The NBA Draft class of 2026 appears to be absolutely nothing like the 2024 draft class, and for that, we give thanks to the basketball gods. Tangible star power that bleeds beyond the top pick has forced nearly a third of the good citizens of the league to sabotage this year’s crop for the prospects of a more plentiful harvest in the future.
Simply put, there ain’t no scrubs at the top of this year’s NBA Draft. Players who project as perennial All-Stars are up for grabs at the top, and “eh” inspiring
consolation prizes are in very short supply.
The Utah Jazz tanked for good reason. As did the Indiana Pacers. As did the Washington Wizards. As did Dallas, Memphis, and Sacramento (does it count as tanking if you’re actually that bad by default?). That reason is simple: just as the Nintendo Switch has games, the class of ‘26 has hoopers. Teams want those hoopers, and since the NBA is not very pro-sharing in that regard, many teams had to wake up early and tank for a chance to be first in line for, well, the future.
Leave it to the Jazz, the NBA’s poster child of the tanking epidemic, to spend the whole regular season dreaming of the NBA Draft. As an organization that has never moved up since the introduction of the lottery, Utah has plenty to dream about.
Not all players are created equal, and not every location will bring out the same level of production or development in any given player. Considering the fact that Utah doesn’t plan to dilly-dally at the bottom of the standings next season — playoffs, ho! — it’s important that the Jazz come away with a player who can both contribute to winning basketball on day one and potentially blossom into a franchise-defining centerpiece. Keeping this in mind, here are the players who I believe will fit best in Utah, ordered by who I believe will make me throw the fewest fits.
Utah Jazz 2026 NBA Draft Wish List
5 – Brayden Burries | G, Arizona
Yeah, maybe I’m higher on Burries than most, but if the Jazz intend on building a well-rounded competitive team, they need a defensive presence in the backcourt. And after a very impressive freshman season that saw him post 1.8 steals per night (not to mention 19.4 points, nearly 3 assists, and 6 rebounds). Utah needs a defensive cushion for Keyonte’s — *ahem* — shortcomings on that end, and Burries is a solid pickup if Utah drops from their 4th spot.
4 – Cameron Boozer
Father Carlos has probably been preaching the gospel of his National Player of the Year offspring since joining the Utah Jazz as a scout, but as a power forward on a team stuffed with bigs, Cameron would almost certainly come off the bench behind the three-headed (and very, very tall) dragon of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler.
A stabilizing presence off the bench, Boozer brings underrated shooting and playmaking ability — both of which could be very appealing for Will Hardy’s ball-movement-heavy offensive game plan — but other players would fit more seamlessly onto the current roster still on the board, so the family reunion may have to wait.
3 – Caleb Wilson | F, North Carolina
Wilson has been building buzz since the end of the college basketball season, and for good reason. There is a lot to love about his game, and he could project to be one of the best two-way players in this class. I mean, you must be joking with season averages of 1.6 blocks and 1.7 steals as a forward, right? As UNC’s primary offensive option, to boot.
He’s improving as a ball handler, and I feel sincere terror considering how great he may become if the Jazz choose to pass on him.
As a natural power forward, though, Utah is far too dense at that range to freely let Wilson stretch out and get the in-game experience a player of his talents deserves. I’ll send you away White Fang-style if I have to. Now go on, get out of here! Go!
FOMO aside, there are still two players that I like just a touch more as a fit with the Jazz.
2 – Darryn Peterson
Probably the most polarizing figure in the draft, Peterson is also the most natural addition to Utah’s lineup, slotting next to Keyonte George in the backcourt effortlessly. No, he doesn’t really pass the ball, and no, I’m not entirely confident that his selective play time was just a “we all tried things in college” type of phase for the Kansas guard. Peterson’s role on Bill Self’s team became more and more secondary as the season progressed, and that’s concerning for any team that hopes to build its future on his back.
Injury concerns and a questionable competitive motor are cause for pause, but if you get his best career timeline, you may just be drafting an MVP.
If you want buttery scoring, a silky one-motion jump shot, delicious dribble combos, and perhaps the most obviously talented guard prospect we’ve seen since Kyrie Irving (another eccentric with a tendency to miss playing time and make bad PR moves), you have that in Peterson. He’s a strong defender, a nonchalant assassin. If he lands in Utah, the Jazz are in business.
1 – AJ Dybantsa | F, BYU
It’s no secret that Utah wants Dybantsa. Owner Ryan Smith has been instrumental in keeping the collegiate superstar and consensus All-American in the Beehive State with his commitment to BYU (arriving along with a notable NIL package). Still, Dybantsa is on record saying he’s loved his time in Utah, prefers quieter settings, and probably has mutual feelings about the Utah Jazz picking him on draft night, given the chance.
Face it, Utah. I know you. You know you. And I know that you know that I know you. If the Jazz land the number-one overall pick, they’ll be buzzing Adam Silver’s cell phone with their submission nonstop from midnight until the commissioner finally announces their selection from the podium.
Still, understanding that Utah’s current lineup probably has no wiggle room for demoting Markkanen, JJJ, or Kessler to the second unit, if Dybantsa stays in Utah, it’ll probably be Ace Bailey who slips to sixth man. Is AJ equipped to defend NBA-quality 2-guards? That’s yet to be determined, but he has the physical tools and the drive to figure it out if he’s not quite there right away. Bailey’s development may decelerate a tad if Dybantsa starts taking his reps, but if that becomes a problem, you don’t pass up on a potential MVP and perennial All-Star for a player with a lower ceiling — you trade the lesser prospect and build your roster around Dybantsa.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
