{"id":2004207,"date":"2026-06-22T09:30:37","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T06:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2004207"},"modified":"2026-06-22T09:30:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T06:30:37","slug":"the-wizards-nba-lottery-gift-taking-aj-dybantsa-with-the-no-1-pick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2004207","title":{"rendered":"The Wizards\u2019 NBA lottery gift? Taking AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Washington Wizards should take AJ Dybantsa with the first pick Tuesday night in the NBA draft. And I think they will.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s close, inside Washington\u2019s front office, between Dybantsa and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson \u2014 closer than I thought six weeks ago, when the Wizards won the lottery<\/a>. The Wizards aren\u2019t trading the pick, no matter the fever dreams of the uninformed and gullible on social media. They would be vastly improved going forward with either Dybantsa or Peterson. Both project as superstars.<\/p>\n

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But the Wizards have monitored the 6-foot-8 Dybantsa\u2019s progression for the last couple of years, long before they knew they\u2019d have a chance to draft and build around him. His name, along with Cooper Flagg\u2019s, was the one whispered most as the ultimate prize for Washington tanking its heart out over the last three years.<\/p>\n

To be clear: taking Dybantsa is not<\/em> a critique of Peterson, the outstanding guard who played at Kansas and saw his season slowed by a severe body cramping incident suffered during pre-season workouts. To exult over Dybantsa is not to take down Peterson.<\/p>\n

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Why AJ Dybansta is the no. 1 prospect in this year’s NBA Draft<\/div>\n
Sam Vecenie<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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