AJ Dybantsa’s first NBA paycheck is going to be a big one.
The Washington Wizards’ No. 1 overall pick is signing a four year deal worth nearly $67 million, per multiple reports. That is the standard scale for a top overall pick, but the number still hits different when you see it attached to a teenager who was in high school 18 months ago.
Dybantsa was the consensus best player in the 2026 NBA Draft class. Every scouting report ranked him at or near the top. The Wizards had the No. 1 pick after another lottery win, and they did not overthink it. Dybantsa is the type of prospect franchises build around.
The 6’9 wing is a positional matchup nightmare. He can handle the ball like a guard. He can shoot off the catch. He can defend positions two through four. That is the modern star profile, and Washington now has one of the top ten prospects of the last 10 years to build its rebuild around.
General manager Will Dawkins has been methodical about the Wizards’ rebuild. He has stripped the roster of bad contracts. He has stockpiled young players and draft picks. Now he has his cornerstone.
The 2026 Draft has been compared to the 2003 class, which produced LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. That is a wild bar to clear, but the top of this class is deep. Dybantsa going first was a formality by draft night, but he was pushed hard by prospects behind him.
Cameron Boozer, the son of former NBA All Star Carlos Boozer, went in the top five. Darryn Peterson was a lottery pick after a monster college season. Nate Ament, Kon Knueppel, and Milos Uzan all landed in the first round with team friendly contracts.
Draft pick signings are rolling in around the league too. Zuby Ejiofor signed with the Atlanta Hawks. Cameron Carr locked in with the Lakers. Chris Cenac Jr. is now under contract with the Boston Celtics. Two way and Exhibit 10 signings are filling out summer league rosters across the sport.
Undrafted prospects are also finding homes. The Pelicans signed three undrafted rookies right after the draft ended, which is the type of aggressive move that can pay off late in preseason. The Thunder grabbed Creighton guard Josh Dix. Miami added Miami guard Tre Donaldson. The Lakers picked up Vanderbilt forward AK Okereke.
For Dybantsa, the goal now is simple. Show up to Summer League healthy. Learn the pro game. Get comfortable in the Wizards’ system. If he can average 18 and 6 as a rookie, he is going to be in the Rookie of the Year conversation from the jump.
Washington fans have been through a rough couple of years. The Wizards have been rebuilding. The team has been bad on purpose. Draft night was the payoff, and now Dybantsa is the first real piece of a future contender.
The contract signing on paper does not change the team’s fortunes overnight. It does put the front office on the clock. When you have the type of talent Dybantsa possesses, you have three or four years to surround him with the right pieces before he is due for a max extension. Dawkins now has a full off season to make that happen.
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.
