After being selected by the Washington Wizards with the No. 1 pick of this summer’s draft, AJ Dybantsa is aware of the territory that comes with being the top pick, but the former BYU guard has much higher expectations for himself.
Dybantsa recently revealed the valuable advice he received from Dwyane Wade. He said that the former Miami Heat star challenged him to eventually become one of the greatest players to step on an NBA court when his career is all said and done.
“I spoke to Dwyane Wade right before the draft, and I told him I want to be a Hall of Famer, and he said that’s what he wanted to be too until he got selected for the Top 75, and that was like a bigger moment for him than the Hall of Fame,” Dybantsa recalled.
“He said 20 years from now will be the 100th anniversary, and I should be aiming for the Top 100 instead of just the Hall of Fame, so that’s my new goal,” he continued.
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AJ Dybantsa flashes superstar potential during Washington Wizards Summer League stint
The Washington Wizards remain undefeated in the Summer League, improving to a 2-0 record with a 104-85 victory over the Sacramento Kings. AJ Dybantsa was among the team’s top performers, contributing 23 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two blocks on 6-for-15 shooting from the field in 24 minutes.
Before this, Dybantsa produced 27 points in his Summer League debut against the Utah Jazz last Thursday, where he went up against No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson. There’s a huge chance Dybantsa will be shut down for the rest of the tournament.
“It was kind of just testing grounds for me,” Dybantsa said. “Just trying to get used to the game speed, to the plays, to the players and my teammates, and the physicality of the game.”
“I’ve been telling my trainers I think I could be a first-team All-Defensive team guy. So, I mean, that’s just what I’m trying to make, an impact on the defensive end,” he added about his ceiling.
