The Washington Wizards ended months of speculation Tuesday night, selecting AJ Dybantsa out of BYU with the first overall pick at the 2026 NBA Draft in Brooklyn.
No surprise there – and yet the moment still carried weight. For a franchise that went 32-50 last season and watched its own fate hinge on lottery ping-pong balls, landing the most complete wing prospect in years is the kind of turning point that changes a city’s relationship with basketball.
What Dybantsa brings
At 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, Dybantsa spent one year at BYU and averaged 25.5 points per game – the best mark in the country. His defining moment came at the Big 12 Tournament, where he scored 93 points over three games, shattering Kevin Durant’s conference tournament scoring record. The Durant comparisons aren’t accidental.
“He can get a shot from anywhere on the floor,” a Western Conference scout told ESPN in the lead-up to the draft. “That’s not something you can coach.”
His ability to score off the dribble, attack mismatches, and knock down threes (39.1% in conference play) made him the consensus top prospect. Washington never seriously wavered between Dybantsa and second pick Darryn Peterson.
The bigger picture for Washington
The Wizards’ front office has been building toward this for several seasons. Choosing a primary scoring initiator – rather than a center or point guard – signals real confidence in Dybantsa’s ability to function as the offensive engine from day one.
Round 2 of the draft tips off Wednesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN), with Washington holding late-round picks that could add depth. The last time the franchise had the top pick was 2010, when John Wall walked in. Dybantsa’s ceiling draws similar whispers. Whether he matches that promise is a question only time answers – but the Wizards finally have a reason to ask it.
Per NBA.com and ESPN
