CHICAGO — Many of the top-rated NBA prospects aren’t concerned with who will end up being the No. 1 overall pick.
People have been saying for years that the 2026 NBA draft could end up being one of the best classes of prospects in a long time, and that’s a narrative that has Kansas’ Darryn Peterson excited, no matter where he ends up getting picked.
Caleb Wilson out of North Carolina said he could go No. 1, No. 4, No. 10, he really doesn’t care. The most important thing to him is making it to the NBA and with a team that truly believes in him and his potential.
But there is a player who cares — AJ Dybantsa.
“It’s definitely a goal of mine. I’ve been number one in the ranking since what, ninth grade? And I ain’t dropped. So, I’m not planning on dropping in the draft.”
— AJ Dybantsa, on the prospect of being picked No. 1 overall
“It’s definitely a goal of mine,” Dybantsa said of being picked No. 1 overall. “I’ve been number one in the ranking since what, ninth grade? And I ain’t dropped. So, I’m not planning on dropping in the draft.”
The BYU product has a level of bravado that doesn’t stretch to the other top prospects in this draft class, and it might be the thing that sets him apart, more than anything else.
Dybantsa definitely likes the appearance of humility and so does his father, the ever-present Ace Dybantsa, who was on in the building all week as his son went through the NBA pre-draft combine.
When it came time for team interviews and interviews with reporters at the combine, Dybantsa didn’t show up in the usual combine workout sweats and hoodies that most prospects are in. He was in a suit and tie.
“I’ve never had a job before,” Dybantsa said. “I was 13 when I started taking basketball serious. This is like my first job interview. So, my dad was like, ‘This is your job interview. So, come professional, come suited.”
But in the same breath that Dybantsa will tell you how hard he works and how much he strives to make those around him better, he will tell you that he deserves to be the No. 1 pick and that whatever team selects him will be getting a star that the fans will be drawn to.
“I’m super versatile as a player, I can guard one through four, play one through four. I think I could play a little bit of combo guard if you need me to, I think I could be that jumbo wing if you need me to,” he said. “I play the game the right way. I try to play to win, try to make my teammates better. But I’m super exciting as a player, super explosive. I fill seats.”
And not far behind Dybantsa, everywhere he goes, is a personal videographer, documenting every word, every joke, every interaction, every highlight. Much of that ends up on Dybantsa’s YouTube page, where he has 37.5K subscribers.
That confidence, bravado, self-assuredness — whatever you want to call it — can be perceived differently depending on whose opinion you’re seeking. There are NBA bigwigs who have dealt with players in the past who have become prima donnas, who have see bravado turn into selfishness and seen players that aren’t able to deal with the learning curve presented by the NBA.
On the other hand, there is always a certain level of inflated ego that all professional athletes need in order to be successful, and some of the most successful of all time have a self belief that surpasses that of those around them.
There are NBA decision makers who see Dybantsa as savvy to the ways that will make him successful at the next level. They see him as smart and thinking one step ahead. They see his bravado and confidence as earned and are delighted by the kind of competitor he is and how even more ferocious and confident he could become on an NBA court.
There are masses of NBA executives who want a player that strives to be No. 1 and knows his own worth and own potential. They want a player who when he is asked what his goals for an NBA career are, he doesn’t even pause to think.
“As an NBA player? Oh, a Hall of Famer.”
A Hall of Famer, a future multi-time All-Star, a potential MVP. That’s the kind of player that a team wants when they use the top pick in the draft. And Dybantsa has a body of work that backs up his belief in himself.
All of the drafts top-selecting teams have met with Dybantsa, including the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz who are picking No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in the June 23 draft. But when it comes down to it, Dybantsa isn’t thinking about who the team is on the other side of the pick.
He wants to be No. 1. Period.
