THE APEX TIMES
The former BYU star told USA TODAY Sports he is confident he will be selected No. 1 overall, even as the top of the draft can swing quickly due to trades, workouts, and team decision-making.
The 2026 NBA Draft night picture is starting to take shape around AJ Dybantsa, with the former BYU standout projecting calm control even as he prepares for chaos. In an interview with USA TODAY Sports, Dybantsa said he is confident he will go No. 1 overall and described being ready for the unpredictable “crazy” scenarios that can swirl when the league announces its first selections.
For a top prospect, that combination is more than simple confidence. The No. 1 pick is shaped by a narrow window of league-wide information, including team needs, medical and fit considerations, and the possibility of trades that can change who is on the clock. Even when a player is viewed as the presumptive favorite, draft night itself can still produce unexpected turns, ranging from unexpected trade offers to last-minute shifts in a team’s board.
Dybantsa’s comments also underscore how prospects manage the mental side of the process. A player headed toward the top of the draft is not just preparing for a ceremony. He is preparing for a role assignment that begins immediately after the selection, along with the scrutiny that comes from being the franchise centerpiece. That pressure can be magnified when the draft begins to move quickly, and teams must decide in real time how to balance long-term talent evaluation against immediate roster construction.
Dybantsa’s confidence in a No. 1 outcome, paired with his preparation for multiple draft-night paths, fits a common playbook for elite prospects. It reflects an understanding that the draft is ultimately about decision-making by teams with different priorities, and those priorities can shift as the board develops. The “crazy” factor, in practical terms, is the uncertainty that follows the first pick not being the only pick that matters, because trades and different selection preferences can re-order expectations across the top of the first round.
The former BYU star’s outlook is also relevant for the broader NBA context. The team that lands the No. 1 selection often uses it as a blueprint for a rebuilding plan, a roster re-balance, or a sudden retooling. A top pick can change the public narrative of a franchise, even before the player takes an official NBA step on the court. In that sense, Dybantsa’s comments are part of the larger storyline of how organizations try to get ahead of their future, while accepting that the present-day draft room can still surprise everyone.
What to watch next is how Dybantsa’s confidence plays out once the draft clock starts. If he is selected No. 1 as he expects, the focus will shift quickly from speculation to fit: how a team plans to deploy him, what kind of offensive and defensive responsibilities he receives early, and how quickly the organization integrates him into its system. If the draft produces any disruption, the emphasis will move to how well a presumed top selection handles the immediate change in circumstance.
For now, Dybantsa has staked out a clear stance: he believes he is headed first, and he has prepared himself for the chaos that comes with draft night unpredictability. That is the kind of mental readiness teams typically want to see from a potential franchise cornerstone, especially at the moment when a single selection can define a season and beyond.
