BYU’s AJ Dybantsa gets early taste of NBA at draft lottery

All the tanking by NBA teams over the past season to pursue a star like BYU’s AJ Dybantsa has produced the final draft order.

The Washington Wizards won the lottery on Sunday. Washington was among three teams that had the highest odds at 14% to land the No. 1 pick, and they got it.

“Just standing here is kind of crazy.”@AJ_Dybantsa live from the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, talking about the event and what he's looking forward to at the 2026 AWS NBA Draft Combine! pic.twitter.com/bBtPe8KbPs

— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) May 10, 2026

Dybantsa was in attendance at Navy Pier in Chicago to witness NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum open each envelope that led to the Wizards securing the coveted top draft pick.

The Utah Jazz got the No. 2 pick, followed by the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 3.

Does that mean Mr. Dybantsa goes to Washington?

AJ Dybantsa was in attendance at the 2026 NBA draft lottery in Chicago

It should be a lock, but as individuals like ESPN’s Jay Bilas said on the Mother’s Day lottery broadcast, it’s not a “no-brainer at No. 1.” Bilas was in Lawrence last January when Dybantsa and Peterson squared off in a highly anticipated Big 12 showdown between BYU and Kansas.

AJ Dybantsa, during ESPN's NBA draft lottery coverage, on what will be on his mind when he sees the team that gets the No. 1 pick:

"It's going to be exciting, for sure. Just preparing for this moment, obviously, working to be the number one pick, so it'd be exciting, great…

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) May 10, 2026

BYU fans who live in Utah are probably hoping that Dybantsa no longer goes No. 1, as the Utah Jazz moved up for the first time in the 41-year history of the lottery, to earn the No. 2 overall pick.

Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress had an instant-reaction mock draft after the lottery results, with Dybantsa falling to Utah at No. 2 and Darryn Peterson going No. 1 to Washington. That would be music to Cougar fans in the Beehive State’s ears.

First post-lottery mock draft, after another wild NBA Draft lottery. Washington moves up to No. 1, followed by Utah, Memphis, Chicago and the Clippers. pic.twitter.com/MGoNyc2j9B

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 10, 2026

If it’s the Wizards or Jazz, the 6-foot-9 Dybantsa gives either franchise an immediate scorer, an advanced basketball mind for his age, and someone who got better in his one season of college basketball.

Dybantsa could join a star-studded core in the nation’s capital that includes guard Trae Young and forward Anthony Davis, whom the Wizards acquired in trades this past season.

AJ Dybantsa reacts to the Washington Wizards earning the No. 1 NBA draft pick

Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network asked Dybantsa, following the lottery, about his reaction to the Wizards getting the No. 1 pick.

The former BYU star replied, “Obviously, I’ve been betting on myself for a while to be a No. 1 pick. So, initially, just thinking, like, how I would fit into the team. I think I’m pretty versatile and adaptable. So, I think I can play anywhere.”

For the first time since 2010, we won the #NBADraftLottery!

📰 Read more: https://t.co/kF6ZzIbrvm pic.twitter.com/ApIGp2BdwG

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) May 10, 2026

Dybantsa has the potential to become BYU’s first-ever No. 1 draft pick. The previous high was Shawn Bradley, who went No. 2 to the Philadelphia 76ers in 1993.

Dybantsa arrived at BYU as the nation’s No. 1 recruit and delivered every night, while being thrown into the key leadership role on the team after senior Richie Saunders went down with a season-ending ACL injury in February.

The Brockton, Massachusetts native was the nation’s leading scorer at 25.5 points per game, shooting 51% from the field.

An elite midrange scorer who consistently got to his spots. Everyone knew he would feast in the paint around the Big 12 logo, yet no one could stop it.

Dybantsa’s defense is often underrated, but there were games during his one season at BYU when he shut down an opponent’s top scorer. Case in point, limiting former Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic to 1-of-5 from the field.

It should be an interesting month to see how all of the draft action unfolds.

The 2026 NBA draft takes place on Tuesday, June 23, and Wednesday, June 24, in Brooklyn, New York.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.

Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.

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