The Washington Wizards enter the offseason with a prime opportunity to cap off their rebuild with a top prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft.
General manager Will Dawkins has made it clear the team's just looking for a little bit of luck in May's NBA Draft Lottery, but it's obvious that the exact type of luck the team is looking for is the No. 1 overall pick.
Landing the top pick would give the Wizards the chance to have their pick of the litter in an extremely deep draft class, but there's no denying that the one player Washington and nearly every other team in the league would like the chance to draft is BYU star AJ Dybantsa.
And for anyone who may not be familiar with Dybantsa's game, perhaps the NBA comparison from former Wizards' star John Wall will clarify exactly why Washington is hoping they land the top pick.
John Wall compares AJ Dybantsa to Tracy McGrady
In a recent episode of NBA on Prime, Dybantsa joined the crew for a segment, where the star forward was shown a video of John Wall's recent comments about him.
Wall didn't just praise the former five-star recruit for his character and talent, but he highlighted the skillsets that remind him of an NBA Legend, one whose playing style matches the ideal fit for the Wizards.
.@AJ_Dybantsa reacts to @JohnWall's NBA comparison for him with the @NBAonPrime crew 👀 pic.twitter.com/Xa5pSJL1XZ
— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) April 25, 2026
"My NBA player comp to me is a young T-Mac," Wall said. "Somebody who's athletic, got the midrange, got the three ball. Whoever gets this guy is getting a great leader, a great character guy, and someone who's gonna be a great person for your franchise."
And while Dybantsa is certainly one-of-one, if he's able to translate his college dominance to the NBA, he's the exact type of player that will help the Wizards win next year and for years to come.
AJ Dybantsa would fill several needs for the Wizards
Dybantsa is one of the most versatile players in the draft, and he's on the talent level of last year's No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who the Wizards were all-in on before their tough luck hit in the NBA Draft Lottery.
The wing has it all as Wall mentioned, and his ability to be an elite scorer from all three levels, while also being able to make the right reads as a facilitator and defend multiple positions, would allow him to fit the exact mold the Wizards are looking for.
Not to mention, the praise his leadership has received suggests he'd be a high-character guy in Washington from the jump.
All that to say, if the Wizards are lucky enough to land the top pick, Dybantsa in D.C. would be a no-brainer.
At the same time, the arrival of Dybantsa would almost certainly remove the desire for the Wizards to make a swing for a player like Kevin Durant.
Add us as a preferred source on Google