AJ Dybantsa is already looking at the NBA through the eyes of someone who wants the toughest possible assignments.
The projected 2026 top pick is not talking like a prospect waiting to be impressed by the league. He is already studying which stars he wants to test himself against and what those matchups can teach him.
That mindset makes his answer stand out. Dybantsa is excited by the challenge, not intimidated by the names waiting for him.
AJ Dybantsa wants Kevin Durant and LeBron James matchups after 2026 NBA Draft
Speaking on Gil’s Arena, Dybantsa was asked which NBA players he is most excited to face once he reaches the league.
“Easy answer, KD him being my favorite player. I just want to guard him and be on the same court as him. Hopefully LeBron’s still playing. Never know with that,” Dybantsa said.
That answer shows both sides of Dybantsa’s mindset. Durant is his favorite player, so being on the same court would clearly mean something to him, but he immediately framed it through defense.
The LeBron part adds another layer because James’ future is never guaranteed at this stage of his career. If he is still playing when Dybantsa arrives, it would give the young wing a rare chance to measure himself against one of the defining players in NBA history.
AJ Dybantsa wants Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic to test easy-scoring myth
Dybantsa then moved from dream matchups to the scorers he wants to study closely once he is defending them in real NBA possessions.
“But I want to see me watching, me being a student of the game and seeing how Shai gets his shot off and how Luka gets his shot off,” he continued.
“I just want to see from a defensive standpoint how it feels because they’re making it look way too easy,” Dybantsa concluded.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic are not just elite scorers; they control pace, angles and balance in ways that make defenders feel late even when they are in position.
Dybantsa is widely expected to be one of the first names called in the 2026 NBA Draft, with several projections already placing him in the No. 1 overall conversation.
If he enters the league as expected, he will soon find out whether Durant, James, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Doncic look as effortless from the floor as they do on film.
For Dybantsa, that is the point. He wants the myth tested, and he wants to be the one standing in front of it.
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