Washington Wizards select AJ Dybantsa No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft

In what is considered one of the most talented classes in recent memory, the Washington Wizards selected BYU small forward AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick of the NBA Draft. Heading into Thursday's draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Wizards were believed to be deciding between Dybantsa and Kansas phenom combo guard Darryn Peterson. Dybantsa will join a Wizards team that has struggled to find its footing in recent years, making only one playoff appearance in the last eight seasons due to a series of misfires on the roster front. AJ Dybantsa poses on the red carpet prior to the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026, in New York City. Arturo Holmes / Getty Images But the Wizards will be looking for a fresh start with a team built around Dybantsa, star point guard Trae Young — who agreed to a four-year, $212 million deal earlier this week — and big man Anthony Davis, who the Wizards traded for in February. The Wizards desperately need Dybantsa to prove he can make them contenders in a competitive Eastern Conference that just saw the New York Knicks win their first NBA title in 53 years, and then saw superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat. The last time the Wizards had the No. 1 overall pick was in 2010, when they took point guard John Wall. The five-time All-Star had a solid career that was ultimately derailed by injuries. Wizards fans will be hoping Dybantsa has a better tenure. …