Trade at Kalshi & Get a $15 bonus when you sign up today!
NBA Draft Predictions & Best Bets – Wagler a Top-5 Pick? Peterson #1?
By Eric Rosales in NBA Basketball
Published:
- BYU Cougars star AJ Dybantsa is the betting favorite over Darren Peterson to go #1 in the 2026 NBA Draft
- Keaton Wagler is a potential top-5 pick
- Read below for my predictions and best bets for tonight’s 2026 NBA Draft
If the NBA draft odds hold, it’s going to be AJ Dybantsa’s night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn this evening.
The BYU star is currently the overwhelming favorite to have his name called first by the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night at the 2026 NBA Draft, with Kansas star Darryn Peterson remaining his top — but apparently distant — competition.
I’ve had a chance to scour the NBA Draft odds and find the best bets available.
2026 NBA Draft Predictions
Odds as of June 23 at Kalshi. Use the Kalshi sign-up bonus to wager on the 2026 NBA Draft tonight.
NBA Draft Prediction #1: Darryn Peterson First-Overall Pick
The trading market is pretty determined on this one, with AJ Dybantsa listed at an overwhelming 88% at Kalshi, which equals out to extremely short -733 odds. If you think it’s Dybantsa going to the Wizards, then I implore you to stay away from this bet, as there’s literally no value here.
Now, if you are interested in taking a flier on an upset, and the flipped-over +733 odds on Peterson, this is where you want to do it.
There’s two flags on this front that should make bettors wary as we head into Tuesday. The first, and most publicized, is that Peterson limited his visits to just one team during this entire proccess: the Washington Wizards.
The second, and more interesting, is that Utah sits right there at No. 2, and there is perhaps no other budding star that has chosen to grow and develop as a basketball player in Utah as Dybantsa did, and would be likely happy starting and keeping up his ties in his adoptive State.
The Jazz have always had a hard time signing free agents, and even budding stars they’ve plucked from the draft (hello, Donovan Mitchell!) don’t seem to thrilled locking it down there.
Is there a deal to be made? If someone can pull off a swipe like this, it would be Jazz front office guru Danny Ainge, who would have to swap picks and offer up some meaningful young talent and extra draft capital.
I don’t think the market reflects just how close this battle is, and how close you are to cashing in a big ticket.
- Pick: Peterson (+733 at Kalshi)
NBA Draft Prediction #2: Keaton Wagler Drafted in Top 5
In a draft littered with guard talent, it’s really just preference when you get down to it, and one of those point guard battles is between Illinois’ Keaton Wagler and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr.
Wagler offers the size and versatility most NBA GMs covet, a 6-foot-6 guard that shoots it at a high clip and is a considered a heady decision maker. He shot it at nearly 40% from 3-point range, and averaged 18, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in a run to the Final Four.
Then you there’s Brown Jr, who is just an inch shorter than Wagler, but excels in putting up buckets. He didn’t shoot it that well (just 41% from the field), but had some massive scoring games, including 45 against NC State, 29 against Baylor and 29 against SMU. Those all came back-to-back-to-back.
The Bulls hold the fourth pick, and they’ve got some real decisions to make, especially considering that there are four can’t-miss prospects on the board (Dybantsa, Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson), but any one of Wagler, Brown or Darius Acuff could also project to be a star.
While the Clippers did trade James Harden for Darius Garland, I’m not so sure they wouldn’t take either of those guards, and play them together, as they each have the size to defend wings.
My preference here is Wagler, whose all-around game and size makes him an instant plug and play at three positions.
- Pick: Wagler (-138 at Kalshi)
NBA Draft Prediction #3: Zuby Ejiofor Drafted in First Round
When you get to the end of the Round 1 in the NBA Draft, you’ve got teams that are filling out needs, so it’s as important to look at the draft board as to what Zuby Ejiofor brings to the table.
Joshua Jefferson projects higher because he’s the better offensive player, with a deft passing ability for a forward. A team that could covet that skill would be the Celtics (27th) and maybe even a little earlier with the Pistons (23), who will definitely take any connective facilitating around Cade Cunningham.
Ejiofor brings high energy, a relentless motor, who can do lots of that defensive heavy lifting with rebounding and interior play. He’s got the wingspan to potentially play a small-ball 5, but that all depends on where he lands.
The Lakers are desperate for big, athletic bodies that can help out defensively, and they pick at 25, while Denver could use some of that alongside Nikola Jokic, and as someone who could develop into Aaron Gordon 2.0, though his outside shot would need to improve.
He could slot alongside Dallas wunderkid Cooper Flagg (30) or learn the ropes in a rotation with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in Cleveland.
In this case, defense bests offense.
- Pick: Ejiofor (-163 at Kalshi)
KALSHI TRADING
Must be 18+ years or older & residing in the United States. Other Terms & Conditions may apply.
LOCK IN PROMO
CODE: DIME15
CODE: DIME15
Eric Rosales
Sports Writer & Editor
Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
NFL
NBA
