Sportsvival is continuing its march toward Draft Day by profiling the top 2026 NBA Draft prospects; today we turn the spotlight to BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, a 6'9" wing whose blend of length, athleticism, and three‑level scoring keeps him firmly in the No. 1‑pick conversation. Dybantsa’s combination of upside and positional versatility makes him one of the most intriguing prospects in the class.
AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU- 6'9" 210 lbs
Background and Recruit Profile
High school and recruitment: Consensus five‑star wing who arrived at BYU as one of the nation’s most decorated prep prospects, committing in 2024 and immediately becoming the program’s highest‑rated recruit. Recruitment narrative: Chose BYU for its developmental environment and the chance to be a foundational piece in a program on the rise.
Physical Profile and Measurables
Height and weight: 6'9" and 210 lbs.
Frame and athleticism: Long, wiry frame with explosive leaping ability and fluid mobility for his size.
Tools: Length, lateral quickness, and verticality that project to switchable defense and downhill finishing at the next level.
College Career and Early Production
Role and impact: Early in his BYU tenure Dybantsa has shown the scoring polish and efficiency that made him a top recruit, producing three‑level offense, transition impact, and defensive versatility. Scouting takeaway: He creates mismatches on the perimeter, finishes above the rim, and makes high‑impact plays in both halfcourt and open‑court settings. In 8 games, Dybantsa is averaging 19.4 points per contest.
Strengths
Three‑level scoring: Attacks closeouts, converts in traffic, and flashes a developing perimeter game.
Switchable defense: Length and mobility allow him to guard multiple positions and protect the rim in transition.
Athleticism and motor: Explosive first step and verticality that create easy offense and defensive disruption.
Positional playmaking: Shows flashes of secondary creation and the vision to make reads from the wing.
Weaknesses
Three‑point consistency: Perimeter shot remains a work in progress and needs to become reliable.
Strength and finishing through contact: Needs added functional mass to finish consistently against pro defenders.
Defensive technique: Tools are elite but on‑ball footwork and defensive IQ require refinement.
Draft Projection and Role
Draft projection: Top‑3 to top‑5 prospect with sustained No. 1 conversations among evaluators who prioritize upside and positional size.
Role projection: Day‑1 rotation starter with long‑term upside as a primary scoring wing or a high‑impact two‑way star.
Ceiling: Multi‑time All‑Star wing who can guard multiple positions, create for others, and average 20+ PPG.
Floor: High‑impact starter who changes lineups with length, athleticism, and defensive versatility.
Pro Comparison
Primary comparison: Jayson Tatum —
Dybantsa projects as a Tatum‑style modern two‑way wing with more burst and a higher defensive ceiling early in his career.
AJ Dybantsa brings the length, smooth scoring touch, and positional versatility that define Jayson Tatum’s archetype, but with a slightly different developmental timeline and toolset. Like Tatum, Dybantsa can score from all three levels, attack closeouts with a fluid pull‑up, and create for others out of wing actions. Where the comparison is most useful is in role and upside: both profile as primary or co‑primary scorers who can defend multiple positions and carry heavy offensive loads without sacrificing spacing.
Key distinctions sharpen the projection. Dybantsa currently offers more explosive burst and a higher upside as an on‑ball defender thanks to his length and lateral quickness, but he’s still rounding into the consistent perimeter shooter and primary creator that Tatum became early in his career. Tatum’s polish as a primary playmaker and his established three‑point gravity are benchmarks for Dybantsa to reach; if Dybantsa develops a reliable catch‑and‑shoot three and refines his playmaking reads, his trajectory could mirror Tatum’s- an All‑Star, primary scoring wing who anchors both ends.
In short: Dybantsa is a Tatum‑type in projection, an elite modern wing with two‑way impact- except he arrives with more burst and defensive tools now and needs to add perimeter consistency and playmaking polish to fully realize that ceiling.
Sportsvival View
Sportsvival views AJ Dybantsa as a blue‑chip, franchise‑level prospect whose blend of size, athleticism, and scoring upside makes him one of the safest high‑upside bets in the 2026 class. Continued perimeter development and added functional strength are the two clear developmental milestones that will determine whether he becomes a No. 1 pick and a foundational piece for a championship roster or a high‑impact complementary star.
(photo courtesy of BYU Athletics)