Washington Wizards take AJ Dybantsa with first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, hoping the BYU scorer ends decades of frustration

The Washington Wizards used the No. 1 overall pick on 6-foot-9 freshman AJ Dybantsa on Tuesday night, adding a potential franchise cornerstone after a painful rebuild. Dybantsa led the nation in scoring at BYU with 25.5 points per game and drew comparisons to Kevin Durant, his favourite player. The pick came amid a wave of lottery selections that saw guard Darryn Peterson go second to Utah, forward Cameron Boozer third to Memphis, and athletic wing Caleb Wilson fourth to Chicago.

Wizards land a cornerstone

Washington had not held the No. 1 pick since 2010, when it took John Wall. The franchise’s only title came in 1978 as the Bullets, and it has not won 50 games since 1979. Last season the Wizards traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis, though Davis did not play and Young barely featured. The selection of Dybantsa injects star power into a young core that already includes 2024 No. 2 pick Alex Sarr and recent first-rounders Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly and others.

Dybantsa’s scoring profile

At BYU, Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists, scoring 43 points in a game against Utah to break the school’s freshman record. He drew fouls relentlessly, leading the country in made free throws (229) and attempts (296). Scouts praise his pick-and-roll ball-handling (87th percentile) and post-up game (94th percentile), while noting his three-point shot (33.1 percent) needs work. His frame (6-9, 217 pounds) and scoring creativity have prompted parallels to Durant, who grew up in the Washington area.

Lottery picks roundup

The Utah Jazz chose Kansas guard Darryn Peterson at No. 2, despite an injury-disrupted season that limited him to 24 games and raised questions about his availability. Peterson averaged 20.2 points and shot 38.2 percent from deep, but missed 11 games through illness or injury. Memphis took Duke’s Cameron Boozer, the college player of the year, at No. 3. Chicago selected Caleb Wilson at No. 4, an explosive 6-foot-9 forward who averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds before a broken thumb ended his season. The Clippers added Illinois combo guard Keaton Wagler at No. 5, a polished decision-maker with pull-up and catch-and-shoot threats. Brooklyn picked sharpshooting guard Mikel Brown Jr. at No. 6, a volume three-point shooter who needs to add strength. Sacramento closed the top seven by taking Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr., an elite shot creator whose defence lagged.

A lengthy Wizards drought

The timeline below traces Washington’s draft milestones from its last championship through Tuesday night’s selection.

With Dybantsa, the Wizards are betting that a true superstar can finally end a half-century of mediocrity. The supporting cast of young lottery picks gives the rebuild a foundation, but the pressure will rest on the teenager from Boston to deliver.