Trae Young believes AJ Dybantsa has the talent and confidence to become one of the NBA’s leading stars, praising the Washington Wizards rookie after his first four preseason appearances.
“He’s 1 of 1 for sure. He’s definitely confident in himself but he has all the reason to. He’s gonna be one of the future faces of this league for sure for a long time coming. I’m happy he’s a part of my team,” Young said of Dybantsa.
Washington selected Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft after the forward averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 35 games during his lone season at BYU. He shot 51.0% from the field and 33.1% from three-point range, establishing himself as one of college basketball’s most productive scorers.
Dybantsa has continued to show his scoring ability during the Wizards’ 2026 preseason. He has recorded 12 points against the New Orleans Pelicans, 14 against the Brooklyn Nets, 14 against the Detroit Pistons and 11 against the New York Knicks.
The rookie averaged 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists across those four games, shooting 44.0% from the field. He played between 15 and 25 minutes in each appearance.
Washington is building its new core around Dybantsa and Young, who signed a four-year, $212.8 million maximum contract in July. The Wizards acquired Young from the Atlanta Hawks on January 9, sending CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to Atlanta, but he appeared in only five games for Washington before the offseason.
The franchise selected Dybantsa after finishing the 2025-26 regular season with a league-worst 17-65 record. His arrival represents the centerpiece of Washington’s rebuild, with the team hoping his scoring production can translate to the NBA.
