Jason Burgos
A new rumor suggests one specific prospect is generating a lot of momentum to land with teams like the Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, or Washington Wizards as the No. 1 pick in June’s NBA Draft.
One of the biggest stories as we near the end of the NBA regular season, for the wrong reasons, is the race to the bottom of the standings. While the lottery was created to stop franchises from tanking their way into the top overall pick, there is an ongoing battle between the NBA’s worst teams to get the top pick in June.
While tanking is nothing new in the NBA, right now it is worse than most years because of the very strong class of prospects expected to declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. So even if a team doesn’t get the No. 1 overall selection, a top-three pick could net a franchise-altering talent.
As we enter the final weeks of the season, the Pacers, Nets and Wizards currently have the best odds (14% chance) to win the No. 1 pick. With the NCAA Tournament underway the discourse about who will go No. 1 is as loud as ever. And according to ESPN’s Jeremey Woo, it looks like it will be a player whose team was ousted in Round 1.
AJ Dybantsa new favorite to be No. 1 pick in 2026 NBA Draft?
“Based on conversations with sources around the NBA in recent weeks, the probability has been tilting toward AJ Dybantsa as the most likely choice as the No. 1 pick,” Woo wrote in a new draft stock watch article.
Throughout the college basketball season, the BYU freshman has been viewed as a potential No. 1 pick in June. He led the nation in scoring (25.5 points) and carried the Cougars to a birth in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, they were ousted by Texas in the opening round.
Up until recently, Kansas star Darryn Peterson was viewed as the favorite to go first because of his NBA-ready game. Unfortunately, injuries and questions about his dedication to the Jayhawks has hurt his standing with many draft experts. Either would be a great choice if the Pacers, Nets, or Wizards land the No. 1 pick.
