The subject of tanking is taking center stage in the NBA, and for good reason, as many teams are jockeying for lottery balls considering how stacked the 2026 NBA Draft class is at the top. One player who's being viewed by many talent evaluators as a potential franchise cornerstone is BYU basketball star AJ Dybantsa, who's done nothing but dominate his peers throughout the college basketball season thus far.
On Tuesday night, the 22nd ranked BYU took on Baylor and emerged victorious in a close game, 99-94. Dybantsa once again made his mark on the game, playing all 40 minutes of the game, and he put up 36 points, five rebounds, and seven assists in the winning effort — showing why scouts are salivating over him and why he's a candidate to go as the number one overall pick for this year's NBA Draft.
One play, in particular, indicated that Dybantsa may be far more NBA ready than even the most optimistic of scouts believe. The BYU basketball star, in the early goings of the second half, blew past Baylor's Caden Powell and threw down a mean one-handed tomahawk slam, much to the delight of the crowd.
AIR AJ TAKES OFF ✈️#Big12MBB | 📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/djcGp6RF0H
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) February 11, 2026
Dybantsa shot 14-20 from the field and he assisted or scored on 26 of BYU's 41 first-half points (according to ESPN), and once again, the team was successful because he took the lead.
BYU basketball star AJ Dybantsa could go first overall
As tantalizing as Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer are in their own right, Dybantsa, as a 6'9′ wing with immense athleticism and burgeoning playmaking skills, has a chance to go first overall.
Peterson is perhaps the most dynamic guard prospect in recent memory, but his injury woes leave a huge question mark on his long-term viability. Boozer has two-way dominance potential, but his athletic gifts pale in comparison to that of Dybantsa's.
Any team that lands a top-three pick would be happy to come away with the BYU basketball star.
