After seeing Egor Demin go eighth overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, BYU can turn and focus on its freshman star, AJ Dybantsa. Per ESPN, Dybantsa is ranked first in his recruiting class and is certainly considered one of the top prospects of the 2026 NBA Draft. Both fans and analysts alike have been impressed with the six-foot-nine forward, viewing him as an elite two-way star on the wings. Alongside Darryn Peterson, both will absolutely be prospects to keep an eye on this season. Now is the perfect time to fully preview Dybantsa’s talent and where he can still improve. Let’s dive into a prospect preview of BYU forward AJ Dybantsa.
2026 NBA Draft Prospect Preview: BYU Forward AJ Dybantsa
Areas Of Excellence For Dybantsa
Athleticism And Physical Tools
One area that clearly stands out for Dybantsa is his sheer athleticism and overall physical tools. Standing at six-foot-nine with a six-foot-eleven wingspan, Dybantsa is arguably the most athletic of the top three prospects of the 2026 NBA Draft. Dybantsa possesses excellent fluidity and quickness for someone of his size. Paired with his long arms, Dybantsa is more than capable of making highlight plays on both ends. He fully knows how to utilize his height and length to get around opponents. Whether it be a poster dunk or a monster block, Dybantsa is capable of insanely athletic plays.
Inside-The-Arc Scoring
Dybantsa does most of his scoring inside the three-point line, and he absolutely feasts there. He knows how to effectively use his athleticism and physical tools to get to the basket or to his preferred spots on the court. At times, Dybantsa can just power through contact and finish over opposing defenders. His ability to finish at the rim is most highlighted in his transition game, where he can race down the court and explode for a powerful dunk. Dybantsa is also an excellent shooter in the mid-range, where he can quickly pull up and shoot over defenders.
Advanced Shot Creation
Dybantsa, as a scorer, isn’t wholly reliant on his athleticism to carry him. He has displayed a high degree of knowledge on how to blend his natural gifts with practical skill to be an advanced shot creator. Dybantsa knows how to fully leverage his size and length to bully defenders to his spots. Not only that, but his excellent body control and footwork can also help him find good shots. His footwork, specifically, is most apparent when he is operating in the post, where he can expertly outwork opponents. While Dybantsa doesn’t have as good a handle as Peterson, he does have examples of fancy dribbling to break free for a bucket.
Strong Defensive Ability
One of the more impressive parts of his overall game is his defensive acumen. His size and athleticism allow Dybantsa to be a versatile defender, both on and off the ball. He can defend multiple positions, specifically one through four, and be switchable on the perimeter. Dybantsa’s quickness allows him to keep up against smaller players on the perimeter, sliding his feet well. More importantly, Dybantsa has been consistent about putting effort into defense. He will pick up his defensive assignments full court and use his length to bother them. Of course, Dybantsa can still smooth out the edges of his defense. Nevertheless, what he has displayed gives Dybantsa the potential to be an elite defensive wing at the NBA level.
Passing Upside
One aspect of his game that complements his scoring is Dybantsa’s abilities as a passer. Dybantsa reads the floor well for his position and will get the ball to an open teammate. He knows how to utilize his threat as a scorer to collapse defenses and swing the ball to the right person. As he refines his passing even further, Dybantsa can become a prospect who can truly serve as a primary offensive option in the league.
Areas Of Development For Dybantsa
Three-Point Shooting Consistency
Dybantsa is certainly someone who can score from anywhere on the court, and the defense must keep track of him. However, his consistency from behind the arc isn’t as great compared to his inside-the-arc scoring. To give an example, in his most recent play with Team USA during the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, Dybantsa only shot 11.1% from three. That is only on a small sample size of 18 three-point shot attempts, but it highlights his need for more consistency. While he has a functional shooting form, Dybantsa’s jumper still needs further refinement. To be sure, Dybantsa doesn’t get the luxury of easy threes considering his role as the main option. Nevertheless, improving his three-point shot will only increase his ceiling as a star prospect.
Too Much Foul-Hunting
Undoubtedly, the ability to draw fouls at a high rate is a genuinely valuable skill to have. Dybantsa has demonstrated that ability to full effect this past season, and it only adds to his scoring package. However, there are times when Dybantsa’s foul-hunting becomes a detriment. Dybantsa can become too focused on drawing contact for a foul instead of actually looking to score the ball. When he doesn’t get the call, Dybantsa can, at times, complain at the refs instead of getting back on defense. While being able to draw fouls is a plus for Dybantsa, he needs to be more selective on when to draw fouls and when to score.
The Last Word
Overall, Dybantsa is a well-rounded wing prospect that NBA teams have been craving for. In the same vein as someone like Jayson Tatum, Dybantsa can have star-level impact on both ends of the floor. With BYU, Dybantsa can test his mettle against college competition and prove his worth as a top prospect. Dybantsa and the BYU Cougars will be must-watch basketball once the college season starts.
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