Anicet โAJโ Dybantsa Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the NBA. He played one year of college basketball for the BYU Cougars and was selected first overall by the Wizards in the 2026 NBA draft.
๐ Early Life and Background
Dybantsa was born on January 29, 2007, in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Brockton. He initially attended Saint Sebastianโs School. Dybantsa is of Congolese and Jamaican heritage; his father, Ace, was born in the Republic of Congo and moved to Grigny, France, and his mother, Chelsea, is from Jamaica.
๐ High School Career
He was named the Massachusetts Boysโ Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year following his freshman season after averaging 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.5 blocks per game. Dybantsa helped lead Saint Sebastianโs to the NEPSAC Class A state championship, but lost to Milton Academy 77โ76.
Dybantsa transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California at the end of his freshman year, where he teamed up with the second-ranked player in the 2026 class, Tyran Stokes. In July 2023, Dybantsa led the Nike Peach Jam in scoring with 25.8 points per game as a member of Expressions Elite. Dybantsa concluded his high school basketball career attending and playing for Utah Prep Academy in Hurricane, Utah for the 2024-25 season.
โญ Recruiting and College
Dybantsa was named the number one NBA prospect in the 2026 class by ESPN following his high school freshman season. On October 11, 2023, Dybantsa announced that he had reclassified to the 2025 class. On December 10, 2024, Dybantsa announced on First Take that he would be committing to BYU. He became the highest-ranked committed recruit to join BYU in program history.
On January 24, 2026, Dybantsa passed Danny Ainge for the most points posted by a BYU freshman in a game, recording 43 points during a 91โ78 victory over Utah. On April 22, Dybantsa declared for the 2026 NBA draft, in which he was projected as a potential first overall pick. Dybantsa was selected first overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2026 NBA draft.
๐ International Career
Dybantsa won a gold medal while representing the United States at the 2023 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Mรฉrida, Mexico. He scored 12 points in the gold medal game and averaged 13.9 points for the tournament. The following year, he helped the United States win the title at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup in Turkey, where he averaged 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists. In 2025, Dybantsa was named MVP of the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, after helping the United States win their ninth title at the event. He averaged 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists during the tournament.
| Category | Detail | Category | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Anicet โAJโ Dybantsa Jr. | Birth Date | January 29, 2007 |
| Birthplace | Boston, Massachusetts | Heritage | Congolese and Jamaican |
| NBA Team | Washington Wizards | College | BYU Cougars |
| Draft Year | 2026 (1st overall) | High School | Utah Prep Academy |