AJ Dybantsa has not played an NBA game yet, but the No. 1 overall pick already knows which challenge he wants most. Appearing on the Road Trippin’ podcast, the Washington Wizards rookie said he wants the opportunity to defend Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic in isolation.
“I just want to be on like an ISO island,” Dybantsa said. “This sounds crazy, but I want to be on an ISO island and just really see if he’s moving that slow.”
The comment reflects the confidence that has made Dybantsa one of basketball’s most highly regarded young prospects. Rather than targeting an offensive matchup, the 19-year-old wants to measure himself against one of the NBA’s most accomplished shot creators, whose change of pace and footwork have consistently challenged even the league’s best defenders.
Doncic enters the 2026-27 season following another elite campaign with the Lakers. He averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds in 64 games while shooting 47.6% from the field and earning All-NBA First Team and All-Star honors. The Lakers finished 53-29, won the Pacific Division and reached the Western Conference semifinals before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Across eight NBA seasons, Doncic has established himself as one of the league’s premier offensive players. The former Rookie of the Year owns career averages of 29.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists in 514 regular-season games. He has been selected to the All-NBA First Team six times and has finished as high as third in MVP voting after averaging a career-best 33.9 points in 2023-24.
Although critics have occasionally questioned Doncic’s lateral quickness, opponents have rarely been able to exploit it consistently. His size, anticipation and ability to control tempo have made him one of the NBA’s most effective offensive engines despite not relying on elite speed or explosiveness.
Dybantsa appears eager to find out firsthand whether the perception matches reality.
The Wizards selected Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick after a standout freshman season at BYU. He averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists over 35 games while shooting 51.0% from the field. He also converted 77.4% of his free throws, demonstrating an ability to score efficiently from multiple areas of the floor.
Washington has reshaped its roster around a mix of established stars and young talent. The franchise retained Trae Young on a four-year contract after acquiring him during the 2025-26 season, while also keeping Anthony Davis and adding Deandre Ayton and Khris Middleton.
Dybantsa joins a young core that includes Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson and Will Riley as the Wizards attempt to accelerate their rebuild after finishing 17-65 last season.
