AJ Dybantsa’s Las Vegas summer league debut injected energy into a Washington Wizards roster that entered the offseason rebuilding phase, according to ESPN. The No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft scored 27 points and had seven rebounds in a 92-88 win over the Utah Jazz, then added 23 points and seven boards in a game against the Sacramento Kings.
Those back-to-back 20-point games made Dybantsa the first top overall pick to score 20 or more in each of his first two Las Vegas summer league contests, according to ESPN Research. The 6-foot-9 prospect showed an extensive pregame routine — receiving treatment, studying film with assistant coach Cody Toppert and spending more than 30 minutes on the practice court working on shooting and creation — that projected readiness for an NBA role.
Trae Young, who joined Washington via trade and later signed a four-year, $212.8 million contract announced at a news conference, attended Dybantsa’s debut, as did Anthony Davis, another midseason acquisition. With Young and Davis on the roster alongside recent first-round picks Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson and Will Riley, the franchise has moved into the next stage of its reconstruction, according to ESPN.
The Wizards enter the new phase after going 50-196 over the past three seasons and failing to advance past the first round since 2017; the team also has not reached the playoffs since 2021. That context amplified expectations for the 19-year-old, and his physical plays — including a drive past two defenders that ended with a two-handed dunk — drew visible reactions from owner Ted Leonsis, who told ESPN the sequence offered a glimpse of what fans might see at Capital One Arena.
Dybantsa’s upbringing was described as disciplined: his father, Anicet “Ace” Dybantsa Sr., instituted daily exercise routines and media preparation from an early age, according to ESPN. The organization and some teammates see the rookie as a franchise-caliber talent, leaving the onus on him to help Washington become competitive again.
