The Washington Wizards have to get this one right. If they can successfully identify the best player in the 2026 NBA Draft class on Tuesday night, the franchise may finally get on a path that can lead to prominence. Yes, this long-beleaguered franchise has many objectives to complete before it can even imagine such a possibility, but the first step to attaining true excellence is finding a foundational piece. BYU head coach Kevin Young firmly believes AJ Dybantsa is that guy.
The former NBA assistant is obviously going to endorse a player he coached, but his argument is compelling nonetheless. Young has already pitched the Wizards on why the 6-foot-9 wing deserves to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
“My message to them and others is that he’s so good with the ball in his hands,” the third-year Cougars HC 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.
“And then a lot of the questions with him being off the court, for me that’s where he separates himself. 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.”
"He's so good with the ball in his hands. For me that's probably where it starts and ends on the court."@BYUMBB head coach Kevin Young shares what he's told the Washington Wizards and other teams regarding potential #1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa. pic.twitter.com/FKxjkJB9NR
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) June 23, 2026
AJ Dybantsa enjoyed a stellar freshman campaign under Kevin Young, averaging an NCAA-best 25.5 points per game while shooting 51.0 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from behind the 3-point line. He also posted 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists ad 1.1 steals through 35 games. The 19-year-old needs to improve his perimeter jumper — occasionally forced too many contested shots and tried to play hero ball — but he has the skill set that executives are looking for in a franchise pillar.
Wizards general manager Will Dawkins already has built-in rapport with Dybantsa and his family. If the organization selects the Brockton, Massachusetts native like many anticipate, it must heed Young’s words and do everything possible to get the ball in this coveted prospect’s hands.
Washington is trusting Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr and Tre Johnson, among others, to restore this basement-dweller to relevance. But the man that goes No. 1 will be tasked with elevating the team’s ceiling to heights fans have only dreamed of during the 21st Century.
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