The Washington Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday, immediately sparking questions about his uniform number. The 19-year-old forward has made it clear he wants No. 3, the same number he wore at BYU and throughout high school, setting up an interesting situation with his new teammate.

Trae Young, acquired from Atlanta in January, switched to No. 3 after joining Washington, abandoning his previous No. 11 that the Wizards retired for Elvin Hayes. Dybantsa addressed this potential conflict on Gilbert Arenas' podcast earlier in June, saying 'If they draft me, I do need 3, Trae. You never know, we gonna see in like five weeks.' Young welcomed Dybantsa but indicated any jersey discussions would happen later, leaving the rookie to potentially navigate traditional rookie duties for his preferred number.

Young plans to sign a $212 million four-year contract with Washington, including a player option for the final season. Dybantsa joins a revamped Wizards roster alongside Young and 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, making Washington the third No. 1 pick since relocating to D.C. in 1973. The jersey number situation adds immediate intrigue to what should be a promising partnership.

The conflict highlights how draft night celebrations quickly shift to practical concerns, with Young holding the advantage as the established veteran who controls the number while the rookie may need to negotiate his way to wearing No. 3 in the NBA.