When it was announced before the season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks that the number one overall pick from the 2026 NBA Draft, AJ Dybantsa, would miss his debut, it understandably left many disappointed.
Dybantsa shut down the sadness from the Wiz faithful when he said: “Took me 19 years to get here. A few more days ain’t nothing,” showing a sense of confidence that the rookie has had his entire career to get to this spot.
And while this roster, curated by Wizards GM Will Dawkins, is obviously stacked with talent, Dybantsa was going to be needed much sooner than you would have wanted a rookie to be.
Wizards already need AJ Dybantsa
Coming off of back-to-back losses (one of which Dybantsa played), it was already mandatory for the Wizards to put an end to their two-game skid quickly, and Dybantsa was going to have to play a big part in that.
After all, this is a Wizards organization that did not see their 3rd win of the season until Dec. 1 last season, a whopping 19 games into the year, so, needless to say, the expectations are different.
And boy, has Dybantsa delivered.
AJ Dybantsa is playing the game so brilliantly for a rookie
Normally, when someone with the hype of Dybantsa comes into the league, there is a bit of rushing and impatience he shows with his game because there’s an eagerness to prove that the hype was indeed justified and that yes, he indeed “belongs”.
This is not the case with Dybantsa.
His ability in his first two contests to let the game come to him, and get in where he fits in while starring in his role as an already polished wing in this game is what jumps off the screen just as much as any poster dunk would.
And Dybantsa plays like he knows they are on the way, but in the meantime, doing his job by going 5-for-11 from the floor and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line is what will benefit him and the team most right now.
AJ Dybantsa's play is still must-see in this role
Playing third fiddle to two guys who have made a combined 14 All-Star games and will almost certainly find themselves in the Hall of Fame when done, in guard Trae Young and big man Anthony Davis, would leave most players without getting the superstar treatment.
And Young and Davis had great contributions in Friday’s win against the Hornets, as Young had 21 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists, while Davis had a team-high 25 points and 13 rebounds, and despite all of this, Dybantsa’s impact in scoring 17 points and seven rebounds is what the crowd was loudest for.
Even erupting into “MVP” chants as “a little too crazy” in postgame, but the support the rookie has gotten and how much he seems to already be embraced by Washington fans who are desperate for a winner is an early sign that he was an absolute home run pick.
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