In a historically stacked NBA draft class, experts were uncertain who would be drafted with the No. 1 overall pick this year. Leading up to tonight, the Washington Wizards were deciding between two prospects: AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. Only a few minutes ago, they made their official pick: BYU star AJ Dybantsa.
Dybantsa, 19, played his way to being the top pick after a stellar season for the Cougars. In 35 games, the star forward averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 51.0% shooting and 33.1% shooting from three. He now joins Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and Bilal Coulibaly on one of the most stacked rosters in the Eastern Conference.
The Wizards are expecting big things from Dybantsa, who has been “certain” for weeks that he’d go first overall. In fact, Dybantsa was so confident in his game that he didn’t even work out for any teams this year. In the end, however, it didn’t matter as the Wizards saw enough to pick him before anyone else.
Renowned for his scoring and athleticism, Dybantsa will have plenty of opportunities to shine in D.C. With both young players and veterans on the team, he’ll be in rare circumstances for a rookie, with the chance to be competitive right away. How much he’s able to contribute remains to be seen, but a strong showing out of the gate could put the Wizards in a powerful position.
“It just means a lot,” said Dybantsa, in a chat with Lisa Salters. “Obviously, it’s just a stepping stone. Obviously, I have a lot more work to do, but a testament to all my hard work and all the discipline and sacrifices that I make.”
Interestingly, Dybantsa broke from tradition for his big night. Rather than go by his preferred name, “AJ,” he was announced as his full legal name, Anicet, a tribute to his father.
“Everything I do is for him,” Dybantsa added. “This name he gave me is really his name because he’s senior. So, I also wanted to honor him this day, too.”
Naturally, being the No. 1 overall pick comes with a lot of pressure. Tonight, Dybantsa joins legends like Cooper Flagg, Victor Wembanyama, Paolo Banchero, Cade Cunningham, and Anthony Edwards as players picked first since 2020, but he doesn’t appear nervous at all. For AJ, this is something he’s been training his entire life for, and he’s not about to shrink in the moment.
As for what’s next in D.C., the hard work begins of putting their newest young star in a position to succeed. While the Wizards are not expected to be competitive, they can easily outperform expectations if they play their cards right in the offseason. If they spend their money well and make the necessary roster adjustments, we could see the Wizards thrive in 2026-27. What matters more than anything, however, is if Dybantsa starts strong. Fortunately, with veteran teammates to guide him, AJ will have plenty of support, and he’s already locked in and committed to helping his new team reach the pinnacle of basketball success.
