Right now, there are three very real contenders to be the top pick in the 2026 draft: Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa. All three have been incredibly productive as freshmen. And the talent gaps between them (assuming there are any) are small enough that it might come down to which team wins the lottery.

Below are five bold NBA predictions for 2026. The window we're operating in is the calendar year. Anything before Jan. 1, 2027 is fair game, and we're going out on a limb with these predictions. I'm not asking for credit on a Thunder championship pick.

The Thunder showed some vulnerability in the NBA Cup semis, while the Knicks captured the crown. See the latest title odds.