CHICAGO – The draft order is set and it’s the Washington Wizards that will have the first pick in the draft for the second time in franchise history. Projected at the top are BYU wing AJ Dybantsa and Kansas Darryn Peterson, and it will be a tough decision for the Wizards front office leading up to the draft on June 23-24. Both players faced off in high school, and in one of the games they combined for 107 points, as Dybantsa finished with 49 points and Peterson led all players with 58 points.
This is a guard-heavy first round and last week Hoops HQ broke down the top lead guards. There are a few players who appeared on each list, since Keaton Wagler and Brayden Burries are considered combo-guards who can play on or off the ball. Here are the top 10 shooting guards in the 2026 NBA Draft.
- Darryn Peterson, 6-foot-6 freshman guard, Kansas
Peterson didn’t have the year everyone expected him to have at Kansas after dealing with full body cramps and a hamstring injury. In the moments he was healthy, it was clear why he was one of the top players coming out of high school and a projected top pick early in the season. Peterson has tremendous positional size and is so quick at getting a shot off, particularly off the dribble.
When Dybantsa and Peterson went head-to-head in January, it was Peterson who out-performed Dybantsa and looked like the best prospect on the court. He only played the first half but scored 18 points in 20 minutes and added three rebounds and three steals. The Wizards will take a close look at Peterson’s medical records throughout the predraft process, and he could very well be the top pick over Dybantsa.
- Keaton Wagler, 6-foot-6 freshman guard, Illinois
Wagler was the biggest surprise in college basketball this season as he went from an unranked high school prospect to a projected lottery pick. He’s comfortable taking players off the dribble and is effective in catch-and-shoot situations.
Wagler recorded a strong 23-percent assist rate, proving he can create scoring opportunities for his teammates while showcasing elite decision-making with a 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. Wagler averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game and shot 39.7 percent from three on six attempts per game. A lot of NBA scouts compare Wagler to a young Tyrese Haliburton with his size and shot creation, and it’s one of the reasons why he could be a top-five pick in the draft.
- Brayden Burries, 6-foot-4 freshman guard, Arizona
Burries entered his freshman season as a top-10 prospect and backed up his five-star rating during his one season at Arizona. He complemented Jaden Bradley well in the backcourt and showed consistency in how he read the defense, especially in the pick-and-roll option off the wing. Defensively he has quick hands at the point of attack, generating 1.5 steals per game. He is one of the older freshman guards in the class (turning 21 before the start of the NBA season) but he’s done more than enough this season to solidify himself as a top 10-prospect.
- Cameron Carr, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, Baylor
Sometimes fit is everything, and that proved to be the case with Carr and Baylor. As a freshman at Tennessee, Carr suffered a ligament injury in his left thumb early in the season and elected to enter the transfer portal at the semester. He arrived early at Baylor and transitioned seamlessly to Scott Drew’s program. Carr loves to play at the rim and arguably had the dunk of the year against Arizona State. As a catch-and-shoot three-point threat he shot it consistently at 43 percent during the season and averaged 18.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Carr’s draft range is anywhere from late lottery to mid 20s.
- Isaiah Evans, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard, Duke
Evans went through the predraft process last year and decided to return to Duke for his sophomore season to improve his draft stock. He was second in scoring, averaging 15 points per game, and shot 36 percent from behind the arc on nine attempts per game. Evans doesn’t shy away from the big moment at the end of the shot clock or end of the game, and he spaces the floor well with his shooting ability and his quick first step off the dribble.
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- Dailyn Swain, 6-foot-8 junior guard, Texas
Swain is one of the intriguing prospects at the NBA Draft Combine. He has great length and footspeed and passes the ball extremely well. In the final seven games of the season, Swain averaged nearly six assists off the ball and forced 1.5 steals per game. His shot from long range needs some work but the shooting instincts are there and he’s very efficient at getting to his spots. Swain is a player scouts are eager to see at the combine, and he could really help himself in the shooting drills and combine scrimmages.
- Meleek Thomas, 6-foot-5 freshman guard, Arkansas
Thomas was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and many wondered if Arkansas head coach John Calipari could make it work in the backcourt with Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr., since they’re both very ball-dominant guards. The duo proved it wasn’t a problem as they shared the ball and found chemistry early on that helped the Razorbacks win an SEC championship. Thomas improved his shot selection and became way more decisive. His size and high release make him an intriguing prospect in the first round, and he’s a player to watch closely at the combine. Thomas averaged 15.6 points and 2.5 assists in 30.5 minutes and shot 41.6 percent from deep.
- Tounde Yessoufou, 6-foot-5 freshman guard, Baylor
Yessoufou is a fringe first rounder after a strong season at Baylor, averaging 17.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He only shot 29.3 percent from behind the arc and could really help improve his draft stock if he showcases an improved jumper. Yessoufou has a strong build and imposes his will in the lane and at the rim. Yessoufou was the leading high school scorer in the state of California, scoring 3.522 points, until this year when Missouri commit Jason Crowe Jr. beat his record with 4,718 points.
- Ryan Conwell, 6-foot-4 senior guard, Louisville
Conwell led the ACC in three-pointers per game during his final collegiate campaign and was the No. 1 option in the offense when Mikel Brown Jr. was out for the last month of the season with a back injury. Conwell averaged 18.8 points and made 112 three-pointers over the season and had a Player Efficiency Rating of 19.0. While known as a sharpshooter, Conwell’s role evolved during his senior season into that of a secondary decision maker. Conwell played at four different schools in four years and found ways to evolve and get better each step of the way.
- Richie Saunders, 6-foot-5 senior guard, BYU
Saunders was having an incredible senior year until suffering a season-ending torn ACL early in a game against Colorado on Feb. 14. Prior to his injury, Saunders averaged 18 points and 5.8 rebounds and shot 37.6 percent from deep on eight attempts per game. In a close loss to Kansas on Jan. 31, Saunders singlehandedly brought BYU back from a 21-point deficit and scored a career-high 33 points, including six threes. He’s so quick at getting off his shot and runs off screens very well. Even with his ACL injury, Saunders will likely get picked in the mid-second round.
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