John Hollinger is a longtime NBA observer who was one of the leaders of the analytics movement and then spent seven years as a front office executive with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Now a writer for The Athletic, Hollinger wrote an article earlier this week about the dysfunction within the New Orleans Pelicans organization, and as part of that article, he highlighted BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa and wrote a reconnaissance report on him as “Aspect of the Week” based on Dybantsa’s performance last week against an elite UConn team.
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Hollinger’s report included video clips from the game to help illustrate his points.
Describing how Dybantsa and BYU struggled early, then rallied before losing by two, Hollinger wrote: “For Dybantsa, the game showed some of the elite tools that had evaluators excited about him as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, as well as some of the weaknesses that left some comparing him more to Andrew Wiggins than Kevin Durant as a prospect.
On the plus side, Hollinger wrote that Dybantsa “can launch his jump shot at any time. He’s a big forward with great elevation and is very comfortable shooting off the dribble. Especially from his preferred office space on the left block, defenders can’t stop him even if they know it’s coming.”
On the negative side, Hollinger criticized Dybantsa’s behavior, “with a high and loose dribble that can get away from him at times.” Additionally, Hollinger wrote that Dybantsa can improve as a passer, and “Defensively, scouts also want to feel him more. His size and mobility automatically give him an advantage as a multi-position defender who can theoretically guard one through four, but there’s still a need to see him more consistently during games.”
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Hollinger concluded by writing, “Overall, no one bases a June decision on what happens in November. Half the battle in evaluating one-and-dones is tracking their progress between November and March, rather than overreacting to their first college games,” adding that Dybantsa will have plenty of opportunities to prove himself this season, particularly in the Big 12, and especially when the Cougars face Kansas and the presumptive No. 1 pick in the NBA draft 2026, Darryn Peterson.
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa (3) celebrates after scoring in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against UConn, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Boston. | Steven Senne, Associated Press
Also earlier this week, ESPN draft expert Jeremy Woo posted his first NBA mock draft for 2026 since the start of the college basketball season, and Dybantsa is No. 2 behind Peterson. This is relatively notable, as many mock drafts have Dybantsa ranked third behind Peterson and Duke freshman Cameron Boozer, the son of former Utah Jazz All-Star Carlos Boozer.
Of Dybantsa, Woo wrote: “Dybantsa took center stage Saturday in Boston, with a large NBA contingent in attendance for BYU-UConn. He showed off his tantalizing scoring potential in the second half, after struggling to make an impact in the first, highlighting some of the concerns about his consistency and tendencies, but also serving as a reminder of his considerable talent.
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“Overall, he has been effective. He fouls frequently and has made an effort to play team basketball, but he is still learning how to read the flow of the game and know when to be aggressive. Dybantsa’s impressive physicality gives him a top-notch advantage as a wing scorer who should also add value defensively, but he will need to show improvement to maximize his chances of becoming No. 1.”
