The Kings eye BYU phenom AJ Dybantsa as their potential No. 1 pick. His NBA-ready game solidifies his top prospect status.
With March Madness nearly underway, all eyes have been glued to BYU phenom and potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa.
As the nation's leading scorer (25.2 points, 60.3% true shooting), the versatile 6-foot-9 forward appears more NBA-ready than ever after turning 19 years old in late January.
For the Sacramento Kings, their position in the upcoming draft lottery could mark the difference between welcoming a likely franchise-altering talent in Dybantsa with the top selection, or a star-level backup choice such as University of Houston guard Kingston Flemings if their pick drops closer to No. 5.
According to a recent mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman, the superstar-starved Kings might be in luck this summer with Dybantsa projected to be taken first overall by the franchise.
Even with University of Kansas superstar Darryn Peterson still hanging onto first-pick momentum, Wasserman made his case for Dybantsa as the 'safer' option.
"There are still believers and support for Darryn Peterson at No. 1," Wasserman wrote.
"But right now with AJ Dybantsa, there is equal excitement over his trajectory and in-season development—and less perceived risk or questions."
"Dybantsa right now looks like the safer choice, which could be important enough to sway a general manager when it's such a heated debate at No. 1."
Aside from Dybantsa's excellence throughout his freshman campaign as a Cougar, controversy surrounding Peterson's availability issues could propel the former towards being taken off the board first anyways.
Peterson has contributed 19.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists on a 54.8% effective field goal percentage, doing enough to land a comparison to Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards from Wasserman.
However, the 6-foot-5 guard received plenty of scrutiny for appearing to substitute himself out of games on numerous occasions.
His tantalizing physical attributes, shot-making and ball-handling would make Kings general manager Scott Perry think very hard if the franchise were to luck into the No. 1 pick. Still, Dybantsa's game might translate better at the next level.
His mix of wonderful mid-range shot-selection, athleticism and willingness to distribute the ball are all justifiable reasons to select Dybantsa, but his consistency is the factor that might set him apart from Peterson and even Duke University's Cam Boozer.
From the Kings' perspective, nothing matters more than landing a true building block with All-NBA potential and the drive to be the best in the world. At this juncture, Dybantsa checks more boxes in those fields than any other prospect in what is a loaded 2026 draft class.
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