2026 NBA Draft No. 1 Overall Betting Picks

New anti-tanking measures will be introduced next season after a slew of franchises bottomed out to nab a top pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft, which could have the greatest group of college freshmen ever.

What highly-prized prospect are all these teams tanking for? Let's look at the latest betting futures on basketball's next No. 1 overall pick? Odds are subject to change.

1st Overall Pick - NBA Draft 2026
Darryn Peterson	-225	-225	-225
AJ Dybantsa	+200	+200	+200
Cameron Boozer	+700	+700	+700
Caleb Wilson	+6600	+6600	+6600
Keaton Wagler	+7500	+7500	+7500
Nate Ament	+20000	+20000	+20000
Mikel Brown Jr	+20000	+20000	+20000
Tounde Yessoufou	+20000	+20000	+20000
Karim Lopez	+20000	+20000	+20000
Jayden Quaintance	+20000	+20000	+20000
Chris Cenac Jr	+20000	+20000	+20000

Boost Your NBA Picks

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Kansas guard favored to go No. 1

Darryn Peterson (-225) is favored to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The star Kansas freshman is averaging 19.8 points in 27.2 minutes per game while shooting 48% from the field and 43.1% from 3-point range.

However, the 6-foot-6 point guard has appeared in only 16 of 27 games this season due to a hamstring injury, cramping and illness.

"There is no team in hell that should grab Darryn Peterson at No. 1. ... [Peterson] cannot be trusted."@stephenasmith SOUNDS OFF on Peterson's availability this season 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/WRq5gswRrv

— First Take (@FirstTake) February 19, 2026

The problem with Peterson

Peterson isn't atop everyone's board. "No team in hell should draft Darryn Peterson No. 1," said ESPN's Stephen A. Smith after the 19-year-old left another game early with cramping on Wednesday night. After scoring 20 points in the first half of the Jayhawks' 81-69 victory over Oklahoma State, Peterson asked out of the contest and didn't return for the final 17:22 of action.

Will concerns about Peterson's durability and engagement cause him to slip on draft day? “He hasn’t finished games,” said Kansas coach Bill Self. “The bottom line is, there is a way to change the narrative: Play. Finish. That’s the way to get people to quit talking.”

AJ Dybantsa surging

AJ Dybantsa (+200) is averaging 24.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game for BYU this season. Unlike Peterson, the Cougars freshman is a fierce competitor, averaging 40.5 minutes of playing time over his past four games.

On Saturday, the 6-foot-9 forward almost notched a triple-double (29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists) to help No. 23 BYU upset No. 6 Iowa State. The 19-year-old is also a physical freak with a wingspan approaching seven feet.

Thoughts on AJ Dybantsa's top dunkers of all time?? pic.twitter.com/Yo41BFBFKB

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) February 18, 2026

What about Boozer?

Cameron Boozer is a +700 longshot to be first guy off the board despite being a -7000 lock to win the John Wooden Award as college basketball's best player. The freshman forward is averaging 22.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, leading the Duke Blue Devils to a 24-2 record.

However, 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward doesn't have the same athleticism as the other freshman on the list. According to Rivals, Boozer is ranked as the fourth-best prospect, behind North Carolina's Caleb Wilson (+6600).