BYU star AJ Dybantsa is among the high candidates alongside Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Kansas‘ Darryn Peterson to turn out to be the No. 1 total pick within the 2026 NBA Draft. Dybantsa, who’s faculty basketball’s main scorer (24.9 factors per sport), is a part of what might go down as top-of-the-line freshmen lessons of all time.
However, do not write in Sharpie that Dybantsa will enter this summer time’s draft. In an interview with Deseret News on Tuesday, Dybantsa admitted that he “might not leave” and as a substitute would return to school for the 2026-27 season.
“I might not leave,” Dybantsa said. “I might not leave college. … my mom wants me to graduate. Yeah, so I might not leave. But I might leave. The fans might get into my head, talking about one more year, maybe three more years. I don’t know. I’m going to have to talk to my mom.”
Dybantsa has BYU on the verge of one other look within the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars are 20-9 heading into the ultimate week of the common season and are a No. 7 seed in CBS Sports’ latest Bracketology projections. Since BYU misplaced star guard Richie Saunders to a season-ending ACL tear, Dybantsa has been requested to hold extra of the offensive load, which he has.
Dybantsa has scored at the least 20 factors in eight consecutive video games.
Why this would possibly not occur
If Dybantsa’s feedback are stunning, you are not alone. However, being fully practical, there’s a sub-zero likelihood Dybantsa really returns to highschool subsequent season. Dybantsa has a robust case to get drafted No. 1 total this summer time as a result of there is not a wing prospect on this class who can rating like him.
Last 12 months round this time, Cooper Flagg — who would go on to turn out to be the No. 1 total pick within the 2025 NBA Draft — made considerably related feedback about desirous to “come back” to highschool the next 12 months. Of course, that did not occur. Flagg left faculty basketball after placing collectively top-of-the-line one-and-done seasons in faculty basketball historical past.
If Dybantsa returned to highschool subsequent season (once more, most unlikely), it might be the most important shocker in faculty basketball/NBA Draft historical past. Simply put, it might be unprecedented for a slam-dunk projected top-three pick to bypass the draft to return to highschool for his sophomore season.
2026 NBA Mock Draft: BYU’s AJ Dybantsa is top pick, edging out Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson
Kyle Boone
Ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft, there was some buzz that Kentucky star Reed Sheppard might bypass the draft and return to highschool for his sophomore season after this system employed Mark Pope as its subsequent coach. The hype was short-lived, as Sheppard declared for the draft shortly after Pope was employed and was chosen No. 3 by the Houston Rockets.
The backside line: It would be an absolute stunner if Dybantsa did not declare for the draft. For the fans of tanking NBA teams hoping to have Dybantsa on their roster next season, you possibly can exhale.
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