College basketball is officially here.
The 2026 college basketball season has started in full force and NBA evaluators are getting eyes on the standouts likely to be selected at the top of the 2026 NBA Draft. This projects to be an absolutely loaded draft class due to the trio of Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa and Duke forward Cameron Boozer. Their combination of skill and youth has made them incredibly tantalizing and many teams are approaching the season in hopes of landing one of the three.
The Atlanta Hawks have a great chance of walking out of the 2026 draft room with one of those three names in a Hawks jersey.
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Asa Newell stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 23rd pick by the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
During the 2025 NBA Draft, Atlanta received a haul to trade back from the 13th overall pick to the 23rd pick. In exchange for sliding down to No. 23, the Pelicans gave Atlanta the better pick between their first-round pick and Milwaukee’s first-rounder. That means that the Hawks will likely be getting a top pick in the 2026 NBA draft depending on where exactly New Orleans finishes in the standings. If they finish as one of the five worst teams by record, the Hawks will have a 14% chance of getting the 1st overall pick in what appears to be an absolutely loaded draft class. Even if they don’t make the jump to No. 1, they still have a great shot at a top-5 pick.
The possibility of adding a top-five pick to this young core of Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher would set the Hawks up perfectly to pivot in a multitude of directions. If the season goes well, they might be able to get Trae Young to agree to a slightly reduced price. Young’s injury is likely going to deflate some of his production – it’s fair to wonder if teams would be concerned about Young’s future durability. He’s dealt with injuries frequently over the past few seasons and it’s possible that the best deal might be a slightly reduced commitment from a familiar situation in Atlanta.
That being said, not signing Young should be on the table if the Hawks get a top five pick. That caliber of player could absolutely approach All-Star status and has a good shot of being able to step into a starring role. Under the tight constraints of the apron rules, Atlanta general manager Onsi Saleh has to be very careful with the big money deals that he hands out. It’s possible that the right long-term move for this franchise would be to pivot away from the Trae Young era.
If Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman’s prediction comes true, it’d be hard for Atlanta to not explore moving on from Young. Wasserman has the Pelicans pick finishing at the No. 2 overall selection and the Hawks selecting Cameron Boozer with said selection. Per Wasserman, his skillset compares rather favorably to an All-Star the Hawks just beat last night.
“Pro Comp: Paolo Banchero”
“Cameron Boozer may have raised the bar even higher after two exhibition games, when he combined for 57 points, 35 rebounds, 10 assists and five threes against UCF and Tennessee. His physicality around the basket, handle and body control attacking, improved shooting range and passing IQ are all going to help squash any concerns over some lack of vertical explosion. A key early takeaway is that his perimeter game continues to improve, not just with his shot but also his ability to put the ball down, use the right footwork and make plays off the dribble. Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa may wind up with the more exciting highlight tapes, but it shouldn’t be surprising if Boozer’s decorated track record and maturity sway teams to rank him No. 1.”
Banchero certainly has his flaws, but it would be a home run if the Hawks were able to get a similar player on their roster. It would allow them to legitimately pivot from Trae Young and go in a different, more athletic direction without being overly dependent on the health of a smaller point guard. Even if they decide to keep Young, Boozer’s refine skillset and abiliity to fit into a role should be appreciated on this roster. In his first official game, he made up for a scoreless first half with a 15-point, 13 rebound performance that was critical for Duke to get the win.
Even if Atlanta misses on the first overall pick, they should be ectastic if they land within the top three at all. One of Boozer, Dybantsa and Peterson will be available at that spot and potentially change the Hawks’ future if general manager Onsi Saleh makes the right selection.