AJ Dybantsa is feeling very confident in his existing body of work.
The top draft prospect Dybantsa spoke this week on the “Baseline Banter” podcast. During the episode, Dybantsa made the surprise revelation that he did not work out for a single team prior to the NBA Draft later this month.
“I didn’t work out for none, I just visited the cities,” said Dybantsa. “Take me to the facility, take me to dinner, talk. I don’t gotta workout. They know what I can do.”
The 19-year-old Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 forward, is coming off a magnificent 2025-26 season for BYU. He led Division I with 25.5 points per game and also won the Julius Erving Award as the nation’s top small forward.
Meanwhile, Dybantsa is widely projected to be selected at the top of the draft on June 23. The Washington Wizards currently hold the No. 1 selection, and Dybantsa has already been publicly speaking as if he will be heading to the nation’s capital.
Still, fellow top prospect Darryn Peterson is quickly gaining ground in the race to go No. 1 overall as well, and a report this week claimed that the Wizards are now seriously considering Peterson with the pick. Though Dybantsa might have also skipped workouts in order to avoid the risk of getting hurt, it is still a very bold move that could end up backfiring on Dybantsa if he does not ultimately go with the top selection.
