AJ Dybantsa was considered NBA-ready even before he scored a point in college basketball. “He’s strong enough, lower-body-wise, to compete with the big boys, meaning the NBA guys. He’s about as strong as what I’ve seen with NBA guys,” Michael Davie, Kevin Young’s strength and conditioning lead, had said. And yet, Dybantsa has expressed a possibility that he might not leave college basketball this year. 

After averaging 14.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for BYU, his draft stock has only risen. Dybantsa’s talent has directly translated to results at the college level. According to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, NBA franchises “are generally torn on who should go No. 1,” with Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer “all in contention.” Vecenie noted that Dybantsa and Peterson “are the two most talked about options.” But Dybantsa might drop out of this three-man race to the top. 

“I might not leave,” Dybantsa said in an interview with Deseret News. “I might not leave college… my mom wants me to graduate. Yeah, so I might not leave. But I might leave. The fans might get into my head, talking about one more year, maybe three more years. I don’t know. I’m going to have to talk to my mom.” That move has the potential to change college basketball. However, fans are having none of it.

Fans Don’t Believe AJ Dybantsa’s College Basketball Return Tease

“Greg’s face said everything we were all thinking. 😂 Kid’s got LeBron money waiting and he’s talking degrees… respect the grind but we know what’s up, AJ 👀,” wrote a fan. Another doubted by writing, “Bruh, every mom has said that until that nba check comes calling.”

The numbers do make this an unlikely scenario. If drafted No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa’s rookie contract would include a 4-year max of $62.7 million (120% of base). That will be fully guaranteed for Years 1-2 with team options on 3-4. Much like Cooper Flagg last year. If drafted at No. 3, which is considered his worst-case scenario, he will likely sign a $50.4 million contract across four years. Another fan suggested that Dybantsa can do both. 

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There are various precedents of players going back to school after a few years in the NBA. After 13 seasons in the NBA, Stephen Curry earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in sociology from Davidson College. Shaq earned his bachelor’s degree many years later after leaving college. He even received an honorary doctorate in 2012. Dybantsa can follow a similar path and fulfill his mother’s wishes as well. Another fan professed a different possibility. 

“what if he just wants to vibe and avoid the whole circus for a bit?” asked a fan. The storylines around the 2026 draft are like no other. This is judged as the best draft class in years. Peterson has his injury issues and off-court controversies. Cameron Boozer is being judged as the “most obvious bust” by some. Dybantsa has more eyes than ever and is considered the perfect candidate by some. Others find the problem in his game and how it won’t work out. He could enter the league next year when this extra spotlight is not around him. 

“Just a little reminder, though: In the current NCAA basketball world, the biggest names—like Dybantsa—are already filling their bank accounts nicely. AJ would have raked in between 4 and 7 million dollars this year at BYU thanks to the exploitation of his image (NIL),” wrote another fan. 

Dybantsa is reportedly making $7 million this year. He has multiple brand deals with companies like Red Bull, Nike and Fanatics. That number is expected to rise next year and reach beyond $10 million. However, the NBA number and exposure easily dwarf that. In addition, life is uncertain. Dybantsa could suffer an injury next year and his draft stock could drop. He could end up earning a lot less than what he could right now. So, the pros of taking that step up outweigh the cons. Dybantsa will reveal his final decision at the end of the season.