Expected top NBA Draft pick says he wants to play for Spurs
12/10/2024 08:51 PM
AJ Dybantsa breaks down his future on ESPN's First Take.
In the basketball world, having your name come up in conversations that have nothing to do with you is likely a good thing. When it's coming from a player talking about where they want to play, it's certainly a good thing. That's happening more and more for the San Antonio Spurs these days.
On Tuesday, they were brought up by one of the most sought-after high school prospects in the United States. When AJ Dybantsa committed to the BYU Cougars on ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith asked the #1 recruit in the 2025 high school class where he'd eventually like to play in the NBA.
"Spurs and Magic," Dybantsa responded.
Stephen A. Smith: "Is there a system that exists out there that you think is tailor-made for you?"
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 10, 2024
AJ Dybantsa: "NBA?"
SAS: "Yes."
AJ: "Spurs & Magic. ... How do you think me and Wemby would play? ... Me and Paolo [would] just go crazy together."pic.twitter.com/8GwjaFAJvO
Dybantsa referenced Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama as the reason he'd like to don the Silver and Black. His friend Paolo Banchero is his draw to the Orlando Magic. Dybantsa is a do-it-all scoring forward playing high school ball in Utah right now, and is expected to be a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
With the Spurs steadily building a contending roster, it may be hard for Dybantsa's team preferences to be met. In the 2026 draft, San Antonio owns its own pick and the rights to swap with the Atlanta Hawks, if they have a higher pick.
Draft position aside, this is another sign of the Spurs being a true destination for the current and future stars of the NBA. Wembanyama has put them in the position to be an excellent basketball fit for a lot of highly talented players. In the 2024 NBA Draft, prospects like Rob Dillingham openly told the media he wanted to play with Wemby and the Spurs. San Antonio rookie Stephon Castle's approach to pre-draft interviews may indicate he wanted to play with the Spurs as well.
Even if the Spurs can't draft these players that want to be there, they will be a steady presence that will beckon players to consider coming to San Antonio to supplement Wembanyama. That's newfound ground for a franchise that hasn't always made the biggest acquisitions in the past. An alien like Wemby changes everything. Dybantsa isn't the first, nor will he be the last player to want to team up with him.
