AJ Dybantsa entered the NBA with very few questions about his ability to score. His defense, however, was a different story.
Dybantsa faced criticism for his effort on that end of the floor during his lone season at BYU, and the No. 1 overall pick has even acknowledged that it was an area of his game that needed to improve.
If his first preseason appearance with the Washington Wizards was any indication, Dybantsa appears determined to change that narrative quickly.
The rookie recorded four steals in the first half against the New York Knicks, using his length and athleticism to disrupt passing lanes and create opportunities for Washington in transition. His performance caught the attention of Locked On Wizards host Ben Strober.
“AJ Dybantsa’s first preseason appearance was incredibly encouraging, I would say, especially defensively. He made a statement on the defensive side of the ball. Everybody knew that AJ could score. We saw it in Summer League. Everybody knows that’s why he was drafted first overall. But he absolutely made a statement with the intensity he brought on the defensive side of the basketball. Four steals in the first half of this game. His length was immediately noticeable, especially disrupting passing lanes… For a guy that everybody said defensively he was lazy on that side of the ball at BYU, it’s going to be a problem for him. He clearly took that personal and he made it his mission tonight to show that he can get it done on that end, and he absolutely got it done in a big way.”
It was only Dybantsa’s first preseason game, so there is obviously a long way to go before any conclusions can be drawn about the type of defender he will become in the NBA.
But the tools have never been the issue.
At his size and with his athleticism, Dybantsa has the physical ability to become a disruptive defender. The bigger question has been whether he will consistently bring the effort and intensity necessary to maximize those tools.
Against New York, he did exactly that.
That could be particularly important for a Wizards team that has made improving defensively a major priority. Washington doesn’t necessarily need Dybantsa to carry the offense immediately with Trae Young and Anthony Davis alongside him, potentially giving the rookie more freedom to expend energy on the defensive end.
One preseason performance won’t erase every question surrounding Dybantsa’s defense.
Four first-half steals, however, were a pretty convincing way to begin answering them.
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