Analysis: Memorable draft night sends No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa to the nation’s capital as a BYU hero and Washington’s new hope

BROOKLYN — Anticipation, confusion, realization, elation.

It was a quick swing of emotions at the Barclays Center Tuesday night as NBA commissioner Adam Silver took the podium to announce AJ Dybantsa as the first pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Many fans and analysts had expected the Washington Wizards to select Dybantsa No. 1 overall, but few were expecting to hear his full name — Anicet Dybantsa Jr. — from Silver’s lips rather than simply “AJ.”

Dybantsa had always planned for his full name to be read at the draft, but most of the Brooklyn crowd must have missed that memo, being briefly caught off guard to think for just a split second that some other mystery player named “Anicet” was going No. 1 instead of the BYU star or soon-to-be Utah Jazzman Darryn Peterson.

Of course, the surname “Dybantsa” quickly solved the minor mystery for everyone out of the loop, allowing the fans in attendance to burst into a hefty chorus of cheers in excitement for the nation’s leading college scorer last season and First Team All-American.

The hushed lull prior to the fanfare made the eventual crowd pop all the more jarring. It was clear Dybantsa stood as the clear star of the draft, having received the warmest reception during his initial introduction with his fellow prospects and seemingly most resonated with the collective arena audience — and not just those sporting Wizards, throwback Washington Bullets or BYU gear.

As for the name, Dybantsa says the world can “stick with AJ,” but that hearing the name Anicet called was especially meaningful to him as a tribute to his father, Anicet Sr., better known as “Ace.”

“It’s my day today, but without him I wouldn’t be here, so I wanted to add his name,” a Wizards-hat donning Dybantsa told reporters about an hour after sharing the stage with Silver.

“… I don’t know how to explain it. So many sacrifices that (Ace)’s made. He quit his job just to retire to come move in with me at Utah Prep (as a high school senior) so I’d be safe … All the little stuff that I didn’t notice he was doing at a young age is obviously paying off now. He’s my dad. I mean, he acts as my manager, he does a whole bunch of stuff that he doesn’t have to do, but I just give him the utmost thanks.”

Dybantsa said he first learned of Washington’s intention to select him when he heard it from Silver at the podium, with Ace later echoing the same claim that the Wizards brass never spilled the beans beforehand.

Whether the Dybantsas were truly surprised or not, one thing was more than obvious — they’re thrilled to be headed to the nation’s capital as the No. 1 pick, having had an “amazing” predraft visit with the organization.

“I got to meet the staff, got to see the facility. It was great,” Dybantsa said of his trip to Washington. “I went to see a (Washington) Mystics (WNBA) game when they played the (New York) Liberty, and they actually won. I think I might have been some good luck.

“I’m super excited for all the D.C. fans, super excited to get there tomorrow and get to work. Summer league is coming up soon. I’m just ready to work.”

The Wizards haven’t had a winning season since 2018, nor have they enjoyed a 50-win campaign since 1979. Despite the team’s underwhelming nearly past half century, Dybantsa is confident in his ability to help turn things around in D.C., where he’ll now be viewed as the prize for a lengthy, elaborate and loss-filled rebuild.

Assisting Dybantsa in the Wizards’ hopeful return to NBA relevance and contention are a number of promising young pieces in Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr, Will Riley and others within the team’s intriguing young core, along with veteran All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis, who were acquired by Washington earlier this year.

“I think I bring versatility,” Dybantsa said. “Obviously (Washington) re-signing Trae, having AD, I think I can just fit in as an off-ball guy that can score in different ways, score in transition, score off the catch, score off the dribble.

“But also (the Wizards) challenged me. When they talked to me, ‘If we pick you, we want you to play defense 94 feet and pick up,’ so I definitely bring that, too. … Having vets, All-Star guys like Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and guys who have won (championships) like Anthony Davis, I think I can kind of pick their brains and just get some easy knowledge (as a rookie).”

Even with his sights set on Washington, Dybantsa hasn’t forgotten where he just was, expressing that it “means a lot” to be the first No. 1 draft choice to come from BYU.

“They welcomed with open arms. I give the utmost thanks to BYU, (head coach Kevin Young) and the whole staff for just believing me,” Dybantsa said.

“I knew I wanted to commit (to BYU) when I went on that (first) visit. I saw Egor (Demin) today too, so it’s just BYU family all around, and I just give them thanks.”

Dybantsa will head down south to Washington on Wednesday, where he’ll meet with the local media Thursday morning and introduce himself to the fan base at a rally in the afternoon.

And aside from arriving in his new home, he does have one simple plan for Wednesday.

“I’ll probably work out tomorrow,” Dybantsa said, “If I can, if they let me.”

And thus begins the Dybantsa era in D.C., where the name “Anicet Jr.” now signifies “hope.”