The Washington Wizards used their top overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to select BYU forward AJ Dybantsa. The choice follows a day in which point guard Trae Young agreed to a new contract, marking the franchise’s first top overall selection since John Wall in 2010. Dybantsa joins a frontcourt that already includes Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr, giving the team a new dimension of size and scoring potential.

Dybantsa entered the draft without ever working out for an NBA team, a rarity for a player chosen at the very top of the class. General manager Will Dawkins first noticed the prospect on the Boston AAU circuit and kept tabs on him through high school and college. The Wizards met with Dybantsa in Washington, where he toured the arena, checked out the facilities, and watched a Washington Mystics game, giving him a first-hand look at the city’s basketball culture.

Washington finished among the league’s worst defensive units in the 2025-26 season, and the front office hopes Dybantsa’s length will help shore up that weakness. Coaches have already asked the rookie to "guard 94 feet," a clear signal that his defensive development will be a priority. Offensively, Dybantsa described his envisioned role: "I think I can just fit in as like an off-ball guy, back into scoring in different ways, score in transition, score off the catch, score off the dribble."

During his visit, Dybantsa joked about catching a Mystics game against the Liberty, noting the team’s win and saying, "I think I might have been some good luck." The anecdote underscored his light-hearted approach to joining a city with a strong basketball culture and suggested he will bring a positive attitude to the locker room.

He arrives in D.C. on Wednesday and will hold his introductory press conference Thursday. The Wizards expect him to absorb the team’s defensive schemes in rookie minicamp and to earn minutes early, especially in transition and off-ball scoring scenarios. How quickly he adapts to the NBA’s physicality and the team’s defensive expectations will shape Washington’s trajectory as they look to climb out of the bottom of the standings.