He has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant—his favorite player
On a Tuesday night in Brooklyn, the Washington Wizards reached into the future and pulled out AJ Dybantsa — a 6-foot-9 forward from BYU whose prayer before the stage captured something of what draft night always is: a moment of hope suspended between promise and proof. The Wizards, a franchise that has wandered near the bottom of the Eastern Conference for the better part of a decade, are betting that Dybantsa, alongside Trae Young and Anthony Davis, can restore what has long been missing. It is a familiar ritual in professional sports — the first pick as an act of faith — and Washington has been here before, with John Wall, with high expectations, and with painful outcomes. Whether Dybantsa rewrites that story remains the question the city will carry into next season.
- The Wizards haven't made the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons, and the weight of that drought made Tuesday's choice feel less like a celebration and more like a last, serious bet.
- Dybantsa's selection over Darryn Peterson came down to medical records as much as talent — Peterson's eleven missed games tipped the scales toward the cleaner-profiled BYU forward.
- Washington has quietly assembled a veteran core around their new cornerstone: Trae Young locked in for $212 million and Anthony Davis acquired midseason, signaling the front office is done rebuilding in name only.
- The Eastern Conference has grown fiercer — the Knicks just won their first title in 53 years, and Giannis now plays in Miami — meaning Dybantsa's development timeline has little room for patience.
- Comparisons to Kevin Durant, a 43-point freshman record, and 25.5 points per game at BYU raise the ceiling; the ghost of John Wall's injury-shortened career quietly raises the stakes.
The Washington Wizards arrived at Barclays Center on Tuesday night carrying the weight of a franchise that has spent nearly a decade searching for its next cornerstone. They left with AJ Dybantsa — a 6-foot-9 small forward from BYU who paused for a moment of prayer before walking across the stage to accept his Wizards cap. It was a quiet, telling gesture from a young man stepping into enormous expectations.
The decision came down to Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson, a combo guard from Kansas with a higher ceiling in some evaluators' eyes. But Peterson's injury history — eleven games missed during the season — ultimately pushed Washington toward Dybantsa's cleaner medical profile. The Utah Jazz took Peterson at No. 2, confirming how close the call truly was. Duke's Cameron Boozer went third to Memphis, continuing a family legacy his father Carlos began at the same school, and North Carolina's Caleb Wilson rounded out the top four in Chicago.
Dybantsa brings legitimate star credentials. He averaged 25.5 points per game at BYU and set a freshman record with a 43-point performance. Scouts have drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant — a player Dybantsa has long admired, and one who grew up in the Washington area. The Wizards are counting on him to anchor a roster they've been quietly fortifying: Trae Young signed a four-year, $212 million extension earlier in the week, and Anthony Davis was acquired via trade in February. The franchise has made just one playoff appearance in eight seasons, and the memory of John Wall — a No. 1 pick whose career was undone by injuries — lingers over every high-stakes selection.
The rest of the draft moved briskly. The Clippers took Illinois guard Keaton Wagler at No. 5, the Nets selected Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr. at No. 6 to applause from a home crowd that had endured a difficult year, and Sacramento and Atlanta filled out the top eight with Arkansas's Darius Acuff Jr. and Houston's Kingston Flemings. The Mavericks engineered a reunion at No. 9, drafting Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr. and welcoming him with his former Wolverines teammates — and his new head coach, Dusty May, who had just left Ann Arbor for Dallas.
Throughout the evening, the arena felt charged with genuine optimism — Commissioner Silver's tribute to the Knicks and Finals MVP Jalen Brunson drew roars from fans still wearing championship jerseys. Draft night, for all its uncertainty, has always been the one night every franchise gets to believe again. For Washington, that belief now rests entirely on a 19-year-old from Utah who has never played a professional minute.
The Washington Wizards walked into the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Tuesday night with a clear mandate: select the best player available in what scouts and executives widely regard as one of the deepest draft classes in years. They chose AJ Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 small forward from Brigham Young University, with the first overall pick. When Commissioner Adam Silver called his name, Dybantsa paused for a moment of prayer before climbing the stage, accepting a black Wizards cap that matched his suit, and stepping into a franchise desperate for redemption.
The Wizards had spent the weeks leading up to the draft weighing Dybantsa against Darryn Peterson, a combo guard from Kansas who some evaluators believed possessed the highest ceiling in the class. But Peterson's injury history—he missed eleven games during the season—apparently tipped the scales toward Dybantsa's cleaner medical profile. The Utah Jazz immediately validated the Wizards' thinking by selecting Peterson at No. 2, suggesting the gap between the top two prospects was negligible. The Memphis Grizzlies then took Duke forward Cameron Boozer at No. 3, continuing a family legacy that began when his father, Carlos Boozer, played for the same school before his own NBA success. The Chicago Bulls rounded out the consensus top four by selecting North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson at No. 4.
Dybantsa arrives in Washington as a prospect with legitimate star potential. Last season at BYU, he averaged 25.5 points per game and set a freshman scoring record with a 43-point performance. At his size and skill level, he has drawn comparisons to Kevin Durant—a player he has cited as his favorite, and one who, notably, grew up in the Washington area. The Wizards are banking on him to anchor a roster that has been adrift for nearly a decade. The franchise has made just one playoff appearance in the last eight seasons, a stretch marked by poor roster construction and missed opportunities. That history weighs on the organization. In 2010, the Wizards used the first overall pick on point guard John Wall, a five-time All-Star whose career was ultimately derailed by injuries. Wizards fans will be watching closely to see whether Dybantsa's trajectory proves different.
The team is attempting to build around Dybantsa with established talent. Earlier in the week, star point guard Trae Young agreed to a four-year, $212 million contract to remain in Washington. In February, the Wizards acquired big man Anthony Davis in a trade, signaling their commitment to competing in an Eastern Conference that has grown considerably stronger. The Knicks won their first championship in 53 years, and Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded to the Miami Heat, reshaping the conference's power structure. The Wizards need Dybantsa to develop quickly and live up to his billing if they hope to contend.
The rest of the draft unfolded with fewer surprises than some had anticipated. The Los Angeles Clippers, who acquired the fifth pick from the Indiana Pacers, selected Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, a 6-foot-5 prospect who led the Fighting Illini to the Final Four while shooting 40 percent from three-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line. The Brooklyn Nets, drafting in their home arena, chose Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. at No. 6—a selection that drew applause from fans who had endured a miserable season watching their team struggle. Brown had posted a 45-point performance during the season before a back injury cut short his college career. The Sacramento Kings selected Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. at No. 7, and the Atlanta Hawks took Houston point guard Kingston Flemings at No. 8.
The Dallas Mavericks engineered a reunion at No. 9, selecting Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr., who was congratulated in the green room by his former teammates Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara—both national champions with the Wolverines. Johnson embraced his new coach, Dusty May, who had just left Michigan to take the Mavericks job. The Golden State Warriors took Lendeborg at No. 11, and the Oklahoma City Thunder selected the 7-foot-3 Mara at No. 12. The Milwaukee Bucks, meanwhile, made two moves: they drafted Arizona guard Brayden Burries at No. 10 and acquired the rights to Tennessee forward Nate Ament, who was selected at No. 13 by Miami as part of the package the Heat sent to Milwaukee in exchange for Antetokounmpo.
Throughout the evening, the arena erupted with cheers more frequently than in years past. Commissioner Silver's opening remarks celebrating the Knicks and Finals MVP Jalen Brunson drew roars from fans wearing New York jerseys. The celebration felt genuine—a reminder that draft night, for all its uncertainty, remains a moment when every franchise can believe in fresh possibility. For the Wizards, that possibility now rests on the shoulders of a 25-point-per-game scorer from Utah who has never played an NBA game.
Notable Quotes
The Wizards are banking on Dybantsa to develop quickly and live up to his billing if they hope to contend in an Eastern Conference that has grown considerably stronger.— Implicit in team strategy and roster construction
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why did the Wizards choose Dybantsa over Peterson when some thought Peterson had the higher ceiling?
Peterson missed eleven games to injury and illness during the season. In a draft this deep, you can afford to take the safer prospect at No. 1. Dybantsa had no such red flags.
The Wizards have been bad for eight years. What makes them think this time is different?
They're not banking on Dybantsa alone. They locked in Trae Young for four years and $212 million, and they traded for Anthony Davis. It's a real three-star core. But yes, they need Dybantsa to actually become Kevin Durant, not just look like him.
John Wall was a five-time All-Star and it still didn't work out. How is Dybantsa different?
Wall's injuries derailed him. Dybantsa is healthier coming in, and the supporting cast is better constructed. But you're right to be skeptical. The Wizards have a track record of disappointment.
What about Peterson going to Utah at No. 2? Does that feel like a reach?
Not really. If you believe Peterson is the most talented player in the class, you take him. The injury concerns just made him riskier at No. 1. Utah can afford that risk at No. 2.
The Knicks won their first title in 53 years. Does that change the Eastern Conference landscape?
Completely. And then Giannis got traded to Miami. The East is wide open now, but also much harder to navigate. The Wizards need Dybantsa to be a star immediately, not a project.
What did you notice about the draft atmosphere?
More cheers than usual. The Knicks fans were loud, the Nets fans applauded their pick even though they've had a terrible season. There's always hope on draft night, but this year felt like people believed in the talent more.