- AJ Dybantsa is a heavy favorite to be selected first overall by the Washington Wizards with -425 odds, followed by Darryn Peterson at +280.
- Cameron Boozer has +3000 odds to be selected first, +170 odds to be selected second, and -195 odds to be selected third.
NEW YORK – The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is set for Tuesday night and what is expected to be one of the best draft classes in recent memory. The Washington Wizards are the first team on the clock and are expected to choose from three players who would have been no-brainer top picks in past years.
Odds To Be Selected With The #1 Pick
- AJ Dybantsa (-425)
- Darryn Peterson (+280)
- Cameron Boozer (+3000)
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa is the overwhelming favorite to be the first player selected at legal sports betting sites, which would make a lot of sense purely from a “fit” perspective for the Wizards.
Many believe Dybantsa to be the best overall prospect between his mix of size, skill, and athleticism, but his profile as a bigger scoring forward would slide in nicely to the three spot in the starting lineup next to newly acquired Trae Young and Anthony Davis.
Darryn Peterson is viewed as the highest upside pick and perhaps best pure scorer in the class by some, but his skillset somewhat overlaps with last year’s sixth overall pick Tre Johnson. Peterson could also view himself more as a true point guard, which would not mesh well with the usually ball-dominant Trae Young.
Boozer overlaps some of the current roster as well, with former #2 overall pick Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis able to handle the majority of the minutes at the 4 and 5.
Odds To Be Selected With The #2 Pick
- Darryn Peterson (-150)
- Cameron Boozer (+170)
- AJ Dybantsa (+425)
Peterson leads in odds to be the second pick off the board to the Utah Jazz, followed by Boozer at +170 and Dybantsa farther behind at +425.
Neither Peterson or Boozer have a clear fit in Utah either, with Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier emerging as a promising young backcourt and Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. making up the frontcourt.
As previously mentioned, Peterson would be the upside play, but Boozer has been lauded for his versatility and has the added benefit of his father, Carlos Boozer, spending some time playing for the Jazz during his career.
There was some buzz around Peterson only working out for the Wizards and not the Jazz, but recent reports have confirmed that it was meant to be a statement of confidence from Peterson as he believes he should be the first overall pick, but would have no reservations in playing for Utah.
Dybantsa has local ties, playing AAU, high school, and college basketball in the state. If he slips past the top spot, it would be almost unthinkable for him not to be selected by the Jazz.
Odds To Be Selected With The #3 Pick
- Cameron Boozer (-195)
- Darryn Peterson (+300)
- Caleb Wilson (+350)
- AJ Dybantsa (+2500)
The third pick belongs to the Memphis Grizzlies, who made a big splash by trading away Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Jazz for a haul of young players and future first round picks, indicating a full rebuild.
Fit is much less of a concern for the Grizzlies, who are focused on accumulating young talent to develop in hopes of competing down the line. The most likely outcome is for Memphis to select whichever of the top three falls to them, but another contender is UNC’s Caleb Wilson at +350.
Wilson is not as much of a polished prospect as the other three, but is one of the most athletic players in the draft pool and likely would have been in contention for the top overall pick in other years, posting averages of 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game for the Tar Heels.
Boozer is the clear favorite to be picked third at NBA betting sites, given the fact that Dybantsa and Peterson are expected to be off the board, but anything could happen in the first two picks.
