NBA Draft: Where Are AJ Dybantsa's Best Fits Among Lottery Teams?

There's no doubt that AJ Dybantsa has taken college basketball by storm this season, headlining a class of freshmen who have dominated the stats thus far. For BYU, the No. 10 team in the country, he has been fantastic on both ends, making a legitimate case as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Dybantsa is averaging 23.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game on 59.1% shooting from the field. He hasn't been a spectacular shooter, knocking down 33.3% of his threes (2.5 attempts per game), but he has done so many other things at an elite level that he truly could be a franchise changer in the NBA.

But fit is nearly as important as the prospect himself. Of the 10 teams outside of the Play-In Tournament (as of today), where would Dybantsa fit best? Here are three who would give him the best opportunity to put up big numbers while also getting to win down the line:

3. Washington Wizards

The Wizards have been building something special over the last few years, but it just hasn't come to fruition due to the lack of a true franchise star. Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly and many other youngsters are great supplementary pieces, but Dybantsa has that 'it' factor that could headline this core.

Although Anthony Edwards has developed an elite three-point shot over the course of his early career, the Minnesota Timberwolves are able to find success with him at the helm because he is surrounded by a mix of shooters, defenders and rebounders.

With the right development, the Wizards already have that, and Dybantsa could be the leader to put it all together. Washington could take advantage of a weak Eastern Conference if BYU lands in the nation's capital, and on top of that, the team already has valuable veterans such as CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton.

2. Brooklyn Nets

The Nets are in the early stages of a hard reset, but they just drafted five players in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. Most of Brooklyn's rookies are known for playmaking, which would certainly benefit Dybantsa as a scorer if he were to end up in New York City.

What's more is that the Nets are in desperate need of a franchise player, more so than any other NBA team. Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. are not expected to remain with the organization for much longer with the trade deadline looming, and embracing the rebuild would only give Brooklyn better odds at landing Dybantsa.

The 6-foot-9 wing would be the ideal superstar for the Nets, with the only task from there being to give him enough talent to win games. They have potential in the form of playmaking shooters such as Egor Demin, Danny Wolf Noah Clowney, as well as key defenders like Drake Powell and Nic Claxton.

1. Indiana Pacers

After Tyrese Haliburton's injury, no one expected the Pacers to be as good as they have been the last few seasons, but I don't think anyone predicted them to be at the bottom of the barrel. Indiana is 6-25, good for 14th in the Eastern Conference. But these losing ways are only expected to last this season.

When Haliburton returns, the same core that made the NBA Finals in 2025 (minus Myles Turner) is expected to be in place, but the Pacers could also have the luck of landing a top-three pick, which could ultimately be Dybantsa.

Imagine the collegiate star entering the league with one of the best point guards in the world, as well as an All-Star forward in Pascal Siakam. Combine that with a competitive bench, and Indiana is ultimately the best destination for Dybantsa.

The slash-first, two-way wing wouldn't need to carry the franchise, but could be a winner from the jump in Rick Carlisle's fast-paced offense. Plus, if Haliburton and Siakam ever depart, it would be that much easier to pass the torch to Dybantsa.