AJ Dybantsa to the Wizards Just Makes Sense. The No. 1 Pick Is Going to Run Washington Soon
The Washington Wizards have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft for the first time since they took John Wall in 2010. Pretty good company. They are using it on AJ Dybantsa.
That feels inevitable now. Dybantsa led the country in scoring at BYU last season, averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. ESPN scouts have compared him to a “supercharged Jaylen Brown” on the high end and a “supercharged RJ Barrett” on the low end. Either version is what the Wizards have been waiting for since Bradley Beal left town.
Washington traded for Anthony Davis in February. They have Khris Middleton on a one-year deal. They have a roster of veterans and young projects that has been waiting for a real centerpiece. Dybantsa is the centerpiece.
The fit makes sense the more you look at it. The Wizards are a team that finished bottom-three in offensive efficiency for the second straight year. They desperately need a primary scorer who can create his own shot, draw fouls, and break down a set defense. Dybantsa does all three at a level that very few college players ever do.
His comparisons are aggressive, and they should be. Dybantsa is 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot wingspan. He can guard four positions. He can handle the ball, find the open man on a swing pass, and absolutely punish a closeout. He is the rare college star who actually projects better in the NBA than in college, because the NBA spacing is going to let him work.
The Wizards have done a good job collecting assets over the past three years. They have multiple first-round picks coming, a manageable cap sheet, and a front office under Will Dawkins that has refused to take shortcuts. That patience is about to pay off. The Wizards are not a contender in 2026-27. They might be a play-in team in 2027-28. And if Dybantsa is what the scouts think he is, they are a real problem by 2028-29.
Darryn Peterson going No. 2 to Utah is also a fascinating outcome. Peterson was ranked No. 1 coming out of high school and a lot of scouts still think he’s the best long-term player in the draft. Cameron Boozer at No. 3 to Memphis gives the Grizzlies a frontcourt centerpiece next to Ja Morant. Caleb Wilson at No. 4 to the Bulls gives Chicago a do-it-all forward who can fit any future Coby White-led offense.
This draft class is going to be remembered the way the 1996 class is remembered, if even half of the top prospects hit their ceilings. The top four all profile as future All-Stars. We rarely get to say that about a draft before lottery night, let alone two days before it actually happens.
The Wizards have lucked their way into a franchise pick at the perfect time. The roster is moldable. The cap is manageable. The front office is sober. Now they just need AJ Dybantsa to be AJ Dybantsa, and the long-suffering Wizards fan base might finally have something to cheer about.
Lottery night is here. The Wizards are on the clock. The next phase of Washington basketball starts with Dybantsa, and it starts soon.
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.
