AJ Dybantsa Responds to Backlash Over His NBA Draft Lottery Reaction

Former BYU forward AJ Dybantsa is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23. That could change. Former Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is lurking and, in some ways, has a higher upside. But for now, Dybantsa is the consensus No. 1.

Last Sunday, Dybantsa and other top prospects attended the NBA Draft Lottery and learned their potential fates. The Washington Wizards, who finished with the league’s worst record at 17-65, won the No. 1 overall pick. The top five were rounded out by the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Clippers, in descending order.

Of course, ESPN’s cameras beelined for Dybantsa shortly after the Wizards claimed the No. 1 spot. Dybantsa’s reaction, or non-reaction, went viral. His stone-cold facial expression was widely interpreted as disappointment. Dybantsa cleared the air at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago this week.

“I mean, I am used to it,” Dybantsa said on NBA TV. “I mean, I’ve been all over social media since I was about 13. But you’re trained not to react. A lot of the top players - like Cooper Flagg last year, and you can go down the line - just have no reaction at all. You don’t want to seem too happy. You don’t want to seem too down. So, I just kept a straight face, kept a poker face, but people [are] just gonna make their own assumptions.”

Nobody would blame Dybantsa if he were secretly pulling for other franchises in the lottery. The appeal of the Oklahoma City Thunder or Golden State Warriors speaks for itself. He could have teamed up with Flagg on the Dallas Mavericks, or he could have joined a promising young core in Atlanta. What rookie wouldn’t want to live in Los Angeles or Miami? But Washington is better than Brooklyn or Sacramento.

It seems counterintuitive that Dybantsa should be excited at the prospect of going to the Wizards because the Wizards are the Wizards. The franchise hasn’t reached the playoffs in five years or won more than 50 games since 1979. But Washington has a chance to be intriguing next season, with Trae Young and Alex Sarr. We’ll see what happens with Anthony Davis.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 4:37 PM.