The San Antonio Spurs won't have a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but one of the best players in the NCAA is lobbying to end up in Texas.
Ever since they drafted Victor Wembanyama in 2023, the San Antonio Spurs have become a destination. Everyone wants to suit up on the Silver and Black, evidenced by De'Aaron Fox forcing his way there via trade last season.
That influence is already extending to the college ranks. The Spurs boast too good of a record to pick in the lottery in 2026, although they have a pick swap with the Atlanta Hawks and ample capital to trade up if they so choose.
The 2026 class is loaded and top-heavy, with Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Caleb Wilson, and Darius Acuff Jr. projected to be the first five players off the board.
It's unlikely the Spurs will get to scoop any of them up, but one top player has long lobbied to team up with Wemby.
AJ Dybantsa Lists Spurs As Ideal Landing Spot
In his freshman season at BYU, AJ Dybantsa was an All-American and led the nation in scoring, posting 25.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. He's an elite player on both ends of the floor, and whoever ends up drafting him will expect franchise-altering play from him.
Dybantsa, meanwhile, seems content to take a back seat as long as he joins a winning team.
"Spurs and Magic," listed Dybantsa as his ideal landing spots on ESPN before the season began. "How do you think me and Wemby will play?"
Dybantsa is an oversized wing who can take over on offense, able to get hot and score from anywhere, attacking the rim with brutality rarely seen at any level.
He's quick and shifty with the ball in his hands, and can easily overpower smaller defenders or burst past larger ones. His oversized frame allows him to serve as a mobile power forward, which would be ideal next to Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.
Of course, the Hawks are surging, and barring a late collapse, will not pick in the lottery. That means the Spurs will have to package salary and draft capital if they want to make Dybansta's NBA Draft dream come true, although with his stock as high as it is after a great individual showing in the NCAA tournament, teams won't exactly be eager to give up his draft rights.