AJ Dybantsa is a Freshman who has entered the 2026 NBA Draft, which will be decided in June. The consensus is pointing towards Dybantsa being picked first for Washington, ahead of other candidates like Darryn Peterson and Koa Peat.
Since the prospective players have been announced, prediction markets have been trading on the possible outcomes. While AJ Dybantsa is widely expected to be the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, we look into the stats to see if this is likely. Join us as we compare his performance and projections with those of the other candidates.
AJ Dybantsa has recently announced his entry into the 2026 NBA Draft, which begins with round 1 on Tuesday, June 23. Both rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday are hosted in Brooklyn, New York, and will be broadcast on ABC/ESPN. AJ Dybantsa is a Freshman who is currently playing for the BYU Cougars. Despite his young age, he’s expected to be picked first in the NBA Draft.
AJ Dybantsa has impressed the scouts for averaging 25.5 points per game in the 2025-26 season. While being a Freshman, Dybantsa already plays with the confidence of an older, more experienced player. Along with his skill level and overall feel for the game, this is what sets him apart from other candidates. Additionally, he can play both offense and defense, making him an adaptable player.
| Current Team: | BYU Cougars |
|---|---|
| Position: | #3 Forward Position |
| Projected Team: | Washington |
| Projected Pick: | Round 1, Pick 1 |
Alongside AJ Dybantsa, the other two top candidates are Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer. Darryn Peterson has a PPG (Points Per Game) of 20.2, compared with Cameron Boozer’s PPG of 22.5. With there being slight concerns over AJ Dybantsa’s defensive consistency and perimeter shooting, is he likely to be picked first, ahead of the other candidates? This is exactly what sports prediction markets are weighing up.
AJ Dybantsa has a current chance of 78%, as predicted by the traders on Polymarket. This is up by 31% compared to January’s stats. Since January, Polymarket has experienced a steady upward trend for this market, indicating a substantial favoritism for AJ Dybantsa to be picked first.
This market has experienced a drop by 22%, falling steadily since January. While traders had a period of increased belief for Darryn Peterson to be picked first in February, where the chance increased to 75%, it soon started falling within a few days. While this market has dropped recently, there is a slight upward trend occurring as we speak, with the chance increasing little by little each hour.
Koa Peat isn’t predicted to be picked first by Polymarket traders. This market has been pretty flat since January, sitting at around 2.5% consistently. Having said this, there was a spike on April 30th, where the traders boosted the chances to 33.5%. Over the past few weeks, the chances have dropped back down, indicating a low-level belief in Peat being picked first.
Despite scouts indicating that Cameron Boozer is a good candidate for being picked first, Polymarket traders suggest differently. While the chance has fluctuated a little, the highest it’s risen to recently is 16%, which is relatively low in comparison to AJ Dybantsa.
Now you know more about the current situation with the line-up of potential NBA Draft picks, let’s take a look at how the market is standing at Polymarket. Keep in mind that the following event contract prices are subject to change according to market activity:
| Candidate | Chance | Yes Contract |
|---|---|---|
| AJ Dybantsa | 78% | 79¢ |
| Darryn Peterson | 18% | 24¢ |
| Koa Peat | 3% | 5.5¢ |
| Cameron Boozer | 2% | 4.0¢ |
| Jayden Quaintence | <1% | 0.8¢ |
| Caleb Wilson | <1% | 0.5¢ |
| Nate Ament | <1% | 0.2¢ |
| Mikel Brown Jr. | <1% | 0.2¢ |
| Toude Yessoufou | <1% | 0.2¢ |
As it stands, AJ Dybantsa is the firm favorite among experts and NBA fans for being picked first in the NBA Draft this year. The market activity at Polymarket has placed Dybantsa with a chance of 78% at being picked first, with a Yes contract priced at $0.79. Based on the analysis of his skills and recent performance, we believe that it’s likely for Dybantsa to be picked first for Washington in the 2026 NBA Draft, Round 1. If you like your chances for trading on this event, you can get started today at Polymarket. All you need to do is tap the promotional banners on this page and create an account to get stuck in.
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