AJ Dybantsa Locks In as 2026 NBA Draft No. 1 Pick: Why the Wizards Are Already Set
The 2026 NBA Draft is still a month away, but the No. 1 pick is no longer a debate. AJ Dybantsa is going to Washington.
The BYU freshman opened the predraft process as the favorite and has only widened his lead since. At sportsbooks, Dybantsa moved to a -200 favorite to go first overall after declaring, and as of this week he’s now sitting at -450. The Wizards, who won the lottery on May 10, are not going to overthink this.
The numbers back the hype
Dybantsa led the entire NCAA in scoring as a freshman, averaging 25.5 points per game across 35 games. He added 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He was named a Consensus All-American and won the Julius Erving Award as the top small forward in college basketball.
That is not a borderline No. 1 pick. That is a player who walked into college and immediately separated himself from the rest of his class. The only player even sniffing the conversation is Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson, who is the consensus No. 2.
Why he fits the Wizards
Washington is in a full rebuild. The roster has young pieces, none of whom are clear future All-Stars. Dybantsa changes that. He’s a 6-foot-9 wing with elite scoring upside, real defensive tools, and the kind of size that the Wizards’ decision-makers value in their long-term roster plan.
The fit isn’t perfect because no rookie’s fit ever is, but Dybantsa is the kind of high-upside prospect that gives a rebuilding team a clear face of the franchise on day one.
The Utah angle is interesting
One of the most repeated pieces of intel coming out of Chicago was that Dybantsa was reportedly hoping to stay in Utah. Made sense given that he played his college ball in Provo. The Jazz ended up with the No. 2 pick, which complicates that preference.
Dybantsa was filmed reacting to the Wizards winning the lottery and the clip went viral. He has since publicly addressed it, saying he’s excited about Washington and ready to embrace the opportunity. Front offices love when prospects say the right things, but the Wizards aren’t going to let a preference for Utah change their pick.
Peterson is no consolation prize
Even if you somehow think the Wizards should consider going off the top of the board, Peterson is right there as the No. 2 option. He had a monster freshman year at Kansas and is universally considered a future star. Cameron Boozer at Duke and Caleb Wilson round out the consensus top four.
This is one of the deeper drafts in recent memory at the top. The Wizards just happen to have first pick of the cream.
What the timeline looks like
The combine wrapped up earlier this month in Chicago. The draft is June 23 and June 24 in Brooklyn. Workouts will start filling up the schedule between now and then. Dybantsa is reportedly not going to do many of them because he doesn’t have to. When you’re the consensus No. 1, you protect your stock by staying healthy and showing up at team interviews.
The Wizards have already started building their staff around the idea of developing a 19-year-old wing into a star. The reports suggest player development hires will be prioritized over big name veteran additions.
The bottom line
Washington wanted a franchise player. They won the lottery. AJ Dybantsa is going to be a Wizard, and the rest of the offseason is now about figuring out how to build around him without rushing the timeline.
If Dybantsa is what scouts say he is, this is a top pick that changes the entire arc of the Washington franchise. Draft day is going to be one of the more important nights in Wizards history.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
