AJ Dybantsa may be more of a two-way player than he let on during his lone year at BYU.
The Washington Wizards rookie put on a strong defensive showing in his first NBA preseason action Thursday against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, N.Y. Dybantsa was active in the passing lanes and recorded four steals in a 111-109 win over the defending champions.
Dybantsa also stonewalled OG Anunoby during a one-on-one matchup defending the NBA Finals hero. Anunoby tried to beat Dybantsa off the dribble, but the No. 1 overall pick managed to stay with him step-for-step.
Anunoby then tried to use his 240-pound frame to bully his way to the rim, but ended up passing it out when he Dybantsa bodied him up as well.
AJ Dybantsa stays on his feet in isolation against OG Anunoby, holding up laterally while hanging physically when the threat of the snatch-back three turns into a failed drive attempt. Forcing an eventual miss after momentarily staying put for the potential help was the cherry https://t.co/X3OfAW4e7g
— All Wizards Talk (@AllWizardsTalk) October 9, 2026
Dybantsa spoke to reporters on Friday and spoke about the impact he had defensively in the win over the Knicks.
“I always knew I had the defensive potential,” Dybantsa told reporters, via Bullets Forever’s Greg Finberg. “It was just me being lazy in college, but definitely want to bring defensive impact to this team.”
“I’m definitely capable of [defending] at the highest level, so why not play with emotion and heart defensively?”
With a 6’9″ frame and top-shelf athleticism, Dybantsa has the genetic makeup to be an elite defender. That just wasn’t the case during his one year at BYU, partly because he had to carry an immense offensive load. His offensive responsibilities multiplied when senior Richie Saunders suffered a season-ending torn ACL in February.
Dybantsa won’t have to do the same heavy lifting on offense with the Wizards, who brought on All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis last season. If anything, Dybantsa might not get the amount of touches one would expect from the No. 1 pick in his rookie season.
Fortunately for Wizards fans, Dybantsa appears ready to take his frustrations out on the defensive end.
