NBA Mock Draft: Betting Odds, Projections for Top 10 Picks

This pick was once more of a toss-up, but ever since the Wizards won the draft lottery, the pendulum has swung firmly in Dybantsa’s direction. With Trae Young, Alex Sarr, and Anthony Davis in tow, Washington has less of a reason to pursue guards and bigs and should be more inclined to select a game-changing wing like Dybantsa.

Dybantsa has all the attributes you’d want out of a No. 1 pick. He led the nation in scoring this past season as a true freshman at BYU, notching 25.5 points per game on .510/.331/.774 shooting splits, and averaged 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists to boot.

A lengthy, hyper-athletic forward is precisely what the Wizards are lacking in their current state. Dybantsa alone won’t bring this team back from the dead, but his presence certainly makes their future one worth paying attention to.

No. 2 Utah Jazz: Cameron Boozer, F, Duke (+275)

The markets favor Peterson in this spot at -160, but I have a hard time seeing how the Jazz pass on Boozer. The do-it-all wing was arguably the most outstanding player in college basketball this past season, and he would be a relatively seamless fit in what Utah is trying to accomplish.

Boozer’s game speaks for itself. As a freshman at Duke, he averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while sinking 55.6 percent of his attempts from the field and 39.1 percent from 3-point range. Put simply, he’s a double-double machine with excellent playmaking instincts.

Talent aside, there’s an obvious connection between Boozer and Utah. His father, Carlos, spent six seasons with the Jazz, including his two All-Star campaigns. He also works as a scout for the franchise – a role he’s held since May 2025. 

No. 3 Memphis Grizzlies: Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas (+500)

With Dybantsa and Boozer off the board, Peterson is the obvious choice at No. 3 for the Grizzlies. There’s a chance that Memphis could go for a wing here, but with Ja Morant’s future with the franchise in question, Peterson is an incredibly lucky draw.

Once considered to be the top prospect in the class, Peterson’s injury-riddled freshman season at Kansas harmed his stock more than it helped. Still, he looked like one of the best players in the nation when he was healthy, averaging 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 38.2 percent from 3-point range.

There’s also some additional flexibility that comes with drafting Peterson. He can play either guard position, so should the Grizzlies choose to keep Morant – or look elsewhere for their point guard of the future – Peterson can still be a natural fit in the backcourt.

No. 4 Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, F, North Carolina (-140)

Wilson is the most likely candidate to land at No. 4, but his upside rivals that of the top prospects in this class. A 6-foot-10-inch wing with a nine-foot standing reach, he’s a prototypical modern-day forward with great feel for the game on both ends of the floor.

An injury prematurely ended his year on Feb. 10, but his averages still paint an excellent picture of who he can be. Wilson scored 19.8 points to go along with 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.4 blocks over 31.3 minutes per game.

There’s some concern about his 3-point shot developing – Wilson connected on just 25.9 percent of his attempts this season – but even if he doesn’t get that to fall consistently, the Bulls will have to feel good about everything else he brings to the table.

No. 5 LA Clippers: Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois (+140)

Things get a little less certain at No. 5 and beyond. The Clippers are expected to target a guard, and four prospects could reasonably be in play here: Keaton Wagler (+140), Darius Acuff Jr. (+250), Kingston Flemings (+500), and Mikel Brown Jr. (+900).

Wagler would be my preferred choice, and he’s also the favorite. A relatively unheralded player coming out of high school, Wagler blossomed as a freshman at Illinois, averaging 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc.

Wagler has a slight frame, but he has great length for his position and proved that he could consistently make the right play as the engine that drove college basketball’s No. 1 offense in 2025-26. This is the right pick.

No. 6 Brooklyn Nets: Darius Acuff Jr., G, Arkansas (Odds TBD)

Brooklyn landed two rookie point guards in 2025 (Egor Dёmin, Nolan Traoré), but I can’t foresee the franchise being picky about positions with a prospect like Acuff on the board at No. 6. Perhaps the most gifted offensive talent in the class, Acuff is someone who would instantly put fans in seats.

His numbers do all the talking. Acuff averaged 23.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.4 assists on .484/.440/.809 shooting splits as a freshman at Arkansas, posting six 30-point outings in the process.

So why isn’t Acuff in contention to be the No. 1 pick? In short, his defense is every bit as bad as his offense is good. Not only does he lack the size to be an impact player on that end of the floor, but he regularly loses his man and gets beat easily in transition, too.

No. 7 Sacramento Kings: Kingston Flemings, G, Houston (Odds TBD)

The Kings desperately need … well, a lot of things. Lead guard? Absolutely. Youth? They had the fourth-oldest roster in 2025-26. Defense? Theirs is among the league’s worst. Fortunately, Sacramento can address all of those issues by selecting Kingston Fleming, should he still be available at No. 7.

An elite talent in space and a star playmaker in transition, Fleming has a lot of the same traits that made former Kings guard De’Aaron Fox so difficult to defend early in his career. Flemings has a more consistent 3-pointer coming out of college, though, and he’s more surgical from the mid-range.

His size is a concern – Flemings measured just over 6-foot-2 at the NBA Draft Combine, and his wingspan is only an inch longer – but he tries hard on defense and is also a fairly explosive athlete, which bodes well for his future development.

No. 8 Atlanta Hawks: Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville (Odds TBD)

The Hawks are also thought to be in the market for their point guard of the future after sending Trae Young to the Wizards. One potential solution? Drafting Mikel Brown Jr., who shares many of the same offensive strengths as the All-Star guard.

First and foremost, Brown is a legitimate pull-up threat from anywhere on the court. He only sank about 34 percent of his attempts as a freshman, but he would regularly launch from way downtown, and he can get hot in a hurry. He popped for 45 points on 10-of-16 shooting from deep in a win over NC State in early February.

Brown was limited by a back injury at times, and he could also be a bit turnover-prone. Alongside Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels, though, Brown would have less of a playmaking burden and more flexibility to torch defenses with his elite range.

No. 9 Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries, G, Arizona (Odds TBD)

The Mavericks already have their face of the franchise in Cooper Flagg. Now, it’s time to start surrounding the budding superstar with young, complementary talent that can help him grow his game. Brayden Burries checks all the boxes of a potential No. 2.

As a true freshman at Arizona, the 6-foot-4 point guard excelled on both ends of the floor, averaging 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals as a 39-game starter. He has the traits to be a terrific shooter, too, posting .491/.391/.805 splits. 

Does he have what it takes to be the primary scoring option somewhere else? Maybe, but Burries’ fit as a secondary playmaker and scorer is virtually seamless. He does it all, unselfishly, and already knows how to be a winning player.

No. 10 Milwaukee Bucks: Aday Mara, C, Michigan (Odds TBD)

Milwaukee needs an overhaul. Giannis Antetokounmpo is likely on his way out, and with Taylor Jenkins taking over as head coach, we’re likely to see a stylistic shift in the way the Bucks handle things on offense and defense. What better way to adapt to the modern game than by bringing in a 7-foot-3 big man with a near-record 9-foot-9-inch standing reach?

Coaches and executives alike will be scrambling for ways to stop Victor Wembanyama for years to come, but getting someone who can see eye-to-eye with him feels like the right place to start. And while he didn’t show a ton of it in college, Mara has the skills to shoot the 3-ball and defend the perimeter. 

Even if his offensive game doesn’t pan out, Mara looks like a reliable anchor to tie a defense around. He averaged 2.6 blocks over 23.4 minutes per game in 2025-26, and his size alone deters a lot of would-be drivers and layup attempts.