AJ Dybantsa got what may be his first taste of the current culture of podcasting and social media, where one feeds the other, often putting players like the Washington Wizards rookie in difficult situations.
He has largely said and done all the right things in the court of public opinion
That is, until he stepped on stage and his youth showed in a way that was not well received by some of the internet commentators.
Wizards’ AJ Dybansta Gets Support From Michael Redd
GettyAJ Dybantsa drew some noteworthy support after his on-stage moment.
Dybantsa struggled through a nickname game during an appearance on “The Draymond Green Show” on July 19 while at Fanatics Fest NYC, which peaked when the Washington Wizards rookie failed to properly identify “The Human Highlight Film,” a.k.a., Dominique Wilkins.
Wilkins was seated right next to him on the stage.
Dybantsa’s lack of an answer reached social media, where was highlighted, a reaction that drew the attention of NBA–and, more specifically, Milwaukee Bucks–legend Michael Redd.
“That’s the takeaway?” Redd posted on X on July 20, questioning one prominent handle’s mention of the faux pas and adding that he has “consumed a fair amount of AJ’s content on YouTube, via Overtime, SLAM, and his own channel” and has come to a strong conclusion.
Dybantsa knows ball.
“You can say a lot of things about AJ, but you can’t say he’s not a student of the game. (I know. I’ve been baited again on here, haha.)” Redd said.
“Respectfully, why would he know Nique’s nickname? I was pleasantly surprised he knew Tim Duncan’s. But, in general, if you listen to AJ talk, he references a lot of players who came before him. And that’s rare. That he missed this one isn’t the lowlight. What he generally does know is the highlight.”
Redd capped his message with a saluting emoji and by tagging Dybantsa.
AJ Dybantsa Sends Fitting Message
GettyAJ Dybantsa continues to show he is built for the spotlight.
Dybantsa will surely move on from not recognizing nicknames quick enough, and the Wizards’ youngster shared a message that, while possibly unrelated, was certainly fitting in the wake of his appearance on Green’s show alongside Wilkins.
“Play it P..cause when the time come, they gon’ see,” Dybantsa captioned the post on Instagram on July 20, which also included several pictures of himself enjoying his offseason circuit.
He also shared the same message in a post on X.
Dybantsa seems to be enjoying his experience so far, including being embraced by veteran teammates Anthony Davis and Trae Young. He has even entertained the idea of a surprise (and unlikely) potential pairing with LeBron James.
The No. 1 pick purchased a trading card of himself while at Fanatics Fest NYC. It was a nice photo opportunity and, potentially, investment in himself.
It is certainly a fitting metaphor for how much he seemingly controls his basketball destiny.
Dybantsa’s talent level was clear during Summer League. It will be up to him and the Wizards to put all of the pieces together during the upcoming 2026-27 season and, they hope, for many more years to come.
Dybantsa is off to an encouraging start to his NBA career. He gives the Wizards someone to build their long-term vision around.
AJ Dybantsa Gets Strong Words From NBA Legend After Wizards Rookie Takes Heat