The Indiana Pacers have a 15-44 record this season in the NBA. Indiana is projected to have one of the top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Pacers a season ago were just one win away from the NBA Championship against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Things have gone south for Indiana this season. Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton has been out all season with a torn Achillies and he will be back for the Pacers next season. Haliburton is going to have another potential star beside him in 2026-2027.
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For now, Indiana would have the number two pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. One potential player that the Pacers could draft is BYU Cougars forward A.J. Dybantsa. He is 6’9″ and weighs 210 lbs.
Latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft has the Indiana Pacers Selecting A.J. Dybantsa
Jonathan Wasserman of hoopshq.com created his latest 2026 NBA mock draft. He has the Pacers selecting second overall. Wasserman has Indiana finding a franchise-altering player and going with Dybantsa from BYU. He said, “Dybantsa is making a serious push to become the consensus top prospect and sway Peterson and Cameron Boozer fans to change their positions. He’s shooting better from three. He’s showing playmaking that Peterson hasn’t, most recently with a nine-assist game against Iowa State.
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His decision-making has been sharper inside the arc. Peterson clearly shows more range and defensive ability, but it’s getting tougher by the day to poke holes in Dybantsa’s scouting report. With the ice getting thinner underneath the top line that Peterson has sat on, Dybantsa maintaining this current level of production, versatility and impact could push him to No. 1 on the majority of boards.”
Dybantsa this season is averaging 25.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 0.4 BPG, and 1.1 SPG. He is also shooting 36.8% from three-point land and 53.2% from the field. Dybantsa is continuing to make a case that he should be the number one overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft over Darryn Peterson from the Kansas Jayhawks.
The BYU forward continues to impress college basketball fans and others this season. He might be the most talented player in this draft class. If Dybantsa lands with a good organization like Indiana, there is a good chance that he can help them to the playoffs as early as next season.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Other Sports section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.