Being the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft does not guarantee that you will have a big future in the biggest basketball league in the world. The Washington Wizards certainly have huge hopes for AJ Dybantsa, especially since the franchise failed to achieve team success with their previous No. 1 pick, John Wall, who was picked in the 2010 NBA Draft.
However, despite the pressure, the 19-year-old BYU Cougars star himself does not appear to be feeling the heat. Dybantsa was asked whether he felt the pressure after being selected first in the 2026 draft, and had a simple answer, per a post on X by NBA TV.
“None,” he said. “Yeah, I am all good.”
Article Continues Below“None.” 😤
The No. 1 pick @AJ_Dybantsa says he isn't feeling any pressure ahead of his rookie season at Wizards Media Day! pic.twitter.com/dmoz2yzQBL
— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 28, 2026
There is little doubt that there is a lot riding on Dybantsa as far as the Wizards are concerned. The franchise last qualified for the playoffs back during the 2020-21 season, and have not made it past the first round since 2017-18.
However, with the likes of Trae Young and Anthony Davis expected to be fit for the coming season, Dybantsa is joining a new-look roster that will be expected to emerge as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. And well, he certainly has all the tools to become the leading star from what is already being seen as one of the deepest and the most talented draft classes in NBA history.
Dybantsa is a three-level scorer with a high IQ and led the nation in scoring last season. In his lone season at BYU, he averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, and the 6-foot-9 star is seen as an elite basketballer with guard-like handles who is equally adept at dropping dimes as he is at scoring.
While the challenge in the NBA will be entirely different and he may take time developing into an elite player, Dybantsa has the right players around him to take the focus off him and develop at his own pace, which may as well prove to be critical as far as the Wizards are concerned.

