NBA Draft: AJ Dybantsa Continues White-Hot Start at BYU

The college basketball season has so far been dominated by the play of true freshmen, and BYU wing AJ Dybantsa is helping to lead the charge.

Dybantsa entered the season as a consensus top prospect, ranking within the top-three of most experts and NBA decision-maker’s boards alongside Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and Duke forward Cameron Boozer.

So far, all three and more have lived up to the hype for their respective teams, with Dybantsa largely offering a newfound scoring punch for the Cougars.

On Tuesday night, he continued to pour it on, going for 18 points on 7-for-12 shooting in a 17-point win over Delaware. Even more, he tacked on seven rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Things weren’t perfect for BYU as a whole. The eighth-ranked Cougars trailed at half over what should’ve been a far inferior opponent. Though they quickly righted the ship in the second half.

Tuesday’s game featured a few more voracious dunks from Dybantsa, which have been the highlight through just a few games.

Potential No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa tonight against Delaware:

18 PTS | 7-12 FG | 7 REB | 2 AST pic.twitter.com/xLPDTEIqW2
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 12, 2025

His vertical athleticism will be just a part of what makes him such a unique prospect, along with his blistering first step and acceleration off the bounce at 6-foot-9.

Per an earlier scouting report from NBA Draft on SI regarding Dybantsa: “What makes him unique is his ability to be slippery and elusive with the ball in his hands at his size. The incoming BYU freshman has moves that allow him to create advantages against the defense, but at the same time, he’s incredibly explosive and can use pure physical tools to get to his spots and finish with power. That combination has been the reason he’s dominated at every level to this point.”

Despite his hot start, there’s still plenty of room for improvement with the still-growing wing. NBA decision-makers would likely envision a bit more defensive consistency for the 6-foot-9 wing, and he’s only hit two triples in three games, despite being somewhat proven from beyond the arc.

Still, Dybantsa has helped to shape a well-rounded top-three in the 2026 draft class, which has multiple other strong players in tow.

There's currently little need to cement the top-three of Dybantsa, Boozer and Peterson, given just how much of the collegiate season is left. Though it's easy to envision NBA organizations favoring Dybantsa's level of fluid scoring and play-making.

Big 12 play will offer another challenge, as several of the best teams in the league reside there. Dybantsa and BYU's next test in No. 3 UConn on Saturday, Nov. 15, will be one of its toughest of the season.