Projected top pick AJ Dybantsa is already imagining what life could look like with the Washington Wizards, and that includes a jersey-number request aimed at Trae Young.
Appearing on Gil’s Arena, Dybantsa joked that if Washington selects him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, he would want Young’s No. 3 jersey. The BYU star said he had already spoken to the veteran guard about it.
“I already talked to Trae Young, right? Come up off that,” Dybantsa said. “Three ain’t you no more, Trae. Now, if they draft me, I do need three. If they draft me, you never know. We going to see in like five weeks.”
The comments arrived at a notable moment in Dybantsa’s pre-draft process. The freshman wing has narrowed his workouts to only the Wizards and Utah Jazz, the two teams holding the top picks in the 2026 draft.
Washington enters the draft with the No. 1 selection after finishing 17-65, the worst record in the Eastern Conference. Utah, which finished 22-60, owns the second pick, making Dybantsa’s limited workout list a strong indication that his draft range is centered around the top of the board.
Dybantsa also made his case for why Washington should select him first overall during the interview. The 19-year-old pointed to positional versatility, defensive flexibility and an approach centered on team success.
“I think I can guard one through five,” Dybantsa said. “I play the game the right way. Like I try to get wins. I try to get everybody involved.”
He also described himself as an “exciting player” who can generate highlight plays and “fill seats,” while emphasizing that his game blends scoring with playmaking and defensive versatility.
The résumé supports his standing near the top of draft boards. During his lone season at BYU, Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists while starting all 35 games. He shot 51.0% from the field, 33.1% from three-point range and 77.4% at the free-throw line.
From a roster-building perspective, Dybantsa’s fit in Washington is easy to understand. The Wizards already have young perimeter players such as Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington and Tre Johnson, but Dybantsa’s combination of size, shot creation and defensive switchability would give the franchise another foundational piece.
With the draft scheduled for June 23-24 at Barclays Center, Dybantsa’s comments added personality to a process increasingly pointing toward Washington.
