The 2026 NBA Draft is just over a month away, with the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery establishing the draft order that will be followed on June 23, 2026, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. This class has been considered one of the best in recent years before the season even started, prompting an NBA-record eight teams to lose over 56 games in a tanking effort so extreme that the NBA is trying to change the lottery format for next season.
AJ Dybantsa is one of the reasons this class has been so highly-rated, with Dybantsa currently expected to go No. 1 in most mock drafts, including our own. Dybanta spent his freshman NCAA season with the BYU Tigers, averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks on 51.0% from the field, 33.1% from three, and 77.4% from the free throw line.
Dybantsa was named a consensus first-team All-American, first-team All-Big 12, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, and won the Julius Erving Award for best small forward in college while also being the NCAA’s leading scorer last season.
Let’s take a deeper look at why Dybantsa is such a highly-rated prospect, his biggest strengths and weaknesses, his NBA Comparison, and his Draft Combine results.
AJ Dybantsa Draft Combine Results
Height: 6’8.5″ barefoot
Weight: 217 pounds
Wingspan: 7’0.25″
Standing Reach: 8’10”
Max Vertical: 42″
Standing Vertical: 35.5″
Lane Agility: 11.06 seconds
Shuttle Run: 2.99 seconds
Three-Quarter Sprint: 3.14
(Source: NBA.com)
AJ Dybantsa Player Profile
Dybantsa was the No. 1 recruit coming out of his high school class and chose to join the BYU Tigers after playing high school basketball in Utah.
Listed at 6’9″, Dybantsa is a versatile offensive wing who can be the No. 1 scoring option on most NBA teams. He also shows tremendous upside as a playmaker and defender, which projects him to be the ideal star wing that NBA teams hope to find in the Draft to build their franchise around.
His game is full of strengths. Dybantsa already looks to be an elite three-level scorer, at least at the college level. His offense will likely take some time to adjust to the faster pace and bigger court of the NBA, but his offensive skills as a scorer should translate nicely. He’s a ferocious driver who can handle the ball and consistently break defenses down with powerful runs to the rim, averaging 8.5 free throw attempts per game over his freshman season.
His athleticism also makes him a terror in transition or on the fast-break. He’s also shown an ability to play high-level pick-and-roll basketball as both the ball-handler and the screen-setter. He has already shown he has good court vision and decent passing ability as a playmaker. While that doesn’t mean he could be a point guard in the NBA, it helps his stock as a competent passing wing who will command a lot of on-ball attention when attacking the rim or even shooting the ball. Dybantsa isn’t a lights-out shooter but has shown he can hit threes as a catch-and-shoot option as well as on the move, another sign that bodes well for him as a modern NBA star.
Dybantsa has the size and athleticism to be a strong defender in the NBA, but the forward will likely have to add strength before he can be a truly high-level defender in the NBA. He has the agility to defend smaller guards and the length to disrupt forwards, although he’ll have to watch out for strength mismatches in his first few seasons as a professional.
The only clear weaknesses in his game so far have been consistent efficiency as a three-point shooter and a turnover-heavy game. The turnovers are also a result of his high usage with BYU last season, while shooting is a skill that is easily improvable in the NBA. Even if Dybantsa doesn’t reach 40% efficiency level of outside shooting, everything about him screams NBA star.
There are certain weaknesses on defense that need to be discussed, although they primarily stem from a lack of effort. Dybantsa doesn’t tend to expend energy fighting over screens or chasing out corner shooters. This could be due to him prioritizing offensive effort, but could be concerning for a team using the no. 1 pick if he doesn’t pan out as a two-way star forward. Dybantsa’s low block totals for a player with his size and athleticism have also raised eyebrows, but shot-blocking shouldn’t necessarily be a skill he’s judged on, given his profile as a scoring wing.
NBA Comparison: Tracy McGrady, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Paul George
Potential Landing Spots For AJ Dybantsa
There are only two realistic landing spots for Dybantsa when it comes to the 2026 NBA Draft. The Washington Wizards with the No. 1 pick or the Utah Jazz with the No. 2 pick.
The Wizards don’t seem sold on Dybantsa as a prospect, so if Darryn Peterson impresses them enough, they could leave Dybantsa available for the Jazz at No. 2. However, there is a fit for Dybantsa on the Wizards. He’d be their new starting small forward next to the frontcourt of Anthony Davis and Alexandre Sarr. With Trae Young as his point guard and a low-usage defense-oriented wing like Bilal Coulibaly next to him, the Wizards might be the perfect spot for Dybantsa to find his feet in the NBA.
If the Wizards pass on Dybantsa, there is no way the Jazz won’t snatch him up at No. 2. Dybantsa is a local favorite and reportedly wants to end up with the Jazz. He’d likely join a frontcourt with Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler, providing him with another opportunity to contend immediately. Dybantsa could even be used in the backcourt alongside Keyontae George while he develops the tools necessary to be a full-time forward in the NBA. More than anything, staying in Utah will give Dybantsa comfort and an opportunity to thrive without any major personal upheaval.
He likely won’t be available for the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 3, so unless the Grizzlies find a way to acquire Washington’s draft pick, he won’t be the new franchise cornerstone for that franchise with Ja Morant’s uncertain future.
