The 2026 NBA Draft is upon us. The excitement over who the top pick will be is gaining traction, though nothing is set in stone yet. AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson , and Cameron Boozer all have decent chances.
With that being said, Dybantsa is currently the favorite to go first because of his potential. That leaves Peterson and Boozer either at second or third, with the Kansas guard unanimously projected to be in Utah when the smoke clears.
But is it really a done deal? Sean Farnham doesn't think so.
Draft experts consider DP the most talented player in the group. He gets to his spots with ease and is already a polished three-level scorer. Bill Simmons, CJ McCollum , and Kendrick Perkins agree on one thing about Peterson: The dude could be the next Kobe Bryant .
Still, there is a chance either Washington or Utah will call Boozer's name before Peterson. Why?
"Availability is your best ability," Farnham said on First Take. "There's nothing that I looked at over the course of the season at Kansas that would say, 'Okay, I believe he can make it through 82 games.' Jerry West said, 'If you can't play 30, how can you play 82?' I think that's the concern for Darryn Peterson."
"If Darryn Peterson didn't have any health issues and was available all season long and had that quick-twitch that we saw him have at the high school level, then yes, I would agree that he is an elite-level prospect that can get his shot off at any spot," the ESPN analyst added.
For Farnham, the availability question always comes up with Peterson. Boozer, meanwhile, never missed any of Duke's 38 games.
"If you're going to make an impact on the next level, you need to be there and be accountable every single night for your organization. That's where I feel Cam Boozer has an edge over Darryn Peterson," Farnham concluded.
Besides the obvious questions, Peterson's decision to only work out for the Wizards complicates matters. Jazz President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge might look the other way based on that. Boozer's dad, Carlos, is already beloved in Utah after playing there for several years, including two All-Star seasons.
So, if Washington picks Dybantsa first, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Ainge selects Boozer over Peterson.
Beyond durability, Cam's numbers at Duke make a strong enough case on their own. He averaged a double-double with excellent shooting percentages in all three levels. For a front office looking for immediate production, those stats are hard to ignore.
"When you think of Cam Boozer, go to the fact that over the last 60 years of the NCAA tournament, there's only four players who averaged over 22 points and 10 rebounds over a four-game span in the tournament: Gene Banks, Melo (Anthony), Kevin Love, and Cam Boozer. That's pretty good company to be in," Farnham stated.
Despite issues surrounding his athleticism and all that, production remains the name of the game for Boozer at any level. Peterson's ceiling might entice some, but Boozer has already shown that he can produce night after night. That could be the kind of certainty teams like Washington or Utah may end up valuing more.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
