Wizards Won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery: Why AJ Dybantsa Is the Pick That Saves the Franchise
The Washington Wizards finally caught a break. They won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery and now hold the No. 1 pick in the deepest draft class since 2003.
That pick is almost certainly going to be AJ Dybantsa, the 6-foot-9 wing from BYU who has been the consensus top prospect for over a year. The 2026 NBA Draft is June 23 and 24, broadcast on ABC and ESPN. The Wizards just got their franchise player.
Why Dybantsa Is the Pick
Dybantsa is the rare prospect who checks every box. He has positional size, he can score at all three levels, he plays with edge, and he competes. Scouts have compared him to a young Paul George with a higher ceiling. He averaged big numbers in his one year at BYU and the medical reports are clean.
The Wizards have been the worst team in the league for what feels like a decade. They have collected lottery picks and turned them into nothing. Dybantsa is the kind of player you build around. He gives Washington a foundation. That is something this franchise has not had since John Wall was healthy.
The Top of This Draft Is Loaded
After Dybantsa, the next three picks are essentially locked in. Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson form a clear top tier. All three would have been No. 1 picks in a normal year. Boozer, the son of former NBA star Carlos Boozer, is the kind of versatile forward every team wants. Peterson is a polished scorer. Wilson is a sky-high athlete.
After that, the next tier includes Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., and Kingston Flemings. Cameron Carr just helped his stock with a 30-point performance at the combine. Jayden Quaintance measured a 7-foot-5 wingspan but his medicals after last year’s ACL tear will determine where he goes.
What the Wizards Should Do Around the Pick
Washington has cap space and trade assets. They can build around Dybantsa quickly if they want to. They can also keep peeling layers and stockpile picks. Either way, the franchise has direction for the first time in years.
The May 27 deadline to withdraw and maintain college eligibility is approaching fast. Once that passes, the board will be set. Then comes the workout circuit, the green room, and the moment Adam Silver walks to the podium and changes Dybantsa’s life.
The Wizards have earned a hundred losing nights for this. They better not blow it.
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.
