The Washington Wizards didn’t take AJ Dybantsa first overall just for the points. They knew the teenager could fill it up, and he’s done exactly that right away. But what’s changing the conversation in Washington is the other end of the floor, where Dybantsa has already looked far ahead of schedule.
Through his first stretch in the NBA, the 6’9 rookie is averaging 19.0 points on 50.0 percent shooting from the field. That kind of scoring pop was always part of the appeal. The surprise is how quickly he’s become a real factor defensively, too.
It started in his second game, when Dybantsa helped the Wizards beat the Hornets in their NBA Cup opener. He made life miserable for Brandon Miller and Naz Reid, forcing them to go 1-for-11 and piling up five deflections in the win. Then he backed it up against the Magic, where his transition effort and rebounding stood out.
The defensive flashes have come with a level of poise that doesn’t usually show up this early. The 19-year-old isn’t forcing things the way a lot of top picks do. He’s playing within the flow, taking what’s there and making the most of it on both ends.
That was on display Friday night when Naz Reid tried to back the rookie down for what looked like an easy post-up. Dybantsa held his ground, then pulled the chair, turning the possession into a turnover and a Washington fast break.
He kept the pressure on Monday against Orlando, finishing with three steals, including one on a hustle play where he got back to make the stop. The rookie has been a plus on that end, and the jump from his NCAA reputation to what he’s showing now has been striking.
That matters because Washington is trying to move fast. The Wizards ended their rebuild by drafting Dybantsa, and they want to make the playoffs this season. They traded for Anthony Davis and Trae Young to help make that happen, but it’s already clear that Dybantsa is central to both the present and the future in Washington.
Young is helping set the table for him, letting Dybantsa attack downhill and get easier looks. Davis is drawing attention and creating space. The roster around the No. 1 pick is making his job easier, and he’s taking full advantage.
The bigger the defensive impact, the more dangerous Washington becomes. Dybantsa has the size and athleticism to guard multiple spots, and if he keeps generating deflections and playing sturdy defense, the Wizards become a much tougher team to deal with. They’re 2-1 with him in the lineup and have won two straight, with his defense playing a major role in both victories.
There’s also another wrinkle for Washington if this keeps up. Dybantsa’s versatility gives the Wizards a chance to use him at the four with Davis at the five, which could be their best lineup.
Davis prefers the four, but the team has more success when he slides to center. Washington is still developing Alex Sarr, and the club can mix and match the two bigs in spurts.
But with Young, Kyshawn George, and Tre Johnson or Bilal Coulibaly around Davis and Dybantsa, the Wizards can maximize both their offense and their defense.
For a rookie, this is a lot, and it’s happening fast. Dybantsa isn’t just scoring like a star.
He’s defending like one sooner than anyone expected. That combination is why Washington’s ceiling suddenly looks a lot higher.
In Other News...
Brian Keefe Is Giving The Wizards Something They Desperately Needed
Brian Keefe has spent three seasons as Washingtons lead assistant, but early in the 2026-27 campaign hes starting to look like the steady hand the Wizards have been missing. With the team off to a 4-3 start, the most encouraging part has not been the record itself so much as the way the defense has tightened up and the rotations have looked more organized, even with the roster dealing with injuries and other lineup shuffling.
Keefes influence has shown up in how Washington is using its players and adjusting on the fly, a welcome change for a group that has spent too much time searching for structure. The larger question now is whether this early progress can hold once the schedule gets tougher and the lineup is whole again, because the Wizards have already shown enough to make their defensive improvement feel real, even if the full picture is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards May Have Found A Formula That Can Actually Hold Up
The Wizards win over Orlando offered a reminder that there may be something sturdier taking shape on the defensive end. Washington kept the Magic under 100 points for the second straight game, a level of consistency the franchise has not managed in a back-to-back stretch like this since early last season, and it came with notable offensive help from Anthony Davis and rookie AJ Dybantsa, who both cleared 20 points.
Deandre Ayton also made his starting debut and gave Washington a useful blend of rebounding and ball movement, the kind of low-drama contribution that can help a lineup settle in. For a team still searching for an identity, the bigger question is whether this version of the Wizards can keep stacking nights like this once the schedule and the matchups get less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Deandre Ayton Is Changing The Wizards Frontcourt Faster Than Expected
Deandre Ayton has already started to reshape Washingtons frontcourt picture in a way that looked unlikely when he arrived. Acquired for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks, Ayton has settled in as a backup center behind Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr, giving the Wizards a reliable interior option in limited minutes while still flashing the kind of production that suggests there may be more here than a standard reserve role.
The larger question now is how quickly that depth chart can keep shifting. Ayton already earned a start when Sarr was unavailable, and his per-36-minute numbers have tracked like those of a quality starting center, which gives Washington something to think about as it sorts out the frontcourt rotation. For a team still figuring out the right mix, his early impact has made the conversation more interesting than expected. [Read more 🡒]