See how top Wizards prospects Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa fared in high-pressure NCAA Tournament games, with mixed results for the potential draftees.
Yesterday marked the first day of the NCAA Tournament, and several potential Washington Wizards draft prospects were in action. Here's what we saw from some of the top 2026 draft prospects.
Cameron Boozer, F, Duke -- 6'9, 250
Cameron Boozer took the floor first of the potential Wizards' prospects, and his afternoon wasn't his best showing. Despite his 22 points and 13 rebounds looking decent on paper, if you watched the game, you'd understand why this was an off day for him.
His efficiency was low, shooting 4/11 from the field. The last two games have seen him shoot some of his lower totals of the year. He was 3-17 in the ACC Championship against Virginia. This had not been an issue for him almost the entire season, as he shot 56% from the field in the regular season, including 8 performances where he shot 70% or better.
Duke trailed for a lot of the game against 16th-seed Siena. Duke avoided a disastrous loss, but questions about Boozer remain. Thankfully for him, he has a chance at redemption against TCU tomorrow.
AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU -- 6'9, 210
AJ Dybantsa and BYU fell to the 11th-seeded Texas, but it wasn't without a near backpack effort from Dybantsa. He led all scorers with 35 points on 11/25 shooting. His only area of struggle was shown from a distance, knocking down only one of his seven attempts.
Dybantsa impressed scoring off isolations the entire game. Also, he played all 40 minutes -- and BYU needed every single one of them. It still wasn't enough for the Cougars. An area Dybantsa excels in is getting to the free-throw line. He averaged around 8 attempts per night in the regular season, and last night, he lived at the line, going a perfect 12/12.
Dybantsa turned the ball over five times, including a key one late. At that point, he had been a one-man wrecking crew for BYU, so Texas threw everything at him it could. He commands a ton of attention, and he has an explosive step to the basket. He showed why he projects as a top-prospect in this draft. Although he and his team are one-and-done, it's safe to say he did plenty to showcase his prowess for the next level.
Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas, 6'3, 190
Darisu Acuff Jr. and the Razorbacks had no issues cruising past the Rainbow Warriors yesterday. In 36 minutes, the flashy guard scored 24 points on 9/19 shooting, including 2/5 from deep.
Acuff also dished out seven assists to showcase his playmaking ability. He's been a prolific scorer all season long. The postseason has looked no different. In 3 SEC Tournament games, he averaged 30.3 points per game, leading Arkansas to an SEC Championship win.
Concerns remain over his ability to defend due to his size, but his run continues against 12th-seeded High Point, which upset Wisconsin.
Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois, 6'6, 180
Illinois pulverized Penn, 105-70, in round one of the NCAA Tournament. Keaton Wagler had a solid night in the process. The lanky guard scored 18 points on 50% shooting and 4/7 from downtown. He got it done in multiple facets, grabbing seven boards and dishing out seven assists.
Wagler projects from the 6-8 range on most draft boards, so he potentially becomes a worst-case scenario for the Wizards, but there's a lot of upside to his game to like. One thing Wizards general manager Will Dawkins is a big fan of is positional size. Wagler has just that with a 6'6 frame and the ability to handle the basketball. He and Illinois take on VCU tomorrow with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.
Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston, 6'4, 190
Houston had no problems with Idaho. Kingston Flemings was efficient and didn't have to do too much. He scored 18 on 8/12 shooting, while dishing out 4 assists and grabbing 6 rebounds. Flemings arguably has the highest upside as a defender of all the point guard prospects in this draft. Known for his speed and size, he brings a level of physicality that might be a perfect fit with the Wizards.
If he can lead Houston to its first championship, he could cement himself as the number one guard in this draft outside of Darryn Peterson.
In action today, Peterson takes on Cal Baptist at 9:45 p.m. EST. Caleb Wilson did not play for UNC yesterday in its loss to VCU, as he's out with a broken thumb. Wilson remains a strong candidate to go fourth overall, but an impressive tournament may have been helpful for his stock.