AJ Dybantsa to the Washington Wizards: BYU Star Is the Heavy Favorite for the No. 1 Pick
The Washington Wizards won the 2026 NBA Draft lottery last week. AJ Dybantsa is going to Washington. That has become as close to a lock as the draft conversation allows, with sportsbooks setting Dybantsa as a -450 favorite to go No. 1 overall on June 23.
The case for Dybantsa is straightforward. The 19-year-old wing led college basketball in scoring this year at 25.5 points per game during his one season at BYU. He was named a Consensus All-American. He won the Julius Erving Award as the top small forward in the country. He has the size at 6-9, the athleticism, and the offensive polish to be a franchise player on day one.
The Wizards are not exactly trying to hide their excitement. Washington has been the worst team in the NBA for two straight seasons. They finished 17-65 this past year, which earned them the best lottery odds and, after the bounces broke their way, the top pick. The franchise has not had a No. 1 selection since John Wall in 2010. Wall went on to lead them to a few playoff runs but never quite became the franchise centerpiece they hoped for.
Dybantsa is the next swing. He is a different kind of player than Wall. Where Wall was an explosive guard with elite passing, Dybantsa is a primary wing scorer who can pick teams apart from anywhere on the floor. He shot 36 percent from three at BYU on solid volume. He gets to the line at a high rate. He has the kind of midrange game that aging stars use to extend their careers.
The story of his draft cycle has a wrinkle. Dybantsa was reportedly hoping to land with the Utah Jazz, who hold the No. 2 pick. He spent the season in Provo. He has friends in Utah. His viral reaction to the Wizards winning the lottery, which the cameras caught in real time, was somewhere between disappointment and forced composure. Dybantsa later addressed the moment publicly and said he was excited for whatever team drafted him, which is the standard line.
The Wizards have made their pitch. Washington has cap space, a young rebuilding roster, and a clear path to give Dybantsa the keys to the offense from day one. Bub Carrington and Alex Sarr are returning building blocks. The team is positioned to add more talent through additional draft picks and free agency. Dybantsa will get every chance to be the star they need.
The competition for the No. 1 pick was tight at one point. Cameron Boozer, the Duke big man and son of Carlos, was the other top prospect for much of the season. Boozer averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Blue Devils and has the body of an NBA power forward. Darryn Peterson, the Kansas guard, also has true No. 1 pick potential. The 2026 draft class is one of the deepest in years.
But Dybantsa is the consensus pick. The NBA’s combine confirmed it. He measured well, tested well, and answered every interview question the way teams want top picks to answer them. The Wizards never wavered from their evaluation.
The pick has implications beyond Washington. Utah at No. 2 is widely expected to take Peterson or Boozer, depending on how their pre-draft workouts go. Charlotte at No. 3 has options at multiple positions. The top of the draft is going to set the next decade of the league.
For BYU, this is a historic moment. Dybantsa would be the school’s first-ever No. 1 pick. The Cougars have produced All-Americans before, but never the top selection. Coach Kevin Young’s program is going to get a recruiting boost the size of which is hard to overstate.
For Dybantsa, the wait is almost over. The June 23 draft is five weeks away. He will work out for the Wizards, take his physical, sit through media day, and then get to work. The Wizards have not had a true superstar since the John Wall and Bradley Beal era. Dybantsa is the bet that the next one is coming.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
