Washington holds the most powerful position in the 2026 NBA Draft, and CBS Sports’ latest mock draft makes a decisive call: Darryn Peterson at No. 1. It’s a choice that bucks the consensus — most outlets have AJ Dybantsa going first — but CBS argues Peterson is simply the best player in the class despite a turbulent freshman year at Kansas.

Peterson offers the kind of profile that makes talent evaluators lose sleep in the best way possible: a 6-foot-5 point guard with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, elite shotmaking in isolation and off movement, and the defensive disruption to be a legitimate two-way force. His 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game at Kansas undersell what he is as a prospect — an off-ball movement shooter who also creates his own looks with fluid footwork and can guard multiple positions.

The opportunity cost here is real. Selecting Peterson at No. 1 means passing on Dybantsa, who is ranked first overall by Bleacher Report, Tankathon, and Yahoo Sports. Dybantsa is a 6-foot-9 wing who averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists at BYU — a scorer with MVP-ceiling upside who played his high school ball at nearby Utah Prep. Passing on him for Washington is a legitimate debate, but CBS makes the case that Peterson’s fit alongside wing-heavy Wizards pieces makes the math work.

Waiting right behind Peterson and Dybantsa on most boards is Cameron Boozer — the Duke freshman who averaged 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds while shooting 39.1% from three. Boozer drew comparisons to a better version of Al Horford from one NBA executive in a recent scout poll. Washington declining Boozer in favor of Peterson is an aggressive bet on upside over polish.

Washington also holds Pick 51 in the second round per Yahoo Sports’ Mock Draft 6.0, where Kevin O’Connor projects the Wizards taking Braden Smith, the 5-foot-10 Purdue senior who left as the NCAA’s all-time assists leader. Smith’s floor vision and off-the-bounce creation offer backup-point-guard insurance, though his lack of size will always be a concern at the next level.

The Wizards are in an enviable position not just because of the pick itself but because of the roster it plugs into. Washington already has Trae Young as a primary creator and Anthony Davis anchoring the frontcourt. That means Peterson doesn’t need to walk in and carry an offense — he can ease into a role as a secondary scorer and defender, develop his playmaking, and grow into a co-star as the team builds.

Peterson’s cramping issues — which caused him to miss 11 of 35 games at Kansas — are the one real concern in this evaluation. He has attributed the problem to creatine use, and NBA conditioning programs are far more sophisticated than college setups. Washington’s medical staff will have vetted this extensively before draft night.

The outlet comparison table below shows the divergence in how major analysts view the Wizards’ pick. CBS stands alone in taking Peterson; the other three outlets all have Washington selecting Dybantsa.

Outlet	Projected Player
CBS Sports	Darryn Peterson
Bleacher Report	AJ Dybantsa
Tankathon	AJ Dybantsa
Yahoo Sports	AJ Dybantsa

Washington’s best path forward isn’t debating Dybantsa vs. Peterson endlessly — it’s trusting the evaluation. CBS Sports’ case for Peterson rests on him being the draft’s best shotmaker, an elite defender at his position, and a player whose availability issues are explainable and likely correctable. If Peterson stays healthy and develops as a co-star alongside Young and Davis, this pick sets Washington up for a sustainable contention window without having to rush him into a featured role.