Potential top pick AJ Dybantsa declares for NBA Draft one day before deadline

AJ Dybantsa has made it official.

The BYU freshman announced he will enter the 2026 NBA draft, a move that has been expected for months as he continues to solidify his standing near the top of the class.

There’s a real case he goes No. 1.

Dybantsa put together one of the most productive seasons in the country, leading all Division I players with 25.5 points per game while shooting 51 percent from the field. He added 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 34.8 minutes across 35 games for the Cougars.

The resume checks out. Consensus first-team All-American. All-Big 12 first team. Julius Erving Award winner as the nation’s top small forward.

And the draft buzz has followed.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report currently has Dybantsa at No. 1 in his latest mock. Jeremy Woo of ESPN recently moved him to the top spot on his big board as well, noting that Dybantsa has become the name NBA executives most often project to go first overall. 

Hoops Wire also has him at No. 1 and headed to the Pacers. It’s all hypothetical, of course, at this point.

There are still areas to refine.

Woo points to ball-handling, perimeter shooting and defense as parts of his game that can continue to develop. Even so, the appeal is obvious. Dybantsa brings size for the position, natural scoring instincts and the kind of offensive ceiling teams tend to bet on at the top of the draft.

There’s also the makeup piece. Wasserman notes that evaluators have been encouraged by Dybantsa’s intensity and approach, describing an “alpha mindset” that shows up both on and off the court.

The deadline for early entrants to declare is Friday. Dybantsa didn’t need that long.