BYU’s AJ Dybantsa declares for the 2026 NBA draft: Live updates originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
BYU basketball freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa made a big announcement on Thursday.
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The 6-foot-9 wing will be entering the 2026 NBA Draft. He dropped a short video on his YouTube channel. Dybantsa dropped a social media post saying “Tomorrow.” The caption was followed by an image reading, “Big news tomorrow. 11:45am ET. IG Live at 12:00pm ET.”
AJ Dybantsa NBA Draft announcement press conference on Instagram
This was a tough decision for Dybantsa, who said his mom wanted him to stay in school. He said he plans to stay at BYU academically and graduate in the next four years. Dybantsa also thanked his coaches, including Kevin Young for his support.
While Dybantsa has left the door open for speculation, this was the right move. The projected top pick averaged 25.3 points to lead the nation last season. Dybantsa was named to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team, All-Big 12 First Team and was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in his likely one-and-done season in Provo.
