AJ Dybantsa’s Summer League Cut Short: Why the Wizards Shut Down Their No. 1 Pick
AJ Dybantsa played two Summer League games. Then the Wizards pulled him. That is not a red flag. That is smart franchise management.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft went off in Las Vegas. He dropped 27 points in his debut against the Utah Jazz. He followed it up with 23 more in his second game. Washington saw enough and shut him down for the rest of Summer League.
He totaled 50 points on 13-of-33 shooting across the two appearances. From behind the arc he was 1-of-11, which is the one thing scouts will actually watch closely.
What Dybantsa Showed
The kid is going to score in this league. That much is obvious. He is 6-9, 217 pounds, and moves like a wing. He got to the rim whenever he wanted against Summer League defenders. His midrange pull-up is a real weapon. He even showed some flashes as a secondary playmaker off the bounce.
The three-point shooting is a work in progress. That was known going into the draft. Dybantsa shot in the low 30s from deep during his one-and-done season at BYU. The Summer League sample was rougher but it does not mean much long-term.
Wizards development staff will get him in the gym for the next two months and refine his release. If he shoots 34 percent from three as a rookie, that is a win. If he shoots 37 percent, this is the next franchise player in Washington.
Why Shut Him Down So Early
Washington has zero incentive to run their top pick into Summer League nonsense. Two games gave the coaching staff enough film to plan his rookie-year usage. Beyond that, it is injury risk with no upside.
The Wizards are building carefully. Dybantsa slots in as the No. 1 option immediately. Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, and Bub Carrington form the young core around him. Anthony Davis is either the veteran mentor or the trade chip that adds to the war chest, depending on how the contract negotiation resolves.
Head coach Brian Keefe wants Dybantsa’s minutes counted carefully during the regular season. Managing the summer workload is the first step.
The Rookie of the Year Race
Dybantsa is the current favorite for Rookie of the Year. Darryn Peterson in Utah has an argument, but the Jazz have veterans who will eat his usage. Cameron Boozer in Memphis is on a mixed roster where he might not lead his team in scoring. Caleb Wilson lands in Chicago with a chance to run point-forward on a bad team.
Dybantsa is going to average 18 points, six rebounds, and four assists on a Wizards team with no other primary scorer. That is a Rookie of the Year stat line.
The path is clear. Washington has to keep him healthy, keep the shooting reps up, and get out of his way in transition. If Dybantsa hits his ceiling as a top-15 player in the league, this franchise is in good shape for the next decade.
The Summer League shutdown was the right call. Now the real work begins.
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.
