BYU's AJ Dybantsa declares for 2026 NBA Draft

[ad_1] BYU star freshman AJ Dybantsa introduced on Thursday that he'll declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. Dybantsa is essentially projected to be the No. 1 total decide.

In Yahoo Sports activities’ newest mock draft, Kevin O’Connor has Dybantsa going first total to the Chicago Bulls.

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Since BYU’s season-ending loss to Texas within the first spherical of the NCAA match, Dybantsa has been mulling his determination on whether or not to declare or return for his sophomore season. He advised Yahoo Sports activities earlier this month that his determination was as much as his mother, who values his schooling and has helped him with a lot of his selections.

Dybantsa made a large influence on the Cougars final season. The 19-year-old averaged 25.5 factors, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals whereas capturing 51% from the sphere for BYU. He was named to the AP All-America First Group, alongside Duke freshman Cam Boozer and Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr., who declared for the draft earlier this week.

Dybantsa broke Kevin Durant’s Massive 12 match scoring document with 93 factors throughout three video games. Dybantsa scored 40 towards Kansas State within the first spherical of the Massive 12 match, his second 40-point sport at BYU.

Nineteen years in the past, Durant scored 92 factors in three video games whereas at Texas.

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Dybantsa was BYU’s No. 1 possibility all season lengthy and nonetheless took on an elevated scoring load after senior guard Richie Saunders went down with a season-ending torn ACL late within the season. In BYU’s NCAA match loss to Texas, Dybantsa scored 35 and Robert Wright III had 14 factors. Everybody else on BYU’s roster mixed for 22.

Right here’s what O’Connor wrote about Dybantsa in his Wednesday mock draft. The Bulls are considered one of any variety of groups who might get the primary total decide. However regardless of who finally ends up with the highest choice, Dybantsa goes to be closely thought-about.

Artūras Karnišovas and Marc Eversley bought fired. And Billy Donovan determined to say no his possibility as head coach. However what actually modifications? The workforce felt no completely different below them than it did with Gar Forman and John Paxson main the entrance workplace. The frequent denominator: The Reinsdorf household continues to be in cost. However perhaps all they actually need is a few lottery luck to flee the center. If the Bulls are fortunate sufficient to maneuver up from the ninth-best odds, it’d be laborious to think about them taking anybody however Dybantsa, who led the nation in scoring as a freshman by averaging 25.5 factors for a top-25 workforce.

At 6-foot-9, gamers his measurement will not be supposed to maneuver with the herky-jerky elasticity that Dybantsa does. He can dunk over defenders. He can cease on a dime and fade away from midrange. And he can catch fireplace from behind the road too. BYU head coach Kevin Younger stated Dybantsa’s scoring expertise is “in uncommon air with a few of the greats.” Over the course of his freshman 12 months, he started to make dramatic progress as a passer, too, as proven together with his cross-court, pinpoint passes to seek out shooters. However with the Bulls, there’d be much less of a necessity for his playmaking with level guard Josh Giddey on the roster. Matas Buzelis can deal with the ball too. And all of them are tall. The three of them would have the upside to turn into an unstoppable trio given their mix of measurement and talent.

Earlier than reclassifying up a 12 months to play at BYU, Dybantsa was some of the extremely touted highschool basketball gamers. He performed for Utah Prep, Prolific Prep and Saint Sebastian’s throughout his highschool profession. He was the No. 1 recruit within the nation in 2025 forward of Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer.

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Each Peterson and Boozer haven't made their draft selections however are extensively anticipated to additionally declare for the 2026 Draft and be doubtless top-three picks.