06/25/26 03:17:00
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06/25 15:15 CDT Top draft pick AJ Dybantsa arrives in Washington, ready to work
on turning the Wizards around
Top draft pick AJ Dybantsa arrives in Washington, ready to work on turning the
Wizards around
By NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) --- Before basketball became such a big part of AJ Dybantsa's
life, he was like any other kid --- growing up as a fan of a fictional
superhero.
When he was about five, his father bought him a Spider-Man basketball hoop that
went on the back of his door.
"I loved Spider-Man growing up. So I just started shooting from my bed, started
shooting from my bed with this miniature ball. Then I started playing in the
YMCA leagues ... ended up falling in love with the game," Dybantsa said. "So
Spider-Man is the reason why I love basketball."
The Washington Wizards are certainly glad Dybantsa took up the sport and
committed himself to it. Two days after taking the 6-foot-9 star out of BYU
with the top pick in the NBA draft, the team introduced him Thursday at a hotel
overlooking the Potomac River, about 1 1/2 miles south from where the Wizards
play their home games.
"Nothing comes easy, but I want to be a piece of the puzzle that is part of the
rebuild," he said. "Obviously, Wizards fans have been waiting for a long time."
This was the first time the Wizards have picked first in the draft since 2010
when they took John Wall. Dybantsa joins a team that hasn't won 50 games in a
season since 1979 --- and more recently managed only 50 victories over the past
three seasons combined.
One issue of uncertainty was resolved at the news conference. Dybantsa wore No.
3 in college, but in Washington that belongs to Trae Young. Dybantsa will
change to No. 4.
"Previously wore No. 3, but I was the No. 1 pick," he said. "Wanted to add
those up, and we got four."
Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points per game in college, becoming the first freshman
to lead the nation in scoring since his new teammate, Young, did it at Oklahoma
in 2017-18.
Washington fans will have a chance soon enough to see what Dybantsa brings on
the court, but Thursday's event was an opportunity to see the type of person
they'll be investing so much hope in. Dybantsa was personable and confident,
and he seemed eager to get down to business. That much was clear back at the
combine before the draft.
"It was like a job. My dad was like, ?This is your first job interview,'" he
said. "So we decided to dress up. I went to a suit and tie in every single
interview. Media availability, that was in a suit and tie. So I just wanted to
treat it like a real job."
That made quite an impression on Wizards general manager Will Dawkins.
"It was a pretty fun first introduction, just to learn the maturity that he
brings," Dawkins said. "We allow opportunities to ask questions. Sometimes you
get the standard questions from guys. We didn't get that from AJ. He's just
curious and mature and asked some really deep questions."
Dybantsa said he intends to graduate college, finishing his studies online, and
he has big plans for how he can make a difference away from basketball. The
19-year-old has already started a foundation aimed at empowering young people.
"My mom's from Jamaica, my dad's from Congo. We're going to start off just
sending 20 kids from there to different universities," he said. "If that's
universities in the continent of Africa, if that's different universities in
Jamaica, if that's universities in the States, we're going to try that. But
after those two, we're just going to expand all around the world. We just want
to help kids all around the world."
___
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