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<\/p>\nBetween now and next June, there will be plenty of speculation on where BYU freshman wing AJ Dybantsa will be selected in the 2026 NBA Draft.<\/p>\n
The Cougars\u2019 highest-rated recruit of all-time is expected to be a part of a draft class led by himself, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and Duke forward Cameron Boozer.<\/p>\n
Could Dybantsa end up joining former BYU guard Egor Demin at the next level after they missed each other by a year in Provo?<\/p>\n
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Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”<\/p>\n
Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football’s 1984 National Championship season.<\/p>\n
A couple of recent 2026 NBA mock drafts projected it could happen.<\/p>\n
Denim was the No. 8 overall selection in this year\u2019s draft, going to the Brooklyn Nets. At this point, many have the Nets being one of the teams near the top of the draft in 2026.<\/p>\n
Another popular sentiment is that Dybantsa could end up with the Utah Jazz after Utah goes through another anticipated rebuilding season.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look at several recent mock drafts taking a look ahead at the 2026 class.<\/p>\n
Where is AJ Dybantsa being projected in 2026 NBA mock drafts?<\/p>\n
CBS Sports, Kyle Boone<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Dybantsa\u2019s projection:<\/b> No. 3 overall to Brooklyn Nets<\/p>\n Boone wrote:<\/b> \u201cThe idea of Dybantsa as a built-in-a-lab, 6-foot-9 scoring wing \u2014 the archetype NBA teams so covet building around \u2014 puts him firmly in the mix to go No. 1. I prefer Peterson and Boozer to him right now because he has stretches of inconsistency smattered in with the flashes of star power, but he has the overall talent and potential to become the biggest star of this class. How he fits at BYU this season in a situation likely to be built around his strengths will be among the more interesting storylines this season.”<\/p>\n Sportscasting.com, Ben Pfeifer<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Dybantsa\u2019s projection: <\/b>No. 3 overall to Brooklyn Nets<\/p>\n Pfeifer wrote:<\/b> \u201cBrooklyn stacked up on ball-handling and passing in the 2025 draft, presumably intending to plop in a primary scoring option in 2026. Dybantsa\u2019s<\/a> all-time athleticism and shotmaking blend on the wing make him an easy bet to develop into a dominant NBA scorer with enough passing and defensive flashes to project him as an eventual franchise-changing star.”<\/p>\n ESPN, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Dybantsa\u2019s projection:<\/b> No. 2 overall to Utah Jazz<\/p>\n Givony wrote:<\/b> \u201cDybantsa has filled up the stat sheet everywhere he has played, but he didn\u2019t have a great season last year at Utah Prep.<\/p>\n \u201cHe looked better at the USA Basketball U19 World Cup in June, where he played more efficiently and dominated both ends. Every NBA team is searching for 6-9 wings in Dybantsa\u2019s mold who can score from anywhere, pass on the move and defend multiple positions.\u201c<\/p>\n NBA Draft Room<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Dybantsa\u2019s projection:<\/b> No. 2 overall to Utah Jazz<\/p>\n NBA Draft Room wrote:<\/b> \u201cAJ falls one spot after being at the top of this list for over two years. He\u2019s still an elite talent, a scoring and foul-drawing machine, but the competition at the top of this class is elite and Peterson gets the nod here. AJ is going to have some monster games at BYU but he\u2019s also going to have to show a more consistent jumper and rely less on overpowering opponents.\u201d<\/p>\n Bleacher Report, Jonathan Wasserman<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Dybantsa\u2019s projection:<\/b> No. 2 overall to Washington Wizards<\/p>\n Wasserman wrote:<\/b> \u201cDybantsa blends athleticism with fluidity and body control, creating offense with a combination of burst, handle and tough shot-making that few high school prospects can match. He is wired to score at all three levels, and he\u2019s comfortable pulling up off the dribble, attacking closeouts or finishing above the rim in transition.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile his playmaking and defensive consistency are still developing, Dybantsa\u2019s flashes of vision and on-ball activity hint at two-way upside.\u201d<\/p>\n The Athletic, Sam Vecenie<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Dybantsa\u2019s projection:<\/b> No. 3 overall (no team designated)<\/p>\n Vecenie wrote: <\/b>\u201cDybantsa probably has the highest ceiling in the class if everything goes right. He\u2019s a big-time shot maker who can get to his midrange jumper seemingly at will. He can get there from mid-post sets, out of ball screens, or in isolation. He is a mismatch nightmare waiting to happen, as he can shoot over the top of guards or merely just blow by bigs. Defensively, there are moments when you can see the upside, when he covers ground all over the court and is switchable onto the toughest opposing players. I have seen Dybantsa disappear too often, and I\u2019d like to see him fully engage this year at BYU consistently. But when he\u2019s at his best, his upside is better than anyone else as the kind of apex wing that every team wants.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoops HQ<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Dybantsa\u2019s projection:<\/b> No. 3 overall (no team designated)<\/p>\n Hoops HQ wrote:<\/b> \u201cDybantsa figures to be No. 1 on plenty of scouts\u2019 boards heading into the season<\/a>. He has incredible positional size, athleticism and shotmaking skill, a combination that\u2019s going to draw comparisons to previous stars such as Tracy McGrady and Paul George. As long as he can avoid questions about his shot selection, Dybantsa should be in the No. 1 overall discussion from Day 1 until June 2026.” <\/p>\n