Is AJ Dybantsa about to 'pull an Eli' in 2026 NBA Draft?

Is AJ Dybantsa about to 'pull an Eli' in 2026 NBA Draft? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, projected top-3 pick and potentially number one pick, AJ Dybantsa recently stated that he’d like to remain in Utah after playing his freshman season for BYU.

Dybantsa was the highest rated recruit in the 2025 class before committing to the Cougars and becoming the highest ranked commitment in the schools history. This did not come naturally though as Utah Jazz owner, Ryan Smith, and team CEO, Danny Ainge, both BYU alumni, had a helping hand in his recruitment.

It is estimated that Dybantsa received an NIL compensation package between $5 and $7 million for his commitment. Dybantsa is also an alumni of Utah Prep where he played just his senior season before heading to Provo.

Where pulling an ‘Eli’ comes into play

The growing belief coming out of the 2026 NBA Combine is that Dybantsa is hoping to remain in Utah and play for the Jazz who own the second pick the NBA Draft.

“He’s been in Utah now for two years (one season at Utah Prep and one season in Provo at BYU). His family is now with him in Utah, and they’ve grown to like the state and were hoping to stay… Now that has led some to wonder whether we could see some “workout shenanigans” where Dybantsa could potentially refuse to work out for Washington in hopes of forcing his way to Utah... Dybantsa’s camp had reportedly indicated to some they weren’t interested in playing that game, despite their preference to end up in Utah,” wrote Adam Finklestein of .