AJ Dybantsa Is Suddenly Not a Lock to Go No. 1 in the 2026 NBA Draft, and Rival Teams Know It
For most of the past year, AJ Dybantsa to the Washington Wizards at No. 1 has been treated like a foregone conclusion. That’s no longer the case.
According to multiple rival team executives, the Wizards’ top pick plans are wide open. Dybantsa is still in the mix. So is Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. Cam Boozer is now in the conversation after a strong combine. Caleb Wilson is getting brought up.
There is no consensus. And in a year where the gap between the top players is smaller than it has been in a long time, that uncertainty could shape the entire top of the draft.
What the Combine Told Us
The NBA Draft Combine in Chicago was supposed to be a coronation for Dybantsa. He’s the BYU star who reclassified up to be a one-and-done. He’s been the No. 1 overall projected pick for nearly two years. He measured at 6-foot-8½ without shoes, has a 7-0½ wingspan, and posted a 42-inch max vertical. The physical tools are everything a team would want.
He also shot 76.7 percent off the dribble in workout drills and went a perfect 10-of-10 from the line. That’s the offensive package teams have been waiting to see translate against grown men.
The problem is that Peterson did just as well, if not better, in his own way. Peterson is a more polished combo guard with a smoother handle and quicker decision-making in pick-and-roll. He’s not as physically gifted, but he’s more NBA-ready right now.
For a Wizards team that’s been bad for a long time, the question becomes: do you want the higher ceiling with Dybantsa, or the more reliable floor with Peterson?
The Cam Boozer Factor
Cam Boozer is making it harder. The Duke standout measured at 6-foot-8¼ with a 7-1½ wingspan. He’s not a vertical athlete by any stretch, with a 35-inch vertical that puts him below the top tier of bigs in this class. But he outperformed Caleb Wilson in agility drills and showed the kind of functional athleticism that translates better to the league than raw measurables suggest.
Boozer is also widely considered the safest pick in this draft. He’s the son of an NBA veteran. He’s coming off a national championship run at Duke. He plays a complete game on both ends.
The argument for Boozer at No. 1 is the same argument that has worked before. When the upside picks have similar ceilings, take the player you’re most confident will be a long-term piece.
What This Means for the Wizards
Washington needs a star. They’ve been one of the worst-managed franchises in the NBA for the past decade. The Bradley Beal trade was a salvage operation. The roster is a collection of young guys and veterans without a clear identity.
Whichever pick they make at No. 1 is going to define the next era of the franchise. If they swing on Dybantsa and he becomes the player he could be, the Wizards have a foundation. If they go safer with Boozer or Peterson, they might be building a winning team faster but with a lower ceiling.
The internal debate inside the Wizards’ front office is reportedly real. They’re not just rubber-stamping whatever ESPN’s mock draft says.
What Could Happen Next
The combine is over but private workouts are about to ramp up. Each of the top four prospects will work out for the Wizards and possibly for other lottery teams interested in trading up. The interview process will matter. The medicals will matter. The intel that teams gather from college coaches and AAU programs will all factor in.
There’s also a trade dynamic. Several teams are reportedly interested in moving up to No. 1 if Washington is willing to listen. The Wizards have been quiet about trade conversations, but if they get a Godfather offer, all bets are off.
Dybantsa was supposed to be a guaranteed lottery winner. Now he’s in a fight for a pick he was supposed to own. The draft is six weeks away and the most interesting question in basketball might be who Washington calls first when the clock starts.
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.
