Harry Potter may not be a Washington Wizard, but AJ Dybansta is.
The former BYU star was selected by the Washington Wizards as the number one overall draft pick, making history for the BYU Cougars.
Dybansta becomes the first player in program history and the fourth-ever Big 12 player to be drafted number one overall.
He joins some elite company, joining Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham, Kansas' Andrew Wiggins and Oklahoma's Blake Griffin.
"Being the number one pick, it just meant a lot to me,” Dybansta said. “Throughout all my high school career, I definitely wanted to be a staple, to be number one picked in the NBA Draft and be in the same conversation with LeBron James, Cooper Flagg, Allen Iverson, guys like that."
After being selected by the Wizards, Dybansta sat down to answer a few questions from the media. He was asked what his message was to Wizards fans.
"I'm just super excited,” Dybansta said. “All D.C. fans, I'm super excited to get there tomorrow and I am just so ready to work."
But the 2026 Draft is also significant for the Cougars for another reason. This year's draft marks the first time since 1984 that multiple Cougars have been selected in the same draft.
Senior guard Richie Saunders was selected 32nd overall by the Memphis Grizzlies.
Saunders averaged nearly 19 points, six rebounds and two assists per game while shooting 49% from the field, 37.6% from three and 81.7% from the free throw line.
Unfortunately, his senior season came to an abrupt end after tearing his ACL midseason against Colorado.
In his first press conference with the Grizzlies, Saunders talked a bit about the past few months dealing with his injury.
"I've been just so focused on getting better and focusing on having a great foundation as I enter into this next step from a knee standpoint,” Saunders said. “It's been work, and, you know, I'm just grateful to be here. I'm grateful to finish my rehab here and be playing when I'm playing, and be able to just work alongside these guys, alongside the rest of the team, and bring what I bring to the table and help win games."
The NBA may also feature another Cougar in the 2027 season. Undrafted center Keba Keita signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Indiana Pacers.
An Exhibit 10 contract is basically a training camp and G League contract. The Pacers signed Keita to the contract to bring him to their Summer League and training camp to evaluate his performance against NBA-caliber talent.
Once that contract expires, the Pacers will either keep him on the roster, convert him to a two-way contract or waive him and have him play for the team's G League affiliate.
Either way, BYU showed out in the 2026 NBA Draft, proving the program can produce NBA talent under Kevin Young.