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BYU’s AJ Dybantsa Says He ‘Might Not Leave’ for 2026 NBA Draft Despite No. 1 Buzz

He points to his mother's wish that he finish his degree.

Overview

  • In a Deseret Voices interview, the freshman told McKay Coppins he “might not leave college,” adding, “I might not leave, but I might leave.”
  • Dybantsa leads Division I in scoring at 24.9 points per game and has tallied at least 20 in eight straight outings after BYU lost guard Richie Saunders to an ACL tear.
  • Draft evaluators still slot him in a three-player race with Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and Duke’s Cameron Boozer, and recent mocks by The Athletic and Bleacher Report have him at No. 1.
  • Many pundits doubt he will return to school given rookie-scale earnings, with CBS Sports labeling the odds of a sophomore season as near zero.
  • He says he will decide after the season, weighing family priorities alongside an NIL era that can offer significant college compensation.