With all the talk about what the Washington Wizards should do with the top overall pick, we dive into AJ Dybantsa's fit with the Washington Wizards
AJ Dybantsa may be the odds on favorite for the Washington Wizards to draft at the 2026 NBA Draft, but even elite prospects come with questions. As most Wizards fans, including myself, have been filled with excitement toward Dybantsa potentially becoming the No. 1 overall pick, it is still fair to critique certain parts of his game that need to be improved.
One of the biggest concerns starts on the defensive end.
For a player listed near 6-foot-10 with a 42-inch vertical, Dybantsa’s lack of defensive playmaking have raised eyebrows among evaluators. He averaged just 1.1 steals and 0.3 blocks per game, numbers that feel underwhelming considering his athletic profile and length.
The lack of rim protection production stands out most. A 0.3 block average suggests weak-side shot blocking is not yet a meaningful part of his defensive impact. At times on film, Dybantsa can look disengaged rather than disciplined, occasionally losing track of his man off the ball or reacting late in rotations.
Still, there’s an important distinction between inconsistent focus and limited defensive upside. Dybantsa possesses the physical tools NBA teams covet in modern playoff basketball. Players with his combination of size, burst, and lateral mobility are difficult to hunt defensively when fully engaged. The concern is more about consistency than capability, and the Wizards would be tasked with unlocking this part of Dybantsa’s game.
Now let’s talk shooting.
Outside shooting remains the biggest swing skill in Dybantsa’s projection. He is not viewed as a non-shooter, but the efficiency numbers show there is something to work with here:
Dybantsa shot:
- 33.1% from three on 4.2 attempts per game
- 30% on catch-and-shoot threes
- 27% on guarded threes
- 78% from the free throw line
But there is another side to the argument.
Dybantsa carried a massive offensive workload at BYU, often creating late-clock shots and operating in heavy isolation situations. In a more structured NBA environment, with better spacing and playmaking around him, his efficiency could improve significantly.
However, on the flip side, and the main reason I've remained optimistic on the BYU star since late December: Dybantsa is a paint touching demon.
His finishing numbers near the basket already compare favorably to elite NBA wings. Dybantsa converted 72.1% of his shots at the rim, outperforming college marks from players like Jayson Tatum, Brown, RJ Barrett, and Andrew Wiggins. Even more impressive, only 22.7% of those finishes were assisted, highlighting how much self-creation is already in his game.
In today’s positionless NBA, players who can consistently collapse a defense are invaluable. Dybantsa projects as exactly that kind of offensive engine. For a young team like the Washington Wizards, adding a player capable of generating rim pressure at will could completely reshape the franchise’s offensive ceiling.
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