The experiment lasted two games. Washington shut it down – and by the numbers, they had seen more than enough.
AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, will not play in the remaining three Summer League games in Las Vegas after the Washington Wizards opted to rest their rookie. Across two appearances, Dybantsa averaged 25 points, 7 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks – a line that would impress for any veteran, let alone a player yet to play his first regular season game.
Game 1: Dybantsa 27, Peterson 24
In his Summer League debut against the Utah Jazz on July 9, Dybantsa led the Wizards to a 92-88 win with 27 points (7-of-13 inside the arc, 7-of-8 from the line), 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block. He went 0-of-5 from three – something to note, not to panic over. His counterpart, No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson, put up 24 points for Utah in a matchup Summer League rarely delivers at this level. Dybantsa turned the ball over once. The composure was the real story.
Game 2: 23 points, then rest
Against the Sacramento Kings, Dybantsa scored 23 points on 6-of-15 shooting, adding 3 steals and 2 blocks as Washington secured another victory. The efficiency dipped slightly from Game 1, but the defensive output was consistent – 5 combined steals and blocks across two games signals the two-way potential that made him the obvious top pick.
The Wizards subsequently shut Dybantsa down for the final three Summer League games. No injury was cited – standard procedure for protecting a franchise asset.
What two games told us
Dybantsa showed exactly what scouts projected: forward size with the instincts to guard multiple positions, enough burst to attack the rim, free throw ability that generates easy points, and the competitive edge to match the moment. The three-point shot (0-of-5 across both games) is work in progress – nobody expected Las Vegas to solve that.
Washington went 17-65 last season to land the top pick. The Wizards are now building around Dybantsa and Trae Young – a pairing the franchise believes can meaningfully change their trajectory within three years. Thursday’s Fanatics Fest appearance by LeBron James will briefly redirect attention elsewhere. The Dybantsa era in Washington, however, has already begun.
Sources: Bleacher Report, NBA.com
