washington won the lottery, when his stone-faced reaction prompted speculation he did not want to play for the Wizards.

  "I literally had no reaction at all, and people find ways to say that I didn't want it. I did want it," Dybantsa said. "But it all comes with social media. People are going to make narratives. I just tried not to react at all, just keep a straight face, try to stay even-keeled."

  When asked why he should be the top selection, Dybantsa pointed to his two-way versatility and scoring ability.

  "I think I can guard one through four, play one through four," he said. "I play the game the right way. But I'm super exciting as a player, super explosive. I fill seats."

• Michael Winger Says Wizards Will Consider Trading Down From No. 1 Pick

  Washington Wizards president Michael Winger told Jake Fischer of The People's Insider that he would consider trading down after securing the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft on Sunday.

  Winger said that this is "not a savior moment" for the Wizards.

  The Wizards are currently projected to select AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick.

  Winger added the Wizards could move down should he and general manager Will Dawkins determine that there are two or three prospects worth drafting.

  With the Jazz selecting second, president Austin Ainge also said that the team are "open" to moving down.

• ESPN, Athletic Have Identical Top-10 In Post-Lottery NBA Mock Drafts

  The Washington Wizards won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery Sunday, securing the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since 2010. The Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls round out the top four selections.

  The Indiana Pacers lost their top-four protected pick to the Los Angeles Clippers, who land at No. 5. The Clippers do not fully control their own draft picks until 2030, making the acquisition a significant coup for the franchise.

  BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa is projected as the consensus No. 1 pick, according to ESPN. Washington traded for veteran stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis at the deadline and lost 26 of their final 27 games to maximize lottery positioning. The Wizards have not finished above .500 since the 2017-18 season.

  Utah moves up to No. 2, its highest selection since 2011, and is projected to select Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. Memphis, despite having just a 9.4 percent chance at a top-three pick, lands at No. 3 and is projected to take Duke's Cameron Boozer. Chicago jumped into the top four with a 20.27 percent probability and is expected to select North Carolina's Caleb Wilson.

  Sam Vecenie of The Athletic had an identical top-10 order in his post-lottery mock draft.

  The draft combine begins Monday in Chicago and runs through the end of the week.

  ESPN's 2026 NBA Mock Draft, First Round

  1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU
  2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, PG/SG, Kansas
  3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, PF/C, Duke
  4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, PF/C, North Carolina
  5. LA Clippers: Keaton Wagler, PG/SG, Illinois
  6. Brooklyn Nets: Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas
  7. Sacramento Kings: Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston
  8. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans): Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville
  9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona
  10. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament, SF/PF, Tennessee
  11. Golden State Warriors: Karim Lopez, SF/PF, New Zealand Breakers
  12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LA Clippers): Yaxel Lendeborg, PF/SF, Michigan
  13. Miami Heat: Labaron Philon Jr., PG/SG, Alabama
  14. Charlotte Hornets: Aday Mara, C, Michigan
  15. Chicago Bulls (via Portland): Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky
  16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Orlando): Christian Anderson, PG, Texas Tech
  17. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Philadelphia): Hannes Steinbach, PF/C, Washington
  18. Charlotte Hornets (via New Orleans): Cameron Carr, SG/SF, Baylor
  19. Toronto Raptors: Chris Cenac Jr., PF/C, Houston
  20. San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta): Morez Johnson Jr., PF/C, Michigan
  21. Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota): Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa
  22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Houston): Allen Graves, PF, Santa Clara
  23. Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland): Isaiah Evans, SG, Duke
  24. New York Knicks: Koa Peat, PF/SF, Arizona
  25. Los Angeles Lakers: Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina
  26. Denver Nuggets: Dailyn Swain, SG/SF, Texas
  27. Boston Celtics: Amari Allen, SF/PF, Alabama
  28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit): Ebuka Okorie, PG, Stanford
  29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio): Meleek Thomas, PG/SG, Arkansas
  30. Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City): Joshua Jefferson, SF/PF, Iowa State