The only people surprised by AJ Dybantsa’s NBA draft declaration are the ones who actually believed he might stay. In fact, many are saying they ‘knew he was lying’ all along.

The BYU star has officially declared for the 2026 NBA Draft on Thursday by making the announcement on his YouTube channel from Edgar B. Davis Community School in his hometown. And just like that, one of college basketball’s most talked-about “what ifs” is leaving the Cougars after just one season.

“See y’all on draft night,” Dybantsa said.

And let’s be honest, after the season he just had, there wasn’t much left to think about.

In the 2025-26 NCAA season, the 19-year-old forward didn’t just impress everyone with his game; he dominated.

AJ Dybantsa led the entire nation in scoring by putting up 25.5 points per game, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Even after BYU lost Richie Saunders (one of the Cougars’ most decorated and senior guards) to a season-ending injury in January, it was he who kept the program afloat and dragged them into the NCAA Tournament.

Night after night, he kept raising the bar. But if we had to pinpoint one of his best performances? It would be the 43-point one that came against Utah, which turned heads across the country.

Even when the lights got brighter, nothing changed. In his lone March Madness appearance, Dybantsa dropped 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds like it was just another night. And while fans would have loved to see more of him in the madness of March, the BYU Cougars’ run sadly came to an end after they lost to the Texas Longhorns in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.

So by the time this season wrapped up, he was named as the consensus first-team All-American, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, and the Julius Erving Award. In fact, statistically, he even did something college basketball hadn’t seen since Larry Bird, and that is? Becoming the first player since 1978-79 to average at least 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in a season while earning All-American honors.

So yeah, the draft decision? It was always heading this way.

Fans Weigh In on AJ Dybantsa’s Move

As soon as his decision went viral on social media, fans swarmed in with their thoughts.

“Been knew he was lying😭😭,” One fan wrote. While another fan added, “Y’all be falling for the ‘I might go back to school’.”

Not too long ago, Dybantsa himself wasn’t sure he would declare for the NBA draft. In multiple interviews, he talked about possibly staying with BYU for another year, admitting that his mother wanted him to graduate first. And for a moment, it felt like there was a genuine choice to be made. However, he just found a way to do both.

“My mom wanted me to stay in college to graduate,” he said. “But I told my mother that I’m going to declare for the draft and also finish and get my degree online.”

Education clearly matters a lot to AJ Dybantsa, and he hopes to use it in the future, as he further added, “Even if you’re not a famous actor or athlete, you can still do great things with education.”

But not everyone was interested in revisiting the “was he staying in BYU or not” debate, because they already fast-forwarded to the bigger question—where is he landing?

“Silver Surfer make him a hornet and my life is yours,” one added. Whereas another wrote, “Go ahead and give him an Indy hat.”

Heading into draft season, Dybantsa is widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick, with outlets like ESPN and USA Today already placing him at the top of their boards. So when fans start throwing out teams, there’s actually some real weight behind those guesses.

As things stand, franchises like the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, and Utah Jazz are all in the mix for the top pick, with the draft lottery set for May 10 in Chicago. And once that order is locked in, it’s hard to imagine any team passing on a talent like Dybantsa when they’re on the clock.

Of course, he’s not the only name in the conversation. With the 2026 NBA Draft scheduled for June 23 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, prospects like Duke forward Cameron Boozer and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson are also expected to push for that top spot, but right now, the momentum clearly leans AJ Dybantsa’s way.

One fan summed up the whole feeling around his declaration and wrote, “Huge W for him. Man’s been balling and deserves the hype. 2026 class looking nasty already, can’t wait to see where he lands.”

Until the draft takes place, there is no doubt that the conversations will be dominated by where he lands, but as far as Dybantsa is concerned, it doesn’t really matter.

“Whatever team drafts me, bro,” he said.

In the end, say what you want about the buildup, but this was always the direction things were heading. Now the only question left is which team gets to call his name.