AJ
Dybantsa
AJ Dybantsa is the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, selected by the Washington Wizards after one season at BYU. The consensus No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class — the first five-star to sign with BYU since ESPN began tracking recruits in 2007 — the 6-foot-9 forward from Brockton, Massachusetts, by way of Utah Prep, led Division I in scoring as a freshman and became the first player in BYU history taken first overall.
Who is AJ Dybantsa?
AJ Dybantsa from Brockton, Massachusetts played Forward for BYU's basketball program. No. 1 overall pick (2026 NBA Draft, Washington Wizards); led D-I at 25.5 PPG as a BYU freshman; 25.0 PPG in 2026 NBA Summer League
The first No. 1 overall pick in BYU history
On June 23, 2026, the Washington Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa first overall — the first time a BYU player has ever gone No. 1, clearing Shawn Bradley's No. 2 from 1993. He reached the top of the draft after a single freshman season in Provo, one pick ahead of the Utah Jazz, who took Kansas guard Darryn Peterson at No. 2.
What he did in one season
Dybantsa led all of Division I at 25.5 points per game, added 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists, and shot 51% from the field across 35 games. His 894 points rank second in BYU single-season history behind Jimmer Fredette, and his 43 against Utah on Jan. 24, 2026 were the most ever scored by a BYU freshman in a game. He is the third consensus AP First Team All-American in program history, joining Danny Ainge and Fredette.
From Brockton to Utah Prep to Provo
Brockton gives him an East Coast identity; Utah Prep, the Hurricane-based program, gave him a season inside the state's basketball pipeline before BYU; and Provo became the stage where those threads met. Utah honored him first — the 2026 Governor's State of Sport Awards named him Collegiate Male Athlete of the Year in April, two months before Washington made it official.
The most-hyped recruit BYU had ever signed
Dybantsa arrived in Provo as the consensus No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 class and the first five-star to sign with BYU since ESPN's recruiting database began in 2007. He picked the Cougars in December 2024 over Kansas, North Carolina, and Alabama, a decision that reset expectations for the program before he ever played a game. Listed at 6-foot-9 and roughly 200 pounds with a 7-foot wingspan, he had the length and scoring polish that made the hype feel earned rather than inflated.
A pro start in Las Vegas
The rookie backed it up quickly. In his NBA Summer League debut on July 9, 2026, Dybantsa scored a game-high 27 points on 7-of-18 shooting with seven rebounds in 26 minutes as Washington edged the Utah Jazz 92-88 in Las Vegas. He followed with 23 points in his second game — 25.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists a night — before the Wizards shut him down for their remaining games as a precaution. Washington's staff leaned on his defense as much as his offense, and his 7-foot wingspan stood out the moment he dropped into a stance.
At a glance
Key achievements
- No. 1 overall pick, 2026 NBA Draft (Washington Wizards) — first in BYU history
- 2026 consensus AP First Team All-American (third in BYU history, with Ainge and Fredette)
- 2026 Big 12 Freshman of the Year and Julius Erving Award (nation's top small forward)
- Led NCAA Division I in scoring at 25.5 PPG; 894 points, 2nd in BYU single-season history
- Consensus No. 1 overall recruit, 2025 class — first five-star to sign with BYU since ESPN's 2007 database (ESPN, BYU Athletics)
- Averaged 25.0 PPG (27 in his debut vs. the Jazz) in the 2026 NBA Summer League before Washington shut him down as a precaution (NBA.com, Deseret News)
- 2026 Utah Governor's State of Sport Award — Collegiate Male Athlete of the Year
Official sources
This athlete page stays public because the school, image, and supporting facts can be checked quickly.
BYU Athletics
- ESPN: Wizards opt for BYU's AJ Dybantsa with top pick of NBA draftespn.com
- BYU Athletics: AJ Dybantsa, nation's No. 1 recruit, signs with BYUbyucougars.com
- ESPN: AJ Dybantsa, No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, commits to BYUespn.com
- Deseret News: AJ Dybantsa impresses in NBA Summer League debut with Wizardsdeseret.com
- NBA.com: Dybantsa drops 27 in Summer League as Wizards edge Jazznba.com
Show all 12 sourcesShow fewer sources
- Yahoo Sports: BYU forward AJ Dybantsa selected No. 1 overall by Wizardssports.yahoo.com
- ESPN: Kansas' Peterson lands with Jazz at No. 2 pick in NBA draftespn.com
- lawlessrepublic: BYU's highest NBA Draft picks (Shawn Bradley, No. 2, 1993)lawlessrepublic.com
- Deseret News: A closer look at AJ Dybantsa's 2025-26 body of workdeseret.com
- Deseret News: Utah Governor's State of Sport Awards winners (2026)deseret.com
- Utah Sports Commission: State of Sport Awardsutahsportscommission.com
- Yahoo Sports: AJ Dybantsa-Utah connection and Jazz owner Ryan Smithsports.yahoo.com
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