NEW YORK — AJ Dybantsa has emerged as one of the most anticipated young talents in basketball, captivating fans and scouts with his scoring prowess and athleticism during a standout freshman season at Brigham Young University.

The 6-foot-9 forward from Brockton, Massachusetts, declared for the 2026 NBA Draft after leading the nation in scoring and earning consensus first-team All-American honors. Projected as a potential No. 1 overall pick, Dybantsa blends size, skill, and basketball IQ in a package reminiscent of modern NBA wings.

Here are 10 essential things to know about the rising star as he prepares for the next chapter of his career.

1. Explosive Freshman Campaign at BYU

Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game in 35 starts for the Cougars during the 2025-26 season. He shot 51 percent from the field and became the fifth Division I player in the last 40 seasons to score 25 or more points per game as a freshman. His 894 points ranked third all-time among Division I freshmen.

The performance earned him numerous accolades, including the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award and multiple national player of the week honors. Dybantsa set numerous BYU freshman records, including a 43-point outburst against Utah.

2. Elite Physical Tools

At the 2026 NBA Draft Combine, Dybantsa measured 6 feet 8.5 inches tall with a 7-foot-0.5-inch wingspan and an 8-foot-10 standing reach. Weighing 217 pounds, he possesses the length and athleticism prized in today’s perimeter-oriented game. His frame allows him to finish through contact while maintaining guard-like skills.

Scouts highlight his ability to create shots off the dribble and his defensive versatility. The combination of size and fluidity positions him as a potential two-way impact player at the professional level.

3. Historic Triple-Double Achievement

Dybantsa recorded a 30-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, becoming one of just two players in Big 12 Conference history to achieve the feat. The performance underscored his all-around game and ability to dominate in multiple statistical categories.

His playmaking vision and passing accuracy complement his scoring instincts, making him a threat to impact games in various ways. This versatility has drawn comparisons to high-level NBA wings who can create for themselves and teammates.

4. International Experience and Accolades

Dybantsa boasts an impressive USA Basketball résumé. He earned MVP honors at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup and contributed to multiple gold medal-winning teams. His international success demonstrated composure under pressure and the ability to perform against global competition.

He was the youngest participant at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit and stood out in several showcase events. These experiences helped refine his game and build confidence heading into college and the professional ranks.

5. High School Dominance

Before arriving at BYU, Dybantsa was the consensus No. 1 recruit in the 2025 high school class. He played at Utah Prep, where his scoring and athletic displays made him a national prospect. His recruitment drew significant attention from top programs before he committed to the Cougars.

Dybantsa’s high school career featured numerous highlight-reel dunks and scoring outbursts that foreshadowed his college success. His development trajectory has been closely followed by NBA talent evaluators.

6. Family Background and Roots

The son of Chelsea and Ace Dybantsa, AJ comes from a supportive family with Jamaican heritage. His parents have been instrumental in his basketball journey, providing guidance and encouragement throughout his rise. Family involvement remains central to his personal and professional story.

Dybantsa has maintained strong community ties, participating in youth programs and giving back in his hometown area. His grounded personality and work ethic have impressed those around him at every level.

7. NBA Draft Projections

Dybantsa is widely expected to be selected among the top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. Mock drafts frequently place him in the top three, with some teams viewing him as a potential No. 1 overall choice. His combination of scoring ability and physical tools makes him an attractive prospect for rebuilding franchises.

Analysts praise his shot creation and potential to develop into a high-level scorer. Teams seeking perimeter talent with size see significant upside in his game. Dybantsa has expressed excitement about joining a competitive environment.

8. Record-Setting Freshman Milestones

Beyond leading the nation in scoring, Dybantsa achieved several program and conference milestones. His freshman records at BYU highlight the immediate impact he made. The 2025-26 season positioned him among the most productive first-year players in recent college basketball history.

Awards included consensus first-team All-American recognition and Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors. These accomplishments validated his status as one of the premier young talents in the sport.

9. Work Ethic and Maturity

Observers consistently note Dybantsa’s professional approach and dedication to improvement. Despite his youth, he has demonstrated maturity beyond his years in handling media attention and competitive pressure. His commitment to daily development has been a hallmark of his progression.

Coaches and teammates have praised his leadership qualities and positive influence in the locker room. These intangibles could accelerate his transition to the NBA level.

10. Bright Future Ahead

As Dybantsa prepares for the NBA, expectations remain high. His freshman dominance and physical gifts suggest a high ceiling. The upcoming draft represents the next step in what many believe will be a long and successful professional career.

With teams prioritizing versatile wings, Dybantsa enters the league at an opportune time. His journey from high school phenom to college standout to NBA prospect exemplifies dedication and talent. Fans and analysts alike will watch closely as he begins his professional chapter.

Dybantsa’s story continues to inspire young athletes. His rapid rise underscores the rewards of hard work and opportunity in basketball. As one of the most talked-about prospects in recent years, he carries significant expectations but has shown the ability to perform under the spotlight.

The chancellor’s adviser on entrepreneurs has warned that the machinery of government has already been “frozen for six weeks”, and cautioned that the change of prime minister amounts to a “colossal waste of energy” at the very moment British business needs decisions, not delay.

Alex Depledge, the serial entrepreneur appointed by Rachel Reeves as an adviser last June, said she feared Whitehall would remain stalled for many months while a new political leadership beds in.

“We are going to lose six months, at best, probably a year once you start to brief the new ministers coming in. It is just a colossal waste of energy. The British people deserve better,” she told an audience of business leaders at The Times Entrepreneurs Network Live event in London.

Depledge, co-founder and former chief executive of the architecture technology platform Resi, made her comments a day after Sir Keir Starmer resigned as prime minister, clearing the way for Andy Burnham to become the next leader. The future of Reeves as chancellor remains unclear.

The intervention is the latest warning from the business world about the cost of prolonged uncertainty in Westminster, a theme that has dominated boardroom conversation ever since founders and MPs began cautioning that Britain’s tax system is, in effect, telling entrepreneurs to leave.

Depledge said it was now very difficult to make meaningful progress inside government. “It is about carving out what we can get done within the parameters in which we are allowed to operate,” she said. “There is some stuff we can’t do any more, but there are other things you can.

“My biggest fear is that I have to spend another year trying to get new ministers and new people to understand the burning platform and the need to move at speed.”

Separately, Gareth Quarry, a Labour donor, investor and long-standing director of the legal recruitment consultancy SSQ, called for Wes Streeting to become the next chancellor.

Quarry, a former Conservative donor who gave £150,000 to Labour before the general election, said: “Wes would make an excellent chancellor because the City wouldn’t be spooked by him. I’m a businessman with a large number of businesses. I also hold significant assets in gilts.”

He said Streeting would “command the respect” of the City, adding: “And that is going to be fundamental as to what comes next. That’s assuming it’s not going to continue to be Rachel.”

Another Labour donor and business leader, speaking confidentially, said Ed Miliband was “too ideological” and “clearly just doesn’t understand what energy security means”. They added that Reeves, who although had “made mistakes, would not be a bad outcome” if she continued as chancellor.

The succession debate lands against a backdrop of mounting anxiety among wealth creators, with Reeves repeatedly warned against “anti-enterprise tax rises” and growing evidence that Britain is facing one of the largest exoduses of millionaires of any major economy.

Also speaking at the TEN Live event, Harry Stebbings, who has invested more than $550 million in promising young companies across a series of venture capital funds and is founder of the popular tech podcast 20VC, said that, if asked, he would advise Burnham not to raise taxes on investors and entrepreneurs.

“Don’t fing bring in a wealth tax. We’ll all fing go,” he said. “I have looked at Monaco and it is not as good as Dubai. Probably Milan or Athens. Touching a wealth tax would really kill the investor side and the founder side.”

His warning chimes with the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which has cautioned that the more an annual wealth tax is concentrated on the very wealthy, the more it would incentivise them to leave, or simply never come to, the UK in the first place.

Stebbings, who has previously argued the UK should adopt a zero per cent capital gains rate for global talent, said the priority should be attracting and keeping the people who build companies.

“The most important thing is that we get amazing talent-building [companies] in the UK. Let’s give unbelievably easy access to high-talented people to come and build in our country. Income tax free for the first year, why not?

“If you are an amazing entrepreneur and want to build your company in this country we’ll give you no capital gains for the life of your business. We could be so creative, and this is the crime of politicians, that none of them has had a proper job. When it comes to creativity and figuring out a solution that works for the country, it is ‘let’s go back to a think tank’.”

For Britain’s founders, the message from the room was blunt: the country cannot afford to spend another year with its hands tied while Westminster works out who is in charge.

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Indian stock markets have continued their upward march even as foreign institutional investors remain largely on the sidelines. Investor attention has increasingly shifted towards earnings performance and stock-specific opportunities rather than relying solely on overall market momentum.

Speaking to ET Now, Shreyash Devalkar, Head-Equity, Axis MF said the June-quarter earnings season has so far been more resilient than initially feared, with listed companies reporting only limited impact from geopolitical tensions and inflationary pressures.

Earnings resilience despite macro concerns
Devalkar believes the focus has shifted back to corporate earnings after the results season. While smaller companies have faced some challenges, the broader listed universe has remained relatively insulated.”We looked at the internals of the market. They are always driven by earnings growth, and that is what, at the end of the day, the market has come back to after the results season. Earlier, it was expected that the June quarter would see a significant impact from the war and inflation. While it definitely affected smaller companies, the commentary from listed companies has largely suggested that the impact has been benign,” he said.

He added that higher nominal GDP growth and inflation could actually support revenue growth across several sectors.
“Higher nominal GDP growth and inflation would actually help revenue growth this quarter in many segments. There have been price increases, which are reflected in improving credit growth. We are looking at companies where higher pricing and higher revenue growth will come with minimal impact on margins. In some segments, the price increase may more than compensate for higher raw material costs, allowing margins to remain broadly intact,” he added.
Largecaps may finally catch up
Midcap companies have consistently delivered stronger earnings growth than largecaps over the past several quarters. However, Devalkar believes improving nominal GDP growth could help narrow that gap.

“That has been the case for many quarters now. Midcaps have consistently delivered stronger growth, while largecap growth has remained subdued. In my judgment, largecap companies generally cannot grow too far away from nominal GDP growth. With nominal GDP growth improving because of inflation, there is a case for largecaps to see an uptick in headline revenue growth,” he said.

IT still lacks growth triggers
Despite attractive valuations, Devalkar believes the IT sector needs stronger revenue growth before becoming compelling again.

“When the growth for any sector is below 5%, it becomes difficult to generate meaningful equity returns. Even after combining low dollar revenue growth with rupee depreciation, free cash flow yields, dividends and buybacks, the overall return is only reasonable, not exciting. Unless dollar revenue growth improves beyond 5%, it becomes difficult to build a strong investment case,” he said.

He also pointed out that some global IT peers benefiting from the AI wave are trading at lower valuation multiples.

“One should not only look at valuation. Since growth is below 5% so far, returns need to be evaluated more holistically,” he said.

Auto ancillaries preferred over OEMs
Within automobiles, Devalkar said his preference remains firmly tilted towards auto ancillary companies rather than vehicle manufacturers.

“Broadly, we are more positive on auto ancillaries than auto OEMs. Traditionally, auto ancillary companies depended heavily on the domestic auto cycle. Today, many of them have diversified into non-auto businesses and exports, making them an attractive play on India’s manufacturing story. That is why we continue to have meaningful exposure to this space,” he said.

Pharma and healthcare remain portfolio favourites
Devalkar said the investment case for pharmaceuticals has evolved, with domestic businesses driving consistent growth while international operations have stabilised.

“There are two parts to pharma—domestic and international. The international business is broadly getting into a base and is reasonably priced. On the domestic front, growth remains strong and is comparable to, or even better than, many FMCG companies. That is why pharma continues to fit well within our portfolio,” he said.

He added that the firm’s healthcare exposure extends beyond pharmaceuticals.

“Our exposure is not only to pharma but also to healthcare, including hospitals and diagnostics. We remain positive on the entire healthcare space,” he said.

Defence remains a structural story, but valuations need caution
While maintaining a positive long-term view on defence, Devalkar advised investors to be selective as valuations have become richer.

“Defence is a long-term structural story, and there is no doubt about that. However, unlike three years ago, these structural themes are no longer in the early stages. Whether it is power or defence, these sectors have now been discovered. Investors need to be cautious because of valuations,” he said.

Crude oil remains the biggest risk
On market risks, Devalkar believes recent developments have largely been supportive for equities, though crude oil prices continue to warrant close monitoring.

“There have been more incremental positives than negatives. Cooling crude prices and the measures taken by the government and the central bank have been supportive. The biggest risk continues to be crude oil because it remains highly unpredictable. The monsoon is also a risk, but it is broadly known and largely priced in,” he said.

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Shares of Tata Motors (Commercial Vehicles) rallied as much as 5% to their day’s high of Rs 420 on the BSE on Wednesday after the company outlined an ambitious roadmap for the next two years, targeting double-digit EBITDA margins, free cash flow of 7-9% of revenue, and annual investment spending of 2-4% of revenue by FY2028 as it pursues global expansion, electrification and higher-margin digital businesses.

At its Investor Day 2026, the company said it had already achieved several of its FY2027 targets ahead of schedule, including margin improvement, cash generation and strengthening its leadership position in heavy commercial vehicles.

Here’s what brokerages are saying:

JM Financial: With a buy call and target price of Rs 475, the brokerage implies an upside of 19% from current levels. Analysts said Tata Motors’ management remains optimistic on the long-term outlook for the commercial vehicle business, backed by healthy GDP growth, sustained infrastructure spending, and rising e-commerce penetration.

The brokerage also noted that GST-driven freight efficiencies continue to support demand for multi-axle trucks. While elevated diesel prices, commodity inflation, geopolitical uncertainties and the possibility of interest rate hikes remain near-term challenges, management believes these headwinds are manageable and do not materially alter the sector’s long-term growth prospects.

Also read: Tata Motors CV bets on global expansion, EVs and digital businesses for next phase of growth

Nomura:

The foreign brokerage has maintained its Neutral rating on Tata Motors with a target price of Rs 400. It said medium and heavy commercial vehicle demand has improved in June as concerns related to the recent war have eased.Following a plant visit, Nomura highlighted several initiatives undertaken by the company to enhance products and services through technology and digital integration. According to the brokerage, these efforts should strengthen Tata Motors’ long-term competitiveness and improve customer economics.

However, Nomura remains cautious on Iveco, citing weak performance over the past six months. It said it is awaiting greater clarity on the integration process and the realisation of synergies before turning more constructive on the stock.
For its forecasts, Nomura expects MHCV volumes to grow 5% each in FY27 and FY28, while EBITDA margins are estimated at 12.6% and 13.3%, respectively. The brokerage noted that volumes could see an upside if Tata Motors gains market share. It also expects Iveco’s EBIT margins to improve to 2.4% in FY27 and 5.5% in FY28.

Motilal Oswal: The brokerage has a Neutral rating and a target of Rs 416, implying 4% upside. It has turned cautious on the near-term outlook for Tata Motors’ commercial vehicle business, citing recent geopolitical tensions and their potential impact on the Indian economy. It also expects margins to remain under pressure in the near term. Read more: Tata Motors PV eyes over Rs 6 lakh crore revenue by FY31

Factoring in a more measured demand environment, Motilal Oswal now expects Tata Motors’ commercial vehicle volumes to grow at a CAGR of 6% over FY26-28. Based on this, it estimates revenue, EBITDA and profit after tax to grow at a CAGR of 8%, 8% and 10%, respectively, during the same period.

The brokerage said the stock appears fairly valued at 21.7 times FY27 estimated earnings and 18.6 times FY28 estimated earnings. The valuation is based on 12 times FY28 estimated EV/EBITDA for the core business, in line with peers, along with an additional value of Rs 12 per share for Tata Motors’ stake in Tata Capital.

South East Water (SEW) has announced a new chief executive designate after its previous boss resigned.

The heavily criticised water company said that John Halsall will take over from David Hinton, pending regulatory approval.

Halsall has previously worked for Thames Water, South West Water and Network Rail.

The announcement comes as SEW remains under fire for repeated water supply failures in Kent and Sussex and grapples with major infrastructure issues.

Halsall said that his priorities were “responding to customers’ immediate concerns” and delivering on short term improvements.

In the longer term, Halsall said that he would deliver the company’s largest ever investment programme of £2.1bn to “improve reliability and resilience”.

He added: “I look forward to working with our customers, community partners, regulators and colleagues to rebuild trust in South East Water, drive the improvements the business needs to deliver and make the changes people want to see.”