The NBA has a new class, and a Black freshman is sitting at the head of it.
On Tuesday, June 23, the league held the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where AJ Dybantsa — fresh off a standout freshman season at BYU — heard his name called first by the Washington Wizards.
“It’s just super surreal. It’s how you envision it when you’re a kid, and you just think about getting drafted,” Dybantsa said of the milestone.
Dybantsa was not the only young player having a dream-come-true kind of night. In fact, the first eight players off the board were all freshmen, breaking a record for the most drafted in a first round. Darryn Peterson went No. 2 to the Utah Jazz, Cameron Boozer landed with the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 3, Caleb Wilson went No. 4 to the Chicago Bulls, Keaton Wagler joined the Los Angeles Clippers at No. 5, Mikel Brown Jr. was selected by the Brooklyn Nets at No. 6, Darius Acuff Jr. went No. 7 to the Sacramento Kings and Kingston Flemings rounded out the top eight with the Atlanta Hawks.
Yet for all the fresh suits, daps with Adam Silver and life-changing phone calls discussed, the draft was also as much about the families who helped these young men get to this point. From fathers getting their flowers to legacies continuing to emotional embraces with mothers to rival families getting to celebrate together, the evening was in no short supply of touching highlights. Here are five of the top moments during the 2026 NBA Draft that had us all in our feelings.
AJ Dybantsa becomes the No. 1 pick and makes sure his father gets his flowers
The Wizards selected the BYU star first overall, and Dybantsa stepped onstage sharp in an all-black suit embroidered with flowers, letting a rainbow watch do a little talking on his wrist. Yet the most meaningful part of his big night came before he even shook the commissioner’s hand.
Rather than have Silver announce him simply as “AJ,” he asked to hear his full name, Anicet Dybantsa Jr. The request honored his father, Anicet Dybantsa Sr., known as Ace, who Dybantsa said made major sacrifices to support his son’s basketball dreams.
“You guys can still call me AJ,” Dybantsa told reporters after his name was called. “I wanted Adam to call me ‘Anicet’ because I also wanted to honor my dad. His name is Anicet Dybantsa Sr. and he goes by ‘Ace.’ Without him, I wouldn’t be here today.”
AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson’s families get their full-circle moment
Dybantsa and Peterson have apparently been meeting on the basketball court since high school, building a friendly rivalry that made both of them better. One of their most memorable matchups had the two young stars combining for 107 points, so it only felt right that draft night found them standing at the top of the class together.
After the Jazz selected Peterson at No. 2, Peterson’s father made his way over to hug Dybantsa’s father in a moment that tugged at the heartstrings after everything their sons have been through together and up to this point.
Cameron Boozer goes No. 3 and the Boozers have a family draft-night flex
When Memphis selected the Duke freshman third overall, it ignited the next chapter in a family legacy in the sport that began with his father, former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer who leapt to his feet to celebrate his son once his name was called.
However, Cameron’s mother, CeCe Boozer, was right there soaking it all in too and may have stolen the show for both her enthusiasm and her sleek sports mom style.
“I think it’s really just faith over fear,” CeCe said of Cameron’s basketball journey during an interview with ESPN’s Lisa Salters. “So we battle that adversity as a family and now we get to celebrate as a family and be here to watch Cameron. I just couldn’t be more proud.”
Yaxel Lendeborg breaks down in his mother’s arms after Golden State picks him
When the Golden State Warriors selected Lendeborg with the No. 11 pick, the Michigan star found his mother, Yissel Raposo, and broke down in her arms. Raposo, whom he has called his “guardian angel” and hero, is battling stage 4 appendix cancer, making their embrace one of the most emotional scenes of the night.
“This moment is for her,” he said.
Mikel Brown Jr. gives Brooklyn a new face to believe in
The Nets selected Brown Jr. with the No. 6 pick, their highest selection in 16 years. The 6-foot-5 guard enters Brooklyn after a freshman season that made clear why he has been on everybody’s radar. For a franchise hungry for a new direction, Brown’s arrival gives Brooklyn somebody young, talented, and exciting to build around, ushering in what many analysts are anticipating as a new season for the team.
