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AJ Dybantsa selected by the Washington Wizards with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft

The Wizards added the nation’s leading scorer to a roster built around veteran stars and hope the pick speeds a long rebuild.

  • On Tuesday, the Washington Wizards selected BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, positioning him as the franchise's potential cornerstone.
  • Washington initiated this roster overhaul following a 17-65 season that resulted in a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference, making elite talent acquisition critical.
  • Dybantsta, a 6-foot-9, 217-pound wing, led the nation in scoring with 25.5 points per game during his sole BYU season, earning praise for elite shot creation.
  • The Wizards plan to officially introduce the rookie at a Thursday press conference, with Brockton native Dybantsa reflecting on the moment: "Who knows, I might cry."
  • Joining established talents like Trae Young and Anthony Davis, Dybantsa arrives to accelerate the franchise's return to playoff contention after years of rebuilding.
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Wizards select Dybantsa with No. 1 pick in NBA Draft

As the clock ticked down to the announcement of the NBA draft's first pick on Tuesday night, AJ Dybantsa's phone was in his father's possession.

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The BYU eavesman who averaged 25.5 points per game and led Division I in annotation was selected last night by the Washington Wizards with the first global election of the NBA Draft 2026, held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. This is the first time that the capital franchise has chosen number 1 since it selected John Wall 16 years ago.An elite scorer of 6 feet 9 inchesAJ Dybantsa, 19, chose to play his only university season in Brigham Young …

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Bleacherreport broke the news in United States on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
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