KU’s Darryn Peterson Remains Betting Favorite to go No. 1 in 2026 NBA Draft

It’s not exactly been the year that Kansas basketball fans imagined for Darryn Peterson’s time in Lawrence.

The star-studded freshman has battled various injuries since the beginning of the season involving his hamstring, cramping, and now an ankle sprain suffered during the game against Colorado last week. The injuries have kept him out of 10 games so far this year (out of 20) – including a seven-game stretch from Nov. 11 to Dec. 2.

Despite spending half the season on the bench with injuries, Peterson still finds himself atop the betting odds to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft this June.

Here is where his odds stand as of Jan. 28, according to three major sportsbooks.

BetMGM: -135
FanDuel: -190
DraftKings: -210

In the 10 games he’s played this season, Peterson has often looked like the best player in college basketball. His game looks effortless at times and yet so effective.

He’s averaging 21.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in an average of just 27.2 minutes per contest. He’s shooting nearly 50% from the field and 42.0% from 3-point range. And his 21.6 points ranks No. 13 in the country and would likely be much higher if it weren’t for all the games he’s missed this season.

Peterson’s top competition for the No. 1 pick is BYU freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa, who will be in Lawrence this weekend for one of the most anticipated games of the entire college basketball season. And the winner could likely see the odds shift in their favor.

MORE: Kansas Chosen to Host ESPN College GameDay for Matchup vs BYU

Dybantsa currently has the second best odds to go No. 1 on BetMGM (+120), DraftKings (+140), and FanDuel (+200).

The Cougars forward is having a tremendous season and currently leads the country in scoring (along with Tarleton State’s Dior Johnson) with 23.6 points per game. He also averages 6.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

Saturday’s showdown should be one of the most exciting games of the year for both teams as these two freshman stars go head to head as they have for a couple of years now dating back to some incredible matchups in their high school days.

Now, the two appear to be competing once more for who will come out on top in the 2026 NBA Draft.

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