The Washington Wizards have spent years waiting for a player capable of changing the direction of the franchise.
AJ Dybantsa understands what comes with being asked to fill that role.
Washington officially introduced the 19-year-old forward two days after selecting him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Dybantsa is the first player taken by the Wizards with the top pick since John Wall in 2010.
He isn’t pretending the turnaround will happen overnight.
Dybantsa described himself as one part of a much larger rebuilding process and acknowledged how long Washington fans have waited to see a consistently competitive team. The Wizards finished last season with a 17-65 record and have won only 50 games over the past three seasons combined.
Washington hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2021. Its last winning season came in 2017-18, when the team finished 43-39. The franchise also hasn’t produced a 50-win campaign since 1978-79.
Those numbers explain why so much hope has immediately been placed on Dybantsa.
The 6-foot-9 forward arrives in Washington following one of the most productive freshman seasons in recent college basketball history. He started all 35 games for BYU and led Division I with 25.5 points per game. Dybantsa also averaged 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 51 percent from the field.
His 894 total points were the third-most ever scored by a Division I freshman. He reached double figures in every game, scored at least 20 points 28 times and recorded eight 30-point performances.
Dybantsa also became the first freshman to lead the nation in scoring since Trae Young did it at Oklahoma during the 2017-18 season.
Now they are teammates.
Young gives Washington an established playmaker who can create shots for Dybantsa and take some of the immediate offensive pressure off him. Dybantsa believes their games should complement each other, particularly because of Young’s passing and ability to draw attention from opposing defenses.
Dybantsa won’t be wearing the same number he used at BYU, however.
He wore No. 3 in college, but that number belongs to Young in Washington. Dybantsa chose No. 4, explaining that he combined his old number with his new status as the No. 1 overall pick.
It was a small moment, but it showed the personality Washington is hoping will connect with a fan base that has endured several difficult seasons.
Dybantsa appeared confident during his introductory appearance without acting as though he already had everything figured out. Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said the organization was impressed by his maturity, preparation and willingness to ask detailed questions during the pre-draft process.
Dybantsa treated those meetings like job interviews. He arrived in a suit and tie and approached the process with the same seriousness he plans to bring to his first NBA season.
That preparation has been part of his rise for years.
Born in Boston and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts, Dybantsa became a nationally known prospect before finishing his sophomore year of high school. He was the top-ranked recruit in his class, became a McDonald’s All-American and earned MVP honors at the 2025 FIBA Under-19 World Cup after helping the United States win the gold medal.
He then chose BYU over several major programs, including Kansas, North Carolina, Auburn and USC. Dybantsa said BYU coach Kevin Young’s NBA experience and the professional-style staff surrounding the program played an important role in his decision.
The move prepared him well.
Dybantsa developed into a powerful scorer capable of attacking the rim, creating space in the midrange and drawing fouls. His outside shooting remains a work in progress after he made 33.1 percent of his college 3-point attempts, but his size, athleticism and shot-creation ability give Washington a foundation it has lacked for years.
He has also shown that his interests extend beyond basketball.
Dybantsa plans to continue working toward his college degree through online classes. He has already launched a foundation designed to provide educational opportunities for young people, beginning with students connected to Jamaica and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where his parents’ families are from.
His basketball journey began in a much simpler way.
As a child, Dybantsa’s father bought him a small Spider-Man hoop that hung on the back of his bedroom door. Dybantsa would shoot from his bed before eventually beginning to play in YMCA leagues. What started with a miniature hoop eventually led to his name being called first in the NBA Draft.
The expectations became real almost immediately.
Dybantsa made his Las Vegas Summer League debut against Utah and No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson, giving fans an early look at the two players who could remain connected throughout their careers.
Dybantsa finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals in Washington’s 92-88 victory. His scoring total tied Blake Griffin for the most points by a No. 1 overall pick in a Las Vegas Summer League debut.
One Summer League game won’t determine what kind of NBA player he becomes. It did, however, provide a glimpse of why Washington trusted him with the first pick.
Dybantsa attacked the basket, played through contact and looked comfortable creating his own offense. He scored 19 points in the first half and helped Washington hold off Utah after the Jazz made a late comeback.
The Wizards still have a long way to go.
Dybantsa will experience difficult shooting nights, defensive adjustments and the normal challenges that come with entering the NBA as a teenager. Washington’s problems are also too large for one young player to solve immediately.
But for the first time in years, the organization has a player who gives the rebuild a clear direction.
Dybantsa isn’t promising an instant transformation. He is promising to work.
For a franchise that has spent years searching for its next cornerstone, that is a meaningful place to start.