AJ Dybantsa leaves the door open for nightmare NBA Draft scenario

AJ Dybantsa should be the No. 1 or No. 2 overall pick in the NBA Draft this summer. That is, if he decides to declare for the NBA Draft like most basketball fans expect him too. The super-freshman mentioned to the Desert News this week that he’s still deciding on whether to go pro after his one year at BYU or return to campus in 2026-27. Not because he's unsure of his draft stock, but because he's interested in finishing his degree (though he doesn’t necssarily have to stick around in Provo next year to do that).

If Dybantsa does go back to school, it would mean that either Kansas' Darryn Peterson or Duke's Cameron Boozer would be the No. 1 overall pick. More importantly, though, it would change the entire landscape of the NBA Draft. FanSided’s Chris Kline has Dybantsa as the No. 1 pick going to Oklahoma City Thunder, who still have a lottery pick courtesy of the Los Angeles Clippers despite the chance to defend their title this spring. Without Dybantsa, this draft class is still deep; but it doesn’t quite have the star power it’s been hyped up to have, and several tanking teams could be left holding the bag.

AJ Dybantsa returning to school would upend the front of the NBA Draft

Take time to dive into Kline’s mock draft and you’ll see just how many impact names this draft class has. That said, it’s a very front-heavy class as well. It could honestly be a coin flip whether Boozer, Peterson or Dybantsa will go No. 1 overall; that will come down to personal preference and team fit as to who goes where. Without Dybantsa in the mix, though, the front half of the draft would get a whole lot more interesting — and perilous.

The vagaries of the NBA Draft lottery make it impossible to know who will land where at the moment – look no further than the 2025 NBA Draft lottery, which miraculously saw the Dallas Mavericks leap up several spots to land the No. 1 pick. After Boozer and Peterson, this draft could go a lot of ways. Kline has five more guards going in the next seven picks, with a lot of one-and-dones at that. 

Houston’s Kingston Flemings and Louisville’s Mikal Brown Jr. have garnered a lot of attention, while Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. (mocked to go to the Milwaukee Bucks at No. 11, per Kline) has drastically improved his draft stock over the last few weeks. 

The draft opens up a lot if Dybantsa doesn’t declare, and the news of Caleb Wilson undergoing season-ending thumb surgery could change his draft stock as well. This draft could either be full of young players that don’t reach their full potential, or it could be one of the deepest lotterie in a long time. 

A lot of it will come down to Dybantsa and his decision to declare for the draft or go back to school. I doubt he goes back to BYU just for a degree when he can complete that while being in the NBA, or certainly after his career. If that’s the route he does take, though, it would almost certainly change quite a few teams’ draft plans. 

Should teams look at Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer more closely as AJ Dybantsa questions leaving school?

NBA teams are obviously going to do their homework over the next few weeks. I would also add that if Dybantsa isn’t in this draft class, Boozer might rise as the favorite to go No. 1 overall for one simple reason: All eyes will be on Peterson and how he plays in the NCAA Tournament. Is he pulling himself out of games again? Is he on a self-induced minutes restriction? He’s gotten a lot of bad attention lately and could find his draft stock taking a hit if it continues through March Madness. 

That’s why Boozer could be the favorite to go No. 1 if Dybantsa is out of the picture. This class, though full of guards, isn’t as heavy with wings, so if Dybantsa goes back to BYU I could also see some early trades for teams that may want to land a guard higher up in the draft. The chaos of NBA Draft night could come to a head without a consensus top pick. 

Boozer has passed every test possible to prove he deserves to be the No. 1 pick. In fact, if he delivers Duke a national championship – the one thing neither Cooper Flagg nor Zion Williamson could accomplish before being selected No. 1 overall in their respective drafts – that might be what pushes him to the top. 

If Dybantsa isn’t in this draft class, Boozer probably has the edge. With Dybantsa in it, Boozer could fall to No. 3, meaning whoever picks there is getting a steal. Peterson is the wild card in this class, and no Dybantsa just makes the top even more interesting. 

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