sports
Wizards Weigh Dybantsa and Peterson for No. 1 Pick in 2026 NBA Draft
The Washington Wizards hold the top selection in Monday's draft. Recent reporting shows the franchise evaluating AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson as the primary options. ESPN's Brian Windhorst said multiple front offices remain divided at the top of the board.
winnipegfreepress.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
The Washington Wizards hold the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, scheduled for Monday, and continue to evaluate AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson as the leading candidates, Newsweek reported. Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound wing, completed his freshman season at BYU with averages of 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 34.8 minutes across 35 games.
He led the NCAA in scoring and received consensus All-American honors along with the Julius Erving Award. Peterson, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard who played at Kansas, posted averages of 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 29.0 minutes over 24 games. He earned second-team All-Big 12 honors and shot 38.2 percent from three-point range on 6.9 attempts per game.
On Monday, Dybantsa told ESPN's Malika Andrews that the class depth could match the 2003 draft. "I think at least 10 of us will probably still be playing, let's say eight years down the road. I think that's how deep we are, but it could be more.
I think it's gonna be probably one of the most talked about draft classes since LeBron's," he said. The 2003 draft produced LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh. ESPN's Brian Windhorst stated that multiple front offices are genuinely divided at the top of the 2026 draft board.
