The Truth About AJ Dybantsa’s 12.5% Defensive Shooting Statistic

Where Did The Dybantsa 12.5% Defensive Stat Come From?

You may have seen an Instagram post from @ajdybantsabetter or an X post from @WizardsMuse1 claiming opponents are shooting just 2-for-16 (12.5%) when defended by #1 NBA draft pick AJ Dybantsa.

It’s an incredible number if it’s accurate, but is there actually any way to verify it?

Without watching and charting every possession, it’s almost impossible to know for sure. Fortunately, we do have box scores, but they only tell part of the story.

The defensive statistic appears to have originated with @GeniusSports, but a review of the account’s recent posts shows no public post that contains the claim. At the time, the account’s timeline largely consisted of Kalshi advertising content rather than Summer League tracking, making the original source difficult to verify.

Despite that, the statistic was picked up by @SleeperWizards on July 17, which posted that opponents had shot just 2-of-16 (12.5%) when AJ Dybantsa was the closest defender over his first two Summer League games, attributing the number to @GeniusSports. The post also quoted Dybantsa saying:

“I think I could be a First-Team All-Defense guy.”

The claim quickly spread to @WizardsMuse, an 18,000-follower Wizards fan account, which repeated the exact 2-of-16 statistic while noting that Dybantsa recorded five steals and three blocks in just two games. The account declared he was “clamping up in Summer League.”

From there, the stat was amplified by @ajdybantsabetter, a dedicated Dybantsa fan page, which described him as a “LOCKDOWN defender,” repeated the same defensive field-goal numbers and “eight stocks” (five steals and three blocks), and projected him as a future First Team All-Defense player.

However, the comments were divided. Some users immediately embraced the statistic, posting reactions such as “” and “You’re my GOAT,” while others questioned whether it was too early to label him a lockdown defender. One commenter wrote, “I love him but lockdown defender?”

Because no publicly accessible post from @GeniusSports containing the statistic has been located, the 2-for-16 closest-defender figure should currently be treated as an unverified, fan-circulated statistic rather than an independently confirmed tracking metric.

Can Public NBA Summer League Box Scores Verify The Dybantsa Stat?

Take Washington’s Summer League game against the Utah Jazz for example.

The box score tells us Utah shot 29-for-69 (42%) from the field as a team, but it doesn’t tell us who was guarding each shooter. It doesn’t show whether Darryn Peterson’s misses came against AJ Dybantsa, whether another Wizard forced them, or who contested each shot.

Public box scores simply do not track defender assignments.

The same applies to Washington’s game against the Sacramento Kings. Sacramento struggled offensively at times, but there is no official stat showing exactly how many of those missed shots came with Dybantsa as the primary defender.

Unless the number comes directly from NBA player-tracking data or someone manually charting every possession, it’s extremely difficult to verify that opponents shot exactly 2-for-16 against him.

Dybantsa Has Still Been Outstanding Defensively

That doesn’t mean Dybantsa hasn’t been an outstanding defender.

The young star’s length, athleticism, and basketball IQ have already been on full display, and averaging 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks through two games certainly supports that. There have been plenty of possessions where he’s forced difficult shots, disrupted passing lanes, or blown up plays before they even developed.

Still, after only two Summer League games, it’s important not to treat every viral statistic as established fact.

AJ Dybantsa has absolutely looked like one of the best players in Summer League so far, and he doesn’t need an unverified statistic to prove it. The hype is real, but when it comes to claims that opponents are shooting just 12.5% against him, it’s worth asking where the number actually came from before accepting it at face value.

End Of My AJ Dybantsa Rant

As the No. 1 overall prospect and the Wizard’s long-awaited basketball messiah, Dybantsa is envitably going to be at the center of every rumor imaginable. Our job, however is to resist the urge to believe every shiny new stat and actually stress-test the claims before declaring him the second coming.