The Washington Wizards are looking for someone to drag them out of the bottom of the Eastern Conference and back into contention. While they have already added key star veterans in Trae Young and Anthony Davis, AJ Dybantsa is their new cornerstone after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Shortly after the franchise-altering pick, Young made sure to fulfill his duties as a veteran leader by welcoming Dybantsa to Washington.
Trae Young Welcomes AJ Dybantsa to the Wizards
Young is not too familiar with Washington, as he played just five games with the team after being traded by the Atlanta Hawks midseason. However, he is there to stay after agreeing to a four-year, $212 million deal.
Dybantsa will be on a four-year contract as well, although with two team options. Young and Dybantsa will be sharing the court plenty, and the former wants to build some chemistry as soon as possible.
“Welcome to DC @AJ_Dybantsa!! The story has been written. The City is Ready! We’ll talk about that #soon,” Young wrote on X Tuesday.
Welcome to DC @AJ_Dybantsa !!
The story has been written🙏🏽 The City is Ready!
We’ll talk about that # soon 😉— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) June 24, 2026
Young is making his rookie feel at home, but they have a debate to settle already. Dybantsa has always worn No. 3, but Young currently occupies that number with the Wizards. Fans will have to wait and see if Dybantsa will pick a new number for his NBA career or if Young will give it up to the newest face of the franchise.
Notably, Young has worn No. 11 for his entire career outside of his five-game stint with the Wizards, so maybe the four-time All-Star will be open to another switch.
Young, Dybantsa, and Davis present a question mark. On paper, it looks like the trio can do some damage in the wide-open Eastern Conference. They might not be ready to contend against top-tier teams like the Boston Celtics or the New York Knicks, but they should comfortably surpass this past season’s league-worst 17-65 finish.
Davis never suited up for the Wizards after being traded by the Dallas Mavericks midseason, but he remains one of the best big men in the NBA.
2024 No. 2 pick Alex Sarr also took a nice leap for the Wizards in his sophomore campaign. The 7-footer averaged 16.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and became a much more efficient scorer from the field.
Now, the Wizards have pieces that will not make them the laughingstock of the NBA. Young is right; the city is waiting for an answer, and Dybantsa could be just that. His averages of 25.5 points (most in the NCAA) and 6.8 rebounds per game at BYU helped earn him No. 1 pick status and plenty of expectations to take Washington to new heights.
Young’s new $212 million deal has drawn plenty of attention for the size of the contract. But the Wizards are building something, and Young’s leadership is already shining through just a day after pledging his allegiance to the organization.
