The 2026 NBA Draft is expected to have several potential franchise-altering players at the top, and the race for the No. 1 overall pick is heating up.
Kansas’ Darryn Peterson opened as a hefty -325 favorite to be taken first in the 2026 NBA Draft at BetMGM, but his odds have been shrinking throughout the season compared with BYU star forward AJ Dybantsa. Dybantsa opened with +360 odds.
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This week, Dybantsa (+100) finally passed Peterson (+125) and became the favorite to go No. 1 overall at sportsbooks. Duke’s Cameron Boozer (+450) is the only other player with odds better than 150-1.
As of Friday morning, BetMGM had taken the most bets on Dybantsa, followed by Boozer and Peterson. Boozer represented the biggest liability at BetMGM to be taken first.
Dybantsa’s BYU team lost 73-66 to No. 5 Houston in the Big 12 tournament on Thursday night, but the Cougars are safely in the NCAA tournament field, along with Peterson’s Jayhawks — so both will have the spotlight for at least a game in front of a national audience to help raise their stock.
Unlike a few years ago when Bronny James was garnering a ton of action as a huge long shot to go No. 1 overall, bettors seem pretty convinced that it’s a three-player race between Dybantsa, Boozer and Peterson.
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While it’s far from a given that Dybantsa will go No. 1 overall, it’s also not a given that he will even declare for this year’s draft, as he said recently that he “might not leave” BYU after this season since his mom wants him to graduate.
Dybantsa is currently leading the nation in scoring at 25.3 points per game and has started all 34 of BYU’s games. Peterson is average 20.0 PPG and has played in 21 of Kansas’ 30 games.