As the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, AJ Dybantsa joins the Washington Wizards following a historic freshman campaign last season at BYU.
Dybantsa was a consensus first-team All-American with the Cougars, averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 33.1% from 3-point range. He led the country in scoring after totaling 894 points, the third-most by a freshman in history.
The Julius Erving Award winner broke 19 freshman program records, including the single-game scoring mark with a 43-point performance on Jan. 24 in a win over Utah. He finished as one of two players in Big 12 history to register a 30-point triple-double.
Dybantsa is the third Wizards player to be selected with the No. 1 pick in the common
draft era (1966), joining Kwame Brown (2001) and John Wall (2010). He is the Cougars' first No. 1 overall pick, surpassing Shawn Bradley (1993, No. 2).
The 19-year-old debuted with the Wizards in the NBA Summer League, averaging 25 points, seven rebounds, 2.5 steals, two assists and 1.5 blocks in two games. He tied with teammate Will Riley for the third-highest scoring average among all players in Las Vegas.
Dybantsa enters the upcoming season with plenty of hype as the top pick and is welcoming those heightened expectations. He wants to help the team return to the playoffs, and will have his first chance to do so when training camp opens later this month.
Throughout September, Rookie Wire is compiling some of the most interesting facts about each first-round pick in an effort to further introduce the incoming draft class ahead of the 2026-27 season
Anicet Dybantsa Jr.
AJ Dybantsa's full name is Anicet Dybantsa Jr. after his father, Anicet Sr. (“Ace”), who emigrated from the Republic of Congo to France before settling in the Boston area. His mother, Chelsea, emigrated from Jamaica to the United States. He was born in Boston and grew up in Brockton, attending Saint Sebastian's School before playing at Prolific Prep (California) and Utah Prep.
The 19-year-old Dybantsa credits his parents for helping shape him as the person and basketball player that he is today. Accordingly, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced his name as "Anicet Dybantsa Jr. from Brigham Young University" on draft night as a nod to his father. Silver said it was a request from both AJ and his father when he met them before the draft.
Spider-Man
Speaking of his parents, Dybantsa credits his father for encouraging him to take up basketball at a young age. During his introductory press conference, Dybantsa recalled the time his father brought home a Spider-Man-themed miniature basketball hoop that eventually helped fuel his love for the game.
"My dad always said that he forced me to play basketball," Dybantsa said on June 25. "I was about 5 years old, so I didn't know what I wanted to do in life, but he brought me a Spider-Man hoop that went on the back of my door. ... I loved Spider-Man growing up, so I just started shooting from my bed with a miniature ball. Then I started playing in the YMCA league, and I ended up falling in love with the game. Spider-Man is the reason why I love basketball."
AJ Dybantsa Foundation
The No. 1 pick started the AJ Dybantsa Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, to support communities that have shaped his journey through back-to-school drives, giveaways and other related events. He even announced his decision to enter the 2026 NBA draft at a foundation event at the Davis School (K-8), where he attended while growing up in the area.
Dybantsa said he organized charitable events back home in Boston and throughout his one year in Provo while playing with the Cougars. He plans to do the same now that he is a member of the Wizards, and he has already spoken to John Wall about the charity work the team legend did as a player and continues to do as a member of the community.
Said Dybantsa during his introductory press conference on June 25:
We're super big on education, me and my family. My mom wanted me to stay in school and graduate. I am going to graduate. I talked to my academic advisor at BYU so I'm going to finish my school online. ... We just wanted to give back. My mom is from Jamaica. My dad is from Congo. We're going to start off just sending 20 kids from there to different universities, if that's universities in the continent of Africa, if that's different universities in Jamaica, if that's universities in the States, we're going to try that. After those 20, we're going to expand all around the world. We just want to help kids all around the world.
USA Basketball
Dybantsa led the United States to the gold medal in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup with a 109-76 win over Germany in Lausanne, Switzerland. Playing alongside the likes of Mikel Brown Jr., Morez Johnson Jr. and Koa Peat, Dybantsa was named MVP of the tournament, averaging 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals in seven appearances. He also represented the U.S. at the 2024 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup and the 2023 FIBA U16 Americas Championship, winning gold in both events.
Kevin Durant
Dybantsa has said that two-time NBA MVP Kevin Durant is his favorite player and mentor. He has been compared to Durant because of their similar size and skill sets, while he even wore his signature Nike shoe throughout last season at BYU. Dybantsa has had the chance to train with Durant, but he said a highlight of his upcoming rookie campaign will be facing him and the Houston Rockets for the first time on Nov. 15.
"My favorite player has always been Kevin Durant," Dybantsa said during his introductory press conference on June 25. "So just me sharing a court with him will probably just be ridiculous."
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: 5 fun facts: Get to know Wizards' AJ Dybantsa ahead of 2026-27 season
