Wizards Have a Win-Win Situation With 2026 NBA Draft

The Washington Wizards are a lucky team. You don’t hear that too often, right? But, they’re sitting pretty with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft, and they really can’t make a bad choice.

The Wizards will pick first, and they’re expected to go with BYU small forward AJ Dybantsa. There’s nothing holding them back from that pick, but even if they decide to get creative, this year’s draft is a rare situation where every player in the top five could go as the first pick.

Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports thinks the Wizards will go with Dybantsa in the end.

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“This pick should come down to (Darryn) Peterson or Dybantsa. The Wizards can’t go wrong with either prospect,” he says. “Like I’ve said for the last calendar year, I strongly believe that Peterson is the best player in the class. However, Dybantsa would be a great fit with Washington, too. He was college basketball’s leading scorer last season as a freshman and has all the tools to be one of the top scorers at the next level down the line.”

Should the Wizards Pick AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson?

It’s a tough call, but the Wizards would probably be best to go with Dybantsa in the draft. Both Dybantsa and Peterson could be game changers for whichever team lands them, for the past few months, NBA scouts have consistently named Dybantsa the No. 1 pick.

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Last season, Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points per game on 51% shooting from the field, according to NBA stats, making him the fifth Division 1 player over the last four decades to average at least 25 points per game on 50% or better.

So, will the Wizards go with Dybantsa? After months of buildup and the Wizards being linked to him, it’s hard to see them going elsewhere. Dybantsa can instantly bring value to the Wizards. They’re going to need it next season, too.

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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 2:01 PM.