Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) and BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) chase down a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. Colin E. Braley, Associated Press
Brandon Judd
By Brandon Judd
Brandon covers sports for the Deseret News, with an emphasis on the University of Utah and the NFL.

AJ vs Darryn.

That is the popular talking point in NBA draft circles right now, with BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson most likely to go 1-2 in next month’s NBA draft.

Duke’s Cameron Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson are largely considered, along with Dybantsa and Peterson, in a class above the rest of the this year’s prospects, but Dybantsa and Peterson are garnering the most attention.

Beyond Dybantsa, this year’s NBA draft will have resounding effects around the state of Utah.

The Utah Jazz earned the No. 2 overall selection after moving up in this year’s NBA draft lottery. The franchise won’t have a second-round pick.

Meanwhile, BYU has another player, wing Richie Saunders, who is expected to be drafted as a second-rounder.

The last time BYU had two players taken in the same NBA draft was in 1984, and back then, there were more than two rounds. That year, Devin Durrant was a second-round selection, while Brett Applegate went in the fourth round.

Here’s a look at where nine two-round NBA mock drafts have projected in the aftermath of Sunday’s NBA draft lottery, not only for the Jazz’s selection at No. 2, but where they see Dybantsa and Saunders ending up and what they say about the fit of those players.

The 2026 NBA draft will take place June 23 (round one) and June 24 (round two), with the draft starting at 6 p.m. MDT each day.

BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) shoots a three-pointer over West Virginia Mountaineers forward Brenen Lorient (0) during the first half of the game in the second round of the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News

Where BYU forward AJ Dybantsa is projected

What Fletcher said: “AJ Dybantsa ranks No. 1 on the big board, showcasing high-level scoring during his time at BYU with continued growth as a playmaker. The surrounding areas of his game continue to come along, as he looks to translate all the physical tools into the NBA’s most valuable archetype of player on the wing.”

What Woo said: “Dybantsa is a strong fit for Washington on paper, even with the Wizards’ collection of younger wings, with his physicality and athletic tools giving him major two-way upside. He built a strong case at No. 1 over the course of an impressive freshman season, leading Division I in scoring and displaying growth as he learned to shoulder major offensive responsibility.”

What O’Connor said: “The Wizards finally land their star. Dybantsa could become one of the NBA’s most unstoppable shot-creators. … In Washington, the pressure will be alleviated on him early in his career, now that he’s teammates with veteran point guard Trae Young and — assuming he doesn’t ask out — and All-Star-caliber big man in Anthony Davis.”

What Vecenie said: “He plays with serious bend mixed with explosiveness, allowing him to consistently get into the teeth of the defense as a straight-line driver. In transition, he’s a menace. His midrange game has become a serious weapon. He’s also not a finished product.

“It’s clear where the improvement areas are for him. His jumper will get better as he ages. He improved drastically as a passer this season but has even more room for growth there when he plays next to more talented NBA players. And defensively, Dybantsa is not nearly as impactful as his measurements suggest he could become.”

What Wasserman said: “Scouts saw AJ Dybantsa as the No. 1 overall favorite before the lottery. He also happens to look like a clean fit for Washington. With Dybantsa, the Wizards rotation can now have a trio of big-wing scorers with Kyshawn George and Will Riley.”

What Peek said: “His size as a perimeter threat at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan gives him the ability to rise up over any defender in the midrange. Having the option to pair Dybantsa alongside Trae Young could be the dream tandem the Wizards have been looking for as they rebuild.”

What Siegel said: “Slide Dybantsa next to these stars (Young and Davis), as well as highly rated prospects like Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George, and the Wizards look like a bona fide threat night in and night out in what is an underwhelming middle tier of teams in the Eastern Conference.”

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) drives against Utah guard Terrence Brown (2) during game in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. | AP

Who the Utah Jazz are projected to take at No. 2

What Fletcher said: “Darryn Peterson has all the tools at the guard spot to turn into an All-NBA level player. He scores the ball effortlessly and can toggle on and off the ball thanks to his size and shooting. The cramping issues at Kansas have dampened the excitement a bit for some, but the track record and glimpses are more than enough to keep him in Tier 1.”

What Woo said: “Utah has talented young perimeter players on the roster, including Ace Bailey and Keyonte George, but Peterson’s shot creation and elite long-range shooting would give the Jazz a potential top-tier scorer to build around.

“... NBA teams are hoping for further clarity from his medical evaluation and interviews at this week’s combine. A clean bill of health would help assuage lingering concerns and allow teams atop the draft to make a pure basketball decision.”

What O’Connor said: “The basketball gods finally smile on Utah after the franchise never moved up in the lottery. As much as Jazz owner and BYU alum/donor Ryan Smith might want to keep Dybantsa in Utah — and you can’t rule them out of trying to move up — it could be for the best to end up with Peterson, who is a buttery smooth scorer with a blend of fluid body control and positional size that gives him the ingredients to become an elite NBA player.”

What Vecenie said: “The Jazz and other teams in the top four will have to lean on their high school evaluations of Peterson. The big step forward for Peterson at Prolific Prep came with his passing and playmaking out of ball screens. He’s always been a tremendous scorer, but he began to read the second and third levels of the defense and make plays off how help defenders played him, even at times manipulating them.”

What Wasserman said: “Most have seemingly disregarded the negative narratives around Peterson’s injuries and mixed availability. There are scouts who still see a No. 1 overall talent whose creation and explosion will shine more with better spacing and healthier legs. The consensus deems his shotmaking skill as special and even more diverse than Dybantsa’s, given Peterson’s three-point volume and outstanding off-ball, spot-up and movement shooting numbers.”

What Peek said: “The Jazz have options at No. 2, but if they’re looking at the next-best available prospect to build a team around, it’s Peterson. He didn’t have the year he expected at Kansas as he dealt with full-body cramps and a hamstring issue all season. There’s no denying his talent as a three-level scoring threat, which will make it much easier for Keyonte George and Jaren Jackson Jr. to space the floor.”

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What Siegel said: “Talent-wise, Peterson is everything the Jazz need in a true floor commander and dynamic scorer to complement Keyonte George in the backcourt. Already having established contributors like Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler — who the franchise is fully expected to bring back as a restricted free agent this offseason — the Jazz would create a logjam by selecting Boozer."

BYU guard Richie Saunders (15) drives past Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) during the first half of an NCAA basketball game at the Marriott Center in Provo on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News

Where BYU wing Richie Saunders is projected

What O’Connor said: “Saunders is a hard-nosed, two-way wing who plays with manic energy, hustling around the floor hunting for steals on defense and jumpers on offense. The team that gets him knows exactly what they’re gonna get out of him. He’s also skilled, though, with a quick-trigger jumper, soft touch on floaters, and a feel for moving the ball. That makes him an intriguing two-man game partner with Nikola Jokic. But he’s not a guarantee to succeed at age 25 after tearing his ACL in February, ending his four-year career at BYU.”

What Wasserman said: “A torn ACL ends Richie Saunders’ career at BYU. From a draft-stock perspective, there wasn’t much left for him to sell teams on. The injury shouldn’t factor into the equation, with the assumption he wasn’t expected to play many NBA minutes next year, anyway. He’ll be an option for a team that sees a shooting specialist and value in the second round.”

What Siegel said: “This injury doesn’t take away from the fact that Saunders shot 37.6% from deep this past season and 38.7% from 3-point range over his four years at BYU. The Nuggets need shooting threats, especially on the wing, with Cam Johnson likely to be traded, which carves out a potential early-career role for Saunders in Denver.”

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