BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Kevin Young’s vision to make BYU the best place to prepare young men to play in the NBA was on full display on Tuesday evening as AJ Dybantsa was selected with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.
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Dybantsta becomes the first player in program history and fourth-ever Big 12 player to be drafted with the No. 1 pick, joining Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons / 2021), Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins (Cleveland Cavaliers / 2014) and Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers / 2009).
The native of Brockton, Mass. becomes the first-ever Cougar drafted by the Washington Wizards.
In just two seasons as the head coach of BYU, Young has made PROvo a reality as the Cougars become the fourth different Big 12 school with lottery picks in consecutive NBA Drafts, joining Kansas (2022-23, 2010-14, 2007-08, 2002-03), Baylor (2022-22) and Texas (2018-19, 2005-007).
The consensus First Team All-American led the nation in scoring at 25.5 points per game, scoring 894 points, the second-most in a season in program history and third-most by a freshman in the history of NCAA Division I men’s basketball.
He becomes the first player to lead the NCAA in scoring and be selected with the top pick of the NBA Draft since 1994, when Purdue’s Glenn Robinson was picked by Milwaukee.
The 6-foot-9 forward scored in double figures in all 35 games of his collegiate career, including 28 20-point performances, eight 30-point performances and two 40-point performances, highlighted by his freshman record 43-point outburst against rival Utah at the Marriott Center.
He averaged 25.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists in league play en route to being named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and picked up First Team All-Big 12 honors. He notched a Big 12 Championship scoring record with 93 points, including a 40-point performance in the opening round against Kansas State, breaking Kevin Durant’s single-game freshman record set back in 2007.
Dybantsa is the only player in program history and one of two players ever for the Big 12 to record a 30-point triple-double with his 33-point, 10-rebound and 10-assist performance against Eastern Washington.
BYU in the NBA Draft
- BYU has produced a total of 47 NBA Draft picks all-time.
- BYU has nine first-round picks in NBA Draft history, including lottery picks in consecutive seasons.
- The Cougars have players drafted in back-to-back drafts for the first time since 2003-04, when Travis Hansen was selected 37th by the Atlanta Hawks (2003) and Rafael Araujo was selected eighth by the Toronto Raptors (2004).
- Six of BYU’s last eight draft picks have come in the first round.
- BYU players have been selected by 19 of the 30 current NBA franchises, with the Boston Celtics having drafted the most Cougars, with four.
- BYU becomes the 48th different school to have a No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.