AJ Dybantsa Threw a Strike at Fenway and Then Called His Own NBA 2K Rating

AJ Dybantsa grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts, about 25 miles from Fenway Park. So when the Washington Wizards took him first overall in the NBA Draft, the ceremonial first pitch invite for a Red Sox-Yankees game must have felt like the homecoming part of the script.

He didn’t bounce it either. The kid fired a high strike from the mound on Saturday, right in front of a Fenway crowd that knows a thing or two about pressure. The video MLB posted shows him getting the ball across the plate with plenty of mustard. No lob, no weird sidearm. Just a clean, confident throw.

That kind of confidence is carrying over into his off-court predictions too.

Dybantsa isn’t shy about his NBA 2K rating

In an interview with Complex Sports, the Wizards rookie was asked what he thinks his rating should be in the next installment of NBA 2K. Rookies typically land in the low 70s, sometimes even upper 60s depending on how the draft class is perceived. Dybantsa had a different number in mind.

“I’m giving myself a 79-80 [overall]. I’m giving myself 80,” he said.

That would put him in rare company for a first-year player. Most rookies have to earn their way into the high 70s with strong preseason play, and 80 is basically starter-level territory out of the gate. But the kid was the No. 1 pick for a reason. He’s earned the right to talk a little.

Of course, not everyone is buying the hype. Some scouts and analysts have pointed to Utah Jazz second overall pick Darryn Peterson as a potential steal who could wind up with a better career than Dybantsa. Peterson’s two-way game and size have drawn comparisons to rising stars around the league. Dybantsa has heard the chatter, and he’s not exactly brushing it off.

“I’m going to prove people wrong,” he said, per the same Complex interview. No elaboration needed.

Massachusetts basketball history and a rookie’s schedule

Dybantsa is the first Massachusetts-born player to go No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft. The closest anyone from the state had come before was Nerlens Noel, taken sixth overall by Philadelphia in 2013 out of Everett. That’s a decent little trivia fact for local fans, but Dybantsa is chasing something bigger than state records.

He already circled a few matchups for his rookie season. The Celtics are obviously on the list — hometown team, built roster, prime-time energy. He also mentioned getting to face Kevin Durant, his favorite player growing up, and the Houston Rockets. That’s a target-rich schedule for a 19-year-old who just threw a strike at Fenway and thinks he’s an 80 in 2K.

We’ll find out soon enough if the game agrees with him.