// SCOUT_HOMEPAGE
JDUB3
PROFILES
03
BOARD_SPOTS
31
YEAR
2026
// SAVED_BOARD
2026_OVERALL_BOARD
TOP_30
// PROSPECT_GUIDE
AJ DYBANTSA
AJ DYBANTSA
A next-gen wing who wins with powerful drives, unpredictable gathers and raw physical tools. The biggest reservation about him is you wish his defensive motor aligned more with his tools. He has a lower block rate than Tyler Tanner. He grasps rotations but the willingness to cause havoc isn't really there. If AJ can course correct his approach to rebounding/off-ball activity, he'll not only max out, he'll unlock some awesome lineup possibilities for a coaching staff as an athletic 3, a hybrid 4, or a small-ball 5. All in all, the offensive foundation is special, the footwork, pump fakes all of it. If his 3 ball fully comes around, it might be wraps.
The best scorer in the NBA.
A stride length scorer, leak-outs, mid-post artist with foul craft, rangy defense.
A bouncy athlete, loves transition play, but spotty self-creation and defense.
// EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY
BEST FIT - PACERS/WIZARDS/WARRIORS. AJ's raw athleticism meshes perfectly with a transition emphasized offense, an offense with early clock actions like 77/pistol, one that has primaries like Hali and Trae to yield easier second side creation WORST FIT - NETS/KINGS. Idk, there's probably an inevitable overtax on his decision making early on with diminishing returns and little ammo to protect him on defense. AJ isn't a great passer yet so you ideally want him in a rotation with multiple good passers. You draft AJ 1 almost every draft, but if you already have promising wings or lack a table-setting guard, the team fit > BPA theory can sometimes sneak in.
Percentiles are positional, measured against NBA players' last season in college.
// OFFENSIVE_EVALUATION
Hard to remember a prospect as tantalizing offensively as AJ in quite some time. The rate of advancement in his self-creation from HS has been impressive. AJ's creation context at BYU was ideal because the offense gave him a blank canvas to slash and create. He was the nucleus for 3 sources of offense - PNR, spot-up jumpers and transition. Dybantsa has extreme bend to his game in isolation, using low hanging crosses and stutter rips where he's able to burst to the rim to unlock those kick outs. The bend aids in PNR too because he can use/split/reject every ball-screen, change direction and change speed. -Downhill athlete with creative pick-ups/gathers. -99th %ile box creation relative to position, 84th %ile FTr -8.1 unassisted rim shots/100, excellent profile at the rim, indicates future self-creation and foul drawing ability -Fluid yet powerful as an east-west mover, dodging defenders with inverted euros and spins -Has a bevy of access to weird finishing angles, both in terms of body positioning and ball placement -Pretty advanced mid-range game already, taking 12 FGA/100 on 46.3% -Flashed OTD 3 creation but not a specialty -Transition demon, extreme upside as a cutter and corner crasher (for lobs or oREBS)
// DEFENSIVE_EVALUATION
Probably the most to-be desired aspect of AJ's scout. He just doesn't play with a verve on that end that you see on offense. Motor isn't as persistent, not looking to create events or cause much disruption. Sort of just executing the scheme because he has to, not wants to. If you are not a factor on the defensive glass and are pretty static on the perimeter with low STL/BLK %s, what are you doing on defense? -Defensive motor is consistently inconsistent -Dies on screens too often -Underwhelming defensive box impact: 28th %ile in plus-minus, measly steal and block rates. -Ironically, he poses just a 1.9 foul rate per 100 which provides value by suppressing opposing FTs / bonus time, but it stems from inactivity -Tools are there to improve defensively (+WS, passing lane disruption, increased motor) -The 16.9 DREB% and 4.7 OREB% are pretty bad. There's insane amounts of upside as a defensive rebounder. It can eclipse Tatum level impact.
// PROJECTION
Highest ceiling in the class by far. A low-end floor of Bennedict Mathurin and a ceiling of prime Tracy McGrady gets you a wicked prospect for sure. He projects as a franchise wing regardless, but his development timeline to efficient primary + sound team defender may be longer depending on the draft order. I have him #1 on my board as the highest upside play in this draft. I think he has a chance to average 25+ ppg for a while, make All-NBA, etc. I can't shake the 3 level scoring stuff and his ability to get downhill and force rotations. Name of the game.
// EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY
BEST FIT - PACERS/WIZARDS/WARRIORS. AJ's raw athleticism meshes perfectly with a transition emphasized offense, an offense with early clock actions like 77/pistol, one that has primaries like Hali and Trae to yield easier second side creation WORST FIT - NETS/KINGS. Idk, there's probably an inevitable overtax on his decision making early on with diminishing returns and little ammo to protect him on defense. AJ isn't a great passer yet so you ideally want him in a rotation with multiple good passers. You draft AJ 1 almost every draft, but if you already have promising wings or lack a table-setting guard, the team fit > BPA theory can sometimes sneak in.
// OFFENSIVE_EVALUATION
Hard to remember a prospect as tantalizing offensively as AJ in quite some time. The rate of advancement in his self-creation from HS has been impressive. AJ's creation context at BYU was ideal because the offense gave him a blank canvas to slash and create. He was the nucleus for 3 sources of offense - PNR, spot-up jumpers and transition. Dybantsa has extreme bend to his game in isolation, using low hanging crosses and stutter rips where he's able to burst to the rim to unlock those kick outs. The bend aids in PNR too because he can use/split/reject every ball-screen, change direction and change speed. -Downhill athlete with creative pick-ups/gathers. -99th %ile box creation relative to position, 84th %ile FTr -8.1 unassisted rim shots/100, excellent profile at the rim, indicates future self-creation and foul drawing ability -Fluid yet powerful as an east-west mover, dodging defenders with inverted euros and spins -Has a bevy of access to weird finishing angles, both in terms of body positioning and ball placement -Pretty advanced mid-range game already, taking 12 FGA/100 on 46.3% -Flashed OTD 3 creation but not a specialty -Transition demon, extreme upside as a cutter and corner crasher (for lobs or oREBS)
// DEFENSIVE_EVALUATION
Probably the most to-be desired aspect of AJ's scout. He just doesn't play with a verve on that end that you see on offense. Motor isn't as persistent, not looking to create events or cause much disruption. Sort of just executing the scheme because he has to, not wants to. If you are not a factor on the defensive glass and are pretty static on the perimeter with low STL/BLK %s, what are you doing on defense? -Defensive motor is consistently inconsistent -Dies on screens too often -Underwhelming defensive box impact: 28th %ile in plus-minus, measly steal and block rates. -Ironically, he poses just a 1.9 foul rate per 100 which provides value by suppressing opposing FTs / bonus time, but it stems from inactivity -Tools are there to improve defensively (+WS, passing lane disruption, increased motor) -The 16.9 DREB% and 4.7 OREB% are pretty bad. There's insane amounts of upside as a defensive rebounder. It can eclipse Tatum level impact.
// PROJECTION
Highest ceiling in the class by far. A low-end floor of Bennedict Mathurin and a ceiling of prime Tracy McGrady gets you a wicked prospect for sure. He projects as a franchise wing regardless, but his development timeline to efficient primary + sound team defender may be longer depending on the draft order. I have him #1 on my board as the highest upside play in this draft. I think he has a chance to average 25+ ppg for a while, make All-NBA, etc. I can't shake the 3 level scoring stuff and his ability to get downhill and force rotations. Name of the game.
Percentiles are positional, measured against NBA players' last season in college.