Wizards take AJ Dybantsa No. 1 overall in 2026 NBA Draft

The Washington Wizards selected 19-year-old forward Anicet “AJ” Dybantsa Jr. with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday in New York City. The 6-foot-9 prospect joins the franchise after one season at Brigham Young University, where he averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 35 starts.

Dybantsa arrives in the NBA with a strong youth résumé as well, having been named Most Valuable Player at the 2025 FIBA Under-19 World Cup after helping the United States win the tournament, officials said. The Wizards are expected to build around the forward as part of a broader roster reset following a disappointing season.

The top of the draft continued with the Utah Jazz selecting University of Kansas guard Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 pick. The Memphis Grizzlies then used the third pick on Duke forward Cameron Boozer, the son of former NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer.

Dybantsa’s path to the league reflects the growing trend of elite prospects making the jump after a single college season. His production at BYU and his size on the wing made him the consensus top choice for a Wizards team seeking a primary scoring option and a long-term cornerstone.

Tuesday’s first round was held at Barclays Center, where Dybantsa was congratulated shortly after his name was called. The selection gives Washington a chance to accelerate its rebuilding timeline by pairing a high-usage creator with whatever young talent remains from the club’s recent reset.

How the top three picks shaped up

Peterson, a 6-foot-6 guard, averaged 20.2 points in his lone season at Kansas. Utah is attempting to climb out of the Western Conference’s bottom tier after a 22-60 campaign, and Peterson is viewed as a natural scorer who can grow alongside the Jazz’s young backcourt.

Boozer entered the draft after being named the consensus national player of the year. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 22.5 points in 38 starts for Duke and gives Memphis another frontcourt option as the Grizzlies look to stay competitive in the West.

Boozer’s late-season injury and recovery

Boozer’s college season ended in March when he suffered multiple fractures around his right eye in Duke’s 73-72 defeat to the University of Connecticut in the Elite Eight. The injury ended his NCAA tournament run but did not prevent him from remaining a top-three selection.

The Wizards, Jazz and Grizzlies will now turn to offseason roster planning and summer development programs as their top picks prepare for their first NBA training camps.