The Chicago Bulls have a lot of hope heading into the end of the 2025-26 NBA season. Despite not having the success the team was hoping for, they will have a high pick in the draft. As the season winds down, the draft order can become clearer, and where this pick can fall for Chicago narrows down. Let’s take a closer look at one outlet’s mock draft and why Bulls fans would be excited for things to end up this way.
The Chicago Bulls land the top pick in Bleacher Report’s 2026 NBA mock draft
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dribbles against Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) in the second half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report wrote a 2026 NBA mock draft. Chicago had the ping-pong balls fall in their favor here as they landed the top pick, selecting BYU forward AJ Dybantsa. Below is a snippet of what he wrote about the Bulls and Dybantsa:
“If the Bulls strike lottery gold, fols might be parading through the Windy City streets as soon as the big win is announced. Chicago needs high-end talent in the worst kind of way, and its delayed acceptance of the inevitability of its rebuilding project would deny access to that type of prospect without divine intervention from the basketball gods.
“Here, though, the hoop gods’ generosity grants Chicago a mega-prospect with, as sacrilegious as this may sound, McGrady-ian potential. Dybantsa is anathletic 6’9″ advantage-creator who can get wherever he wants and comfortably shoot over just about anyone… He could level up his defense and overall consistency, but that could be copied and pasted into the breakdown of any NBA-bound teenager.”
Dybantsa made it known that he will make a decision on his future in the next few weeks. His freshman season ended in disappointment after being one-and-done in the NCAA Tournament after the 11th-seed Texas upset the six-seed BYU 79-71. Dybantsa had an outstanding season, leading the NCAA with 25.5 points per game. He also recorded 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game on 51.0/33.1/77.4 shooting.
This would be an outstanding fit for Chicago as they have a lot of young guards to help take pressure off him offensively. The Bulls would be thrilled if this happened and could lead to a new era of Chicago basketball.
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