The Washington Wizards have a chance to change the direction of their franchise Tuesday night. And BYU head coach Kevin Young has already told them exactly who should be that guy.
Young, who spent years as an NBA assistant before taking over the Cougars, didn’t mince words when asked about his former freshman AJ Dybantsa. The 6-foot-9 wing is widely expected to hear his name called first in the 2026 NBA Draft, and Young made his pitch to the Wizards and every other team holding a top pick.
“My message to them and others is that he’s so good with the ball in his hands,” Young told The Jim Rome Show. “For me that’s probably where it starts and ends on the court. He’s just so dynamic as a playmaker, as a scorer.”
That part isn’t really in dispute. Dybantsa put together a freshman season at BYU that had scouts camped out in Provo all winter. He can create his own shot, he can get to the rim, and he’s comfortable running an offense. For a Wizards team that has been searching for a true franchise anchor since basically forever, he fits the profile.
But Young also pointed to something else.
“And then a lot of the questions with him being off the court, for me that’s where he separates himself,” Young said. “He’s a great young man, he’s got a great family. Whoever is lucky enough to get him is gonna get obviously a great player, but an equally great human being.”
The Wizards have been here before
Washington has picked in the top ten several times over the last decade and hasn’t always hit. John Wall was a home run back in 2010, but since then the lottery results have been mixed at best. Bradley Beal worked out, sure, but this franchise hasn’t had a true foundational star in the post-Wall era. Missing on this pick would set them back years.
Dybantsa isn’t a mystery. He’s been on the national radar since high school. The only real question is whether Washington sees him the same way Young does. And whether they’re willing to bet that a player with his offensive skill set can carry a team that needs a lot more than just a scorer.
The draft is Tuesday night. The Wizards are on the clock. Young has said his piece. Now it’s up to them.
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