Wizards president Michael Winger, top projected pick AJ Dybantsa talk about the Washington Wizards landing the top overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft
After months of agony followed by weeks of uncertainty, the best possible scenario officially came to fruition for the Washington Wizards after landing the top overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft. The prize selection gives the Wizards a chance to stay patient, do their due diligence on the top available prospects and scour the roster fits and short and long-term implications.
Yet for new leadership who embarked on a three year rebuild process, Wizards president Michael Winger pushed back on the idea that the top pick is "validation" for the organization, instead calling it "rewarding" while cautioning the road ahead.
"Ultimately, we still have to draft the right player. We still have to raise that player," Winger told reporters following the lottery reveal. "We say a lot internally, we still have to go out and play the games. And so I think our validations, our rewards will come down the line when we see if we're putting together the right group of guys and building the organization the right way."
As for drafting the right player, the early indications point to former BYU star AJ Dybantsa becoming that pick for Washington, though Jake Fischer also noted the front office is expected to also evaluate possible trade down scenarios as they evaluate all options available.
Whether Washington actually pulls the trigger on a trade down its own question, but the chance to add another impact player in Dybantsa looms large for an organization looking for star power.
"Confidently, for me, I wasn't really worried about teams 14 through three, so I just kind of let it play out. But then when all the guys sat there for the top four, it was like alright, this is kind of getting real," Dybantsa said.
As for Dybantsa's thoughts on playing in DC, the freshman star admitted he's "versatile, adaptable" when it comes to the possibility of playing in a number of cities. Dybantsa was able to take a tour inside Capital One Arena and the team's facility while suiting up in the Jordan Brand Classic as a senior. He also played against the team's first round pick last year.
"Tre Johnson, played against him at Link [Academy]. I've been watching [Anthony Davis] for a long, long time. Trae Young, even when he was at Oklahoma, I know a couple of the guys there."
With the first part complete, now comes the hard part as the Wizards sift through the information gathered through the regular season into the next six months during the draft evaluation process as the front office navigates through three draft picks, including a pair in the second round. Yet behind a young core and a veteran tandem, Winger admitted it's "our time" for the luck to tilt Washington's way.
"I think that it was our time to get that pick."
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