AJ Dybantsa is an NBA rookie. He's been a pro for years.
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
AJ Dybantsa is the face of a new era for the Washington Wizards. Photo: Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images
AJ Dybantsa had just finished his first press conference of his rookie season when he made eye contact with a Wizards executive who helps coordinate the team's messaging.
- "Growth!" he exclaimed.
- Dybantsa celebrated hitting that buzzword as if he'd sunk a half-court buzzer-beater.
Reality check: Really, it was a layup. The 19-year-old has plenty of practice being a pro.
Why it matters: After years near the bottom of the NBA standings, the Wizards are counting on the No. 1 pick to become the face of their franchise — and help make them one of D.C.'s hottest tickets.
Flashback: Dybantsa — a big, athletic forward who can do it all — has been in the spotlight since middle school, with highlight tapes circulating before he was a teenager.
- At 16, he signed a name, image and likeness deal with Nike.
As a kid, AJ received an allowance from his parents, who encouraged him to save, his father, Anicet Sr., tells Axios.
- He'd occasionally spend some at McDonald's, his dad said, but not much else.
- "He hasn't bought a pair of sneakers since he was 16, since he had a Nike NIL.. … He doesn't lose money on clothes, because he can get them for free."
Then came college: Dybantsa's choice of BYU might have seemed unusual for a Brockton, Massachusetts native.
- The reported payday made it easier to understand: More than $5 million in NIL money.
- His lone season there — when he led the nation with 25.5 points per game — cemented his status as a potential star.
By the time Dybantsa landed in Washington, he was already a big business.
- He had re-signed with Nike, which helped develop his "Starboy" logo, and has endorsements with Fanatics and Red Bull.
Behind the scenes: Rather than hire a traditional agent, Dybantsa relies on a team of roughly a dozen people overseen by his father, who goes by Ace.
- The group includes a business manager, adviser, life coach and a social media team.
- "I'm the CEO," Ace, who left his job as a Boston University campus police officer in 2024 to manage his son's career full time, told Axios.
The bottom line: AJ came of age during a revolution: An athlete can be famous, sponsored and making millions before entering the league.
- Now comes the added pressure of being the face of a franchise.
- And perhaps an entire city.
What's next: Next week, we'll explore how Dybantsa learned to navigate life in the spotlight and control what fans see.
- Part of that is posting on LinkedIn, where Dybantsa lists one job under "Experience": "Professional Basketball Player — Washington Wizards — Full-time."
The start date is 2026. But in many ways, he's been a pro for years.