AJ Dybantsa is a 2007-born rookie center forward from Boston, Massachusetts. In 2026, he became the first overall pick in the history of the draft, chosen No. 1 by the Washington Wizards, after a prolific collegiate season at Brigham Young University (BYU). Ace, his father, is from the Republic of the Congo and moved to Grigny, France, while his mother, Chelsea, is a Jamaican native, making Dybantsa the second Congolese-connected player in the annals of the NBA draft, after the 2008 selection of Serge Ibaka.
Dybantsa, who stands 6’9”, was a consensus first-team All-American, scoring champion, Julius Erving Award winner, and Big 12 Freshman of the Year in his lone season for BYU. Prior to BYU, he was a two-time Nike Hoop Summit All-Star, McDonald’s All-American, and 2025 FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP, after standout prep productions at Saint Sebastian’s, Prolific Prep, and Utah Prep.
The Wizards have high hopes for Dybantsa, who has already shown his stuff in the 2026 Summer League, scoring a prolific 27 points in the opener against the Jazz and following up with a 23-point, 7-rebound, 3-steal game against the Kings. He is also in contention for a starting 4th-quarter role in his rookie season, with his rookie-salary contract potentially seeing an increase depending on his play in training camp.
Dybantsa’s blend of size, court smarts, and scoring ability has fueled speculation that the rookie could vie for Rookie of the Year honors, with multiple oddsmakers already naming him in the conversation as a joint +280 favorite along with Cameron Boozer.
