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The BYU Cougars made a huge investment in men’s basketball this past season and brought in the No. 1 overall recruit, AJ Dybantsa, despite blue-blood programs offering millions more.
Although the Cougars were knocked out of the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, Dybantsa’s first year in Provo was nothing short of a success. He led the country in scoring, averaging 25.5 points per game, while shooting 51% from the field and 33.1% from deep.
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Dybantsa was named a consensus All-American, First Team All-Big 12, and Big 12 Freshman of the Year, among other honors.
While he had flirted with returning to school, Dybantsa officially put those questions about his future to rest on Thursday, announcing he was declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft.
“See y’all on draft night,” wrote Dybantsa on Instagram.
Despite there being a frequent discourse regarding who would be the top pick between him and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Dybantsa seemed to have created some separation toward the end of the season.
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Although BYU didn’t make as deep a run as many were expecting or hoping for, Dybantsa did end his career on a loud 35-point outing.
BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) during the second half against the Villanova Wildcats.Candice Ward-Imagn Images
He was also ranked as the No. 1 available player in the draft class by ESPN, with Peterson, Duke’s Cam Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson behind him.
Players who are declaring early for this year’s draft have until Friday to make their decision. The draft order is yet to be decided, but Dybantsa has plenty of ties to the Utah Jazz. The team’s owner, Ryan Smith, played a big role in Dybantsa finishing his high school career at Utah Prep, and is also believed to have been a key reason he went to BYU.
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Related: Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Cayden Boozer React to Career Decision on Wednesday
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Athlon…
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Publish date : 2026-04-23 16:48:00
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