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The NBA Draft Lottery was held on Sunday ahead of postseason action, and for the first time in the lottery format’s history, the team with the league’s worst record secured the No. 1 overall pick.
That team was the Washington Wizards, who now find themselves in an intriguing position heading into next month’s draft. Washington already has a promising young core featuring Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr, and Bub Carrington, while also acquiring former NBA All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis through in-season trades.
Who the Wizards will select as the potential next centerpiece of the franchise remains uncertain, but one anonymous NBA general manager told Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman that all signs point toward AJ Dybantsa, the freshman standout from the BYU Cougars.
“I don’t think they can take the risk with Darryn Peterson even though I think his upside is even higher than Dybantsa,” the GM said. “I think Washington will go with Dybantsa because it’s a safer pick and they can’t afford to screw this up.”
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Dybantsa is widely viewed as one of the safer top prospects in the class. He led BYU to the NCAA Tournament during his freshman season with no off-court issues or major disruptions, reinforcing his reputation as a steady, high-character player.
On the court, Dybantsa projects as a polished two-way wing who can score at all three levels offensively — inside, mid-range, and beyond the arc — while also showing strong instincts and the physical tools to develop into a strong defender at the next level.
Still, there will be several other players the Washington Wizards will need to evaluate in what is expected to be one of the most freshman-heavy draft classes in recent memory, with much of the lottery conversation centered around first-year standouts.
Other potential candidates for the No. 1 pick include Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Darius Acuff Jr., and Caleb Wilson.
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