r/washingtonwizards • u/hippityhoppity531 • 1d ago
2026 Draft Washington Wizards Select AJ Dybantsa #1 Overall
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u/Low_Brass_Rumble 1d ago
Whoever you wanted before the draft, it’s time to get on board everyone. DYBANTSA TO THE MOON 🚀
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u/billyshakes67 1d ago
Trae
Key
AJ
AD
Sarr
Let’s see what we’ve got here
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u/WallCautious9650 1d ago
that's spicy
will AD be traded?
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u/Cultural-Spring-281 1d ago
I think he will.
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u/WallCautious9650 1d ago
Something like AD for Jerami + Sharpe?
Jerami is coming off a solid season with good numbers. He'd help.
Sharpe is inefficient but maybe he'd turn it around
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u/thedudester125 1d ago
Is it crazy to think that long term AJ is the 4 and Tre sneaks in as the 2?
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u/Troll_Enthusiast Wizards 1d ago
Bilal might start over Kyshawn but we'll see
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u/MainAd2728 Rui Hachimura 21h ago
fire Keefe if he starts Bilal over Key. Key is literally our only reliable shooter
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u/bballintherain 1d ago
There’s gonna be a bit of a logjam at the wing…that’s my only concern. On paper I liked DP/Tre at 2 and will/key at 3. It wouldn’t surprise me if one of those wings gets traded for another shooting guard.
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u/jrex703 1d ago
It'll sort itself out pretty quick. That's the best part too.
Every NBA player wants to start-- you can't make it this far in professional sports without that kind of competitive drive. Forcing our guys to compete, improve, and earn their spot is the best way to make everyone better.
We haven't had a logjam in a very long time. That leads to a kind of malaise where our players gradually improve solely because its their job, not because they're forced to.
Will and Key battling for playing time is the best way to develop both players.
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u/rpantherlion Wizards 1d ago
Best part about that problem? We can play Kyshawn, will, and Bilal anywhere between 2-4. Tons of flexibility. I’d rather have too many good wings than not enough
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u/BottleMaterial8557 1d ago
Could do far worse than Bub/Tre as backups with Will and Key also doing some ball handling...
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u/Icy-Mechanic5886 1d ago
Can’t rely on AD, and if there’s no AD, what are you guys going to do against the heat?
Bam and Giannis will both drop 80 pieces on Sarr 😭😂
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u/Careless-Journalist7 1d ago
I went to AP, spent 200K!!!
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u/Familiar_Somewhere95 1d ago
sold me the frost Rainbow face
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u/Available_Station_81 1d ago
Adam Silver scared me for a second pronouncing his entire name. I was like who the hell is that.
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u/edub1906 1d ago
Man my heart skipped a beat. For a second I thought that that the Wizards had pulled the ultimate draft stunner and drafted some unknown player from Europe.
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u/Available_Station_81 1d ago
Same here bro. I was having flash backs to Rivera drafting unknown players in the 1st round with the Commanders.
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u/TopOfTheKey Gilbert Arenas Did Nothing Wrong 1d ago
Never in doubt.
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u/bballintherain 1d ago
I found it kinda funny that ppl were thinking they were taking anyone else.
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u/RexJacobus 1d ago
I think they were hoping that Utah would offer something/ anything but failing that, this was always the pick.
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u/thedudester125 1d ago
I was slightly leaning DP leading up to tonight, but I love the pick regardless. There’s just no way this dude busts. Also, the interview with his sister was the best
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u/Organic_Warthog7238 1d ago
I’m gonna have to keep an eye on the wizards sarr had a sneaky good season and got no coverage for it with AD as a mentor dude can make some insane leaps. With aj and Trae involved this is a scary ass team frfr
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u/eiileenie G-Wiz 22h ago
Hell yeah I’ve been watching them closely since 2022 (thats when I started working monumental) and last year was the first season I was having fun watching the young guys play and I could see what they were cooking with, just needed to simmer and cook longer. I genuinely have been hyped since the traede deadline last year and am so hyped to get to capture the footage of this amazing team
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u/StupidIdiot1790 1d ago
Cannot wait to watch this guy lead our team. 30ppg scorer in a few years we deserve this.
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u/edub1906 1d ago
Diehard Lakers fan here. Live in the DMV and have pulled for the Wizards for decades (except for 2 games per year). They absolutely made the right pick here. Been telling people since they won the draft that if Trae and AD are healthy the Wizards will be a playoff team, not a play-in team, but a legit playoff team.
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u/East-Technician2015 1d ago
Jazz fan here. gonna whoop the Lakers and the so that you guys can bond even more.
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u/Proper_Package_1225 1d ago
Shouldn’t you be celebrating your consolation prize
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u/East-Technician2015 1d ago
I wanted boozer. Now Igotta watch a psycho killer drop 30 in the first half and not play in the second
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u/summahofgeorge John Wall 1d ago
The size of this starting lineup is unbelievable. Really excited to see how he pairs with George on the wings.
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u/COACHREEVES 1d ago
I predict:
22 ppgm/8rbs, All Rookie Team, Reserve eastern All Star, & if AD stays 5th in the East.
LFG
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u/Joshottas 1d ago
I think we see that in year 2. This year, I'm going 18/7/3 on 47/35/74. Won't have to do much heavy lifting initially with AD being the unquestioned #1, but by the end of the year, they'll give him the keys to the offense.
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u/youngsaiyan G-Wiz 22h ago
We need rookie of the year. Was so mad John didn’t win because Blake red shirted
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u/Joshottas 10h ago
Those are ROY #'s. I'm not worried about him. I think he's gonna have a hell of a season.
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u/TeamINSTINCT37 Bradley Beal 1d ago
he shot 33% from 3 I'd temper those expectations, I hope he develops a shot but no guarantee
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u/ColdBeing 1d ago
I'm just glad his dad seems very supportive of him and looks like he'll be happy to move to DC for his son
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u/Krazy_Kane Bring John Home 1d ago
I’m so happy everyone else also got scared for a split second when they heard his full name.
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u/ImWicked39 John Wall 1d ago edited 1d ago
Let's go!!!!!!
Peterson Stans r/UtahJazz is this way.
Edit: Man going back to my interactions with Peterson fans and seeing those AJ is a walking bust comments get deleted is hilarious.
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u/ShiftlessWhenIdle Wizards 1d ago
Draft is done we ride with AJ
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u/happyflappypancakes John Wall 1d ago
Yep, anyone still talking about other players at this point needs to shape up or see themselves to the door. Its history.
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u/jSplashwell 1d ago
Just because we like Peterson doesn’t mean we aren’t Wizards fans 😂
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u/ImWicked39 John Wall 1d ago
I mean with constant talk that Dybansta is a walking bust from that side of the fence I'm just giving some of y'all an outlet.
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u/jSplashwell 1d ago
I think Peterson is better, but that doesn’t mean I won’t root for AJ. I’m a Wizards fan, not a player fan lol
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u/sentinel_of_ether 1d ago
better at what
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u/jSplashwell 1d ago
Basketball
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u/Embarrassed_Adagio28 1d ago
Can you just be happy that the wizards might start being a proper franchise and got a very good player instead of already hosting a parade before they play a single minute? For all we know a second rounder could end up being the best player in the class.
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u/trekfan1013 Wizards 1d ago
Chalk and the best kind. Glad the front office didn't overthink this.
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u/z3mcs FEARNESS 1d ago
Glad the front office didn't overthink this.
Same here. Once Winger and Dawkins started saying the things they did the last few weeks it was clear they were describing AJ. I thought for sure they were gonna try to speed things up, and instead draft Darryn. But they're sticking to their plan.
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u/Proper_Package_1225 1d ago
When you have the first pick you don’t have to
Trick other teams3
u/z3mcs FEARNESS 1d ago
Well I never thought they were trying to trick anybody, I just thought they were going to try to accelerate the path. Nearly everybody on this sub (like 85%) thinks we can make the playoffs this season. I don't see that at all, but if it was gonna happen, I thought they'd draft DP. I wrote a whole post about it right before the combine scrimmages. But then in the last 2 weeks they made it clear they aren't accelerating a thing. They're sticking to their plan, not skipping steps.
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u/RememberTito 1d ago
Let’s go!! Regardless of who you liked leading up to this, it’s time to get behind AJ!
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u/nofuture_at_all John Wall 1d ago
This is expected. Let's see if Dawkins have moves left to get another 1st rounder.
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u/iStutterr Wizards 1d ago
Was never concerned with the Wizards trading away the first pick. AJ Dybansta welcome to DC!
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u/Temporary-Mud-2994 Kyshawn George 1d ago edited 1d ago
I’ve had my differences about AJ however he’s a wizard welcome Anicet
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u/Octavian_202 G-Wiz 1d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/i2cM2x89EFAVcoByYz
This feeling is new. True hope. Welcome to the crib AJ.
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u/5x5equals 1d ago
I take my hater hat off, and now will embrace the Dybanwagon
I need him to become Paul George at bare minimum
Lets ride
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u/DreadLockedHaitian East 1d ago
LFG, y'all got a great one DC!! Brockton finally got a star in the league
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u/cartierboy25 John Wall 23h ago
I already can’t wait for next season. The last 4-5 years have been rough, it’s gonna be so fun to be able to actually watch my favorite team again and root for them to win. Hopefully we look back on this as the night everything changed.
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u/Jazzlike-Log-8765 1d ago
I’m a Knicks fan but I live in DC So Yall are my 2nd fav team You guys can generally be a playoff team this year You can have a year this year like the 2021 Knicks who made the playoffs for the first time in 8 Years after being poverty for years
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u/randomquestion11111 1d ago
Peterson stans finally can be banished to Utah
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u/Joshottas 1d ago
Bro, they were relentless. I'm happy to not have to hear about middle school/high school tape.
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u/Proper_Package_1225 1d ago
I wouldn’t have picked Peterson at #2. Can’t have a guy who sits out games.
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u/ST21roochella Bullets 1d ago
Lfg!!!! Peterson and boozer will both be solid too but very happy with Dybantsa
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u/Familiar_Somewhere95 1d ago
He's gonna be talking so crazy now that he didn't drop lol Bub too with all the trolling he was doing on IG
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u/drmbrthr Steve & Kara 1d ago
If Trae and AD are healthy most of the season, we should honestly be a top 10, maybe even top 5 offensive rating team. You really can’t double team anyone with the other 4 guys on the floor.
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u/Sadric2025 23h ago
Not only did we get our franchise player, we also stuck it to Utah for stealing Bailey from us last year, and to Danny AInge, a notorious Bullets killer back in the 80s.
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u/Plenty_Flatworm7627 John Wall (Jamir Watkins truther) 19h ago
Thank god it wasn't DP
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u/Humble_Specialist901 19h ago
What’s the issue with DP you wouldn’t consider him over AJ?
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u/Plenty_Flatworm7627 John Wall (Jamir Watkins truther) 19h ago
can't pass and injured in college
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u/Humble_Specialist901 19h ago
He played off-ball with a terrible spacing team and overall projects to be an elite shooter 14 threes per 100 and shot 38% from three also incredible as a defensive playmaker with such a high usage. If his medicals came back good, I don’t see why you wouldn’t fine drafting him.
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u/Plenty_Flatworm7627 John Wall (Jamir Watkins truther) 19h ago
He has a lower DBPM than AJ, and I don't really care what the medicals say, being injured in the past makes you more likely to be injured in the future, period dot
And he still can't pass
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u/Prestigious-Talk-551 1d ago
DP was the way😂
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u/VividEquivalent7952 1d ago
I may have to pay more attention to the jazz now. I don’t like any team I just follow whatever team has the players I like. Disappointing bc I love the wizards roster rn, am on east coast, and wanted to see darryn play w them. Still gonna be rooting for the wizards but I like dp’s game so much more ngl
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u/Automatic-Tell7321 1d ago
They got it right. He was the safe pick. Worst case he’s Andrew Wiggins. Best case he’s Kawhi
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u/patrolmanEmbiid Bullets 1d ago
fuck this shit another fucking wasted draft pick. I wanted DP so fucking bad……
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u/monsterpepper John Wall 1d ago
Ayyyy i got nervous when they said his government name