AJ Dybantsa had a short yet amazing message on his first-ever NBA rookie card.
The 2026 NBA Draft kicked off with the Washington Wizards selecting former BYU Cougars star AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick.
Dybantsa is viewed as one of the most touted rookies in recent years, but on draft night, he made headlines for something entirely different than his on-court skills.
AJ Dybantsa’s message on the NBA rookie card revealed
In the modern era, the NBA stars’ licensed trading cards market has exploded, with the right card fetching a large sum of money from collectors.
Keeping that in mind, Dybantsa’s rookie card is expected to be sold for a huge amount of money. Speaking of the card, Topps’ official X handle revealed Dybantsa’s message on his rookie card.
“My 1st NBA auto,” Dybantsa wrote on his rookie card along with his signature.
The four-word message, along with his initials “AJ” could one day be worth millions if Dybantsa ends up becoming the superstar that he’s expected to be in the league.
AJ Dybantsa will spearhead the new era of the Washington Wizards
Focusing on the basketball aspect of things, Dybantsa will enter the NBA after averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game for the Cougars.
While he failed to lead the Cougars to the NCAA Championships, he earned a plethora of individual accolades, including being named a 2025-26 Consensus All-American player.
He will now join a Wizards roster that already features the dynamic duo of Trae Young and Anthony Davis.
Eventually, Dybantsa is expected to lead the Wizards to an NBA Championship with No. 2 overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, Alex Sarr, who has gradually improved his game in Washington.
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