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Among the biggest issues facing the NBA these days is how roughly a third of the league has no interest in winning games. It’s a byproduct of the lottery system that gives franchises with the most losses the best chance to pick as high as possible in the next draft.

Not all fans agree with tanking, I know it’s not a fun way to spend the final two months of the season. But if you’re one of the fans who wants to understand why it’s happening to this degree, all you had to do was watch college basketball Wednesday night because some of the best possible prizes from the 2026 NBA Draft were on display and awesome.

Let’s start with Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr.

Yes, the Razorbacks lost 117-115 in double-overtime at Alabama in part because the Crimson Tide’s Labaron Philon Jr., a possible lottery pick himself, went for 35 points and seven assists — but Acuff was still the story of the game. The 6-foot-3 guard from Detroit took 27 shots, made 16 of them and finished with 49 points, five assists and five rebounds in 50 — yes, 50! — minutes on the court. His 49 points are the most scored by any freshman in Division I men’s basketball since Georgia Tech’s Kenny Anderson got 50 in a win over Loyola Marymount in December 1990.

(That’s a crazy fact considering all of the freshmen who have played between then and now. Hand to heart, I would not have assumed that’s true. But it is, according to the back row in the bullpen at the CBS Broadcast Center, otherwise known as the research team.)

“He was in a [walking] boot for two days — and still did that,” Arkansas coach John Calipari stated. “And I stated, ‘You think you might have to miss this game?’ And he stated, ‘Are you nuts?” He doesn’t care. Hurt, whatever it is. He was in a boot for two days.”

That’s an interesting quote — and probably the perfect place to transition to Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson, who, in contrast to Acuff, very much does (seem to) care about how he feels before determining how much to play or even whether to play at all. That’s been the narrative connected to him all season. Wednesday didn’t help.

Peterson started for the Jayhawks, scored 20 points in the first half, added three more early in the second… and then appeared, once again, to check himself out of the game with 17:40 remaining.

Take a look for yourself.

Peterson never returned.

As I’ve stated many times, if it’s just a talent evaluation, Peterson should be the No. 1 pick in June. But all of the odd stuff connected to his availability might make it more of a conversation than it otherwise would be, especially with so many other awesome options available at the top of the draft — like BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, Tennessee freshman Nate Ament and Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler.

All three of them played Wednesday, too.

Dybantsa got 35 points and seven rebounds in BYU’s 75-68 loss at Arizona. Ament got 29 points and six rebounds in Tennessee’s 89-66 win over Oklahoma. And though Wagler wasn’t great in Illinois’ 101-65 victory at USC — the 6-6 guard finished with only 10 points and four assists in 29 minutes — he remains the best player on a team that’s No. 7 in Thursday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings, where Michigan remains No. 1 for the 10th consecutive day.

Wagler will be a top-10 pick.

Bottom line, at least six potential lottery picks — Peterson, Dybantsa, Acuff, Philon, Ament and Wagler — and possibly more, were in action Wednesday, and two of them went into the record books. Acuff set the single-game scoring record for a freshman at Arkansas. Dybantsa set the single-season scoring record for a freshman at BYU. They’re both special, undeniably.

Why are so many NBA teams tanking?

That’s why.

The lottery for the 2026 NBA Draft is scheduled for May 10.

Top 25 And 1 rankings

Biggest Movers

5

Alabama

9

Connecticut
Rk
Teams
  
Chg
Rcrd

1
 Michigan Elliott Cadeau finished with 17 points and seven assists in Tuesday’s 91-80 win at Purdue. The Wolverines’ next game is Saturday against Duke.

 — 25-1

2
 Duke Cameron Boozer finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds in Monday’s 101-64 win over Syracuse. The Blue Devils’ next game is Saturday against Michigan.

 1 24-2

3
 Arizona Anthony Dell’Orso finished with 22 points and four rebounds in Wednesday’s 75-68 win over BYU. The Wildcats’ next game is Saturday at Houston. 1 24-2

4
 Iowa St. Joshua Jefferson finished with 12 points and six rebounds in Monday’s 70-67 win over Houston. The Cyclones’ next game is Saturday at BYU.

 1 23-3

5
 Houston Isiah Harwell missed five of the six shots he attempted in Monday’s 70-67 loss at Iowa State. The Cougars’ next game is Saturday against Arizona.

 1 23-3

6
 Florida Alex Condon finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday’s 76-62 win over South Carolina. The Gators’ next game is Saturday at Ole Miss.

 1 20-6

7
 Illinois Andrej Stojakovic finished with 22 points and three rebounds in Wednesday’s 101-65 win at USC. The Illini’s next game is Saturday at UCLA. 4 22-5

8
 Purdue Braden Smith missed nine of the 13 shots he attempted in Tuesday’s 91-80 loss to Michigan. The Boilermakers’ next game is Friday against Indiana.

 — 21-5

9
 Nebraska Sam Hoiberg missed six of the eight shots he attempted in Tuesday’s 57-52 loss at Iowa. The Cornhuskers’ next game is Saturday against Penn State.

 — 22-4

10
 Kansas Darryn Peterson finished with 23 points and two rebounds in Wednesday’s 81-69 win at Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks’ next game is Saturday against Cincinnati. — 20-6

11
 UConn Alex Karaban missed five of the six shots he attempted in Wednesday’s 91-84 loss to Creighton. The Huskies’ next game is Saturday at Villanova. The Huskies’ next game is Saturday at Villanova. 9 24-3

12
 Gonzaga Graham Ike finished with 22 points and two rebounds in Wednesday’s 80-59 win at San Francisco. The Zags’ next game is Saturday against Pacific. — 26-2

13
 Virginia Thijs De Ridder finished with 22 points and five rebounds in Wednesday’s 94-68 win at Georgia Tech. The Cavaliers’ next game is Saturday against Miami. — 23-3

14
 Michigan St. Jeremy Fears Jr. finished with 16 points and 10 assists in Tuesday’s 82-59 win over UCLA. The Spartans’ next game is Sunday against Ohio State.

 1 21-5

15
 Vanderbilt Tyler Harris missed five of the six shots he attempted in Wednesday’s 81-80 loss at Missouri. The Commodores’ next game is Saturday against Tennessee. 1 21-5

16
 St. John’s Bryce Hopkins finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday’s 76-70 win at Marquette. The Red Storm’s next game is Saturday against Creighton. — 21-5

17
 Alabama Labaron Philon Jr. finished with 35 points and seven assists in Wednesday’s 117-115 double-overtime win over Arkansas. The Crimson Tide’s next game is Saturday at LSU. 5 19-7

18
 Arkansas Malique Ewin missed all four shots he attempted in Wednesday’s 117-115 double-overtime loss at Alabama. The Razorbacks’ next game is Saturday against Missouri. 1 19-7

19
 Texas Tech Jaylen Petty missed five of the six shots he attempted in Tuesday’s 72-67 loss at Arizona State. The Red Raiders’ next game is Saturday against Kansas State.

 1 19-7

20
 Miami (Ohio) Peter Suder finished with 23 points and five rebounds in Tuesday’s 86-77 win at UMass. The RedHawks’ next game is Friday against Bowling Green.

 — 26-0

21
 Tennessee Nate Ament finished with 29 points and six rebounds in Wednesday’s 89-66 win over Oklahoma. The Vols’ next game is Saturday at Vanderbilt. 3 19-7

22
 BYU Mihailo Boskovi missed all three shots he attempted in Wednesday’s 75-68 loss to Arizona. The Cougars’ next game is Saturday against Iowa State. 1 19-7

23
 Louisville Ryan Conwell missed 12 of the 16 shots he attempted in Tuesday’s 95-85 loss at SMU. The Cardinals’ next game is Saturday against Georgia Tech.

 — 19-7

24
 Utah St. Mason Falslev finished with 17 points and three rebounds in Wednesday’s 75-56 win over Boise State. The Aggies’ next game is Saturday at Nevada. 2 23-3

25
 Saint Louis Quentin Jones missed nine of the 12 shots he attempted in Tuesday’s 81-76 loss at Saint Louis. The Billikens’ next game is Friday against VCU.

 — 24-2

26
 Villanova Acaden Lewis finished with 21 points and seven rebounds in Wednesday’s 92-89 overtime win at Xavier. The Wildcats’ next game is Saturday against UConn. NR 21-5