The Washington Wizards had the No. 1 pick for the first time since drafting John Wall in 2010. They have now picked AJ Dybantsa, an unsurprising selection considering the ceiling the BYU star boasts.
Dybantsa, the nation’s leading scorer at BYU last season, walked across the Barclays Center stage and put on a Wizards cap. He shared a heartwarming moment with his moment right after Adam Silver made the announcement.
NBA World Reacts to Wizards’ Latest No. 1 Pick AJ Dybantsa
The 2026 draft class was topped by four prospects viewed as being worthy of the No. 1 selection by the Wizards, with Kansas guard Darryn Peterson the most prominent alternative. But there was almost no doubt that the BYU star would go No. 1 overall.
WELCOME TO THE DYSTRICT🧙♂️ #ForTheDistrict | @AJ_Dybantsa pic.twitter.com/ACZhphmTnq
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) June 24, 2026
The NBA world had an unsurprising reaction to the versatile star being drafted by Washington. John Frascella, a prominent NBA and NFL Draft analyst, said on X, “AJ goes No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft… no surprises, here.”
Aaron Torres, an analyst from FOX Sports, said, “AJ Dybantsa was the only choice at one. Elite talent. Elite character. Played his best when his team was beat up and it would’ve been easy to give up. Congrats Washington Wizards fans, you got yourself a HELL of a ball player.”
Jarom Jordan, a co-host of the BYU Sports Nation, said on X, “AJ Dybantsa becomes BYU’s first number one overall pick in the NBA Draft. He’s the third top-five pick in BYU history. Sixth in the top 10. He’s the 45th overall selection from the school. BYU has b2b top 10 picks for the first time in school history. Ninth first round pick in BYU history.”
Wizards fans seem understandably ecstatic as well. They now have a decent roster that can go deep later in the 2026-27 season. Wizards fan page ‘WizardsMuse’ wrote, “AJ DYBANTSA GO GET US A TITLE,” while citing a comment from Dybantsa where he said he’d like to win a chip for his team.
Skip Bayless also weighed in on the Wizards’ decision. He said, “Can’t blame Wizards for taking AJ. Big personality. High intangibles. NBA athletic. Strong midrange game. Only 33% from 3 and not committed enough yet on D, but will work to improve. Better gate fit in Utah where he played HS/college ball. But big increase for Wash talent level.”
Hoop Central, a prominent basketball fan page, pointed out how the Wizards look right now. It is no secret that they have a ‘STACKED’ roster now. Anthony Davis, Trae Young, and Alex Sarr are all on Washington’s roster.
Brian Keefe certainly has a dream roster right now, and the task from now on would be to make it click on the floor between his star-studded team.
The Wizards would have Young orchestrating the offense. His future in Washington is now locked down after Young’s $212 million contract extension.
Anthony Davis could anchor the frontcourt when healthy, and Alex Sarr has emerged as one of the NBA’s most promising young rim protectors after averaging 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game across 48 appearances in his sophomore season.
Dybantsa is entering that team at 6-foot-9 with a 42-inch max vertical, the ability to create off the dribble, and a serious point-forward skill set.
It is no secret that he has the skill and talent to produce at a high level for the Wizards, but it will be interesting to see if he can do it right off the bat or if he needs some time to settle into that experienced roster.
