04/23/26 11:42:00
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04/23 11:41 CDT AJ Dybantsa officially declares for the NBA draft and is a top
candidate to be the No. 1 pick
AJ Dybantsa officially declares for the NBA draft and is a top candidate to be
the No. 1 pick
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
AJ Dybantsa has made it official: He's entering the NBA draft.
The BYU forward --- widely expected to be a top candidate to be the No. 1 pick
--- made the announcement Thursday. Dybantsa led the nation by averaging 25.5
points per game in his lone college season, along with 6.8 rebounds and 3.7
assists per game.
He's the first player to have a season with all those averages and be named a
consensus All-American since Larry Bird did it for Indiana State in 1978-79.
"Now the work starts again, all over again," Dybantsa said. "I've had a lot of
NBA players tell me that it kind of restarts once you get there. I'm just
looking forward to that next step, being a rookie and learning from all the
vets."
Dybantsa made the announcement at the Davis School in his hometown of Brockton,
Massachusetts --- the home of boxing greats Rocky Marciano and Marvin Hagler,
among others.
"It's the city of champions," Dybantsa said. "I just want to be considered like
one of those champions."
Dybantsa attended the Davis School until fifth grade and said he still values
the lessons instilled in him there, including the importance of education.
That's part of the reason why, even though he's going to the NBA, Dybantsa said
he will simultaneously remain in school and continue working toward a mass
communications degree at BYU.
"My mom wanted me to stay in college to graduate," Dybantsa said. "But I told
my mother that I'm going to declare for the draft and also finish and get my
degree online. I'll probably finish within the next four years."
The draft order will not be known until the lottery on May 10, where
Washington, Indiana and Brooklyn all have the best odds --- 14% each --- of
winning and landing the chance to pick No. 1 overall. When asked what team he
would like to play for in the NBA, Dybantsa gave an immediate answer.
"Whatever team drafts me, bro," Dybantsa said.
He's not lacking for confidence and hopes to give another speech in
Massachusetts --- the home of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ---
when his playing career is over.
"The next speech --- the next big, big speech --- I should have is the Hall of
Fame speech," Dybantsa said. "So, we should be good."
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
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