2026 NBA Draft Odds: Dybantsa Favored to Be First Overall Pick

Robert Criscola - Betting Analyst at Covers.com
Robert Criscola • Betting Analyst 11+ years betting experience
Updated: May 25, 2026 , 03:33 PM ET • 5 min read

The 2026 NBA Draft features a cavalcade of talent, but AJ Dybantsa is standing tall as the betting favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick of the Washington Wizards, followed by Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer.

2026 NBA Draft odds AJ Dybantsa
Photo By - Reuters Connect. BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) is the odds-on favorite to be the first-overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

The NBA Draft Lottery has come and gone, with the Washington Wizards winning the rights to the first overall pick and bringing some more clarity to the 2026 NBA Draft odds.

This is one of the most loaded drafts in recent memory, but there is significant separation between AJ Dybansta and the rest of the field, led by Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer, to be the No. 1 overall pick.

The NBA Draft is set for Tuesday, June 23 and Wednesday, June 24.

2026 NBA Draft odds to be first overall pick

Odds as of 5-25 from bet365, one of our best betting apps. Sign up with our bet365 promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.

Player bet365
BYU AJ Dybantsa -370
Kansas Darryn Peterson +275
Duke Cameron Boozer +1400
UNC Caleb Wilson +5000
Arkansas Darius Acuff Jr. +15000
Louisvilla Mikel Brown Jr. +25000
Houston Kingston Flemings +30000
Illinois Keaton Wagler +30000
Tennessee Nate Ament +30000

Latest NBA Draft odds movement

AJ Dybantsa has gone from -400 to -370 since the Wizards won the Draft Lottery, while Darryn Peterson went from +350 to +275. It's too early to tell if "somebody knows something," or if it's just contrarian bettors moving a volatile market. 

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2026 NBA Mock Draft: Top 5 scouting reports

The 2026 class is defined by a "Big Three" at the top, followed by high-upside versatile wings. Here is how the top of the board looks as we head toward March Madness.

1. AJ Dybantsa | SF | BYU

2025-26 stats: 25.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 51.3 FG%
*Wooden Award Finalist

Dybantsa is the most "pro-ready" scorer in the class. Standing 6-foot-9, with a 7-foot wingspan, he led the nation in scoring. He is explosive driving to the paint, gets to the free-throw line a lot, and has a strong mid-range game... plus he has greatly improved as a playmaker and ball handler as the season progressed.

2. Darryn Peterson | G | Kansas

2025-26 stats: 19.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 33.8 3PT%

Bill Self has called Peterson the best recruit he’s ever landed at Kansas, as the 6-foot-5 combo guard has elite body control and a methodical scoring pace. He has dealt with minor hamstring and ankle issues this season, but remains the draft's best pure scorer as he can bully smaller guards in the post or pull up from 30 feet with ease.

3. Cameron Boozer | PF | Duke

2025-26 stats: 22.5 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 56.5 FG%
*Wooden Award Winner

The son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer, Cam is the most productive player in college basketball. He's not as flashy (or may not have quite as high a ceiling) as the wings above him, but Boozer has the highest floor of any player in the draft to turn out as a highly productive player. He is an elite short-roll passer, a solid defender, and can also hit jumpers from a distance.

4. Caleb Wilson | F | North Carolina

2025-26 stats: 19.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 57.8 FG%

Possibly the most athletic player in the draft, Wilson has major hops and a relentless motor, which combine well with his elite speed at 6-foot-10. He's a raw player: He struggles to finish at the rim, is not a 3-point threat at all right now, and has issues in off-ball defense, but his potential is as high as any player in the draft. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see him in the Big Dance as he had season-ending thumb surgery at the beginning of March.

5. Darius Acuff Jr. | G | Arkansas

2025-26 stats: 22.9 ppg, 6.5 apg, 47.1 3PT%

The SEC Player of the Year is an elite scorer at every level, especially dangerous in isolation sets, and he has done something that all coaches love: Raised his game when it matters most; he averaged 28.4 ppg the last two months, including almost 30 ppg in the SEC tournament and the Big Dance. His biggest concern — and the reason he's lagging behind the "Big 3" — is questions about how well he can defend at the pro level.

NBA mock draft comparison table

Player School Strength Comparison
AJ Dybantsa BYU Shot creation Tracy McGrady
Darryn Peterson Kansas Pure scoring Devin Booker
Cam Boozer Duke Passing/IQ Alperen Sengun
Darius Acuff Jr. Arkansas Iso scoring Damian Lillard
Caleb Wilson UNC Athleticism Kenyon Martin

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NBA Draft betting trends

Here are some recent trends you'll want to keep in mind when betting on NBA Draft odds:

  • Positions have been reasonably well-distributed among the No. 1 picks. Over the past 21 NBA Drafts, nine have been forwards, seven guards, and five centers.

  • "One-and-done" college freshmen make up the overwhelming majority of recent top picks, being selected No. 1 in 16 of the past 19 seasons since high schoolers were ruled ineligible.

  • Among NCAA schools, Duke leads the all-time count with five first-overall picks, including Paolo Banchero in 2022.

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History of first overall NBA Draft picks

Cooper Flagg's selection last year ended a two-year stretch of international players taken No. 1 — after just one such player (Andrea Bargnani, 2006) was selected in the previous 17 years. 

Year Player Position
2025 Mavericks Cooper Flagg SF
2024 Hawks Zaccharie Riscacher SF
2023 Spurs Victor Wembanyama C
2022 Magic Paolo Banchero PF
2021 Pistons Cade Cunningham PG
2020 Timberwolves Anthony Edwards SG
2019 Pelicans Zion Williamson PF
2018 Suns Deandre Ayton C
2017 76ers Markelle Fultz PG
2016 76ers Ben Simmons PG/F
2015 Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns C
2014 Cavaliers Andrew Wiggins G/F
2013 Cavaliers Anthony Bennett PF
2012 Pelicans Anthony Davis PF
2011 Cavaliers Kyrie Irving PG
2010 Wizards John Wall PG
2009 Clippers Blake Griffin PF
2008 Bulls Derrick Rose PG
2007 Blazers Greg Oden C
2006 Raptors Andrea Bargnani F/C
2005 Bucks Andrew Bogut C
2004 Magic Dwight Howard C
2003 Cavaliers LeBron James SF/PF
2002 Rockets Yao Ming C
2001 Wizards Kwame Brown C
2000 Nets Kenyon Martin PF

NBA Draft Odds FAQ

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Robert Criscola - Covers.com
Betting Analyst

Robert M. Criscola’s road to becoming a Covers publishing editor began with an internship at Metro New York, which eventually turned into a freelance job at MetroBet covering many sports from a wagering angle, including horse racing. He continued to focus on “The Sport of Kings” by writing for shapperdacapper.com, danonymousracing.com, and informer.fanxt.com before joining the team at the TwinSpires Edge in 2019 as a regular contributor and weekend editor. “Crisco” began writing game previews for Covers in 2022 and joined the editing team in 2023.

His best advice for sports bettors? Bet with your head, not over it.

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