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Wizards Hold No. 1 Pick; AJ Dybantsa 85% Favorite

6/23/2026

47 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Dybantsa Draft Favorite

The Washington Wizards hold the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
AJ Dybantsa, a BYU forward with 25.5 points per game, is the heavy favorite.
Kalshi lists Dybantsa at an 85 percent chance to be No. 1.
DraftKings offers odds of –550 for Dybantsa to be selected.
The Utah Jazz (No. 2) and Memphis Grizzlies (No. 3) could see Dybantsa or Boozer debut in the Salt Lake City Summer League.

Summary

**Wizards Halt Talks**

Wizards halted trade talks for the No. 1 pick, indicating they likely settled on a prospect.
The franchise’s last No. 1 pick in 2010 and tanking rules suggest this may be its only pick for a decade.
GM Will Dawkins and President of Basketball Michael Winger called the pick a “reward for fans,” while AJ Dybantsa secured major NIL deals and traveled to Paris, New York and a planned China trip as a marketing push.

History

Historical Context

After the Wizards posted the league’s fifth-worst record in 2009-10, they won the draft lottery and selected point guard John Wall with the No. 1 pick in June 2010, beginning a new era for the franchise. The team now repeats that pattern, holding the No. 1 slot for 2026 with BYU forward AJ Dybantsa projected as the top prospect, echoing Wall’s impact.

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Dybantsa Draft Favorite

The Washington Wizards hold the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
AJ Dybantsa, a BYU forward with 25.5 points per game, is the heavy favorite.
Kalshi lists Dybantsa at an 85 percent chance to be No. 1.
DraftKings offers odds of –550 for Dybantsa to be selected.
The Utah Jazz (No. 2) and Memphis Grizzlies (No. 3) could see Dybantsa or Boozer debut in the Salt Lake City Summer League.

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