Victor Wembanyama continues to shape the NBA, even in his second season. As he dominates, young prospects dream of playing alongside him. One of them is AJ Dybantsa, the top-ranked high school player in the 2026 NBA Draft class. Dybantsa, committed to BYU, recently traveled to Paris to watch Wembanyama play in the NBA Global Games. The experience left him in awe.
AJ Dybantsa-Wembanyama Spurs Dream Now Impossible
“I think Victor is just ridiculous; the things he does are just crazy,” Dybantsa told Brian Windhorst of ESPN. “I just think we would’ve been a crazy duo. Now the odds of that happening are very slim. But I mean, it was just a thought that came up in my mind when he got drafted. But you never know.”
Though his draft is at least a year and a half away, Dybantsa is a projected top pick. Before the Spurs’ trade for Fox, they seemed likely to land in the lottery. That would have given Dybantsa a chance to pair with Wembanyama. However, the Spurs’ new reality makes that dream nearly impossible.
The Fox Trade Changes Everything
San Antonio needed a young point guard to complement Wembanyama. They acquired one in Fox, a former All-Star and one of the best guards available. The Spurs now have two high-level players, making a bottom-tier finish unlikely.
Fox isn’t a flawless fit with Wembanyama. His career 32.2% three-point shooting raises concerns. Ideally, the Spurs would prefer a guard with better spacing ability. However, that critique ignores what Fox does at an elite level.
Fox’s mid-range shot is deadly. He attacks the rim relentlessly and facilitates well. His ability to run pick-and-rolls with Wembanyama will make the Spurs’ offense difficult to stop.
Fox’s Clutch Factor and Defensive Impact
Fox won the NBA’s first-ever Clutch Player of the Year award in 2023. While Wembanyama will eventually be the go-to guy, Fox gives the Spurs a reliable late-game option.
San Antonio has struggled in clutch situations this season. They are tied for the fifth-fewest clutch wins and rank 11th-worst in clutch offensive rating. Fox, who has the fourth-most clutch points this season, immediately improves that weakness.
Defensively, Fox has also improved. He once struggled on that end but has worked hard to become a solid defender. Last season, he led the league with 2.0 steals per game. He and Wembanyama together will wreak havoc on opposing offenses.
The Spurs Are No Longer a Lottery Team
With Fox in the lineup, and rookie Stephon Castle developing alongside him, the Spurs’ rebuild accelerates. Wembanyama is already a top-10 player in the league. A team with two rising stars and improving young talent won’t be bad enough to land Dybantsa in the draft.
Barring extreme circumstances, like an injury-ravaged season similar to this season’s New Orleans Pelicans, the Spurs will stay competitive. The era of tanking in San Antonio is over. The Spurs are competitive again and will now be favored to make the playoffs for the remainder of Wemby’s time on the spurs.
Dybantsa Team Up With Wembanyama Through the Draft
Before trading for Fox, the Spurs had no consensus top-100 player alongside Wembanyama. Now, their trajectory has changed. They are building around their generational star instead of waiting for another.
Dybantsa won’t join Wembanyama in San Antonio through the draft. If he wants to team up with Wembanyama, it will have to happen another way.
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