AJ Dybantsa Landed in D.C. With a Message for Anyone Who Doubted Him

AJ Dybantsa didn’t just land in Washington D.C. on Wednesday. He arrived like someone who already knew the building was his.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft touched down in the nation’s capital and was met by Wizards staff before heading to the team facility. Video from the team’s social media showed Dybantsa in a sharp jacket and sunglasses, stepping off the plane like he owned the runway. And honestly, after what he just pulled off at BYU, he kind of does.

Before the draft, Dybantsa sat down with Dev In The Lab and did something rookies usually don’t: he flat-out said he expected to hear his name called first. Not hoped. Expected.

“I definitely want the number one pick,” he said. “People say it doesn’t matter where you’re drafted. And yeah, you’re right, it doesn’t. But I’ve been number one since I got ranked in eighth grade. I’m trying to keep that.”

That confidence isn’t just talk. In his one season at BYU, Dybantsa put up 25 points a night over 35 games while shooting 51% from the floor. He added 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Those aren’t just good numbers for a freshman. Those are best-player-in-college numbers, full stop.

He joins a team that’s been quietly stacking talent

The Wizards aren’t exactly a finished product. But they’re not the same rebuilding mess they were two years ago. Washington already added Trae Young to run the point and Anthony Davis — yes, that Anthony Davis — to anchor the frontcourt. Davis came over in a blockbuster trade last season and looked like his old self when healthy.

If there’s a question, it’s whether three stars who all need the ball can co-exist. But Dybantsa has a way of making that kind of thing work. He moves off the ball better than most No. 1 picks. He finds gaps. He doesn’t force shots the way a lot of young scorers do.

Dybantsa also thinks this draft class is something special. “I actually think this is one of the best drafts in I don’t even know how many years,” he said. “People probably say 15. I think we really on that.”

High praise from a guy who’s about to be the face of a franchise. And honestly? The Wizards haven’t had that kind of presence — a guy who genuinely believes he’s the best in the room before he’s even unpacked his bags — in a long time.

Training camp starts in October. But for Washington fans, this offseason just got a lot more interesting.