NBA Draft 2026: Wizards select AJ Dybantsa No. 1 overall

The Washington Wizards have selected Brigham Young forward Anicet Dybantsa, Jr. with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Going forward, we’ll just call him AJ Dybantsa.

Dybantsa, 19, is a skilled forward who possesses elite scoring ability, athleticism and All-NBA upside.

Advertisement

During his lone season at BYU, the Massachusetts native scored a Division-I best 25.5 points per game while shooting 51% from the field. He used his 7-foot wingspan to grab nearly seven rebounds per contest. And his 3.7 assists per game showed a willingness to move the basketball into prime scoring positions when defenses loaded up to stop his scoring.

Dybantsa is a smooth mid-range jumpshooter who puts relentless pressure on the rim with constant drives and tough finishes. Standing nearly 6-foot-9, he can rise and shoot over almost any defender — a rare trait seen in scorers like Kevin Durant and Victor Wembanyama. 

Dybantsa shot 46% on mid-range jumpers as a freshman, which ranked in the 91st percentile among fellow prospects, according to draftballr.com. His eight mid-range shots per 100 possessions ranked in the 94th percentile.

Advertisement

This play against UConn, where Dybantsa gets to his spot, rises over an impeccable contest from 6-foot-7 Jaylin Stewart and sinks a mid-range jumper, encapsulates his talent.

Dybantsa’s slashing ability is his best offensive trait. He shot 72.3% at the rim, which tied Caleb Wilson for the best among ESPN’s consensus lottery picks, on more than eight rim attempts per 100 possessions.

The offensive-minded forward can draw contact as well.

He attempted 13.1 free throws per 100 possessions, narrowly trailing Cameron Boozer’s 13.2 and Wilson’s 14.1, and finished his freshman campaign with a 49% free-throw rate. His 296 free-throw attempts led all Division-I players.

Several evaluators have questioned two aspects of Dybantsa’s game: perimeter shooting and defense.

Advertisement

While Dybantsa recorded just 23 combined steals and blocks last season, his long…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nba-draft-2026-wizards-select-001225835.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-06-24 00:12:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.