AJ Dybantsa, the projected No. 1 pick on most draft boards, is headed to the NBA.
Dybantsa made the expected official on Thursday, dropping a short on his YouTube channel saying he was declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft.
Dybantsa climbed to the top of most teams’ draft boards after an impressive freshman season at BYU, averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists per game, while shooting 51% from the field.
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Two things moved him to the top of those boards. One is his ceiling, he is maybe the best athlete in the draft as a 6’9″ wing player, the archetype most in demand around the NBA right now. What impresses scouts is that Dybantsa can do it all: He can get downhill, create separation to get his shot off, but also has shown to be a good, tough-shot maker. He has great footwork for a young player, and a comfort level shooting contested shots (which most shots in the NBA are).
The other thing that moved him to the top was his availability. Kansas’ Darryn Peterson entered the season as the No. 1 pick for most teams, but injuries that had him in and out of the Jayhawks lineup — and leaving multiple games early — raised some concerns with teams. Peterson’s medical reports from the NBA Draft Combine next month will have a big say in where he is drafted.
Whether Dybantsa or Peterson (or, maybe, Cameron Boozer) is taken with the top pick will come down to the NBA Draft Lottery next month — which team will land the top pick. While Dybantsa is on top of most teams’ boards, there are still Peterson believers out there, and if the right team has the ping-pong balls favoring them — and Peterson’s medical reports are clean and he has strong pre-draft workouts with teams — he could go first.
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Either way, Dybantsa is going to go near the top of the draft and has a promising NBA future.
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