AJ Dybantsa Drops Boldest Quote of the Night at 2026 NBA Draft

Former BYU star forward AJ Dybantsa should hear his name called as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft before the night’s end, and he showed the Washington Wizards exactly who they’ll get if they pick him as expected.

Dybantsa, 19, broke down his draft night fit while appearing on NBA TV from the draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Tuesday night.

Then, when Lauren Green asked why it’s so important for him to go No. 1 overall, he dropped the quote of the night: “I’ve been No. 1 my whole life, so I don’t plan on dropping in this draft.”

For most of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season, Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, and Duke’s Cameron Boozer were universally touted as the best three prospects in the 2026 NBA draft class. But in recent months, Dybantsa emerged as most likely to go No. 1 overall.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported earlier Tuesday that the Wizards were “locking in” on Dybantsa.

“They look at him as a natural fit next to Trae Young, who just got a massive $212 million max contract,” Charania said. “They got Anthony Davis, AD, in the middle, and so a natural wing for them is what they’re targeting.”

Dybantsa was a consensus All-American and named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in his lone year at BYU. He led all of men’s NCAA Division I basketball with 25.5 points per game, while also averaging 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists across 35 games.

The Wizards are desperate for Dybantsa - or whomever they select, in the off chance they shock us all - to be an instant spark plug. The Wizards just missed the playoffs for the fifth straight season and have lacked star power since John Wall and Bradley Beal bid adieu.

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This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 4:08 PM.