With the 2026 NBA Draft inching closer, the spotlight is starting to shine a little brighter on the top prospects-and right now, Cameron Boozer is very much in that conversation. Whether he's the consensus No. 1 or not depends on which mock draft you’re looking at, but make no mistake: Boozer is firmly in the mix, alongside Kansas standout Darryn Peterson, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson-assuming Wilson can bounce back from injury in time to solidify his stock.
As the talent pool continues to take shape, the NBA is also keeping a close eye on something else: competitive integrity. With teams jockeying for position in the standings-and in some cases, seemingly doing the opposite-the league is stepping in to make sure the final stretch of the regular season doesn’t devolve into a race to the bottom.
This week, the NBA announced that it had fined two teams-the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers-for what it described as improper “management of their rosters in recent games.” That’s league-speak for tanking, and the league didn’t mince words. In its statement, the NBA said that “overt behavior like this that prioritizes draft position over winning undermines the foundation of NBA competition.”
This isn’t just about two teams. It’s a message to the entire league: don’t try to game the system.
And that system? It’s the Draft Lottery, where the 14 teams that miss the playoffs get a shot at the top picks.
The worse your record, the better your odds-but it’s still a lottery. No guarantees.
It’s a calculated risk some front offices are clearly willing to take, especially with a class this deep.
Because let’s be real-this class has some serious talent. Boozer, who’s been a headliner on the high school and AAU circuits for years, is projected as the No. 3 pick in ESPN’s latest mock draft, behind Peterson and Dybantsa.
But other boards have Boozer going No. 1 overall, and it’s easy to see why. He’s got the size, the skill, and the pedigree to make an immediate impact at the next level.
Beyond those three, names like Caleb Wilson, Houston’s Kingston Flemmings, and Illinois’s Keaton Wagler round out a group that’s turning heads across the league. Wilson’s health will be a key storyline as we move into the spring, but if he’s right, he’s right there with the rest of them.
The NBA Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 10, with the Draft Combine running from May 10 to 17. The exact date of the Draft itself hasn’t been announced yet, but as usual, it’s expected to land toward the end of June.
Until then, expect the conversation around these prospects-and the teams hoping to land them-to only heat up. The league is watching, the fans are watching, and as always, the future of several franchises could hinge on a few ping pong balls and a whole lot of scouting.