The 2026 NBA Draft is shaping up to be a real head-scratcher—in the best way possible. While many casual fans might assume it's all about one superstar, insiders at the league's annual draft combine are singing a different tune. According to multiple executives I spoke with this week, including voices from teams picking near the top, the race for the No. 1 overall pick isn't a one-man show. It's a four-man battle.

Here's the consensus: reasonable minds can disagree on the exact order of the top four prospects, but there's zero debate about who those four are. They are BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke big man Cameron Boozer, and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson. That's the quartet everyone is watching.

Now, if you were just following the draft lottery buzz, you might think this was the "Dybantsa Sweepstakes" and that Wilson was an afterthought. But that's not what the insiders are saying. While Dybantsa is widely considered the safest bet to hear his name called first—and he's the best bet of the four—not a single person I talked to is ready to call him a lock. This is a wide-open race at the top, and the drama is just getting started. For any team looking to build their future, these four names are the ones to circle on the big board.