The 2026 men’s NCAA Tournament is down to its Sweet 16 and we’ll have a Final Four by Sunday evening. For half of the college stars taking the court this weekend, it’s one final opportuniy to impress NBA teams with their play at full game speed when the lights are brightest as this year’s draft class comes into focus.
The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY’s latest mock draft, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa is expected to go in the first round. Here’s how USA TODAY currently projects the forward’s draft night will play out.
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Our draft order is based on ESPN’s projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.
AJ Dybantsa 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 2 overall, Brooklyn Nets
Kalbrosky’s Analysis:
The Nets have the worst offense in the NBA and could instantly inject life into their offense by selecting AJ Dybantsa, who would likely go No. 1 overall depending on which team gets the pick. He emphasized that point during his one game for BYU in March Madness, putting up 35 points and 10 rebounds. The Big 12 Rookie of the Year led the nation in unassisted points scored (680) by a wide margin this season, per CBB Analytics. The emerging star also had 40 points against Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament on March 10 and averaged 28.8 points per game over his final 17 appearances.
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See USA TODAY’s full mock draft here
AJ Dybantsa player profile
(all stats as of March 15)
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51.3% field goal percentage
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34.0% three-point field goal percentage
Brooklyn Nets 2026 projected draft picks
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No. 4, No. 34 and No. 44 (via LAC)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AJ Dybantsa NBA mock draft projection: Where BYU star is expected to land
