The 2026 NBA Draft class is truly loaded with talent – so much so that the NBA has gone about creating new anti-tanking rules to directly combat some of the practices we saw bottom-feeding teams putting in place this season. No longer will franchises be able to throw games in hopes of landing a coveted top-three pick.
This year, there are three teams that share equal 14 percent odds at the first overall pick: the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, and Brooklyn Nets. The Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings are next in line with 11.5 percent odds each. All would greatly benefit from landing any of the top prospects, but there’s nothing like having the No. 1 pick.
The draft order will be finalized at Sunday’s lottery, making now an excellent time to look at the odds for each player to be the first pick. We’ll also cover each player’s candidacy and find the best bets to make ahead of the NBA Draft. Ready to bet? Lock in your picks at the best NBA offshore sportsbooks now.
2026 NBA Draft: No. 1 Pick Odds
Four players could reasonably be selected with the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. BetOnline provides odds as of Thursday, May 7:
- AJ Dybantsa (-425)
- Darryn Peterson (+325)
- Cameron Boozer (+900)
- Darius Acuff Jr. (+7500)
Dybantsa is the runaway favorite to be the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. A true freshman from BYU, Dybantsa is a former No. 1 recruit and has long been a highly-touted prospect. This race was once thought to be a toss-up, but Dybantsa has clearly separated himself from the pack.
Meet the Top NBA Draft Prospects
Now that we’ve seen the odds, let’s take a closer look at each of the prospects who could go No. 1 overall.
AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU (-425)
Dybantsa is as impressive a prospect as you’ll find in this year’s class. Despite turning 19 in January, he led the nation in scoring at 25.5 points per game on 51 percent shooting from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range. Dybantsa also showcased his all-around game, notching 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
His strength for his position and his ability to score in transition are a big part of what makes him such a coveted prospect. He’s also a talented ballhandler – especially considering his 6-foot-9-inch frame – meaning he’s someone who could initiate the offense, not just play a part in it.
Weaknesses are few and far between. He can be prone to turning the ball over, and he’s not the most efficient 3-point shooter, but top-rated prospects rarely display his level of polish at age 19. If this is the best Dybantsa ever, he’ll still be a heck of a player in the pros.
It helps that Dybantsa makes sense for virtually every team on the board. The Wizards, Pacers, and Nets would likely all take him at No. 1. The Jazz and Kings would realistically do the same. He’s earned his place atop the class.
Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas (+325)
Before Dybantsa took his place, Peterson was the longtime favorite to be the first player picked in the NBA Draft. A disappointing freshman campaign at Kansas raised questions about his future, though, and concerns are real enough to warrant a small slide.
When Peterson was on the floor, he proved why he’s one of the top prospects in the class. The 19-year-old combo guard averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals over 29 minutes per game. The problem? He appeared in just 24 games and became a source of frustration for Jayhawks fans.
A nagging hamstring injury forced Peterson to miss a lot of time, and it limited his time on the floor when he was active, often resulting in him playing less than 25 minutes. For Kansas, it became tough to rely on him as the No. 1 scoring option.
With that said, Peterson shone in the NCAA Tournament, and he remains one of the most likely candidates to go No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft. Should he be able to put his health concerns behind him for good, teams will love his All-NBA upside.
Cameron Boozer, F, Duke (+900)
Boozer is as decorated a freshman as they come. The son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, the 18-year-old was the national college player of the year and a consensus first-team All-American in his lone season at Duke.
The numbers were astonishing. Boozer averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from 3-point range. He did it all for the Blue Devils, and he did so with consistency, logging double-doubles in 22 of his 38 appearances.
The “concern” regarding Boozer is his size and athleticism. He’s not big enough to play center, and he’s not necessarily fast enough to play the perimeter. Despite that, his style of play has helped him dominate the competition at every level thus far, and there’s little reason to believe that he would suddenly flop once he reaches the NBA.
Boozer is exceptionally versatile and could fit on virtually any team in contention to make the No. 1 pick. The Pacers would be able to take particular advantage of his skills, but his rebounding, passing, and ability to draw fouls around the rim make him a safe choice no matter who picks him up.
Darius Acuff Jr., G, Arkansas (+7500)
Acuff is a real long shot to go No. 1 overall, so I wouldn’t pay him too much mind in relation to this market. That’s not to say he hasn’t shown that kind of upside – his productivity is off the charts – he’s just not necessarily in the same tier of prospects as the first three players mentioned here.
Acuff’s size makes him a liability on defense, and he doesn’t necessarily play with a ton of effort on that end of the floor, either. That’s where the negatives end, though. On offense, Acuff is a one-of-a-kind talent.
He’s an efficient volume scorer, which is a rare find at the college level, and even more so from a freshman. The 19-year-old averaged 23.5 points, 6.4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc on 5.8 attempts per game.
Acuff dropped as many as 49 points in a single game this season and had another five with 30-plus. He’s a walking bucket, and the fact that he played under John Calipari bodes well for his NBA career. He may well be the steal of the NBA Draft – just don’t expect him to go first.
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Best Bet for NBA Draft No. 1 Pick
AJ Dybantsa may be the overwhelming favorite, but at this stage of the process, there are far too many variables at play to consider locking him in at -425. He’s the best fit with several of the teams with the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick, but to suggest that he’s the only possible candidate is irresponsible.
With that said, I like the value that Cameron Boozer provides at +900. Even though I personally believe Dybantsa is the best player in this class, Boozer is arguably the more versatile player and may be a more natural fit with some teams that could make the first pick. The gap between Boozer and Dybantsa is not as wide as sportsbooks have it out to be.
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool
