AJ Dybantsa Is Going Pro and the NBA Better Get Ready for a 25.5 PPG Freshman Nobody Could Stop
BYU's AJ Dybantsa made it official Thursday: he's declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft, and he's expected to land somewhere in the top three. The 6-foot-9 forward announced the decision in his hometown of Brockton, Mass., at the Davis School where he went as a kid, and college basketball fans are about to watch one of the most dominant freshmen seasons in NCAA history translate to the league.
The Numbers Tell You Everything
Dybantsa was the top-ranked high school player in the Class of 2025, and his freshman year at BYU backed up the hype in a big way. He led the entire nation in scoring with 25.5 points per game across 35 starts. His 894 points rank third all-time for a freshman in Division I history. On top of that, he added 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 51.0% from the field and 33.1% from three. He was a consensus first team All-American, made the All-Big 12 first team, and took home the conference's Freshman of the Year award. Oh, and he broke 19 BYU freshman records in a single season.
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Want to know how special this kid is? On December 22, 2025, Dybantsa dropped 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against Eastern Washington. That made him only the second player in Big 12 history to record a 30/10/10 triple-double. The only other guy to do it was David Harrison at Colorado back in 2002. When freshmen are keeping company with legendary performances from two decades ago, you're looking at generational talent.
The Draft Picture
Dybantsa is one of three freshmen expected to go in the top three. Kansas's Darryn Peterson and Duke's Cameron Boozer are also in that conversation. The NBA Draft Lottery is set for May 10 at 3 p.m. ET in Chicago, where teams will find out their selection order. The actual draft happens June 23 and 24, and the basketball world is already watching the clock.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.