NBA Draft 2026: Wizards select teen sensation AJ Dybantsa with No. 1 pick

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkBYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) controls the ball while being defended by Houston Cougars forward Chris Cenac Jr. (5) during the first half at Marriott Center. [Aaron Baker-Imagn Images/Reuters]By AFPPublished On 24 Jun 202624 Jun 2026Towering teenager Anicet “AJ” Dybantsa Jr was chosen by the Washington Wizards with the number one pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday.The 6ft 9in (2.06m) 19-year-old forward was selected by the Wizards after playing just one season of college basketball with the Brigham Young University Cougars.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3‘I’m back’: Ronaldo breaks records, joins World Cup party in Portugal’s winlist 2 of 3‘Together all the time’: Trump, Infantino to present World Cup final trophylist 3 of 3World Cup knockouts: Who has made it to the round of 32 stage?end of listIn 2025-26, Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points in 35 starts with 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists.Dybantsa enters the NBA after a stellar career in youth basketball, which also saw him lead the United States to the 2025 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, where he was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.AJ Dybantsa is congratulated by Chris Cenac Jr after he is drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards during round one of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026, in New York City [Arturo Holmes/Getty Images/AFP]“It means a lot,” Dybantsa told ESPN moments after his selection.“Obviously, it’s just a stepping stone, and I have a lot more work to do. But it’s a testament to all my hard work and discipline and the sacrifices that I’ve made,” he added.NBA Draft so farThe Utah Jazz, meanwhile, opted for University of Kansas prospect Darryn Peterson with the second pick.Like Dybantsa, the 6ft 6in guard also enters the NBA after just a single season of college basketball, where he averaged 20.2 points.A natural scorer, Peterson is seen as the perfect fit to play alongside Utah’s Keyonte George as the Jazz attempt to rebuild after a dismal 22-60 season.The Memphis Grizzlies, meanwhile, chose consensus national player of the year Cameron Boozer with the third pick of the draft.Boozer is the son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, a 13-year NBA veteran who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.The 18-year-old played one season with Duke University, averaging 22.5 points in 38 starts.The 6ft 9in prospect was regarded by many as the most naturally gifted player in this year’s draft, combining natural all-court skills with physical heft.His college season ended in March when he suffered multiple fractures around his right eye during Duke’s 73-72 defeat to the University of Connecticut in the Elite Eight round of the college competition.“Honestly, man, it’s crazy,” Boozer said afterwards. “Just a lot of happiness and joy – my whole life in a couple of seconds.”Boozer, sitting alongside his parents and brothers as he spoke to ESPN, said he owed his success to his family.“As a family sitting here, I wouldn’t be here without these guys sitting right here,” Boozer said. “It’s just a great feeling to be here with them. They’ve been there with me every step of the way.”