AJ Dybantsa, Potential No. 1 Overall Pick, Declares for 2026 NBA Draft

The 6-foot-9 forward spent one year with the BYU Cougars, where he led the nation in scoring with the third-most points in NCAA history by a freshman.

AJ Dybantsa of the Brigham Young Cougars reacts after a teammate scored in the second half of a game against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, on Feb. 14, 2026. Chris Gardner/Getty Images

On the day of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the NBA Draft ended up stealing some headlines, courtesy of AJ Dybantsa. The star freshman for the BYU Cougars officially declared for the 2026 NBA Draft on Thursday. Dybantsa is projected by many pundits to be the No. 1 overall pick when the event is held on June 23.

Dybantsa made the announcement via a video posted on social media, which he concluded by saying, “See y’all on draft night.”