Every few years, a college basketball player comes along who makes the No. 1 draft debate feel almost settled before the lottery even runs. AJ Dybantsa is that player in 2026, and now that the Washington Wizards have won the draft lottery, the basketball world has a name, a destination, and a story worth knowing front to back.
Here are 5 things you need to know right now:
- AJ Dybantsa is 19 years old, born January 29, 2007, in Boston and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts.
- He averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game at BYU, leading the entire nation in scoring.
- The Washington Wizards won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 11 with a 14% chance, their first No. 1 pick since John Wall in 2010.
- Most 2026 NBA mock draft projections have Dybantsa going No. 1 to Washington.
- The 2026 NBA Draft takes place June 23–24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Who is AJ Dybantsa?
AJ Dybantsa, full name Anicet Dybantsa Jr., is an American basketball player of Congolese and Jamaican heritage. His father, Ace, grew up in Grigny, France. AJ grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts, a city that has quietly produced some serious athletic talent over the years.
Key profile:
|
Detail |
Info |
|
Full name |
Anicet “AJ” Dybantsa Jr. |
|
Date of birth |
January 29, 2007 |
|
Age |
19 |
|
Hometown |
Brockton, Massachusetts |
|
AJ Dybantsa height |
6’9″ |
|
Weight |
210 lbs |
|
College |
BYU (Big 12) |
|
Position |
Small Forward / Wing |
He attended Saint Sebastian’s School in Massachusetts before transferring to Prolific Prep in California and then Utah Prep, a recruiting path that raised eyebrows at every step. His freshman season at Saint Sebastian’s, he averaged 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game.
That earned him Massachusetts Boys’ Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year as a freshman. Schools started recruiting him while he was still 15. ESPN named him the top NBA prospect in the 2026 class right after that.
He eventually reclassified from 2026 to 2025, moving up a year and arriving at BYU ahead of schedule.
Why Did AJ Dybantsa Commit to BYU?
A non-Mormon kid from Massachusetts choosing BYU over Kansas, North Carolina, and Alabama, people had questions.
The answer has two parts.
The money: BYU’s NIL offer to Dybantsa came in close to $7 million, reported by multiple sources including Adam Zagoria of the New York Times. That made it the largest NIL deal in college basketball history at the time. For context, Duke star Cooper Flagg’s reported NIL value was $2.9 million. Dybantsa’s was more than double that. On top of the BYU deal, he also holds a $4 million Nike endorsement, a Red Bull partnership, a Topps trading card deal, and an eight-figure Fanatics memorabilia agreement.
How much did BYU pay for AJ Dybantsa? According to multiple reports, the NIL deal was approximately $7 million for one season, the highest annual figure ever reported for a college basketball player.
The coach: BYU hired Kevin Young, a former Phoenix Suns assistant who once coached Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Young was reportedly once the highest-paid assistant in NBA history. For Dybantsa, that mattered more than brand-name programs.
“Coach Young coached my favorite player in KD, and coached Devin Booker,” Dybantsa said. “You cannot get any closer to where I want to be.”
The honor code and lack of distractions also genuinely appealed to him. Per his business adviser Leonard Armato (the same man who built Shaquille O’Neal’s brand), Dybantsa “is not a party kid.” He wanted to show up, play basketball, and leave.
That is exactly what he did.
AJ Dybantsa’s BYU Season – The Numbers
One season. One statement.
Dybantsa played one collegiate season and was a consensus All-American, the Big 12 Rookie of the Year, and a dominant playmaker who averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 51 percent from the field.
He led the entire nation in scoring. He broke Danny Ainge’s 48-year-old BYU single-game freshman scoring record with a 43-point eruption against Utah on January 24. He also became the youngest player in NCAA history to record a triple-double, posting 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against Eastern Washington.
For those who follow draft history, the last player to average 25+ points, 6+ rebounds, and 3+ assists in a college season while earning consensus All-American honors was Larry Bird in 1978–79.
Season stats at a glance:
|
Stat |
Average |
|
Points per game |
25.5 (1st in nation) |
|
Rebounds per game |
6.8 |
|
Assists per game |
3.7 |
|
Steals per game |
1.1 |
|
Field goal percentage |
51.00% |
|
Three-point percentage |
33.10% |
|
Games played |
35 |
The three-point number looks modest, but he was the primary focal point of every opposing defense he faced, constant double teams, shaded coverage, all of it. That context matters when projecting NBA performance.
2026 NBA Draft Lottery Results – What Happened
The Washington Wizards won the Draft Lottery on Sunday and are poised to pick first overall for the first time since choosing John Wall in that spot in 2010. Washington had a 14% chance of winning No. 1, tied with Brooklyn and Indiana for the best odds.
The Wizards had basically a 50-50 chance of getting either a top-four pick or the No. 5 spot. But three consecutive years of losing, the three worst seasons in the franchise’s 65-year history, finally paid off.
2026 NBA Draft order (top 6):
|
Pick |
Team |
|
1 |
Washington Wizards |
|
2 |
Utah Jazz |
|
3 |
Memphis Grizzlies |
|
4 |
Chicago Bulls |
|
5 |
LA Clippers (via Indiana) |
|
6 |
Brooklyn Nets |
Dybantsa watched it live. His reaction said everything.
“I just saw Washington get No. 1 and obviously I’m striving to be the No. 1 pick. That has been my goal since I started playing basketball.”
Why is AJ Dybantsa the Projected No. 1 Pick?
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman noted Dybantsa’s case to be the top pick “has the fewest holes” given his combination of size at 6-foot-9, athleticism, high-level shot-making skill, and ability to fill up the stat sheet. Wasserman compared him to Jaylen Brown.
What makes him different from the other top prospects:
- Size at the wing position – 6’9″ with a wingspan exceeding 7 feet. That combination at the small forward spot is rare.
- Shot creation – He gets to the rim at will, excels in the midrange, and draws fouls at a high rate.
- Point-forward potential – 3.7 assists per game at 18 years old, often operating as a primary playmaker in the half-court.
- Room to grow – His three-point shooting (33.1%) has real upside, and his defensive tools, length, athleticism, quick hands, project well with development.
AJ Dybantsa vs. Darryn Peterson – Who Goes No. 1?
Darryn Peterson is the other name in the No. 1 conversation. The Wizards are expected to conduct a thorough process involving other candidates, including Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson.
Peterson averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 24 games at Kansas this season. He missed time due to a cramping issue tied to creatine use, which has drawn some questions from teams during the pre-draft process.
Dybantsa addressed the competition directly:
“He’s great. Obviously, he has a chance to be the No. 1 pick. But I’m betting on myself.”
Most 2026 NBA mock drafts currently slot Dybantsa at No. 1 and Peterson at No. 2 to Utah Jazz.
Does AJ Dybantsa Fit the Washington Wizards?
The Wizards swung deals to land Trae Young and Anthony Davis last season, and now they have a chance to add an immediate impact player with the No. 1 pick.
Dybantsa said his first thought after seeing Washington win was his “versatility” fitting the team. He has watched both Davis and Young for years.
The fit makes sense. Washington already has a ball-dominant guard in Young and a dominant interior presence in Davis. Dybantsa could be playing alongside two top options in Davis and Young on a Washington team that could be primed to make a leap in 2026-27. A 6’9″ wing who can create his own shot, play in transition, and operate alongside two All-Stars is exactly what a rebuilding team with that core needs.
Off the Court
AJ Dybantsa runs the AJ Dybantsa Foundation, which focuses on education and community work in Brockton, including shoe giveaways and back-to-school drives.
He also told his mother he will finish his BYU degree online within four years, even after turning pro. He plans to study remotely while playing in the NBA.
Why did AJ Dybantsa commit to BYU? Primarily because of head coach Kevin Young’s NBA background (he coached Kevin Durant and Devin Booker), a roughly $7 million NIL deal, and a campus culture with minimal distractions.
2026 NBA Draft – Key Dates
|
Event |
Date |
|
NBA Draft Combine |
May 10-17, Chicago |
|
NCAA withdrawal deadline |
May 27 |
|
2026 NBA Draft |
June 23-24, Barclays Center, Brooklyn |
When is the NBA Draft? June 23, 2026 in New York. What channel is the NBA Draft on? ESPN and ABC. Where was the NBA Draft Lottery? Chicago, May 11, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AJ Dybantsa’s age? AJ Dybantsa was born January 29, 2007. He is 19 years old.
What is AJ Dybantsa’s height? 6 feet 9 inches, with a wingspan exceeding 7 feet.
Where is AJ Dybantsa committed to now? He played one season at BYU and is expected to declare for the 2026 NBA Draft. The NCAA withdrawal deadline is May 27, 2026.
How much did BYU pay for AJ Dybantsa? BYU’s NIL deal was reported to be approximately $7 million, the largest in college basketball history at the time of signing.
When is the 2026 NBA Draft? June 23-24, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
What NBA players had gigantism? No NBA player has been diagnosed with gigantism, which is a medical condition. Some tall players like Gheorghe Mureșan (7’7″) and Manute Bol (7’7″) had conditions related to growth hormone, but none had confirmed gigantism diagnoses. AJ Dybantsa at 6’9″ is tall for a wing but within typical NBA range.
What is the 2026 NBA Draft order after the lottery?
- Washington Wizards, 2. Utah Jazz, 3. Memphis Grizzlies, 4. Chicago Bulls, 5. LA Clippers, 6. Brooklyn Nets.
Conclusion
The Washington Wizards finally have their moment after three brutal seasons. AJ Dybantsa has been building toward this since he was 15 years old in Brockton. The lottery has spoken. The combine is this week. The draft is June 23. Everything is pointing in one direction.
