Offensive Game
Advanced shot-creation and shot-making for his age; half-court efficiency will hinge on tightening his outside jumper.
2026 NBA Draft
Selected 1st overall by the Washington Wizards
Big 12 Freshman of the Year
Named 2025-26 Big 12 Freshman of the Year while leading NCAA Division I in scoring at 25.5 points per game
Consensus First-Team All-American
Unanimous first-team All-American (AP, NABC, USBWA, Sporting News) and a John R. Wooden Award All-American as a BYU freshman
Big 12 Tournament scoring record
Scored 93 points across the 2026 Big 12 Tournament, breaking Kevin Durant's single-tournament record
Raised in Brockton, Massachusetts by his Congolese-born father Ace and Jamaican mother Chelsea, Dybantsa climbed the New England AAU circuit before finishing high school at Utah Prep. At BYU he authored one of the more productive freshman campaigns in recent memory, leading Division I in scoring at 25.5 points per game while adding 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists across 35 games. A 6'9" wing with a smooth pull-up, downhill burst, and the length to finish over contests, he reached double figures in every appearance and broke Kevin Durant's Big 12 Tournament scoring record. The open questions center on his outside-shooting consistency and defensive engagement rather than talent. Washington selected him first overall on June 23, 2026, projecting a cornerstone wing scorer who can create on and off the ball.
Offensive Game
Advanced shot-creation and shot-making for his age; half-court efficiency will hinge on tightening his outside jumper.
Defensive Game
Length and tools to become a plus wing defender, but effort and off-ball focus were inconsistent in college.
All articles
AJ Dybantsa is the presumptive face of the Wizards' rebuild — brought in as the No. 1 overall pick even though Washington already has six NBA wings on the roster. A look at the record-breaking BYU season, the Darryn Peterson decision, and why talent still beats a crowded depth chart.
Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
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Intangibles
Strong scoring instincts and pace control; decision-making under NBA speed is the growth area.
Personal Life & Family
Parents & Siblings
Did You Know?
Broke Kevin Durant's Big 12 Tournament single-tournament scoring record with 93 points
His father, Anicet 'Ace' Dybantsa, was born in the Republic of the Congo and worked as a campus police officer at Boston University
Set 21 BYU freshman season and single-game records in a single season
Grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts, the 'City of Champions' that also produced boxers Rocky Marciano and Marvelous Marvin Hagler
Career Honors
Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2026)
Consensus First-Team All-American (2026)
Wooden Award All-American (2026)
McDonald's All-American (2025)
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