AJ Dybantsa Already Putting Defensive Doubts to Bed Following Wizards' Preseason Opener

Few 2026 NBA Draft prospects came close to matching AJ Dybantsa's all-around upside, and that was some strange marginal statistics lining his excellent-as-advertised scoring package. Only blocking 12 total shots as BYU's one-and-done star raised the occasional eyebrow, but his inherent athleticism and length encouraged evaluators to buy into his inherent tools and mindset over that small span of collegiate results.

When he went to the Washington Wizards with this past draft's top pick, doubters were quick to ask where he'd fit into their scheme on both sides of the ball with someone as hard-to-ignore as Trae Young headlining the starting-five. On defense, particularly, he'd need to find a way to fill in the gaps in order to spare Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis from having to over-exert themselves down low.

Just one game into the Wizards' preseason schedule, and Dybantsa's already made genuine headway in locating his defensive role as one of the squad's premier pocket-pickers. He racked up four steals to partner with 11 points in his 111-109 winning debut against the New York Knicks, already alleviating some of his game's loudest concerns with the apprehension of a seasoned pro.

Every AJ Dybantsa steal from Wizards-Knicks:

1. Jump-deflects Brunson from behind after getting beat at the arc
2. Intercepts passing lane under the rim
3. Right place, right time to clean up bad Drummond feed
4. Plays OG from inside to swat another sloppy entry pass pic.twitter.com/h09luZ72Fv
— All Wizards Talk (@AllWizardsTalk) October 9, 2026

Dybantsa's Preseason Defensive Preparation

The prized prospect never hid from the qualms that evaluators had with his style, telling On SI shortly after the draft that Washington had immediately challenged him to become a better defender on and away from the ball. He'd have to adapt to less time as the featured go-to option at the next level, and part of that adjustment meant more energy to divert to hustle-based categories.

He's already provided viewers with a peek what he's capable of offering in that Knicks showcase, deterring opponents in isolation while jumping passing lanes as a team-defender. He can rotate over to anticipate errant cross-court reads while doubling up and crowding flummoxed drivers, backing up his prior claims that defense primarily comes down to effort.

“I always knew I had defensive potential. It was just me being lazy in college," he told Wizards media the following day. "I’m definitely capable of [defending] at the highest level."

AJ Dybantsa on his defense following his four-steal game vs New York:

“I always knew I had defensive potential. It was just me being lazy in college … I’m definitely capable of [defending] at the highest level.” pic.twitter.com/3UNXU6C6Ec
— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) October 9, 2026

He was similarly-impactful during his two-game Summer League adventure, loudly communicating in smoothly transitioning to a lead role alongside Washington's other prospects. It'll help that he's slated to play within a wing rotation already employing other key defenders like Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and Justin Champagnie, providing him with plenty of cushion to lean on in adjusting to the size, technique and pace of the bigs.

It's just one game in the preseason, but we can already assume that he won't be a liability, and that's all that's really required out of Dybantsa's maiden defensive campaign. Don't strain Davis and Sarr while cover up for the smaller Young, and everyone will be happy on that end of the court.

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