Adam Silver fooled fans so badly while announcing the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft

Jun 2, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver talks to media before game one of the 2022 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Silver hit the people with the pump fake during the NBA Draft.

The NBA held Day 1 of the 2026 Draft on Tuesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. But from the very start of the event, the NBA commissioner Silver was out there keeping viewers on their toes.

The Washington Wizards selected former BYU star AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick. It was largely the expected outcome all along (as even Dybantsa had already been talking for weeks as if he would be a member of the Wizards).

But when Silver announced the pick, he did something very unexpected. He called Dybantsa by his full name of “Anicet Dybantsa Junior.”

Yer a Wizard, AJ

AJ Dybantsa is heading to the District at No. 1 pic.twitter.com/42atCNr441
— ESPN (@espn) June 24, 2026

Many fans commented online about how Silver had gotten them with the announcement. Take a look at some of the funniest reactions.

When Adam Silver started to say AJ’s full name pic.twitter.com/8WAuEZ0RcN
— NYKTerry (@NykTerry) June 24, 2026

How Adam Silver felt pump faking us with “Anicet” pic.twitter.com/9t10DniUaU
— RunUp (@RunUpNYK) June 24, 2026

“The Wizards elect Anicet…”

…Dybansta” pic.twitter.com/pKagvDppyL
— Offside (@joinoffside) June 24, 2026

Me, when Adam Silver said, Anicet. Ha.#NBAdraft pic.twitter.com/XkLo8VFgKR
— Nick (@TheN1ckM) June 24, 2026

Dybantsa, 19, is of Congolese and Jamaican descent. He paid tribute to his family roots with his recently-released logo for Nike and did so again on Tuesday night as he entered the NBA with his full and complete name being called out by Commissioner Silver.