BYU's AJ Dybantsa Shows Chicago Bulls Why It's Time to Shoot for a Top Draft Pick

What better time to start grinding college tape than in the middle of a seven-game losing streak?

The Chicago Bulls should already be hard at work scouting an impressive 2026 draft class, but their recent losing ways have only given them a greater incentive. Dropping 13 of their last 16 games, the franchise is sitting in familiar territory as the 11th-worst team in the NBA. If the season ended today, they would take part in the draft lottery for the third year in a row and hold a 9.4 percent chance of a Top 4 pick, per Tankathon.

While the organization has shown little desire to prioritize lottery odds, it may be wise to do exactly that this season. The 2026 draft is viewed as one of the deepest in years, with multiple superstar-caliber prospects sitting at the top of the order. Only 3.5 games currently separate them from having the best possible odds at the No. 1 overall pick. Why wouldn't that interest a franchise with one playoff appearance since the 2016-17 season? Don't answer that, AK!

It should be particularly hard not to entertain the idea after watching a performance like the one last night at Madison Square Garden. BYU standout AJ Dybantsa looked the part of a top pick with 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists against the Clemson Tigers.

The 10th-ranked Cougars were down by as much as 22 points, only for Dybantsa to help lead them back to a 67-64 victory. He single-handedly outscored the entire Clemson team in the second half. Yes, you read that right. The Cougars scored a mere 21 points in the final 20 minutes, while Dybantsa dropped 22 of his team's 45 points. Overall, he scored or assisted on 34 of the team's second-half points. A complete and utter takeover.

Mind you, Dybantsa isn't even the player many currently project to hear his name called first on draft night. Kansas' Darryn Peterson has become the early-season favorite, while Cameron Boozer has also started to make a strong case for himself at Duke. The son of former Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer, Cameron is recording the most impressive stat line in college basketball: 23.0 points, 9.9 reb, 3.8 ast, 1.7 stl, and 1.0 blk.

Nevertheless, Dybantsa's performance serves as a perfect reminder of what the Chicago Bulls could be missing out on. He is a tantalizing talent who fits exactly the archetype this front office has been searching for in recent years. And they may not even have to land the No. 1 pick to get him!

In case you're unfamiliar, here is what we wrote about him in our recent article about the projected Top 5 picks ...

One of the most well-known names in college basketball, AJ Dybantsa was once seen as the projected No. 1 overall pick. The modern NBA has leaned heavily on wings with explosive athleticism and on-ball playmaking ability, which is exactly what Dybantsa provides.

The six-foot-nine wing with a seven-foot wingspan can gracefully sink shots over any competition while also powering past bigger players at the rim. On top of that, he is a true threat in transition both on and off the ball. He can be a one-man fastbreak or hustle his way up court for the highlight alley-oop.

Likewise, he has the obvious tools to be an elite two-way player with his quickness, length, and high motor. It's not hard to picture a world where he quickly finds success switching onto players one through four.

You can read more about Dybantsa and the other top prospects in our post here.

The more we see performances like this, the harder it's going to be for the Bulls to justify another draft spent in the back of the lottery. Few organizations in the NBA right now would benefit more from landing a player like Dybantsa.

Heck, Chicago already demonstrated a willingness to embrace a youth movement by moving on from Zach LaVine, investing in Josh Giddey, and drafting a project like Noa Essengue. The time should be now to double down on that patient approach and shoot for the stars ... literally.