Wizards take BYU’s Dybantsa No. 1 overall, sparking optimism in D.C.

The Washington Wizards kicked off their post-rebuild era Tuesday night, selecting AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn — and reaction from fans, analysts and the player himself was largely euphoric. 

Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 forward who spent one season at BYU, led the nation in scoring with 25.5 points per game and became the first player from BYU to be selected No. 1 overall in NBA Draft history. “It means a lot,” Dybantsa told ESPN moments after his selection. “Obviously, it’s just a stepping stone, and I have a lot more work to do. But it’s a testament to all my hard work and discipline and the sacrifices that I’ve made.” 

The pick was met with an enthusiastic reception in the nation’s capital. Wizards fans gathered at a draft party at The Anthem, a concert venue at The Wharf, to celebrate the selection. Wizards point guard Trae Young also weighed in on social media.

“Welcome to DC, AJ Dybantsa!! The story has been written,” Young wrote on X. “The City is Ready!” 

Analysts were similarly approving. Yahoo Sports awarded Washington an A+ grade for the pick, calling Dybantsa a potentially unstoppable shot-creator who gets to the rim at will, excels in the midrange, draws fouls at a high rate and shows point-forward potential. ESPN’s draft analysts were equally bullish: “You get a guy like AJ Dybantsa, he is like a young Tracy McGrady to me,” former Wizard John Wall told ESPN. 

Wall added that Dybantsa is the first player to lead Division I in scoring and go first in the draft since Glenn Robinson came out of Purdue in 1994.

Wizards owner Ted Leonsis told ESPN the franchise is moving faster than expected. “We’re on the plan that we articulated,” Leonsis said. “We actually are a year ahead of the plan because I thought it would take four to five years and this really was the third offseason where we were developing young players, deconstructing, looking to add for the go forward.” 

Writing for Bullets Forever, one analyst noted that Dybantsa is not walking into a blank slate — he joins a core of young players and a pair of expensive former All-Stars, giving the Wizards a missing piece in a do-it-all wing scorer. Dybantsa himself appeared to embrace the challenge. He said his best quality is his “ability to be versatile” and “play multiple positions, guard multiple positions,” and added that he intends to take his defensive responsibilities seriously.

“I’m taking pride in defense, a lot,” he said. “Being 6’9” with a long wingspan, being able to switch, on ball [and] off ball, I can be a pest.” 

Washington management has already emphasized defense for the new franchise pick.

“If we pick you, we want you to play defense 94 feet and pick up,” Dybantsa said the Wizards told him. 

Washington went 17-65 last season and has not made the playoffs since the 2020-21 season. The Wizards traded for All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis earlier this year, and Young has since agreed to a new contract. Despite the team’s lingering questions, oddsmakers at FanDuel listed Washington as the 11th most likely team to win the Eastern Conference, with +20000 odds.