Three New England Natives Selected on Opening Night of NBA Draft

At this year’s NBA Draft, our region produced three players who are looking to start their careers and contribute to their respective teams.

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AJ Dybantsa, a Brockton, Massachusetts, native, was selected by the Washington Wizards with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The pick also made New England history, as Dybantsa became the first player from Massachusetts taken No. 1 overall since Patrick Ewing in 1985. He followed Maine’s Cooper Flagg, marking what is believed to be the first time two players from New England were selected first overall in back-to-back NBA drafts.

Ebuka Okorie, a Nashua, New Hampshire, native, was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 17th pick in the NBA Draft.

The former Cushing Academy and Brewster Academy standout went on to become one of the nation’s top freshmen at Stanford, averaging over 23 points per game while setting multiple school and ACC freshman records.

Alex Karaban, a Southborough, Massachusetts, native, was drafted 29th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in Tuesday’s first round and is expected to be traded to the Sacramento Kings.

Karaban starred at UConn, helping the Huskies win back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024 and reach the 2026 title game after previously playing at Algonquin High School and New Hampton School.

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And there you have it! Three New Englanders were drafted in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft: AJ Dybantsa, Ebuka Okorie and Alex Karaban.

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