AJ Dybantsa made a poignant statement on draft night as the Washington Wizards selected him with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The young forward, who starred for BYU in his final college season, wore a small pin on his suit that bore the name of a friend he considered an older brother.
A Brother's Memory
Dybantsa and Terrence Clarke grew up side by side in the Boston suburbs, spending countless hours on basketball courts and sharing dreams of NBA stardom. Clarke, a talented guard who had just completed his freshman year at Kentucky, was the person Dybantsa looked up to as a mentor and confidant.
Tragedy struck in April 2021 when Clarke was killed in a car accident in Los Angeles, a loss that reverberated through the basketball community. He was only 19, had averaged 9.6 points per game for the Wildcats, and his death left a void that many described as the end of an era for the tight‑knit group of friends.
Dybantsa’s own path continued to rise, culminating in a standout senior season at BYU where he posted averages of 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He shot 51% from the field and 33.1% from three‑point range, numbers that helped cement his status as the top prospect in the 2026 draft.
On the night of the draft, the pin he wore served as a quiet tribute, a reminder that his achievements were intertwined with Clarke’s memory. Fans and analysts noted the gesture, interpreting it as a blend of personal grief and respect for a friendship that shaped both lives.
The Washington Wizards organization highlighted the moment in a post‑draft interview, emphasizing how Dybantsa’s humility and connection to his roots resonated with the team’s culture. As the draft festivities continued, the story of two Boston boys who shared a love of the game added a human dimension to a night dominated by statistics and projections.