The Washington Wizards have officially selected BYU standout AJ Dybantsa at No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, giving the struggling franchise a face to officially build around.
For months, the team refused to reveal which direction they were leaning in the process, but the expected decision always boiled down to Dybantsa or Kansas star Darryn Peterson.
In the end, the chance to secure a prospect that will immediately give the franchise arguably the most complete player they've had since Wes Unseld helped the team land on Dybantsa, but this is just the first step towards putting an end to their rebuild once and for all.
After securing Trae Young to a long-term extension, adding Dybantsa gives the Wizards two core pieces to build around, and that's not even mentioning the young talent that's already on the roster.
Before Dybantsa and Young, there was Alex Sarr, whom the team still views as a long-term piece of their future.
However, with Dybantsa officially in the mix, both Sarr and Young will have to take a backseat when it comes to the team's future decisions.
Wizards are going to invest in Dybantsa, base every move on him
Adding Dybantsa alone is a win for the Wizards, but it gives the franchise the piece that every decision will be based on and run through moving forward.
Looking around the league, every team has that one star that every decision is based on.
The Spurs have Victor Wembanyama, Boston has Jayson Tatum, Steph Curry leads the Dubs, and the Lakers now run everything around Luka Doncic.
Washington hasn't had that in quite some time, and even with Bradley Beal and John Wall being building blocks in the DMV in past years, it feels different with Dybantsa.
The Wizards are already building from the ground up, and until this offseason, there was no clear face of the franchise.
Moving forward, the team will base every decision they make on the roster about how certain personnel fit alongside Dybantsa, which prospects will complement his skillset, and what type of players Dybantsa could help elevate.
And that's not to say Young, Sarr, or any of the other pieces on the roster won't be taken into consideration, but Dybantsa will certainly be among the top of the team's priorities.
Still, with Dybantsa in D.C. alongside the foundation already built and Anthony Davis expected to remain in the nation's capital, it feels like the Wizards are perfectly set up to make some noise next season, just with their new superstar leading the way.
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