The Brooklyn Nets are hoping to land a franchise-altering player in the 2026 NBA Draft. Following a season of tanking, the Nets finished with the NBA’s third-worst record, giving them maximum odds of landing the No. 1 pick (14.0 percent) or in the top four (52.1 percent).
The Ringer projected Brooklyn to select Kansas star Darryn Peterson with the No. 3 pick in their latest mock draft.
“If they do finally earn some lottery luck this year and land in the top three, the Nets might go with Peterson regardless of which spot they get,” wrote J. Kyle Mann. “It’s still early, but the returns from their 2025 class have been cloudy at best, with the occasional ‘Hey, that might be something’ spurts. This front office needs a big bet to hit big, and Peterson has the kind of superstar-scorer upside that is unmatched in the 2026 draft. Not to mention, his game would pair well with those of Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton and click some things into place.
“Things can obviously change, but as of this moment, I still have Peterson at the top of my board. He’s the type of offensive catchall that could bring purpose to their casserole of pass-first prospects, and he’d give their bigger and longer athletes enough spoon-fed offense in the pick-and-roll to at least launch the team in a direction.”
Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa and Cam Boozer are all considered realistic candidates to go No. 1 in June’s draft.
What Darryn Peterson would bring to rebuilding Nets in 2026 NBA Draft
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Brooklyn should be elated by the prospect of landing any of the three. Peterson would instantly step in as one of the Nets’ most talented draft picks in the franchise’s history.
The 6-foot-6 guard was the consensus No. 1 pick entering this season following a historic senior year at Prolific Prep. However, injuries caused Peterson to miss time and hampered his athleticism during his time with Kansas. Still, he averaged 20.2 points on .438/.382/.826 shooting splits across 24 appearances.
Watch Peterson’s high school tape, and his athleticism will jump off the screen as he effortlessly changes direction, glides to the hoop, and finishes above the rim. His shotmaking ability is up there with any of the top prospects of the last several decades. And while he has room for improvement as a playmaker, his physical tools, ball-handling and outside shooting will make him a threat on and off the ball at the next level.
Peterson’s medicals will play a huge role in where teams place him on their boards, as will the intel they receive from those close to him throughout his high school and college seasons. His strange season at Kansas has raised noteworthy concerns, but he has the potential to transform a team for a decade-plus if things click.
The Nets are as starved as any franchise to land such a player in this year’s draft.
The Brooklyn Nets are hoping to land a franchise-altering player in the 2026 NBA Draft. Following a season of tanking, the Nets finished with the NBA’s third-worst record, giving them maximum odds of landing the No. 1 pick (14. 0 percent) or in the top four (52. 1 percent). The Ringer projected Brooklyn to select Kansas star Darryn Peterson with the No.