The Washington Wizards won the lottery. AJ Dybantsa is about to win the draft. The only question is whether the front office tries to talk itself into another option, and at this point, why would they.
Dybantsa is the heavy favorite to go No. 1 overall to Washington when the 2026 NBA Draft takes place on June 23 in Brooklyn. Vegas books have him as low as -450 to go first overall. Multiple mock drafts have him locked into the slot. BetMGM reports that Dybantsa has the most wagers of any draft prospect (38.8%) and by far the most handle (74.1%). The market is screaming the answer.
And it should be screaming the answer, because Dybantsa is the best prospect in this class.
The former BYU star measured 6-foot-8 and a half barefoot at the NBA Combine with a plus-four wingspan. He posted a 42-inch max vertical. He has the kind of physical profile NBA teams used to dream about and only occasionally see in real life. He combines that body with a polished offensive skill set, including handles in the pick-and-roll, a confident jumper that improved through his college season, and the kind of strength to finish through contact at the rim.
The college numbers are the part that should make Wizards fans drool. Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points per game, which led the entire nation. He started all 35 games for BYU. He was efficient. He defended multiple positions. He showed up in big games. There was no version of his freshman year that gave teams a reason to pause, and the combine measurements confirmed everything the tape already showed.
This pick is also exactly what Washington needs. The Wizards finished 17-65 last season. They are deep in the middle of a rebuild that started when they traded John Wall and Bradley Beal and shed the rest of the veteran core. The new front office has been clear about what they are building toward, and the missing piece has always been a franchise wing who can carry an offense in his prime years. Dybantsa is that player.
There is also a depth-chart fit angle. Bub Carrington runs point. Bilal Coulibaly is a long, defensive-minded wing who needs a star next to him. Alex Sarr is the long-term answer at center. Adding Dybantsa to that group gives the Wizards a starting four of young players with elite tools, every one of them under 24 years old. That is a foundation worth being excited about.
The case against Dybantsa is the existence of Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson. The four prospects are reportedly close in evaluation rooms, and the team poll on the order is reportedly split. Peterson has the smoothest perimeter game. Boozer has the bloodline and the natural feel for the game. Wilson has the size advantage. Any of those three could go to the Wizards if the team falls in love during pre-draft workouts.
But the smart money is still on Dybantsa. He has the highest ceiling. He has the most upside. He plays the position the Wizards need most. And the market has him priced as a near-lock for a reason.
Wizards fans, enjoy the next month. June 23 is going to feel like the start of something real.
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.
