This is the payoff for the pain.
The NBA draft begins Tuesday night. After four years of losing, the Utah Jazz finally have a coveted pick in one of the richest classes in recent memory. Whichever player the Jazz draft will be their most highly regarded prospect selected in at least a decade, maybe more.
Here’s what you need to know about what’s at stake on Tuesday.
About the Jazz’s pick
The Jazz have the second overall pick in the draft.
This will match the highest the team has ever picked. Utah also had the No. 2 overall pick in 1980, when the team selected Darrell Griffith.
They have no other picks in this year’s draft.
Who could the Jazz take?
While there’s plenty of debate about their order, most experts agree on the four best players in the draft.
AJ Dybantsa — The 6-foot-9 wing led the nation in scoring as a freshman at BYU. He’s big and athletic and can put a lot of pressure on opposing defenses with remarkable midrange touch and a heavy knack for getting to the free-throw line. But there are areas for improvement: Dybantsa’s defensive numbers weren’t great last season, nor was his 3-point shooting.
“No matter what team I go to, I’m trying to bring a championship,” Dybantsa told reporters on Monday.
(Nam Y. Huh | AP) Kansas guard Darryn Peterson attends the NBA basketball draft lottery in Chicago, Sunday, May 10, 2026.
Darryn Peterson — The 6-foot-6 guard was projected to be the No. 1 pick when he started his freshman campaign at Kansas. He is the best shooter among the draft’s top talents. But he sat out games with a series of injuries and strange cramping issues that could give some pause.
Peterson doesn’t think that will be an issue.
“I’m back. Period,” he said Monday. “I’m myself again. I’m feeling great. Never felt better actually.”
Cameron Boozer — The son of former Jazzman — and current Jazz scout — Carlos Boozer was the NCAA’s player of the year last season at Duke. And he has bigger aspirations than even his father’s All-Star career.
“For me to get to my goals, I would have to be a better player than he was,” the younger Boozer told reporters Monday.
There are questions about his defense and what position he might play in the NBA. But at 6-foot-9, he possesses an interesting mix of offensive skills.
Caleb Wilson — The North Carolina star is long (6-foot-10), super athletic and possesses a terrific motor. He thrives around the rim and should be able to make an immediate defensive impact as a rookie.
“Every team really just questions my shooting, but they say everything else is good,” Wilson said. “I feel like I shoot the ball better than I get credit for.”
Looking for a party?
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Jazz fans Todd Hansen and his son Blake, 5, cheer at the Delta Center during the 2023 draft. This year's watch party will be outside at the Shops at Southtown.
The Jazz are hosting a draft watch party at the Shops at Southtown.
There will be an outdoor screen, appearances by current players, food options and games. There will also be some giveaways: the first 500 people there get summer league tickets; the first 1,000 people get free Dippin’ Dots and a Swig drink.
The event is free. No ticket is required.
Where: Northeast parking lot at Shops at South Town
When: 5 p.m. MT
Want to watch on TV?
Pre-draft coverage will begin on ESPN at 5 p.m. MT.
The draft will air on ABC and ESPN starting at 6 p.m. MT.
Andy’s pick
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) is expected to be the No. 1 pick.
There’s not widespread agreement on who the No. 1 pick in the draft should be — Dybantsa, Peterson, and Boozer all have real cases and real supporters. It’s Washington who has first choice.
But for me? Dybantsa is the best prospect of the three. As a freshman, he led all of college basketball in scoring, putting up 25.5 points per game, doing it from all three levels. There are no real questions on how that will translate to the NBA: He’s 6-foot-9, has a 42-inch vertical jump, and his attacking game should only improve in pro spacing. His weaknesses, especially on the defensive end, would also be lessened — or inspired — by playing alongside Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler.
Dybantsa, however, is the favorite to be drafted by Washington. In that case, Peterson’s smooth shooting game at the shooting guard position is the cleanest fit with the rest of the Jazz’s roster — so long as the medical staff believes in his body’s ability to hold up over 82 games. Boozer also has a good chance to be a special player, but is an awkward fit next to Jackson Jr., Kessler, and Lauri Markkanen.
First round order
1. Washington
2. Utah
3. Memphis
4. Chicago
5. LA Clippers
6. Brooklyn
7. Sacramento
8. Atlanta
9. Dallas
10. Milwaukee
11. Golden State
12. Oklahoma City
13. Miami (reported trade pending)
14. Charlotte
15. Chicago
16. Memphis
17. Oklahoma
18. Charlotte
19. Toronto
20. San Antonio
21. Detroit
22. Philadelphia
23. Atlanta
24. New York
25. Los Angeles Lakers
26. Denver
27. Boston
28. Minnesota (reported trade pending)
29. Cleveland
30. Dallas

