AJ Dybantsa Is Going Pro and He Could Be the First Name Called in June

BYU's AJ Dybantsa made it official Thursday: he's declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft, and he's widely expected to hear his name in the top three picks when the draft goes down June 23 and 24. The 6-foot-9 forward announced the decision in his hometown of Brockton, Mass., at the Davis School where he grew up. This kid is about to change his life in a major way.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Dybantsa was the top-ranked player coming out of high school in the Class of 2025, and his freshman season at BYU proved everyone right. He started 35 games and led the entire nation with 25.5 points per game. He also chipped in 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 51.0% from the field and 33.1% from deep. Those 894 total points? Third-most ever by a freshman in Division I history. He was a consensus first team All-American and took home Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors.

That Triple-Double Changed Everything

Here's the moment scouts won't forget: on December 22, 2025, Dybantsa went off against Eastern Washington with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. That made him only the second player in Big 12 history to post a 30/10/10 triple-double. The only other guy who did it? David Harrison at Colorado back in 2002. Dybantsa also broke 19 BYU freshman records during his time with the Cougars and earned All-Big 12 first team selection.

Dybantsa sits alongside fellow freshman prospects Darryn Peterson from Kansas and Cameron Boozer from Duke as potential No. 1 overall picks. The NBA Draft Lottery happens May 10 at 3 p.m. ET in Chicago, where the selection order gets locked in. Two months from now, a franchise's entire future could change with one pick.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.