NBA Draft: Three Things AJ Dybantsa Needs to Prove with BYU

BYU's AJ Dybantsa was one of the top players in the 2025 high school class, and will have a solid chance at going No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.

But despite his all-around skillset at 6-foot-9, he'll need to fend off the likes of Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer to do so, and that means improving further and showcasing real growth over his next season of basketball.

Below, we’ll look at three things Dybantsa will need to prove in his time at BYU to become the league’s No. 1 pick next year:

Perimeter Shooting

Even at 6-foot-9, Dybantsa can dive-bomb the rim with the best of them using fluid movement, decent leaping, a great handle and solid at-rim touch. His driving ability looks reminiscent of some of the better scoring wings in the NBA today.

But to truly make the most of his skillset, Dybantsa will need to prove himself from beyond the arc, showing off consistent shooting.

His ranged shooting is certainly workable — he shot 35% on over six attempts per game at the preps level — but a collegiate boost would be massive for his stock.

Play-Making

Dybantsa’s set to be one of the better overall scorers in the country with his combination of size, athleticism, fluidity, handling and more. But he’ll be need to parlay that into team success, or play-making, to truly raise his stock.

When Dybantsa gets hot, teams are sure to send additional defensive pressure his way, and how he handles it will affect what teams think of his overall offensive ceiling.

Dybantsa handling it well and setting up his teammates with ease could mean more No. 1 hype. But him failing to do so and crumbling under the weight of blitzes and doubles could cause his stock to fall somewhat.

Defensive Consistency

Outside of a few nit-picky areas, Dybantsa’s somewhat of a known factor on offense. Even if his ranged shooting and play-making aren’t S-tier, he’ll be able to massively produce given his combination of skills.

Defense will be one of a few areas that scouts will be honed in on regarding Dybantsa.

With his size and athleticism, he should be a solid defensive prospect capable of defending in space and making plays, be it clogging lanes or protecting the rim. Where he lands on the defensive spectrum could make or break him as a prospect for certain NBA decision-makers.