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Editor's note: See every pick of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.NEW YORK — The common thread for the first round of this draft was that it began after pick No. 4.And while, yes, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson were widely viewed as the top four players in the 2026 NBA Draft, this nonetheless projected to be one of the deeper classes we have seen over the past decade – especially at the guard position.All of which means that there are plenty of ramifications to sort through as the first round wrapped up Tuesday, Jan. 23.Here are the winners and losers from the 2026 NBA Draft.WINNERSAJ Dybantsa and the WizardsWashington got its man and – suddenly – the Wizards have a mix of young and dynamic talent with veteran leadership. Granted, Washington will likely need some time for Trae Young and Anthony Davis to assimilate into the program, given that they combined to play just five games for the Wizards, even though both were acquired in January and February.Either way, Dybantsa is built for the modern NBA; he’s long, athletic and can create his own shot. As long as coach Brian Keefe can get all these pieces to cohere, the Wizards might be a sneaky tough out for the first time in a long time.BYU CougarsFor the first time in their history, Brigham Young had a player selected with the top overall pick in an NBA draft. The previous top Cougars draft pick was Shawn Bradley, who went No. 2 in 1993 to the Philadelphia 76ers.The tank pays off for the JazzIt turns out all that losing paid off. After the Jazz subbed out their best players late in games in an overt attempt to self-sabotage, Utah suddenly looks like the team most likely to make a massive leap next season.Rookie guard Darryn Peterson now joins Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and last year’s No. 5 overall selection Ace Bailey. Peterson is the most naturally gifted scorer in this class, and the Jazz, who tied for the worst record in the West at 22-60, should contend for a playoff spot next season.Los Angeles Lakers get the steal of the draftThey did have to reportedly trade up one slot to secure him, but former Baylor guard Cameron Carr should be an excellent fit for a Lakers team that could always use another scoring threat to pair alongside Luka Dončić. That’s especially magnified because Austin Reaves might very well opt out of his player option and test the market as an unrestricted free agent.Carr is a dynamic athlete who tested extremely well during the NBA combine, but he also drained 37.4% of his 3s last season at Baylor. Hand it to L.A. for acting decisively and capitalizing on Carr’s mini slide down the board.Michigan WolverinesNot only did the national champs have three players picked in the first round, they all went in the lottery and they went in the span of four picks.New Mavericks coach Dusty May, who led the Wolverines past UConn in the title game, will coach his former player, forward Morez Johnson Jr. (No. 9 overall). Johnson joins Yaxel Lendeborg (No. 11 to the Warriors) and Aday Mara (No. 12 to the Thunder) as the Michigan first-rounders to hear their names called.The post-Giannis Bucks start to set a foundationMilwaukee won’t replace Giannis Antetokounmpo with one draft, but it did take steps to replenish the roster after its blockbuster trade with the Miami Heat.The Bucks drafted guard Brayden Burries at No. 10 and then added former Tennessee forward Nate Ament with the No. 13 selection that they acquired from Miami. For the Bucks, it’s all about drafting players who can both begin to contribute but also steadily develop.Ament will need to bulk up some and may be more of a project, but Burries is a strong guard who can score from all over the floor.Considering Antetokounmpo was set to leave the franchise – and considering this was a deal Milwaukee needed to make – the Bucks took some steps to rebuild.The Warriors need help now. Yaxel Lendeborg gives them exactly thatAs Golden State is running it back with coach Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry at least one more time, the Warriors desperately need to give Curry another outlet on offense.At No. 11, Yaxel Lendeborg was the obvious plug-and-play option. He’ll turn 24 before the start of his rookie season and is NBA-ready from the second he steps into the facility. The Warriors need perimeter shooting and Lendeborg worked on his 3s, lacing them at a 37.2% clip at Michigan. He’ll contribute from Day One.LOSERSSurprises and drama in the draftPick Nos. 1 through 4 essentially went the way everyone was expecting. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but fans of the draft who were looking for drama simply didn’t get it. More than anything, that’s a testament to the quality of Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer and Wilson as players – and how they separated themselves from the rest of the field.But the overall theme of this being a fairly predictable, fairly chalky draft played out. There were no drastic reaches and no head-scratching picks, all things considered. That does tend to be the case when there’s an abundance of talent across the board.Labaron Philon Jr.In a extremely deep draft, the player who suffered a pronounced slide down the board was guard Labaron Philon Jr., who averaged 22.0 points his sophomore season at Alabama and was a consensus All-America third-team selection.The 76ers did select Philon at No. 22, and he joins a loaded backcourt that already features Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, so he does enter the Association in a favorable situation with a little less pressure. But no player ever wants to linger in the green room, waiting to hear their name called.Isaiah Hartenstein may be the odd man out in OKCThe Thunder are stockpiling bigs.Oklahoma City selected 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara from Michigan, who joins Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein and last year’s first-round selection, Thomas Sorber, who missed this season with ACL recovery.The Thunder have a $28.5 million team option on Hartenstein and need to make a decision on his future, but OKC will be navigating a tight salary cap. So Mara, who shines on defense, might be more than insurance. Hartenstein was very valuable against Victor Wembanyama, so it will be a tough call. But, at some point, the Thunder will need to let good players walk. Hartenstein might be one of them.NCAA keeps seeing its top talent flee to the next levelIt wasn’t just your imagination; there were a ton of freshmen taken early in the first round of the NBA draft. The first eight selections made Tuesday night were college freshmen, which tied the record for most freshmen selected to begin a draft. That record was set … last year.As the one-and-done route continues to be the preferred path for top players, it continues to leave voids in college hoops. Even with NIL money flowing to prospects, expect this trend to continue.
