AJ Dybantsa is widely projected to be one of the top picks in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft. But what if Dybantsa doesn’t choose to be a one-and-done and continue to play collegiate basketball? That’s a major hint that the BYU freshman left in his appearance on the Deseret News podcast. With a shy grin, Dybantsa said,
“I might not leave. I might not leave college.”
This comment fuels a major hope for BYU fans who have seen hope in Dybantsa to continue leading the Cougars to glory. But this decision isn’t quite fixed.
Elaborating this further, Dybantsa added,
“My mom wants me to graduate. But I might leave. I don’t know. You know, the fans might get into my head, talk about, you know, one more year, maybe three more years. I don’t know. I’m going to have to talk to my mom.”
For now, it’s unclear what Dybantsa decides. However, continuing to play college basketball has more pros than cons. The very first reason being Dybantsa can continue with his education while being a shining prospect to lead the Cougars to a national championship. On the other hand, it’s also important to take into account the impact NIL plays in the decisions of college basketball athletes in this new era.
Dybantsa has been off to the right start as a freshman. He is leading the nation in scoring at 24.9 points per game, and with his 6’9″ frame, he can score from all over the floor. The Cougar freshman has star written all over him and could easily go as a top 3 pick. And even better, with concerns surrounding Darryn Peterson’s draft class, Dybantsa could even go up to be the No.1 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
Will AJ Dybantsa Actually Stay Back in College?
Fans seem hopeful, but are unable to gauge the seriousness of AJ Dybantsa’s shocking statement. However, a CBS News piece argues that AJ Dybantsa would not stay back in college. Last year, Cooper Flagg, who became the No.1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, made similar comments of wanting to “come back” to college the following year. However, that did not happen, and Flagg went on to be selected as the first overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks.
If AJ Dybantsa were to return to school next season, it would be the biggest shocker in college basketball and NBA Draft history. This could be an unprecedented move for a top-three pick to let go of the draft to return to school for the sophomore season. In 2024, there was similar buzz around Reed Sheppard wanting to bypass the draft and return for his sophomore season.
However, that never happened as he declared for the draft shortly after Mark Pope was hired and was selected No.3 by the Houston Rockets.
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