AJ Dybantsa has officially declared for the NBA draft. The BYU forward, widely tipped as a potential No. 1 pick, made the announcement on Thursday. He led the nation in scoring during his single college season, averaging 25.5 points per game.
Dybantsa’s Standout Season at BYU
Dybantsa’s impressive season included averages of 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, in addition to his scoring prowess. He is the first player since Larry Bird in 1978-79 to achieve these averages and be named a consensus All-American. Dybantsa recognises the hard work ahead. He noted that many NBA players have told him that joining the league is like starting over.
“Now the work starts again, all over again,” Dybantsa said. “I’ve had a lot of NBA players tell me that it kind of restarts once you get there. I’m just looking forward to that next step, being a rookie and learning from all the vets.”
Roots in Brockton, Massachusetts
Dybantsa made the announcement at the Davis School in his hometown of Brockton, Massachusetts. Brockton is also the home of boxing legends Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler. “It’s the city of champions,” Dybantsa said. “I just want to be considered like one of those champions.”
Balancing NBA Dreams and Education
Dybantsa attended the Davis School until fifth grade and values the importance of education. Despite entering the NBA draft, Dybantsa plans to continue his studies at BYU. He will be working towards a mass communications degree.
“My mom wanted me to stay in college to graduate,” Dybantsa said. “But I told my mother that I’m going to declare for the draft and also finish and get my degree online. I’ll probably finish within the next four years.”
Looking Ahead to the 2026 NBA Draft
The NBA Draft Lottery 2026 will be held on Sunday, May 10 and air live on ABC at 3 p.m. ET. The first round of NBA Draft 2026 will take place on Tuesday, June 23, and the second round will take place on Wednesday, June 24.
- The Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets all have a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick.
When asked about which team he would prefer to play for, Dybantsa stated, “Whatever team drafts me, bro.” He also expressed his hope to deliver a Hall of Fame speech in Massachusetts at the end of his career. “The next speech — the next big, big speech — I should have is the Hall of Fame speech,” Dybantsa said. “So, we should be good.”