AJ Dybantsa has officially arrived in the nation’s capital after being selected first overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2026 NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-9 forward with a 7-foot wingspan carries a massive responsibility and will serve as the center of the franchise’s rebuilding blueprint.
While Dybantsa has often cited Kevin Durant as the player “he’s most excited to face” on the NBA hardwood, his recent interview has shown the teenager’s deep historical knowledge of basketball.
AJ Dybantsa Drops Real Hoop Knowledge
The former BYU Cougars sensation is coming off a spectacular collegiate season, leading the NCAA in scoring with 25.5 points per game across 35 starts and earning Consensus first-team All-American honors.
Following his No. 1 draft pick, Dybantsa was asked in an interview with Sports Illustrated to name the one NBA player he plays like but never gets compared to. While some may have expected the current All-Stars or modern legends as answers.
The newly minted Wizards rookie bypassed this era entirely and instead went deep into the basketball vaults to pull out a name from the 80s. A name only those who truly understand the game’s history might know.
”Wow, that’s a good one. I never got that question before. You want some real ball knowledge? He never played in the NBA, but he got drafted, Len Bias,” said Dybantsa.
“Which NBA player are you most like, but no one compares you to?”
AJ Dybantsa: “He never played in the NBA, but he got drafted, Len Bias.”
(via @SInow)pic.twitter.com/IOuPsWQPmm
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 24, 2026
The 2026 Big 12 Freshman of the Year comparison with Bias is a masterclass for pure hoop purists and shows that he is a student of the game who values raw power and mid-range mastery.
The Boston Celtics selected Bias as their second overall choice in the 1986 NBA Draft, but just two days later, he faced a tragic death due to a substance overdose. Before his life was cut short, the 6-foot-8 forward was known as Maryland’s unstoppable force, averaging 23.2 points per game in his final season.
He never played a single NBA game and remains one of the league’s “what if” stories.
DON’T MISS: ‘Broadcast Is a Joke,’ ‘Horrific Coverage’ — Calls Mount for ESPN to Make Major Changes to Its NBA Draft Show
Currently transitioning from a $4.2 million NIL valuation at BYU to a four-year, $69 million NBA rookie contract per Front Office Sports, Dybantsa remains incredibly grounded.
When speaking to NBA champion Iman Shumpert about his first professional purchase with the NBA paycheck, he replied, “My little sister just got her permit. So if she get her license sometime she might get a car… maybe”
Dybantsa will be alongside 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and elite playmaker Trae Young, who recently locked in a four-year, $212.8 million contract extension on June 22, 2026.
With that group in place, the Wizards are fully invested in building a contender team this summer before heading into the 2026-27 season.
The die-hard fans can only hope that AJ translates his elite basketball IQ and great character into becoming an indispensable force for the Wizards, leading them to victories in this new era.
