The top overall pick embraces his rookie season in D.C., trading collegiate stardom for a developmental masterclass alongside veteran icons while carrying the torch for BYU’s basketball legacy.
AJ Dybantsa is happy to be in the nation's capital for the next phase of his career.
The former BYU Cougars standout, who is also working towards getting his college degree, spent time addressing the media this week. He's taking everything in stride as an NBA rookie.
“I feel like there’s not a lot of pressure on me because I have such a great team around me,” Dybantsa told reporters at Monday’s Wizards media day. “A lot of No. 1 picks come into a situation where, you know, they are the guy, everything’s kind of centered around them.
“But I have All-Stars and Hall of Famers on my team that I can really get some knowledge from, (such as) Khris Middleton, Trae Young, (Anthony Davis), DeAndre Ayton, so I don’t have to come in and carry this huge load."
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft signed a four-year rookie-scale contract with the Washington Wizards worth $66.9 million. The contract includes $30.2 million guaranteed, with the final two seasons operating as team options. Dybantsa inked his deal right before the Fourth of July holiday, the team announced. He will make $14.7 million next season, according to Spotrac.
For Dybantsa, this is about carving a deeper path for his future. He went from being a one-and-done star to being the highest-drafted player in BYU history. Dybantsa was also the No. 1 high school recruit in the 2025 class. The 6-foot-9 wing has attacked many bucket list items while being able to get his college degree as another one.
“I’m just super blessed to be in this situation." I can just learn how to play the right way right away,” Dybantsa said. “Just having these guys that have been in the league, that have won championships, that have made All-Star teams, that are first-ballot Hall of Famers, for me to be able to have conversations with them in the locker room, talk to them on the phone, it’s just going to be super beneficial for me and my career.”
Dybantsa was the second NBA lottery pick for BYU and coach Kevin Young during the course of his tenure. Egor Demin went eighth overall to the Brooklyn Nets last year. This is proof that the Cougars' NBA-ready blueprint is successful.
Dybantsa will soon get to work with an NBA legend. Washington hired Patrick Ewing to take on an assistant position with the team. This marks his second stint with the franchise. The No. 1 overall pick of the New York Knicks in the 1985 NBA Draft joined his old team by taking an ambassador role. After watching the dream of winning an NBA title fade away over the course of his 17-year career, Ewing won a ring with the Knicks before joining the Wizards.
What set Dybantsa apart from the rest of this year's generational field was his athleticism and basketball IQ. He was a consensus first-team All-American, averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals. Not terrible considering he led the nation in scoring and had the third-most points as a freshman in NCAA history.
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