AJ Dybantsa receives eye-popping NBA Draft comparison to Celtics MVP candidate

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AJ Dybantsa receives eye-popping NBA Draft comparison to Celtics MVP candidate originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

So far, AJ Dybantsa out of the BYU Cougars system seems to be the frontrunner in becoming the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. A lot of Washington Wizards fans have been researching about their star of the future and drawing a lot of eyes. In the latest ESPN player comparisons, a certain Boston Celtics MVP candidate, Jaylen Brown, was the ceiling for the upcoming star.

Dybantsa draws Celtics' Brown NBA Draft comparison that Wizards fans will love​

AJ Dybantsa received three glaring NBA Draft comparisons from ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Jeremy Woo: Jaylen Brown, Kawhi Leonard, and RJ Barrett. The first was that his ceiling will likely be a 'supercharged' Jaylen Brown.

This is not at all a bad comparison given how fairly similar the current Wizards are to the Celtics back in 2016. Prior to drafting Brown, the Celtics already had a great supporting cast led by veterans and astounding role players that showed early flashes of greatness. The Wizards already have a stable core featuring Alex Sarr, Anthony Davis, Bilal Coulibaly, Trae Young, and Tre Johnson. Dybantsa entering the squad and staying there until he becomes an MVP candidate like Brown will surely help the Wizards contend for years to come.

The second comparison that Dybantsa drew was Kawhi Leonard. In an eerily similar fashion to Brown, Leonard was set to inherit a contending Spurs squad that had an aging Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker. His two-way chops at BYU surely proved that he can score and lock up great players who the Wizards typically have problems with.

Lastly, Dybantsa's floor is set to be just like a 'supercharged' RJ Barrett. There were some early struggles when this Duke Blue Devils prospect joined the league. But, a lot of those woes came from the fact that Barrett was expected to uplift the New York Knicks as early as his rookie year, with no space to develop. He is now making a larger impact with the Toronto Raptors. Funny enough, Barrett also knocked down a buzzer-beater in the NBA Playoffs a la Leonard in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

Whether Dybantsa ends up more like the Celtics MVP candidate, the Spurs DPOY, or Raptors legend, the Wizards are clearly getting an immediate contributor at the NBA Draft. Hopefully, they are able to surround him with great mentorship and an even better culture so that he surpasses these expectations.

More Wizards and NBA Draft News:​

• Wizards fans have mixed reactions after getting No. 1 pick in 2026 NBA Draft​

• AJ Dybantsa gets honest on Wizards landing No. 1 NBA Draft pick, playing with Anthony Davis & Trae Young​

• John Wall gets candid on Wizards winning NBA Draft Lottery​

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