Widely regarded as the best prospect and top overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Anicet “AJ” Dybantsa is one of the most NBA-ready college freshmen ever. He is a rare breed, a perfect blend of size, athleticism, and skill that should translate well to the NBA. He’s good at just about everything and is one of the most highly touted prospects in the past 30 years. At just 19, he’ll enter the NBA as a matchup nightmare for the other 29 teams. Congrats, Washington, you don’t have to be the laughingstock of the NBA anymore.
The basics
Born on January 29, 2007, in Boston, Massachusetts, Dybantsa grew up in nearby Brockton (and yes, he’s a Celtics fan). He is of Congolese and Jamaican descent. He originally attended Saint Sebastian High School, where he was named Massachusetts Boys’ Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year following a prolific freshman season – averaging 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game. At just 14, Dybantsa led Saint Sebastian’s to the NEPSAC Class A state championship, but lost to Milton Academy by a single point, 77-76.
He then transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California, for his sophomore year. In July 2023, he led the Nike Peach Jam in scoring at 25.8 points per game as a member of Expressions Elite, an Amateur Athletic Union team from Boston. Dybantsa ended his high school career at Utah Prep Academy in Hurricane, Utah.
Dybantsa was named the top overall prospect by ESPN as a high school freshman in the 2026 class and later re-classified into the 2025 class. He officially committed to Brigham Young University (BYU) in December 2024, electing to stay in Utah. He is the highest-ranked basketball recruit to ever attend BYU.
Following a nearly impeccable season at BYU, Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points (first in the NCAA), 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He added to his accolades, earning first team All-American, the Julius Irving Award, NCAA Scoring Champion, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, and Big 12 All-Freshman Team. He has also been named a McDonald’s All-American (2025) and FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP (2025). Dybantsa’s accomplishments and incredible freshman season have him primed for the NBA level.
The good
Dybantsa is about as good as they get. If it weren’t for an otherworldly talented draft class, he would stick out ahead of the rest like Cooper Flagg did last season. And also similar to Flagg, the 6’9, 210-pound forward is positionless and can play one through four.
There are several positives to Dybantsa’s game, but the first thing that jumps out is his scoring ability. He led the NCAA in scoring in the 2025-2026 season, with 25.5 points per game – on 51% from the floor. While his outside shooting could use some work – 33.1%, that number showed significant growth over the season, as he became more comfortable shooting from the outside. By season’s end, he was averaging shooting 4.2 threes per game and making 1.4. What makes the BYU prodigy so special is his ability to score in the midrange and inside. He is particularly dangerous in face-up situations, where he can attack downhill, get to his spots in the mid-range, or create space for pull-ups. In the paint, Dybantsa shot 56.8% (259-456), well above average for forwards and guards. His quick twitch explosiveness and ability to change directions allow him to break down defenders, while his strength lets him overpower smaller matchups and finish through contact. He has an uncanny ability to recognize mismatches and get to his spots on the floor.
Another unique part of Dybantsa’s game is his ability to facilitate. While 3.7 assists per game doesn’t jump off the page, his ability to make the right basketball play and find teammates propels Dybantsa’s game to an entirely new level. He’s the definition of a true triple-threat with the ball in his hands and doesn’t just showcase his game but elevates his teammates’ as well. He’s exceptionally good at live dribble reads like pick-and-roll and double teams. He often commands a lot of attention on the floor, a heliocentric type of player, but is witty and crafty enough to make the right decisions.
The room to improve
There aren’t many true weaknesses to Dybantsa’s game, but one is his outside shooting. With his ability to score at all three levels (three-point, mid-range, inside), it’s not a major problem that he only shot 33.1% from three last season. But the NBA is a more position-less league than the NCAA and many of the NBA’s elite teams have efficient three-point shooting forwards. If Dybantsa wants to be an elite player in the NBA, he’ll need that number to creep northward to that 36-38% mark. Initially, teams will probably leave him with space to shoot, since he’s such a mobile threat getting into the paint. He’ll need to take, and make, those.
While he does have the ball in his hands quite a bit, his 3.1 turnovers per game are high, especially for a forward. Dybantsa does tend to force his shot from time to time, rather than pass out and re-post or make another play. He’s also heavily reliant on his right hand. Mavs fans had the spectacle of watching Cooper Flagg look more ambidextrous than right-handed dominant as he attacked defenses from both sides, often favoring the left. Dybantsa will need to continue to develop his ability to attack with both hands.
Player comparison
Dybantsa is most often compared to two players: Tracy McGrady and DeMar DeRozan. He draws comparisons to McGrady because of his quickness and explosiveness off the dribble, as well as his ability to score from anywhere on the court. At his peak in the 2002-2003 season, McGrady averaged 32.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. The other comparison is DeMar DeRozan, with Dybantsa’s heavy reliance on his midrange game. At his peak, DeRozan was one of the NBA’s high fliers, showcasing his ability to finish at the rim as well as on the perimeter. His best season in 2021-2022 had him putting up 27.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.
Fit with Wizards and looking ahead
Dybantsa is a seamless fit for an up-and-coming Washington Wizards team. DC went all in at the trade deadline acquiring all-stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Plugging in an elite talent like AJ Dybantsa will create matchup nightmares for teams. Not to mention, the Wizards also have Alex Sarr, the second overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, who averaged 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. They also have the sixth pick from the 2025 draft in Tre Johnson (12.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists), the seventh pick from the 2023 draft in Bilal Coulibaly (11.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists), and the 24th pick from the 2024 NBA draft in Kyshawn George (14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists).
The Wizards have a great mix of young, raw talent and veterans to not just get out of the basement in the Eastern Conference next year, but make a serious run for a top-six seed.
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