The Washington Wizards' selection of AJ Dybantsa with the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft shows progress, not only in the rebuild, but also that the team has learned from what went wrong in previous years.
Washington's front office group of general manager Will Dawkins and President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger isn't responsible for the past mistakes from the previous regime.
Still, it took them long enough to pick up the pieces throughout the course of this rebuild to learn from the poor decision-making that kept the organization at the bottom of the standings.
With the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Wizards were face-to-face with a massive test that would tell if the franchise truly has learned their lesson when it comes to the draft.
That test? Darryn Peterson.
There's an argument to be made that Peterson is the most talented player in the draft, and when we look back on this offseason in 5-10 years, the Wizards' electing to pass on the Kansas product could be considered yet another questionable decision the organization made.
However, odds are that won't be the case, and the fact that the Wizards are willing to test that proves they're trending in the right direction.
Wizards would have ignored Darryn Peterson's red flags in the past
The Wizards won't come out and directly state that the character concerns and off-the-court issues of Peterson factored into their decision to select AJ Dybantsa instead, but it's safe to say that was a genuine factor in the process.
Entering the college season, Peterson was projected as the top pick, and in large part because many argued he was the best backcourt prospect that teams have seen in quite some time.
And while Dybantsa's dominant season at BYU, leading the nation in scoring, averaging 25.5 points per game, is enough of a reason for him to pass Peterson on draft boards, it feels like the concerns with Peterson were enough that several teams graded Dybantsa ahead, including the Utah Jazz.
Peterson's red flags have been spoken about consistently, but the one thing that has never been questioned is his talent.
The Jayhawks playmaker has every tool necessary to be one of the best players in the NBA if he can put it all together, but his questioned work-ethic and lack of reliability have added a sense of doubt that he'll reach that level.
In the past, Washington wouldn't have thought twice about the concerns and took a swing that it would all pay off in the end. This time around, the Wizards are taking the safe bet, securing a bona fide star for their organization.
Obviously, the minimal gap, if any, between Dybantsa and Peterson makes that decision much easier, but it's still a breath of fresh air to see the Wizards making the expected decision, not the questionable one.
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