AJ Dybantsa Makes Bold LeBron James Claim 24 Hours Before 2026 NBA Draft

The battle for the No. 1 spot in the 2026 NBA draft still appears to be wide open.

With just 24 hours to go before draft night, there’s still ongoing debate whether it will be AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson.

Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound wing, has long been viewed as the most NBA-ready prospect after a dominant freshman year at BYU. He averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 34.8 minutes across 35 games, leading the NCAA in scoring while earning consensus All-American honors along with the Julius Erving Award.

Peterson, meanwhile, is widely viewed as the most talented overall prospect in the class. A 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard, he averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals in 29.0 minutes across 24 games at Kansas. He earned second-team All-Big 12 honors and shot 38.2% from 3-point range on 6.9 attempts per game.

Recent reporting suggested the Washington Wizards, who hold the No. 1 overall pick, are weighing both players heavily, with insiders shifting back and forth on who the franchise will take. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has also recently noted that multiple front offices are genuinely divided at the top of the board, with no clear-cut No. 1.

Dybantsa has never been shy to voice his opinion, but on Monday, he made arguably his boldest declaration yet, claiming that this year’s 2026 class could rival LeBron James‘ 2003 class, widely viewed as one of the greatest of all time.

“I think at least 10 of us will probably still be playing, let’s say eight years down the road. I think that’s how deep we are, but it could be more. I think it’s gonna be probably one of the most talked about draft classes since LeBron’s,” Dybantsa told ESPN’s Malika Andrews.

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The 2003 NBA Draft delivered James, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, alongside Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh, four future Hall of Famers. The class also featured Boris Diaw, Kendrick Perkins, David West, Leandro Barbosa, Mo Williams, and Kyle Korver, who all enjoyed long, successful NBA careers.

Andrews also pointed to the similarities in the 1996 class, another one of the all-timers, due to how guard-heavy this year’s class is. That draft class produced legends like Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen, and Steve Nash, along with stars like Stephon Marbury, Jermaine O’Neal, Marcus Camby, and Peja Stojakovic.

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The 2026 class is headlined by Dybantsa and Peterson at the top, followed by Duke’s Cameron Boozer and UNC’s Caleb Wilson, and then Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr., Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr., and Houston’s Kingston Flemings, a tier below.

Scouts are already calling this one of the most talent-rich draft groups in years, and Dybantsa clearly agrees.

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 2:24 PM.