The race for the No. 1 choose within the 2026 NBA Draft has taken a transparent and strange twist, as high prospect Darryn Peterson has signaled that his most popular NBA vacation spot is the Washington Wizards.
Darryn Peterson Limits Draft Visits
Reporting for NBA Today on high prospect Darryn Peterson deciding to solely grant a go to — and entry — to the No. 1 choose Washington Wizards forward of the June 23 draft: pic.twitter.com/mzFM3VUByu
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 15, 2026
With draft evening simply days away, Peterson’s resolution to restrict his pre-draft course of has turn into one of many largest speaking factors within the league.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Jeremy Woo, Peterson, ranked No. 2 on the CBS Sports Big Board, has solely accomplished an official go to with the Wizards, who maintain the No. 1 choose.
He doesn’t plan to satisfy with some other groups, together with the Utah Jazz, who sit at No. 2. While he briefly met Utah’s entrance workplace on the NBA Draft Combine, he has not scheduled a proper exercise or go to with them.
Peterson’s prolonged go to with Washington stood out in comparison with a typical draft course of. Reports point out he spent a number of days with the franchise, participating in a couple of on-court exercise.
AJ Dybantsa Still Favored
Sources additionally say he has educated with the Wizards on a number of events, each in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, exhibiting a transparent degree of consolation with the group.
Inside the newest Darryn Peterson draft tracker updates, his resolution is being considered as a quiet message fairly than a rejection of Utah. Instead, it’s extensively interpreted as a sign to the Wizards that he needs to be their selection at No. 1. His camp is reportedly assured in that final result.
However, the highest choose remains to be removed from settled. BYU ahead AJ Dybantsa stays a robust contender for Washington’s choice and is taken into account by many scouts to be the favourite, Heavy reported.
Dybantsa has accomplished visits with each the Wizards and Jazz, holding each groups totally engaged in evaluating their choices.
The Utah Jazz, in the meantime, stay firmly within the dialog at No. 2. Peterson’s resolution to not go to has not considerably modified Utah’s inner plans, in line with stories.
The Jazz have additionally hosted different high expertise, together with Duke standout Cameron Boozer, including extra layers to their draft analysis course of.
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