AJ Dybantsa gives Wizards a summer jolt as Trae Young talks playoffs

AJ Dybantsa needed only two Las Vegas summer league games to put a charge through Washington’s rebuild.

The Wizards’ 19-year-old No. 1 pick scored 27 points with seven rebounds in a 92-88 win over the Utah Jazz, then added 23 points and seven boards against the Sacramento Kings, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. ESPN Research reported that Dybantsa became the first No. 1 pick to score at least 20 points in each of his first two games at the Las Vegas summer league.

That came despite a cold spell from deep: Dybantsa went 1-for-11 from 3-point range across the two appearances. Washington still saw plenty to savor, from downhill scoring to defensive flashes, before shutting down his summer league stint after two games.

Trae Young, now the Wizards’ headline guard after a midseason trade and a new four-year, $212.8 million contract, was already talking big about what comes next.

“This team can be super special,” Young told ESPN. “We can achieve whatever we want to, especially if we have everybody healthy.”

A new face of the rebuild

Washington has been waiting for a jolt. ESPN noted the Wizards have gone 50-196 over the past three seasons and have not advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs since 2017. Their last postseason appearance came in 2021.

Dybantsa’s arrival is the splashiest piece of the next phase. The Wizards now have Young, Anthony Davis and a batch of recent first-round picks, including Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Kyshawn George and Will Riley.

Young and Davis were courtside for Dybantsa’s debut, along with the rest of the roster, according to ESPN. Wizards owner Ted Leonsis also watched as Dybantsa drove through Utah defenders for a two-handed dunk that sent one fan behind the bench out of his seat.

Leonsis told ESPN that Dybantsa looked like a “next generation prototype” and said the rookie’s presence reminded him of Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin because of the way he engages with people.

Dybantsa’s father, Anicet “Ace” Dybantsa Sr., told ESPN his son had been prepared for attention for years. He said his children were required to do 100 pushups nightly from age five, and that he reviewed AJ’s early media interviews to correct verbal habits and posture.

“I don’t want to sound cocky,” Ace Dybantsa told ESPN. “But he was born ready.”

Defense, dunks and a learning curve

Dybantsa did more than score. ESPN reported that he had five steals and three blocks combined in his two games. GeniusIQ data cited by ESPN showed opponents shot 2-for-16 when Dybantsa was the closest defender.

The rookie told reporters he believes he can become a first-team All-Defensive player. He also said he had been “lazy” defensively during his college season at BYU and wanted to show more on that end.

Wizards summer league coach T.J. Sorrentine told ESPN that Dybantsa got tired while carrying a bigger load, and Young said the rookie will learn to take easier shots in the NBA, including catch-and-shoot looks created by Young and Davis.

Young, who has averaged 25.1 points and 9.8 assists in his NBA career and led the league in assists in 2024-25, told ESPN he is working on more off-ball pieces in his game. He said teammates such as Davis and Dybantsa can create pressure on defenses, changing what Washington can run.

Davis is eligible for an extension in August, according to ESPN, with two years left on his contract. Young said he has spoken with Davis about staying in Washington but added, “I think he knows where he wants to be right now.”

Dybantsa said he expects easy looks from Young and wants to learn from Davis, a former No. 1 pick himself. Young said Wizards players plan to gather again in Los Angeles this summer for more workouts and bonding.

After three brutal seasons, Washington’s rebuild finally has a crowd. The rookie has the spotlight, the veterans have the contracts, and the Wizards have a new reason to talk about basketball past April.

This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.