New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) points in the direction of Knicks fan Spike Lee (not pictured) after a three point shot against the New York Knicks during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Making the leap to the NBA is a surreal experience for young rookie athletes. As much as nerves and anxiety are prevalent, there’s also great excitement and anticipation over the challenges to come.
For Wizards rookie AJ Dybantsa, there’s a lot to look forward to in his inaugural season. Besides his place on a rising Wizards team, he gets to play with and against some of the game’s most elite scorers. When asked specifically which opponent he’s looking forward to the most, Dybantsa had an interesting response that included Lakers star Luka Doncic.
“I watched Luka play live, and it’s so easy for them. I just want to be on the defensive end and just see if it’s that easy,” said Dybantsa. “This sounds crazy, but I just want to be on like an ISO island. This sounds crazy, but I want to be on an ISO island and just really see if he’s moving that slow.”
Drafted first overall this summer, AJ Dybantsa has a bright future ahead, but the road to success begins with humility. Before he can rise to a higher station in D.C., he must first learn the basics of how to be effective on the floor. Obviously, with the Wizards’ support, he’ll be equipped to make major improvements throughout the season, but there are some things that can only be learned through experience.
For AJ, the most challenging part will be matchups against other elite stars. Particularly, he looks at guys like Luka Doncic in awe. Despite his lack of athleticism and relatively slow running speed, the Slovenian star is unstoppable with the ball in his hands. More than anything, he excels at creating space through stepbacks and dribble moves, which have become his signature.
Watching from the sidelines, Luka’s game can be hard to believe at times, and there’s a sense that he’s much harder to guard than it appears. The numbers also support that case, given Doncic’s season averages in 2025-26: 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 47.6% shooting and 36.6% shooting from three.
We don’t yet know the NBA’s schedule for next season, but AJ may want to be careful what he wishes for. In the past, Luka has been known to hold grudges, and he could perceive AJ’s comments as a direct challenge to his game. Barring injuries, Dybantsa will likely see Doncic at least twice next season and, if nothing else, we know he’ll be trying to make the most of it. As a true student of the game and an admirer of greatness, AJ wants to see Luka’s game for himself, and how he responds will tell us a lot about where he’s at as a player.
As for how the Wizards will stack up, that much remains to be seen. Expectations can only be set so high for AJ Dybantsa, but he’ll have plenty of help to lean on with Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Bilal Coulibaly, and Alex Sarr. By all accounts, this will be a season for the ages in D.C., but it will also be a learning experience for the rookies that may just define the rest of their careers.