CHICAGO – The NBA Draft Combine ran all last week in Chicago as 73 players went through measurements, agility testing, shooting drills, team meetings, five-on-five scrimmages and agency pro days. Executives and scouts were present all week long as they evaluated players inside Wintrust Arena. The 2026 NBA Draft class is considered one of the deepest in the last 10 years and the players projected at the top performed at a high level and did not disappoint.
A few college players elected to go through the pre-draft process and test the waters as they received feedback from teams. North Carolina transfer Matt Able has a big decision to make after a strong combine and there are mixed reviews on what’s going on with Malachi Moreno. Here is the latest buzz after combine week.
The debate at No. 1
The Washington Wizards won the NBA Draft Lottery for the second time in franchise history after a 17-65 season, securing the No.1 pick. Picking second will be the Utah Jazz and the Memphis Grizzlies will pick next at No. 3. BYU wing AJ Dybantsa entered the week as the favorite to go No. 1, but the Wizards are going to do their due diligence and really take a look at Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson.
What was most impressive about the top-tier players was that they all tested very well and performed at a high level on the court. Dybantsa measured in at 6-foot-8.5 with a 7-foot wingspan and recorded a 42-inch max vertical. He wore a tailored suit to the media availability and was calm all week long, taking everything in stride. “I’ve never had a job before, unless you count me working at McDonald’s for two hours after I was named a McDonald’s All American, so I wanted to look my best for my first job interview,” Dybantsa said during his media availability.
The idea that Dybantsa would try to control where he lands and refuse workouts is out of the question and completely out of character. Yes, he’s spent the last two years in Utah and I’m sure the Jazz would love him to still be there at No. 2, but he’s not going to pull a situation like Ace Bailey did last year and refuse to work out for the Wizards. His whole career has been unorthodox, as he’s done things his own way, but no matter where he lands on draft night, he’s going to do his best to help that franchise win because that’s who he is as a player.
Darryn Peterson addressed his full body cramping and injuries at Kansas to the media, and whether fans fully believe that too much creatine was the only issue, teams will dive deep into his medical records and figure out the truth before they feel comfortable drafting him. The good news is Peterson looked healthy, moved well and shot the ball at a high clip. He was second in the catch-and-shoot drill, just behind Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz, and went 19 for 25 from three-point range. Even with his series of injuries at Kansas, Peterson still managed to average 20.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in 29 minutes of action.
Malachi Moreno: Stay in the draft or go back to school?
Moreno’s situation at the combine is a real head-scratcher. He measured well at 6-foot-11.25 without shoes with a 7-foot-1.5 wingspan and 242.8 pounds. But he didn’t test terribly well during the agility and speed testing, and his shooting splits didn’t jump off the page either, going 12-for-25 in spot-up shooting, 7-for-22 in side-mid-side shooting and 6-for-25 in the star shooting drill.
Moreno was scheduled to participate in five-on-five scrimmages but withdrew at the last minute. There are typically two reasons why players withdraw late from scrimmage play: They have a promise from a team or they already know they’re going back to school and don’t want to be exposed. The buzz around Moreno is that he has a promise from a team, but it’s officially smoke season and this could be an effort from his agent to negotiate a higher NIL contract to return to Kentucky. The reality is, Moreno would have been going up against Tarris Reed Jr., Flory Bidunga, Felix Okpara and Baba Miller in the scrimmages, and those are hard assignments for any freshman big on a stage like the combine while playing in front of every NBA executive and decision-maker. The early withdrawal deadline is May 27, and after the combine performance alone, it would be shocking if Moreno stayed in this year’s draft.
Cameron Carr: The biggest stock riser
Carr played in the first day of five-on-five scrimmages and came in with something to prove. Baylor came up short this season and Carr carried a lot of the offensive load along with freshman guard Tounde Yessoufou. During scrimmage play, Carr shot lights out from behind the arc, connecting on six threes and finishing with 30 points and 7 rebounds. He was by far the best prospect on the court out of both games and showed enough to sit out day two of scrimmage play. “I’m a competitor and basketball is basketball,” Carr told Hoops HQ. “In my head I feel like I’ve been a little overlooked. When I hear someone’s better than me, I gotta go out there and show them who’s the best. That’s all I can do and I’m going to give it my best each and every time.”
Carr measured at 6-foot-4.5 without shoes with a 7-foot wingspan. During the shooting drills he went 14 for 25 in the spot up shooting and 22 for 30 off the dribble. Carr said he met with the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons during the draft combine week.
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Can the hire of Mike Malone get Matthew Able to return to Chapel Hill?
North Carolina fans watched with nervousness as Able went through all facets of the combine and performed at a very high level. Able played his freshman season at NC State and averaged 8.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in 21.7 minutes, then entered the transfer portal and committed to North Carolina after they hired former Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone. “The conversations with Coach Malone have been great and we call or text every day,” Able told Hoops HQ. “I know if I do decide to go back to school for another year, I’ll have a coach that’s already won a NBA championship and I can learn a lot from him.”
Able measured 6-foot-3.75 without shoes with a 6-foot-8.75 wingspan. He didn’t shoot the ball great during drills, but came alive during five-on-five scrimmage play. In the first game he was cutting off the ball and getting to his spots and found open looks from behind the arc. During the season, Able shot 35 percent from three-point range and he looked more confident in his shot at the combine. The first game he finished with 15 points (3-for-5 from three) and in the second game he had 17 points (4-for-9 from three). “I wasn’t able to fully showcase the player I was last season and I just wanted to come out here and compete and show that I can play in space and knock down shots,” Able said. He met with the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic Indiana Pacers, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers last week and has a big decision to make before midnight May 27.
Mikel Brown Jr. looks 100-percent healthy after lingering back injury
Brown entered the week with a lot of question marks. He missed the final seven games of the season with a back injury and many scouts and executives were wondering how he would perform this week in the agility testing and his pro day. Brown looked 100-percent healthy, and there were no signs of the slightest lingering stiffness or pain that was apparent during the season. “I feel great,” Brown told Hoops HQ. “I’m moving like I did before the season at the U19 FIBA World Cup and I’m just here to control what I can control and show teams I’m ready to come in and make an impact and I’m fully healthy.”
Brown was the best guard on Team USA and averaged 14.9 points and 6.1 assists and shot 46.7 percent from 3-point range. Team USA captured the gold medal with a stacked roster that included AJ Dybantsa, Koa Peat, Morez Johnson Jr., Tyran Stokes, Jordan Smith Jr. and Caleb Holt.
During the combine he shot the ball well with his shooting splits 15-for-25 in the star shooting drill and 18-for-25 in spot-up shooting. It was during his pro day with his agency Seros Partners where scouts and executives were reminded of his explosiveness and how well he can shoot it from long range.
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