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Face of the Franchise: Wizards select Dybantsa

AJ Dybantsa copy.jpg

AJ Dybantsa

WAS Guard-Forward

Player Stats

Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.

Dybantsa entered the 2025-26 season as one of the top prospects in this draft class, and his lone season at BYU did no harm to that status. The 6-foot-9 wing averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 three-pointers last season, earning consensus first-team All-America honors. Dybantsa shot 51.0 percent from the field, 33.1 percent from three and 77.4 percent from the foul line. An excellent athlete who can score on all three levels and provide some playmaking, Dybantsa needs to become a more consistent three-point shooter. That said, he projects to be a franchise cornerstone for years to come. He’ll join a core in Washington that features young studs Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson and Kyshawn George, as well as veteran stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Dybantsa should start from day one and be a strong scoring option.

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Source: Jake Fischer

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Rivers, Hummel preview 2026-2027 NBA season

Austin Rivers, Robbie Hummel join Fanta in 60 to preview the trending headlines ahead of an intriguing 2026-2027 NBA season including, the most exciting to players to watch and how the 76ers might perform.

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Related Player News

Bilal Coulibaly

WAS Guard #0

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Bilal Coulibaly tallied 19 points (7-of-11 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), two rebounds, one assist, three steals, one block and three three-pointers in Monday’s exhibition against the Nets.

Coulibaly will be one of the first players off the bench for the Wizards once the regular season begins. He wasn’t a reliable fantasy option in his first three seasons, and the reserve role limits his ceiling in 2026-27. However, Coulibaly may benefit from a full season with Trae Young because he can get out in transition and finish. He should be rostered in dynasty leagues, but fantasy managers don’t need to select Coulibaly in most redraft leagues.
Kyshawn George

WAS Forward #18

Kyshawn George accumulated 21 points (6-of-7 FGs, 6-of-7 FTs), one rebound, four assists, three steals and three three-pointers in Monday’s exhibition against the Nets.

Fantasy-wise, George has been Washington’s most valuable young wing over the last two seasons. That shouldn’t change in 2026-27, as he’s expected to start alongside Trae Young and AJ Dybantsa on the perimeter. George shot the ball well on Monday night, and playing alongside a playmaker like Young should raise his fantasy ceiling in 2026-27.
AJ Dybantsa

WAS Guard-Forward

AJ Dybantsa supplied 14 points (4-of-10 FGs, 6-of-10 FTs), seven rebounds, two assists and one steal over 23 minutes in Saturday’s preseason contest against the Pistons.

Dybantsa, the number one overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, hit just 3-of-8 first-half shot attempts, but got to the charity stripe for 10 free-throw attempts as he finished in double figures as a starter for the second straight preseason contest. The 19-year-old prodigy will experience the typical ebbs and flows that most rookies endure, but he offers enough scoring and rebounding upside that he’s worthy of a speculative mid-to-late round-pick in most redraft leagues.
AJ Dybantsa

WAS Guard-Forward

AJ Dybantsa amassed 11 points (5-of-11 FGs, 1-of-3 FTs), two rebounds, two assists and four steals in Thursday’s exhibition against the Knicks.

Dybantsa made his preseason NBA debut on Thursday as a starter for the Wizards. Khris Middleton didn’t play against the Knicks, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Wizards’ first overall pick from this past summer won’t start on Opening Night. Dybantsa’s athleticism and offensive tools make him an enticing prospect, and his four steals on Thursday shouldn’t be overlooked. He won’t do that consistently, but pressuring passing lanes is another of Dybantsa’s strengths.
Jamir Watkins

WAS Forward #5

Jamir Watkins underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee on Thursday.

Watkins reportedly suffered the injury during the Wizards’ summer league opener against the Jazz, which explains why he didn’t appear again after playing 20 minutes as a starter in that game. Watkins was selected with the 43rd pick in 2025 and was solid as a rookie, especially down the stretch of the season. Now, there is a chance he misses the entirety of his sophomore campaign. It’s unclear if he would’ve had much of a role this upcoming season, but this solidifies that Bilal Coulibaly and Will Riley will see most of the wing minutes off the bench.
DeMar DeRozan

FA Guard-Forward #10

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that the Wizards have been in contact with free agent DeMar DeRozan recently.

In the aftermath of his exit from Sacramento, DeRozan was considered to be a player likely headed to a team with postseason ambitions. Miami, Cleveland and Denver have all expressed interest since the veteran wing hit free agency, and now Washington has reportedly worked its way into the mix. Given the number of young wings on the Wizards’ roster, adding DeRozan would create even more of a logjam, potentially limiting the short-term fantasy potential of a Kyshawn George or Will Riley.
AJ Dybantsa

WAS Guard-Forward

Wizards assistant coach TJ Sorrentine said Tuesday that AJ Dybantsa is done for the remainder of summer league.

Given how well Dybantsa played in his two appearances in Las Vegas, this was the expected conclusion for the first overall pick in last month’s draft. The 6-foot-9 forward totaled 50 points in his two appearances, most recently recording a 23/7/2/3/2 line in Sunday’s win over the Kings. Dybantsa being ruled out for the rest of summer league will allow the other young Wizards more room to show what they can provide. Fantasy-wise, Dybantsa should be one of the first rookies off the board in drafts, regardless of league format. Will Riley and Tre Johnson are also done for the summer.
AJ Dybantsa

WAS Guard-Forward

AJ Dybantsa led the Wizards with 27 points (7-of-18 FGs, 7-of-8 FTs), seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in a 92-88 win over the Jazz on Thursday.

With how well Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer played in their summer league debuts in Salt Lake City, there was a lot of pressure on Dybantsa to produce at a high level in his first game as a Wizard. If he felt the pressure, it clearly didn’t impact him. Just like when he was at BYU, opposing defenses did not have an answer when Dybantsa was driving to the rim. He didn’t shoot the ball well from the perimeter (0-of-5 on three-pointers), but his body control on drives is rare. Plus, he was able to get to the line at will and contribute a few defensive stats. Summer league doesn’t define a player’s career, but Dybantsa rose to the occasion the first chance he got, just like superstars do.
Trae Young

WAS Guard #3

ESPN’s Marc J. Spears reports that Trae Young plans to opt out of the final season of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent.

Acquired from the Hawks in early January, Young appeared in five games for the Wizards before being shut down in mid-March. Had he opted into the final season of his contract, the point guard would have earned nearly $49 million. And this may not be a case in which Young is opting out to negotiate a deal with the Wizards that would give the team more cap space. According to the report, there’s a belief that “multiple teams” will show interest in signing Young. Washington is perceived to be the favorite to sign Young, but that isn’t guaranteed. The question is whether this will affect how the Wizards view the first overall pick in next week’s draft. BYU’s AJ Dybantsa is considered the favorite to go first, but Kansas’ Darryn Peterson has refused to work out for any team other than the Wizards.
Darryn Peterson

Guard

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Darryn Peterson has only met with the Wizards ahead of the June 23 NBA Draft.

While Peterson is one of the top prospects in this draft class, most have assumed that BYU’s AJ Dybantsa will be the first overall pick in next week’s draft. However, the former Kansas guard is reportedly operating as if he only has eyes for Washington, refusing to meet with the other teams at the top of the draft lottery. Utah, which picks second, dealt with a similar situation last summer, but it did not keep them from selecting Ace Bailey fifth overall. Whether Washington’s acquisition of Trae Young will affect their thinking regarding Peterson is unknown, but the most recent reports make it clear that the 6-foot-5 guard wants to hear his name called first overall.

Rotoworld

Tarris Reed Jr.

SAS Center
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Tarris Reed Jr. accounted for four points (1-of-6 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), 17 rebounds, one assist, three steals and one blocked shot in Monday’s exhibition against the Jazz.

With Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet locked into their spots in the Spurs’ rotation, Reed will likely be the third center in his rookie season. If there’s one area where he can be valuable, it’s on the glass. Reed grabbed 17 boards on Monday, including eight on the offensive end. That doesn’t make him a redraft-league target, but you should roster the first-round pick out of UConn in dynasty leagues.
- Raphielle Johnson

Recap

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Keldon Johnson

SAS Forward-Guard #3
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Keldon Johnson amassed 15 points (4-of-10 FGs, 7-of-9 FTs), four rebounds, four assists and two steals in Monday’s exhibition against the Jazz.

Johnson, the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year, was inserted into the Spurs’ starting lineup on Monday. Obviously, he won’t be asked to fill that role very often once the regular season begins. Another issue for Johnson’s fantasy outlook is the emergence of Dylan Harper, even though they don’t play the same position, and the addition of Tobias Harris. The deeper rotation means someone will lose playing time, and that could be Johnson.
- Raphielle Johnson

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Harrison Barnes

SAS Forward #40
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Harrison Barnes finished Monday’s exhibition against the Jazz with 19 points (3-of-8 FGs, 10-of-12 FTs), two rebounds, one assist and three three-pointers.

With many of the Spurs’ regulars sitting out Monday’s game, Barnes moved into the starting lineup. As expected, the veteran forward hunted his shot aggressively and earned multiple trips to the foul line. Given San Antonio’s depth when everyone is available, Barnes is unlikely to offer much value in most fantasy leagues this season.
- Raphielle Johnson

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Jaxson Hayes

UTA Center-Forward #11
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Jaxson Hayes recorded 11 points (4-of-5 FGs, 3-of-4 FTs) and two rebounds in Monday’s exhibition against the Spurs.

With Jusuf Nurkić (toe) out for at least four weeks, Hayes is likely to be Utah’s starting center come Opening Night. He didn’t offer much rebounding value on Monday, and over his career, Hayes averages 5.8 rebounds per game when he starts. Fantasy managers shouldn’t expect much from him as a starter, but Hayes’s biggest value will be letting Jaren Jackson Jr. stay at power forward.
- Raphielle Johnson

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Jaren Jackson

UTA Forward-Center #20
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Jaren Jackson Jr. tallied 13 points (6-of-8 FGs), three rebounds, two assists, one steal, one block and one three-pointer in Monday’s exhibition against the Spurs.

Jackson was whistled for five fouls during the first half, but his defensive aggression was likely influenced by the expectation that he’d be done at halftime. Jackson recorded a complete stat line in his 18 minutes, and he should be a highly valuable frontcourt player in category leagues this season. The key will be to stay healthy, as injuries limited Jackson to 48 games in 2025-26.
- Raphielle Johnson

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Darryn Peterson

UTA Guard
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Darryn Peterson finished Monday’s exhibition against the Spurs with 14 points (5-of-10 FGs, 3-of-3 FTs), two rebounds, five assists, one steal and one three-pointer.

Peterson was the lone Jazz starter to see any action after halftime, logging nine minutes in the third quarter. The Jazz inserted Isaiah Collier (11 points, three rebounds, six assists, five steals, and one three-pointer) to start the second half, suggesting they currently view Peterson solely as a two-guard. His taking that role when he’s on the floor with Keyonte George isn’t a surprise, but Peterson may not get many point guard minutes when Utah’s PG1 sits.
- Raphielle Johnson

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OG Anunoby

NYK Forward-Guard #8
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OG Anunoby amassed 15 points (4-of-8 FGs, 6-of-6 FTs), two rebounds, one assist, three steals and one three-pointer in Monday’s exhibition against the Timberwolves.

Anunoby was one of three Knicks starters to finish Monday’s exhibition in double figures, joining Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite providing top-50 value each of the last two seasons, OG’s current ADP still sits in the high-60s. With that in mind, he could return excellent fantasy value in 2026-27, especially if he’s more aggressive in looking for his own shot.
- Raphielle Johnson

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Jalen Brunson

NYK Guard #11
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Jalen Brunson finished Monday’s exhibition against the Timberwolves with 20 points (6-of-13 FGs, 7-of-8 FTs), five rebounds, three assists, three steals and one three-pointer.

Monday’s game was the first of two in as many nights for the Knicks, who visit the Raptors on Tuesday. Even if Brunson and the other starters are available, they may not play much in New York’s final road game this preseason. Unsurprisingly, Brunson was the most productive starter against the Timberwolves, and he’ll lead the way offensively on many nights during the regular season.
- Raphielle Johnson

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Anthony Edwards

MIN Guard #5
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Anthony Edwards recorded 26 points (8-of-16 FGs, 5-of-7 FTs), three rebounds, three assists, one steal and five three-pointers in Monday’s exhibition against the Knicks.

The partnership between Edwards and LaMelo Ball (10 points, three rebounds, seven assists, one block and one three-pointer) has looked good in the preseason. The Timberwolves clearly prioritized getting a playmaker to share the court with Ant-Man, and Ball fits the mold. There will likely be some growing pains once the results count, but this should be another big year for Edwards. He has a first-round ADP in 12-team leagues, and that’s fair.
- Raphielle Johnson

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Jaden McDaniels

MIN Forward #3
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Jaden McDaniels tallied 22 points (8-of-12 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), five rebounds, two assists and four three-pointers in Monday’s exhibition against the Knicks.

With Julius Randle and Naz Reid out of the picture in Minnesota, McDaniels should have more room to operate as a scorer. He was very effective against the Knicks, shooting nearly 67 percent from the field overall and going 4-of-5 from deep. With an ADP in the nineties, McDaniels could be a steal in fantasy basketball this season.
- Raphielle Johnson

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