NBA Draft analyst believes Kings would draft AJ Dybantsa No. 1

With the regular season winding down and the standings tightening, the focus around the Sacramento Kings has increasingly shifted toward the 2026 NBA Draft and what the franchise might do if it lands near the top of the lottery.

Draft analyst Nathan Grubel, who covers prospects around the world for No Ceilings, joined Sactown Sports’ The Drive Guys to break down the class and discuss potential options for Sacramento as the regular season winds down.

While Grubel personally ranks Duke forward Cameron Boozer as the top overall prospect, he believes the Sacramento Kings would likely go in a different direction if they ended up with the No. 1 pick.

“If you had to ask me who I think the Sacramento Kings would draft at one, I think the Kings would take AJ Dybantsa,” Grubel said. “The strengths for this guy — his athleticism, his length, his size at six-foot-nine — are unbelievable.”

(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)

More on the 2026 NBA Draft & AJ Dybantsa

AJ Dybantsa has been a force for BYU this season, averaging 25.3 points (leads NCAA Division I), 6.7 rebounds,  3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 51 percent shooting from the field, 34 percent from long distance, and 76 percent from the charity stripe.

Dybantsa’s ability to take over games is one of the traits that continues to stand out to scouts. Grubel recalled seeing the star prospect in person earlier this season and watching him dominate in the second half of a marquee matchup.

“In that second half when I got to see it with my own two eyes, what he was able to do out of the mid-post — backing guys down, operating as a facilitator in the middle of the floor — it really stood out,” Grubel said. “We know he can hit mid-range shots, he drives to the basket at a high rate, and when he does take threes, he’s been pretty decent.”

Still, Grubel acknowledged that Dybantsa isn’t a perfect prospect. Some evaluators have raised questions about how he would fit if he doesn’t immediately have the ball in his hands at the NBA level.

AJ DYBANTSA ETCHES HIS NAME IN BIG 12 TOURNAMENT HISTORY 🔥

Dybantsa has 93 points in the Big 12 tournament, passing Kevin Durant (92 in 2007) for most in a single tournament. pic.twitter.com/O66gWQiJpg

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) March 13, 2026

“If you wouldn’t want to take AJ, it would probably come down to some of the off-ball questions offensively,” Grubel explained. “He hasn’t always been the cleanest catch-and-shoot player, and defensively he can lose his man at times away from the basketball.”

Even with those concerns, Grubel believes the upside is undeniable, and the positives outweigh the negatives.

“I want to focus on who the player can be rather than who they can’t be,” he said. “With AJ, the strengths are really strong.”

While Grubel still lists Boozer slightly ahead of Dybantsa on his personal board, he said the gap between the two prospects has shrunk as the season has progressed.

“I said I have Cam number one and I’m sticking by it,” Grubel said. “But the gap between him and AJ isn’t as big as I thought it would be. Those two have really separated themselves at the top.”

For the Sacramento Kings, landing a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft could provide a rare opportunity to add a potential franchise cornerstone — and Dybantsa may ultimately be the player at the center of that conversation as March Madness unfolds.

Check out the full conversation by scrolling to the top of the page or by clicking here.

Listen to The Drive Guys from 2 – 6 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday, on Sactown Sports 1140.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

• Raynaud on Westbrook: ‘A great human being’
• Peterson, Dybantsa say they may skip the 2026 NBA Draft
• Could a top draft pick elevate the Kings back into contention next season?
• Mark Jones: Kings fans “should be thrilled” with their rookie class

When is the next Sacramento Kings game?

The Sacramento Kings will make a brief one-game road trip to Los Angeles for a matchup against the red-hot Clippers.

Los Angeles is 2-0 against the Kings this season, including a 114-111 win over Sacramento in the most recent meeting between these two Pacific Division foes on February 6th.

Be sure to catch all of the Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Clippers action right here on Sactown Sports 1140 AM, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:00 PM PT on Game Night before a 7:30 pm PT tip-off from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.

Upcoming Sacramento Kings schedule for the 2025-26 season

• Saturday, March 14th @ Los Angeles Clippers – 7:30 PM PT
• Sunday, March 15th vs. Utah Jazz – 7:00 PM PT
• Tuesday, March 17th vs. San Antonio Spurs – 7:00 PM PT
• Thursday, March 19th vs. Philadelphia 76ers – 7:00 PM PT
• Sunday, March 22nd vs. Brooklyn Nets – 3:00 PM PT

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