AJ Dybantsa NBA mock draft projection: Where BYU star is expected to land after March Madness

NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.

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.

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. 1 overall, Washington Wizards

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

The Wizards have the second-worst offense in the NBA and could instantly inject life into their offense by selecting AJ Dybantsa, the NCAA scoring champion and Julius Erving Award winner. 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.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft 9.0 here

AJ Dybantsa player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

• Position: Forward
• Current Team: BYU
• 25.3 points per game
• 6.7 rebounds per game
• 3.8 assists per game
• 51.3 field goal percentage
• 34.0 three-point field goal percentage

Washington Wizards 2026 projected draft picks

• No. 3, No. 53 (via MIN) and No. 60 (via OKC)