College basketball’s official tip-off is imminent, but the season is already underway after some high-profile exhibition games. It marks an unofficial start to the 2026 NBA Draft cycle as well for a class regarded as highly as any in recent memory. One of its keystone prospects, AJ Dybantsa, looked the part of a potential top pick in BYU’s exhibition loss to Nebraska.
Though his Cougars lost the game, Dybantsa was hardly to blame. The 6’9 freshman wing dominated the Cornhuskers en route to 30 points on 19 shots (66.6% true shooting) alongside seven rebounds, three assists and two turnovers. His two-way impact stood out and bodes well for his future, but he put his trademark scoring excellence on full display.
After averaging 29 points on nearly 65% true shooting across his pre-NCAA career, Dybantsa’s scoring excellence shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Exhibition games are rife with untranslatable basketball slop, especially considering the general quality of preseason defense. We must treat these games with necessary amounts of salt, but his process and approach were encouraging.
Dybantsa did all the right things on offense
His foul-drawing is easiest to point towards; Dybantsa made all eight of his free-throw attempts, good for a 42% free-throw rate, slightly up from his pre-college career average (38%). Instead of settling for difficult mid-range jumpers as he often does, he powered through smaller defenders to the basket all night. The clip below is an especially good example of this.
When he sets up at the elbow, Dybantsa often hunts for a fadeaway or faceup jumper, as few defenders can contest his high release. But he’s even more effective taking mismatches into the paint, where his special athleticism and physical talent shine brightest:
Dybantsa has the best first step of any 6’9-plus player I’ve ever scouted. I’ve been seriously evaluating prospects since around 2018 and no forward-sized player has the explosiveness and twitch he does (Ben Simmons comes to mind as another candidate here, but Dybantsa’s flexibility was a major advantage over him as a prospect).
Whether in transition, picking and popping, attacking a closeout or isolating in the middle of the floor, Dybantsa’s first step is a cheat code. Especially in advantage situations, I have no idea how college defenders are meant to slow him.
aj dybantsa has the best first step of any 6’9-plus prospect i’ve ever scouted. i’m honestly not sure who is close.
teams will not get away with busted coverages against dybantsa pic.twitter.com/JMEL8TxAgG
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) October 21, 2025
As I previously alluded to, his athletic gifts span wider than just elite burst and explosiveness. He’s exceptionally flexible with the torso and arm mobility to ben below defenders and find shots from clogged angles. Dybantsa decelerates and changes directions like a six-foot guard. While he still can add plenty of muscle mass, he’s already functionally strong enough to displace bigger defenders.
His defense was a pleasant surpriseÂ
Some of Dybantsa’s high-school warts were still present against Nebraska. He occasionally settled for difficult off-dribble jumpers with higher value driving lanes or shots available. Dybantsa still must tighten his ball control in traffic and he lapsed on defense a few times, looking a bit behind the play throughout the game.
That’s hardly a major concern for a college freshman in his first game, especially one as offensively gifted as Dybantsa. Despite some mental lapses, I thought he acquitted himself well on defense, exerting more effort and physicality than he usually did at the youth level. This block encapsulates his defensive profile today — he briefly lapses, allowing a cutter to cross his face, but springs off two feet to spike the shot anyways:
BYU’s spacing was strong as usual for much of the night, as former NBA coach Kevin Young’s offense will help Dybantsa acclimate to pro principles and schemes quickly. That ecosystem paired with complementary offensive stars like Richie Saunders and Robert Wright III set the stage for a nuclear freshman year for Dybantsa.
The last high-major college wing to break 25 points per game was Doug McDermott in 2014; the then 22-year-old averaged 26.7 points per night on comical efficiency (64.4% true shooting). Dybantsa probably won’t reach that efficiency threshold, but I’ll confidently predict Dybantsa to average over 25 points per game this season.
The competition for the number one pick in 2026 is as strong as ever. He must firmly outplay Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer to earn the top spot. If his unofficial college debut was any indication, we’re in for a special season from Dybantsa.
