PROVO, Utah – Could BYU men’s basketball sensation AJ Dybantsa really return to Provo for a second season—despite being widely projected as a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft?
Asked about the possibility of being the No. 1 pick this summer, Dybantsa suggested he may not be so quick to leave school in a recent appearance on the Deseret Voices podcast.
“I might not leave,” the Naismith Player of the Year candidate said with a shy grin. “I might not leave college.”
The comment immediately fuels hope among Cougar fans, who have embraced the 6-foot-9 standout since he arrived on campus. But Dybantsa made it clear that the decision isn’t simple.
🔗: https://t.co/Ez2IfUQj5E
“I might not leave college”
The projected No. 1 NBA draft pick, @AJ_Dybantsa, just dropped a bombshell on “Deseret Voices.” What’s behind him weighing a return to Provo for another season?
Listen to the @BYUMBB star and @mckaycoppins on the full… pic.twitter.com/xIjthCPKHs
— Deseret News (@Deseret) March 3, 2026
He weighs the future of an NBA career against his mother’s wishes for him to earn a college degree.
And the love from BYU fans? That doesn’t make his decision any easier.
“The fans might get into my head, talking about one more year, maybe three more years,” Dybantsa stated. “But I’m gonna have to talk to my mom.”
About AJ Dybantsa
The Brockton, Massachusetts, native has lived up to the billing after becoming the highest-rated recruit in BYU men’s basketball history the moment he signed on the dotted line.
Dybantsa has earned two national player of the week awards and was named the Big 12 Player of the Week twice heading into the final week of the regular season.
IT WAS ALL AJ ALL NIGHT‼️
BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa puts up 29 PTS and played all 40 minutes against No. 6 Iowa State 🤯 pic.twitter.com/8WXsl881wO
— ESPN (@espn) February 22, 2026
The six-time Big 12 Newcomer of the Week leads the country with 24.9 points per game while shooting 53 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from the three-point line.
He adds 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals while playing 33 minutes a night.
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The Cougars take on the Cincinnati Bearcats at Fifth Third Arena on Tuesday, March 3. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. MT.
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Brian Preece is a KSLSports.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian onX,Instagram, andBlueSky at @bpreece24.