PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 19: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
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AJ Dybantsa did not look particularly thrilled when the Washington Wizards won the NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday.
But the 6-foot-9 BYU forward could well be headed to Washington as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft on June 23.
Wizards GM Will Dawkins said on ESPN that the franchise interviewed Dybantsa – who averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his lone college season – on Tuesday at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.
“We got to interview him today, we’ll spend a little bit more time with him, hopefully in D.C,” Dawkins said. “But a true talent at the top of the draft.”
Dawkins, a Springfield, Mass. native who worked under Sam Presti with the Oklahoma City Thunder, knows Dybantsa from their mutual Massachusetts ties.
“Yeah, Massachusetts guy just like myself,” Dawkins said of the Brockton native. “So you can imagine since 14 years old, we’ve been hearing he’s the next one out of our state. So know AJ, his family, just from being in Massachusetts basketball.
“The guy has a charisma to him, he’s got a confidence to him. He’s been able to do it at every level that he’s stepped at, increase his play. And when you talk about basketball, he can score it, he can defend, he’s long, he can make plays for others, he’s a high-level talent.”
Most mock drafts, including ESPN, are projecting the Wizards will take Dybantsa to pair him with Anthony Davis and Trae Young, but Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is also an option at No. 1.
The Utah Jazz pick second and the Memphis Grizzlies third.
“There’s still a lot of tough decisions to make and it’s not a no-brainer at No. 1,” ESPN’s Jay Bilas said on ABC during the Lottery. “AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, that’s going to be a tough decision for Washington. We have some years where you say it’s a no-brainer, this is not. And you’ve got a number of difficult decisions that are going to be made throughout the Top 10, but the good news is that no matter where you fall in the Top 10, you’re going to get a good player. This is a deep draft of star-caliber talent.”