Projected No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa declares for 2026 NBA draft

BYU forward AJ Dybantsa announced on Thursday that he is declaring for the 2026 NBA draft after a historic freshman campaign for coach Kevin Young and the Cougars.

Dybanta was a consensus first-team All-American, averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 33.1% from 3-point range. He led the country in scoring after totaling 894 points, the third-most by a freshman in history.

The Julius Erving Award winner broke 19 freshman program records, including the single-game scoring mark with a 43-point performance on Jan. 24 in a win over Utah. He finished as one of two players in Big 12 history to register a 30-point triple-double.

Dybantsa entered the season as the front-runner to be the No. 1 overall pick, and the 6-foot-9 forward lived up to expectations after leading BYU to the NCAA Tournament. He is credited with having one of the best one-and-done years in history.

The 19-year-old is highly regarded because of his physical tools, athleticism and ability to seemingly score at will from everywhere on the floor. He recorded two 40-point outings, which is tied for the third-most by a freshman in history.

Dybantsa is a part of a highly touted draft class with the likes of Darius Acuff Jr., Cameron Boozer, Mikel Brown Jr., Darryn Peterson, Keaton Wagler and Caleb Wilson projected to be high selections. The group is considered one of the most talented in recent memory.