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AJ Dybantsa's Debut was Everything Wizards Fans Could Have Hoped For

The Washington Wizards may not have walked out of Cleveland with a third win, but it's hard not to feel optimistic about their future now that we've finally seen their shiniest prospect in action.
Henry Brown|
Oct 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Washington Wizards guard AJ Dybantsa (4) drives to the basket beside Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) and guard Donovan Mitchell (45) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Oct 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Washington Wizards guard AJ Dybantsa (4) drives to the basket beside Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) and guard Donovan Mitchell (45) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Washington Wizards

Despite the Washington Wizards' promising start to their first road trip, the upstarts currently sit at 2-3 in advance of their NBA Cup debut later this week, leaving no shortage of talking points in their wake.

A blown lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers was peppered by more rebounding struggles and questions regarding head coach Brian Keefe, who continues perplexing the masses regarding his underutilization of his seven-footer stockpile. But on the morning of Oct. 29, there isn't a Wizards fan anywhere who'll hear anything besides their exciting long-term outlook, as AJ Dybantsa already looks the part of the future franchise face one game into his professional career.

He scored 19 points on an efficient 8/12 shooting exhibition, including a nine-point opening quarter in which Washington's offense looked as good as it has all season. 42 first-frame points arrived as a direct result of his playmaking and scoring injections, as he looked as undaunted against a veteran defense as even the most optimistic Dybantsa believers could have dreamed.

Dybantsa's Surgical Scoring Approach

Many-a Washingtonian have bemoaned the scoring scheme's lack of creativity over the last week, with an Anthony Davis-centered isolation-heavy format doing little to unlock the already-struggling 3-point shooters spacing out the floor. Dybantsa, more willing than his veteran to play out of motion and keep the ball whizzing around the court, enjoyed some early attention as a secondary passer once the Wizards leaned into screening for the downhill attacker.

Even if he weren't lightning-quick off his feet and athletic enough to demand contact down at the hole, stacking the super-prospect alongside other distributing creators like Trae Young and Kyshawn George in Washington's starting lineup has already proven to aid the admittedly-sloppy program's floor. And as Dybantsa continues providing flashes at the greatness that got him drafted atop the 2026 class, more wins will keep on inflating local belief in the frontman's potential.

Washington Wizards Guard AJ Dybantsa and Cleveland Cavaliers Guard James Harden
Oct 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Washington Wizards guard AJ Dybantsa (4) dribbles beside Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We all knew that the lengthy wing could do just about anything he wanted once he turns his corner around the perimeter, and he did it all in the immediate outburst. Alex Sarr benefitted from an open look out of the corner once Dybantsa was aware enough to realize he'd drawn in a help defender, and he's perfectly happy to go up with it himself knowing that he's forcing the referees' hands whenever he misses through heavy contact.

It won't be long before he's drawing more than two free throws per game, an issue that's sure to divide the NBA community in record time once they sort out their initial Dybantsa impressions. Less guaranteed is his 3-ball, though he did swish one look from the wing as an advertisement of his three-level scoring upside.

His presence will additionally empower a bench unit that could benefit from another creator and dimer capable of unlocking the shooters, with the Wizards putting forth yet another outing in which they failed to connect on 10 total threes. Six scorers in double-figures, including 35 points on 15/20 combined shooting from Sarr and Dybantsa understudy Bilal Coulibaly, clearly won't cut it when they're working against this kind of self-imposed rebounding deficit.

But now that he's finally debuted following the rolled ankle he suffered in the preseason, it feels fair to assume that this is just the beginning of what profiles as a promising, finally-healthy rookie season. And once any cautionary minutes restrictions can be discarded, there's no telling how competitive this squad can look on a given night.

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Henry Brown
HENRY BROWN

Henry covers the Washington Wizards with prior experience as a sports reporter with The Baltimore Sun, the Capital Gazette and The Lead. A Bowie, MD native, he earned his Journalism degree at the University of Maryland.

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