BYU Cougars’ AJ Dybantsa is widely projected to be the No. 1 overall pick at the 2026 NBA Draft later this month. Although the coveted spot is not guaranteed yet, many experts believe he is ahead of the competition.
If the projections turn out to be true, Dybantsa will likely play for the Washington Wizards, who have the No. 1 pick in the draft. Before the 6’9″ forward gets there, he sent a blunt message to Wizards star Trae Young.
Young had an eight-year run with the Atlanta Hawks and was traded to the Wizards in January this year. During his stint with the Hawks, he wore the #11 jersey, but after coming to Washington, he changed to #3.
During a recent appearance on “Gil’s Arena,” Dybantsa made it clear that if he gets the No. 1 overall pick and joins the Wizards, he will need the #3 jersey.
“If they draft me, I do need 3, Trae. If they draft me. We’re gonna see in like 5 weeks,” he said.
Dybantsa wore #3 when he was at BYU, and he wants to continue his basketball journey with the same number. It’ll be interesting to see if Young will allow the 19-year-old to take the number from him if Dybantsa lands in Washington.
The former BYU star was asked to make his pitch on why the Wizards should exercise their No. 1 pick on him. He said that he’s “super versatile” and, as per the requirements of the modern-day game, he can guard all positions.
Dybantsa stated that he is comfortable playing multiple positions, but he isn’t as comfortable at the 5 position.
AJ Dybantsa is Excited to Play Against Kevin Durant
Dybantsa has previously stated that he’d love to team up with Victor Wembanyama, as he believes they complement each other’s games. But who is he excited to play against when he enters the NBA this year?
The former BYU star said that he’s looking forward to playing against Kevin Durant and LeBron James.
“Easy answer, KD [Kevin Durant]. Him being my favorite player. I just want to guard him and be on the same court as him,” he said. “Hopefully, LeBron [James] is still playing. Never know with that.”
From a defensive standpoint, Dybantsa is also looking forward to playing against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic because he believes they make shot-making look “way too easy.”
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