As 2026 No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa was set to battle No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson in his NBA Summer League debut on Thursday, there was plenty of hype surrounding the matchup.
Dybantsa got the last laugh, leading the Washington Wizards to a 92-88 win over Peterson’s Utah Jazz, with veteran sports personality Skip Bayless offering a bold take on the high-voltage showdown.
Skip Bayless Shares Verdict As AJ Dybantsa Leads Wizards Past Darryn Peterson’s Jazz
Dybantsa dominated the early stages of Thursday’s Summer League contest, catching fire in the opening two quarters to help the Wizards build a 54-37 halftime lead. The Jazz mounted a second-half comeback, but Will Riley scored Washington’s final 6 points to secure a 4-point victory.
Bayless was impressed by Dybantsa’s first-half display, but he also maintained that Peterson still possesses the higher long-term ceiling.
“AJ looked good in the first half, absolute attack mode. Supremely confident. But he has far more Summer League help than DPeterson has. Still say DPeterson will be a little better,” Bayless tweeted.
AJ looked good in the first half, absolute attack mode. Supremely confident. But he has far more Summer League help than DPeterson has. Still say DPeterson will be a little better.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) July 10, 2026
Peterson had some star flashes as he led the Jazz with 24 points while adding 3 assists and 1 block. However, it was a rough outing for the shooting guard overall, as he committed 9 fouls and 8 turnovers.
As for Dybantsa, he finished with a game-high 27 points, along with 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 assists. The 19-year-old matched Blake Griffin for the highest-scoring Summer League debut by a No. 1 pick.
The No. 1 and No. 2 picks battled in Las Vegas tonight…
🧙♂️ AJ DYBANTSA: 27 PTS (game-high)
🎶 DARRYN PETERSON: 24 PTS (team-high)The Wizards defeated the Jazz in a nail-biter! pic.twitter.com/5gIT2IjR5A
— NBA (@NBA) July 10, 2026
Bayless later compared the two standout rookies again after the game.
“AJ 27, Darryn 24. Neither shot it well. AJ played with more aggressive energy, clearly wanting to show he definitely should’ve gone 1. But Darryn Peterson will look much better with the varsity,” Bayless wrote.
AJ 27, Darryn 24. Neither shot it well. AJ played with more aggressive energy, clearly wanting to show he definitely should’ve gone 1. But Darryn Peterson will look much better with the varsity.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) July 10, 2026
Thursday marked the fourth-ever meeting between Peterson and Dybantsa. Peterson had won each of their previous three games, including their lone college showdown when he scored 18 points in 20 minutes to help Kansas defeat BYU 90-82.
Peterson’s unbeaten run against Dybantsa came to an end, but he welcomed the rivalry.
“Look forward to every game we play. Obviously, this was a big one,” Peterson said in his postgame interview.
“Look forward to every game we play. Obviously this was a big one.”
2nd overall pick Darryn Peterson on AJ Dybantsa match in NBA Summer League in Vegas.
24 points in 92-88 Jazz loss to Wizards as he hit a deep 3 at the buzzer to end the game. pic.twitter.com/j1eZRvlDvS
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) July 10, 2026
Dybantsa also embraced the competitive atmosphere after finally earning his first win over Peterson.
“Every time I play against him, it’s a battle,” Dybantsa said postgame. “I was just glad to come out on top.”
“Every time I play against him, it’s a battle.”
#1 pick AJ Dybantsa on facing off against #2 pick Darryn Peterson for the first time in the NBA! https://t.co/dZ6TrJlfgI pic.twitter.com/4gLY3XKoQ8
— NBA (@NBA) July 10, 2026
The Wizards’ rookie also said his priorities during Summer League are winning games, discovering where he fits within the offense, and expanding the ways he can score.
Washington will continue its Summer League schedule against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, while Peterson and the Jazz return to action Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
