New York (AFP) – Towering teenager Anicet “A.J.” Dybantsa Jr was chosen by the Washington Wizards with the number one pick in the NBA Draft on Tuesday. The 6ft 8in (2.03m) 19-year-old forward was scooped by the Wizards after playing just one season of college basketball with the Brigham Young University Cougars. In 2025-2026, Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points from 35 games with 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
Dybantsa enters the NBA after a stellar career in youth basketball which also saw him lead the United States to the 2025 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, where he was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament. “It means a lot,” Dybantsa told ESPN moments after his selection. “Obviously, it’s just a stepping stone and I have a lot more work to do. But it’s a testament to all my hard work and discipline and the sacrifices that I’ve made,” he added.
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The Utah Jazz, meanwhile, opted for University of Kansas prospect Darryn Peterson with the second pick. Like Dybantsa, the 6ft 6in guard also enters the NBA after just a single season of college basketball where he averaged 20.2 points. A natural scorer, Peterson is seen as the perfect fit to play alongside Utah’s Keyonte George as the Jazz attempt to rebuild after a dismal 22-60 season.
The Memphis Grizzlies, meanwhile, chose 2026 National College Player of the Year Cameron Boozer with the third pick of the draft. Boozer is the son of two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer, a 13-year NBA veteran who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers. The 18-year-old played one season with Duke University, averaging 22.5 points in 38 starts. The 6ft 9in prospect was regarded by many as the most naturally gifted player in this year’s draft, combining natural all-court skills with physical heft.
His college season ended in March when he suffered multiple fractures around his right eye during Duke’s 73-72 defeat to the University of Connecticut in the “Elite Eight” college competition. “Honestly man, it’s crazy,” Boozer said afterwards. “Just a lot of happiness and joy — my whole life in a couple of seconds.” Boozer, sitting alongside his parents and brothers as he spoke to ESPN, said he owed his success to his family. “As a family sitting here, I wouldn’t be here without these guys sitting right here,” Boozer said. “It’s just a great feeling to be here with them. They’ve been there with me every step of the way.”
© 2024 AFP
