AJ Dybantsa is not sticking around in Provo. The 6-foot-9 freshman who tore through college defenses this season announced Thursday that he will enter the 2026 NBA Draft after just one year at BYU. The Brockton, Massachusetts native led Division I in scoring at 25.5 points per game and added 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists across 35 games while pushing BYU to a 23–12 finish. He shared the decision in a short video and on Instagram Live from his hometown.
Declared From Brockton Via Social Media
Dybantsa broke the news directly to fans with a brief YouTube clip, then went live on Instagram to confirm he was turning pro, according to NBC10 Philadelphia. The outlet reported that the announcement streamed from Brockton, where he grew up and first drew national buzz as a prep standout. BYU had not immediately released a statement on his decision.
Freshman Season That Put Him Atop Draft Boards
Given his stat line, the move surprised almost no one. ESPN vaulted Dybantsa into the projected No. 1 spot for 2026 after a debut season in which he averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 35 games. Scouts have highlighted his size and natural scoring instincts while pointing to perimeter shooting and ball-handling as skills that still need refinement. That blend of production and upside has him in the thick of the conversation for the top pick alongside Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer.
Awards And Accolades
Dybantsa’s numbers came with plenty of hardware. He was a consensus first-team All-American, earned a spot on the All-Big 12 first team and took home Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors, according to the Big 12 Conference. The league cited his national scoring title and steady late-season production in its awards announcement. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame also named him the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year, per HoopHall, wrapping up a freshman campaign that significantly boosted BYU’s national profile.
Timeline To June's Draft
The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23–24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and the league’s early-entry deadline for non-automatically eligible players is April 24, according to NBA.com. By filing, Dybantsa enters the full pre-draft gauntlet: medical evaluations, private workouts and team interviews that will shape his ultimate lottery position. The draft lottery on May 10 will determine which franchises get a real shot at selecting him.
Local Reaction And What Teams Will Weigh
Back in Brockton, where his high-school rise first landed him on national recruiting radars, local coverage has followed Dybantsa through his commitment to BYU and his rapid ascent in Provo, as CBS Boston noted. For NBA front offices, the question now is fit. Teams will have to decide whether to bet on Dybantsa as an instant high-volume scorer with size on the wing or lean toward another creator with a different skill mix, a debate that will likely dominate draft rooms once the workouts and interviews wrap up.
