AJ Dybantsa Talks Darryn Peterson Comparison After Wizards Win No. 1 Pick in 2026 NBA Draft Lottery

With the 2026 NBA draft lottery now set, BYU star AJ Dybantsa likes his odds of being the No. 1 overall pick.

"Everyone wants to compare me and DP [Kansas guard Darryn Peterson]," he said, per Andscape's Marc J. Spears. "He's a great. Obviously, he has a chance to be the No. 1 pick. But I'm betting on myself."

Not surprisingly, Peterson is equally confident in what he brings to the table.

"I feel the basketball part will take care of itself," he said. "I know what everybody can do, but I feel like I can come in and be the best teammate I can be, give great effort every day, and be on time."

Peterson added he's "going to be the best pro," referencing the general questions over his durability and general consistency after he appeared in just 24 games as a freshman.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Dybantsa to go first overall to the Washington Wizards in his post-lottery mock draft, writing that "nobody seems to have serious worries about Dybantsa."

The 6'9" forward is also a good fit in Washington alongside stars Anthony Davis and Trae Young.

Dybantsa Scores 35 Points vs. Abilene Christian Wildcats

Both Dybantsa and Peterson will have their opportunity to directly pitch the Wizards, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and others leading up to the draft. For the latter, in-person interviews and pre-draft medical testing will go a long way toward allaying the concerns that teams have.

However, even that process may not be enough for Peterson to erase the lead Dybantsa seems to have built.