The Utah Jazz did not win the 2026 NBA Lottery, but they came the closest they've ever gotten. Getting the No. 2 pick hands them a golden opportunity on a silver platter. The question is whether getting the No. 2 puts AJ Dybantsa out of reach for them. It may not matter, because Dybantsa's desire to stay in Utah could very well be what helps him become a Jazzman.
CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein revealed that Dybantsa's recent comments suggest he would prefer to play for Utah, as he has enjoyed his time in the state.
"The BYU star implied that he was open to working out for more than one team (two to be exact)," Finkelstein wrote. "That comment by Dybantsa was also consistent with one of the most repeated pieces of intel floating around Chicago this week: that Dybantsa was reportedly hoping to stay in Utah."
"He's been in Utah now for two years (one season at Utah Prep and one season in Provo at BYU). His family is now with him in Utah, and they've grown to like the state and were hoping to stay."
We have seen players do this to get the team that they want to play for, but it hasn't always worked out. For example, Ace Bailey declined to do all of his predraft workouts last year because he hoped he would go to Washington with the No. 6 pick.
Ultimately, he landed in Utah, which he may not have been happy with at first, but it took him no time at all to embrace the Jazz. Utah picking him was seen as a big risk, but by the end, it was clear that they had absolutely no regrets.
Dybantsa could execute a similar strategy, but it may not matter if Washington is dead set on him, which, according to Finkelstein, isn't necessarily the case despite him being the favorite to go No. 1.
"Absolutely not," a high-ranking scout told Finkelstein about Dybantsa being a sure thing as the No. 1 pick. "We were surprised the broadcast made it seem like such a foregone conclusion."
Dybantsa won't push super hard to come to Utah
With Dybanta's interest in being drafted by Utah, one would think that maybe the prospect would eo everything in his power to join the team. However, Finkelstein added that his camp won't be pushing for a pick swap between Washington and Utah.
"Any potential trade talk of a 1-2 swap would likely have to be ignited by Dybantsa's camp. Most in Chicago consider it less likely that Utah would reach out to Washington proactively. But by the end of the day Tuesday, those whispers had quieted down a bit, as Dybantsa's camp had reportedly indicated to some they weren't interested in playing that game, despite their preference to end up in Utah."
This doesn't mean Dybantsa won't be a Jazzman come June, but he likely won't pull any antics to keep himself in Utah.
Add us as a preferred source on Google