The Washington Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft in June to anchor their ongoing rebuild, and, based on early glimpses, Washington could be very keen to hand him the keys to the franchise.
General Manager Will Dawkins did not hesitate when the Wizards went on the clock at Barclays Center. Dybantsa was the consensus top player available, and the team will expect him to hit the ground running in his first NBA season.
Wizards’ AJ Dybantsa Taking Over Summer League With Bold Ambitions
Dybantsa is already translating his immense potential to the professional game in Las Vegas. He opened his Summer League campaign on July 9 by dropping 27 points and 7 rebounds in the 92-88 victory against the Utah Jazz.
The matchup pitted him against No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson, and Dybantsa completely controlled the game, putting up 19 points before halftime.
The Wizards’ rookie followed that up with another dominant showing three days later against the Sacramento Kings, recording 23 points and 7 rebounds.
Though his perimeter shot is still a work in progress (combined 1-for-11 from three-point range through his first two games), Dybantsa’s ability to pressure the rim and draw fouls already looks NBA-ready.
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Disclosing that a pre-draft conversation with Dwyane Wade helped shape his long-term professional ambitions, Dybantsa revealed that the three-time NBA champion raised the targets.
“I spoke to Dwyane Wade right before the draft and I told him I want to be a hall of famer,” Dybantsa said. “He said that’s what he wanted to be too until he got selected for the top 75 and that was like a bigger moment for him than the hall of fame.”
“So he said 20 years from now will be the 100th anniversary and I should be aiming for the top 100 instead of just the hall of fame so that’s my new goal,” Dybantsa added.
Dybantsa and Peterson entered the 2026 draft conversation as the heavy favorites to go first overall.
Analysts frequently praised Dybantsa’s scoring versatility and physical tools during the pre-draft process; after all, he led the nation in scoring at BYU during the 2025-26 college basketball season.
Averaging 25.5 points, he passed Danny Ainge for the most points by a freshman in a single game with 43 points against Utah in January.
The production is evident, and the Wizards, after suffering season after season, will look to Dybantsa in hopes of getting out of this rut.
