AJ Dybantsa is regarded as one of the biggest talents in basketball and became the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Before discovering his NBA team on Tuesday, the BYU Cougars forward picked himself over LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama, Kevin Durant, and more NBA superstars.
AJ Dybantsa Makes Bold Picks Ahead of NBA Draft
Playing the “NBA King of the Hill” with “Nice Kicks” ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, Dybantsa picked himself ahead of Jalen Brunson, Paul George, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James, Wembanyama, Durant, and several other NBA players.
While choosing yourself over established NBA stars before you even make it into the league may come across as arrogant to some, Dybantsa had good reasoning for his picks. He claimed he did not want to be “canceled,” so he just picked himself, regardless of who he went up against.
“So I don’t get canceled, I’m just going to say me. I’m just going to say me. And you’ll see why I’m going to say me,” he said, before adding, “It’s just me. I’m basing it off of who would I build off for the future.”
AJ Dybantsa or LeBron James? 🤔
Playing NBA King of the Hill with AJ Dybantsa 👑 pic.twitter.com/BQG9NelreA
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) June 23, 2026
Dybantsa enters the NBA Draft after a dominant freshman year with the Cougars. The 6-foot-9 wing was one of the standout stars in college basketball and finished the season as the leading scorer in the nation.
In 35 games for the Cougars, Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He shot 51.0% from the field and 33.1% from the three-point line, crossing the 40-point mark twice during the season.
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For his performances, Dybantsa earned First-Team All-American honors and was also named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. The 19-year-old is a dynamic scorer and can create his own shots. He also possesses the size and length to make his mark in the NBA.
While he was not able to help the Cougars make a deep March Madness run, these accolades helped Dybantsa become a headline name in what is easily one of the most exciting draft classes in recent years.
Dybantsa became the first name taken in the 2026 NBA Draft, with the Washington Wizards selecting him with the No. 1 pick. He will team up with Trae Young and Anthony Davis in DC as the Wizards look to become a playoff contender next season.
